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Avengers #294: Review

Aug 1988
Walt Simonson, Tom Palmer

Story Name:

If Wishes Were Horses…


Synopsis

Avengers #294 Synopsis by T Vernon
The Avengers are rushing Black Knight to a hospital when he has a fit, causing Doctor Druid to lose control of the Quinjet. BK demands that his Ebony Blade be given back to him; Thor obliges and the Knight calms down. BK explains the curse on the magic sword that falls on the wielder should the sword draw blood—as it did when Namor used it to slay the monstrous Leviathan which was his wife, Marrina. And the curse falls on Dane even though he was not the one to use the sword. And then they realize that Captain Marvel hasn’t been seen since she converted herself to lightning to fight Marrina. Druid punches in the coordinates to run a detailed scan of the area, though secretly he doesn’t want CM found—which She-Hulk senses. But they do not find her and reluctantly return to Hydrobase….

Back at their HQ, while the others wonder what happened to Captain Marvel, Druid excuses himself to rest. Kang-Nebula appears to him in her own form; cursing herself for a fool, she quickly assumes the image of the slinky blonde who has been visiting Druid in his dreams. In the dream kingdom he rules over, a giant monster invades the city; the blonde dresses Druid in a superhero costume and he flies into battle, contending against the creature and defeating it, to the cheers of his subjects. The woman rewards him by taking him to bed. And now that he has proven worthy to rule in his dream kingdom, he is ready to take control in his own world….

A short time later, Black Knight must wear an exoskeleton to move because his limbs are growing stiff; Jarvis indicates that BK’s armor is fused to him. With three Avengers (Captain Marvel, Sub-Mariner, Marrina) gone, talk turns to contacting reserve members to see who could rejoin the team. Black Knight rejects the idea, dismissing most of his former teammates as unworthy to be called warriors in the mold of King Arthur and his Knights. Then BK detects someone else there—and Captain Marvel materializes, looking old and withered away. Thor rushes her to the hospital….

Elsewhen, Kang-Nebula prepares for the final step in her scheme against the Council of Cross-Temporal Kangs. She transforms into Druid’s blonde guide and teleports away. She is unaware that the newest Kang, Kang-Fred is observing her every move, interested to learn she is visiting Earth in the late 20th century, home of the Kang’s great enemies, the Avengers. And he’s not the only one: Kang-Cobra has reported to Lord Kang that Kang-Fred is sitting alone and jumping around through the timestream so quickly it is difficult to detect. Lord Kang decides to speak to him….

She-Hulk brings Captain Marvel’s parents, Frank and Maria Rambeau, to the hospital, warning them that it was near miraculous that Monica survived her transformation into electricity and dissipating her mass. Her parents comfort her and promise she will get better. Dr. Druid suggests that as they are all present, they should elect a new Chairman for the Avengers. The Rambeau’s step outside and Druid nominates himself. Aided by Kang-Nebula, Druid secretly exerts his mental powers to manipulate Monica, She-Hulk, and Black Knight into voting for him. Only Thor is unable to be moved but he chooses to abide by the wishes of the majority and so Doctor Druid becomes the new Avengers Chairman….

The next day, Monica is sent back to New Orleans with her parents. Dr. Druid announces dire deeds in the near future that the Avengers must be ready for….


 

Review / Commentaries

Rating:
4 stars

Avengers #294 Review by (May 17, 2024)
Comments: Part one of four parts. Title is the first part of a noted nursery rhyme, on wishful thinking, continued in the title of the next issue. According to the Marvel Chronology Project, Monica Rambeau’s next appearance is in issue #305, still weak from the loss of her powers.  

Review: And the two subplots we’ve been tracking—Dr. Druid’s dirty dealings and Kang’s komedy—turn out to be one. Dr. Druid is indeed manipulating the Avengers while it is a Kang who is manipulating him. Kang tales are always konfusing but so far this one seems fairly straightforward, assuming we can ignore the Kouncil of Ten Thousand Kangs all waiting to konfound us. And Druid crosses over into villain territory here so we’ll be watching what happens with trepidation.



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Elektra

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(The Boy Wonder)

Tom Palmer
Tom Palmer
Paul Becton
John Buscema (Cover Penciler)
Tom Palmer (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Layouts: John Buscema. Letterer: Bill Oakley.
Editor: Mark Gruenwald. Editor-in-chief: Tom DeFalco.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Black Knight
Black Knight

(Dane Whitman)
Doctor Druid
Doctor Druid

(Anthony Ludgate Druid)
Jarvis
Jarvis

(Edwin Jarvis)
Kang
Kang

(Nathaniel Richards)
She-Hulk
She-Hulk

(Jennifer Walters)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)

Plus: Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Kang-Nebula (Ravonna).