Comic Browser:

The Avengers #255

May 1985

Roger Stern, John Buscema

Story Name:

The Legacy of Thanos

Synopsis

The Avengers #255 synopsis by T Vernon

Rating:

After a journey of seven light-hours, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau) arrives at Sanctuary II, Thanos’ starship, abandoned at the edge of the solar system. Changing from light to radio waves, CM evades the ship’s defenses and enters the massive craft. Seeing that the life supports systems are working, she resumes her human form and looks around….

Back on Earth, General Peabody is demanding that the National Security Council hold the Avengers responsible for hacking into the NORAD computers, threatening the nation’s safety. Raymond Sikorsky of the Council suggests giving the Avengers the opportunity to explain the incident, likely just an accident. Sikorsky then receives a letter from the Vision, admitting responsibility for the incident, and notifying the Council he is resigning from the Avengers and will submit to a de-briefing….

The Avengers are meeting over the matter; Vision explains his attempt to take control of the world’s computers and, despite Starfox’s claim to some responsibility by linking Vision to ISAAC, Vision accepts full blame. Scarlet Witch decides to accompany her husband (startling the long-absent Black Knight who didn’t know they were married). Captain Marvel makes contact from the starship to report that she has not found the mystery signal; Vision then confesses it was a ruse to get her away while he put his plan into effect. While she ponders this, exploring the hangar deck, she is attacked by a troll called Skunge; she evades his attacks by turning immaterial and then seizing him when she isn’t. CM is then assaulted by an orange rocky giant called Kehl, whom she can electrocute. Kehl is halted by a mental attack from Gunthar, a Rigellian, who is accompanied by a blue-skinned fellow called Levan. The latter two make Kehl and Skunge apologize and they explain that their navigation system was malfunctioning and they chanced upon the Sanctuary II and entered to make repairs; they ask CM if she is willing to help and she guardedly agrees….

Janet Van Dyne arrives at Avengers Mansion and is accosted by a pair of Federal Agents come to escort Vision to Washington for his debriefing. Janet turns into Wasp and heads inside where she questions Vision and he explains his failed scheme for the third time this issue. As Vision and Wanda depart, he again apologizes and Captain America tells him they will always be welcome. Then they go off with the Feds. Cap, Wasp, and Wonder Man note that Vision sounds more human than he used to, which Wondy attributes to the loss of his control circuit….

Captain Marvel observes the alien wayfarers and suddenly she is forced back into her human form. The visitors reveal themselves to be a band of mercenaries and they have activated the ship’s hyperspace drive, causing the ship to jump to another galaxy so that if CM escaped it would take her millions of years to return to Earth….

Review / Commentaries

The Avengers #255 Review by T Vernon (June 9, 2023)

Comments: Cover title: The Mighty Avengers, on issues #241-255. Part one of eight parts. Captain Marvel has been heading toward Sanctuary II since issue #252, revealed here to have taken seven hours. First appearances of Skunge, Levan, Kahl, and Gunthar, only the latter of whom lasts beyond this story arc, returning at a later date.

Review: The issue alternates between two major plots: the more immediate centers on the discovery of Vision’s scheme to take over the world’s computers. This involves government types debating it, various Avengers comprehending it, and Vision apologizing for it. These sections are quite wordy and Vizh ends up having to explain multiple times. The other plot is the more interesting one and occupies the book for seven more issues while the Earthbound Avengers are dealing with other matters. We get a nice look at Monica’s powers, the artist gets to draw a massive spaceship, there is some action, and CM is trapped by the newly-introduced baddies. It’s all pretty cool and gives an underappreciated Avenger a chance to shine.

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Main/1st Story Full Credits

Roger Stern

John Buscema

Tom Palmer

Christie Scheele

Tom Palmer (Cover Penciler)
Tom Palmer (Cover Inker)
Tom Palmer (Cover Colorist)

Additional Credits

Letterer: Jim Novak.
Editor: Mark Gruenwald. Editor-in-chief: Jim Shooter.

All stories. Listed in alphabetical order.

Avengers

Black Knight
(Dane Whitman)

Captain America
(Steven Rogers)

Captain Marvel
(Monica Rambeau)

Hercules
(Heracles)

Scarlet Witch
(Wanda Maximoff)

Starfox
(Eros)

Vision

Wasp
(Janet Van Dyne)

Wonder Man
(Simon Williams)

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