Avengers Annual #21 (Citizen Kang, Part 4)

This is it- Captain America, Thor, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers team up to take down Kang the Conqueror once and for all. But in order to do that, they’ll have to face an army of time displaced heroes and villains. It’s a unique combination of characters that have both befriended and stymied these heroes in the past. Some I know like Ulysses Bloodstone (as a caveman) some I have not come across.

The ending ties up some loose ends of the multi-parted origin of Kang. It also ties it that very confusing story starting Mantis from the previously reviewed Fantastic Four Annual (Citizen Kang, Part 3.) Plus as with the other annuals in this storyline, we get the top ten villains of the Avengers as well as a really cool map of Kang’s Chronopolis.

What I think would’ve taken this annual over the top would’ve been a Marvel Handbook style listing of Kang’s army of time travelers. But knowing how detailed Marvel makes them, this book would’ve clocked in at probably 98-pages and cost $8 in 1992 dollars.

I wasn’t a fan of the ending. It was a little better than that FF annual and thankfully; all parties are given a good amount of face time in this series. Speaking of faces, the art is down-right terrible. Herb Trimpe, would drew the classic cover to the first confrontation of Wolverine and Hulk, just dropped the ball here. I don’t know what happened but his style has gotten sloppy with horrid anatomy. I didn’t like.

Worth Consuming, but just barely.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Fantastic Four Annual #25 (Citizen Kang Part 3)

It’s the Fantastic Four’s turn to investigate the temporal disappearances of some of earth’s mightiest heroes. Sadly, this iconic team couldn’t warrant their our chapter in the Citizen Kang storyline as what can only be described as a B-list roster of Avengers are also on the trail of their missing allies. Most of the story stars the Avengers- in a Fantastic Four comic!!!

Some of the spotlight is explainable as a third party has convinced both the FF and the Avengers that their ‘opponents’ are under the influence of Kang! But, instead of building up to this, I think the Marvel Bullpen could’ve spent some time in part 4 of Citizen Kang flashbacking as to how and why the Avengers got into this scuffle with the first family of Marvel.

Along with this chapter, we get a look at the Fantastic Four’s top 10 villains, a cute story starring Ben Grimm and his nephew Franklin Richards, and a strange story starring two former Avengers! Avengers again- I think this was a fantastic Four Annual. Anyway it stars Mantis who engages another former Avenger name Moonstone in a test of strength in hopes of gaining this bald Avengers help in finding her missing son. A) I don’t know what this has to do with the Citizen Kang storyline and B) don’t know why this couldn’t have waited for the Avengers chapter.

   Lastly, more of Kang’s origin is examined. Now if goes from interesting to confusing as this part of the villains history is filled with alternate Kangs and tangent timeline that diverge whenever Kang time travels.

I wish that this issue had some shining moment. With exception of the 10 ten list and the Thing story, there really wasn’t much to enjoy. The plotting stunk and the art was typical of the mid-90s. In other words- it was filled with horrible anatomy and looked too much like Rob Liefeld for my taste.

Not Worth Consuming

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars

Thor Annual 17 (Citizen Kang Part 2)

Well, now Captain America and Vision are missing. So, Thor is sent to investigate. His arrival in the mysterious town of Timely sends him back in time to Medieval Europe, where he comes face to face with sometime Fantastic Four baddie, Prester John. Thor’s arrival has cause the potential peace between England and the Norsemen to be in jeopardy. If the Avenger can’t fix things soon, this event could damage the entire space-time continuum.

This isn’t the Thor we all know and love. Odinson has somehow been replaced with a bearded construction worker named Eric. This is probably the least familiar era of Thor comics to me. But this is a very good read and hasn’t turned me off of the god of Thunder.

Along with this story, we get more of Kang the Conqueror’s back story, an awesome tale starring the Warriors Three and Ulik, the savage troll, a look at Thor’s top 10 villains, and an awesome pin-up of classic Thor versus Ulik.

Sure, my Thor isn’t in this but the story and art is proof why he’s becoming one of my all-time favorite superheroes.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.