Synopsis
Avengers, The (1963 series) #328 synopsis by
T Vernon
Rating:
The Avengers (Captain America, She-Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Sersi,) plus Rage, Lt. Illarion Pavlovich Ramskov, Galina Nikolavenia Zhukova, and Dr. Deidre Estivez are trapped in the Dimension of Exile and fighting its monstrous prisoners. Another pitched battle takes place. Cap tells Rage to go where he is needed but not to kill or seriously injure these creatures. Hearing this, the monsters’ leader Ngh the Unspeakable knows their sense of ethics is a weakness he will exploit; since the Avengers can pass in and out of the dimension at will, Ngh orders the winged fairy-like Xa to befriend the strangers, returning with them to their dimension where Xa can then open a portal for Ngh and the others to pass through and regain their full powers. And since he can’t trust Xa out of his sight, Ngh hypnotizes her into following this plan. And so She-Hulk and Rage work together nicely, defeating the larger monsters, Thor explains to his foe that not killing takes a greater strength, and the trio of ordinary humans also takes their place in the fight. Cap is trapped but Xa comes to his rescue, fighting off her former co-exiles, explaining that the Avengers’ heroism gave her a change of heart. Once they believe her, Ngh decides to make her defection more convincing by hurling a giant rock and squishing her. Dr. Estivez examines her and decides she needs micro-surgery which can only be done at the hospital. Iron Man points out that Lt. Ramskov’s radioactive powers will return but as he is no longer drugged he can likely learn to control them for the common good. Zhukova doesn’t trust him and Rage echoes that sentiment as no one trusts him either. Thor spins his hammer and, aided by Sersi’s magic, opens a portal back to the utility conduit tunnel under the hospital…
…which is full of police and news media types who are all shocked when the Avengers suddenly reappear on live television coverage. A newswoman asks Cap for his reaction to the Avengers losing their charter and he announces the team will have a general membership meeting to discuss the matter and after that they will release an official statement. A Russian assassin pushes through the crowd, accuses Ramskov of being a traitor and shoots at him—but Zhukova leaps in front of him and takes the bullet while Thor and Iron Man subdue the killer. As Zhukova dies, Ramskov recognizes the killer as one of the vandals at Chernobyl; the man’s hat falls off to reveal a face horribly burned by radiation. Ramskov wants to know what was so secret at Chernobyl that they sent a dying man to murder him. The killer bites on a cyanide capsule and dies….
Cap is accosted by Diamondback who wants his attention—and a declaration of affection. Sersi is listening attentively but Cap is reluctant to give a public display. As Rage goes to leave, Cap excuses himself to Diamond and chases after him, Sersi is amused and makes a cutting comment about how she can wait forty or fifty years for Cap but Diamond can’t….
Cap catches up with Rage and praises his performance in the Dimension of Exile, and didn’t want to give him the wrong impression. Rage invites Cap on the subway for a lesson in impressions. Rage steps on the train and a white woman is afraid but breathes her relief when Captain America boards. Cap gets the idea…and Rage reveals his history: As a Black kid he walked into a white neighborhood to visit a white friend and a gang of white kids attacked him. He ran away and dived into a creek to hide until the bullies went away. Then two men dumped a barrel of toxic waste into the creek, dousing Elvin who was seriously burned. He went home to his Granny Staples, a devout Christian, who nursed him back to health while praying fervently. The waste caused him to become bigger and stronger, leading him to realize he could now beat the bullies—but Granny rebuked him for his desire for vengeance, convincing him that the Lord allowed this for a good purpose and he needed to wait for it. Cap asks where he’s been all these years then but before Rage can explain, L.D. 50 steps out of the shadows and fires the rocket launcher at him. Cap leaps in front and deflects the missile with his shield. The bad guy flees….
At the hospital, Dr. Estivez has completed surgery on the injured Xa and she is left in a private room to recover. She feels her powers returning and so opens a portal to the Dimension of Exile and Ngh the Unspeakable and the others come through….
CharactersGood (or All)Plus: Ngh the Unspeakable, Powersurge (
Illarion Pavlovich Ramskov), Rage (
Elvin Daryl Haliday).