Avengers #303: Review

May 1989

Ralph Macchio, Tom Palmer

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Story Name:

--Reckoning! (The Super-Nova Saga Part 3)

Synopsis

Avengers #303 Synopsis by T Vernon

Super-Nova is in Chicago to destroy Earth unless they surrender Nebula to him—a person not on Earth. He holds Hawkeye in his hand as the archer tries to bluff the giant alien. It doesn’t work; Super-Nova realizes the little man is stalling for time so when Hawkeye mouths off to him one more time, Super-Nova disintegrates him. The other West Coast Avengers, Tigra and Hank Pym, are shocked and Super-Nova increase the violence of his demand for Nebula. And then we discover that Quasar had snatched Hawkeye away in the last second and deposits him on a rooftop. Introductions are made, along with a stupid justification from Hawkeye. Quasar carries Hawkeye to his teammates and heads off for more rescue work….

And then the new Fantastic Four arrive, Thing, She-Thing, and Human Torch in a Fantasti-Car. The two Things drop into Super-Nova’s hands and and Ben starts yelling threats. The giant villain simply smashes them together and drops them to the ground. This makes Johnny mad and he attacks Super-Nova, who ignores him. Quasar, after making sure the two Things are okay, joins his power to Johnny’s and this starts to distract the villain. Then the Avengers (Thor, Captain America, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Gilgamesh, plus Firelord) arrive on the scene. Cap contacts Hawkeye to find out the situation. Cap talks to the Army General on the scene and asks him to evacuate Chicago, which the General says is impossible. Cap asks Sue to surround Super-Nova with a force field in case he detonates but she is still weak from having gotten them to Earth; Reed wants to go with her so Cap has to remind him who is in charge. Thor and Firelord join Torch and Quasar surrounding the baddie. While Cap explains the situation to General Akord, Reed gets an idea and heads off to attract Quasar’s attention. He has Q rush him to the Baxter Building ASAP. Super-Nova lights up and it takes nearly more power than Torch and Firelord can muster to absorb it all and release it into space, which drains Johnny. Then Thing and She-Thing, joined by Wonder Man, try to topple the giant by lifting his feet; Thor then crashes into him and they succeed in knocking Super-Nova to the ground and all of the strong heroes jump on him to pummel him with everything they’ve got. This just makes Super-Nova mad. Then Reed and Quasar arrive. Reed reminds Super-Nova that he has a reputation among the Xandarians as an honorable man so he asks the alien to believe what he says when he assures him that Nebula is not on Earth but lost in the timestream. He then sets up Doctor Doom’s time machine and assures Super-Nova that it will lead him into the timestream to pursue his enemy. Super-Nova does and vanishes via the machine. Everyone hails Reed Richards as the hero of the hour but Cap worries that once again, Reed acted independently of the team….

Review / Commentaries

Rating:

Avengers #303 Review by T Vernon (July 27, 2024)

Comments: Part three of three parts. Super-Nova returns in NEW WARRIORS #40-42; I can find no mention anywhere of his ever having caught up to Nebula. The letters page includes one from future Diamond Distributor exec Joe Lunday.

Review: How do you stop a super-powered villain stronger than everybody on Earth? Well, apparently it involves Reed Richards saying, “Trust me.” The key was never power but honor and it took Reed to come up with that—with the idea to counter a lie with the truth—when everyone else was trying to clobber the baddie. Good show for an offbeat resolution to a nightmarish scenario.

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Ralph Macchio

Tom Palmer

Christie Scheele

John Buscema (Cover Penciler)
Tom Palmer (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)