Avengers #302: Review

Apr 1989

Ralph Macchio, Tom Palmer

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Story Name:

Earth Rocks! (The Super-Nova Saga Part 2)

Synopsis

Avengers #302 Synopsis by T Vernon

The enraged Super-Nova comes to Earth, bent on vengeance against Nebula who had destroyed his world Xandar and whom he wrongly believes is hiding on Earth. His arrival is detected by instruments all over the world, including Wendell Vaughn’s Quantum Bands. He responds to the call by transforming into Quasar and follows the bands to Chicago, where Super-Nova has just blasted a message demanding the surrender of Nebula on the surface of Sears Tower. After a brief exchange of words, the gigantic Super-Nova blasts Quasar; the hero comes back but every attempt he makes to constrain the villain results in a greater blast of energy in return. Quasar does manage to rescue a news helicopter that was rocked by an attack but he is getting low on power….

At the HQ of the West Coast Avengers, the heroes (Hawkeye, Tigra, Wonder Man, Hank Pym) receive a call from staffer Juan Mercado, informing them of the Chicago incident. To ensure that the NYC-based Avengers are not heading to the scene, Hawkeye calls them and Peggy Carter informs him that the Avengers are on a mission in space and overdue. So, the WC Avengers assemble….

In space, Super-Nova’s ship has been destroyed by his sudden departure but the Avengers (Invisible Woman, Thor, Captain America, Mr. Fantastic, Gilgamesh, plus Firelord) have survived by means of a force bubble thrown around them by Invisible Woman; she then creates an airlock so that Thor can exit the sphere and steer the bubble by hurling Mjolnir and catching it….

The WCA arrives and Wonder Man takes on the invader who merely slams him into the ground. The force bubble carrying the Avengers enters the Earth’s atmosphere and the air around it catches fire, threatening the inhabitants if the bubble should break. Firelord is let out of the sphere and absorbs the flame. Sue releases the force field and Reed makes a parachute of his body to ease her fall; Thor catches Cap, and Gilgamesh can fly on his own….

Hearing that the Avengers are on the way, Hawkeye wants his team to get all the glory so, without a plan in mind, he approaches Super-Nova for a talk. Learning the invader is after Nebula, whom he knows nothing about, Hawkeye responds with a nonsensical explanation and realizes he is in a situation way out of his league….

Review / Commentaries

Rating:

Avengers #302 Review by T Vernon (July 19, 2024)

Comments: Part two of three parts. Peggy Carter became the Avengers Communications Director in CAPTAIN AMERICA #351; this is her first Avengers appearance. Sole appearance of Juan Mercado. The editor notes that Sears Tower was the world’s tallest building, beating out any of New York City’s attractions, and had been for 16 years but I have no idea why the editor (Mark Gruenwald) thought that needed to be pointed out. The new US President alluded to was George H.W. Bush, taking office in January 1989. The letters page includes one from future comics scholar Tim DeForest and one by future comics creator Rol Hirst.

Review: Super-Nova comes to Earth on a mistaken mission, intending to nuke the planet. So some heavy-hitters try to subdue the baddie and are smacked down by the giant Super-Nova. So who then would be the worst person to set himself against this most formidable of enemies? That’s right, Hawkeye, the hotheaded, self-absorbed, clueless, powerless leader of the West Coast Avengers. It is an audacious move, having a hero making a precarious situation a lot worse be your shocking cliffhanger but we’re all used to Hawkeye. At this point, we don’t know who could defeat this villain. It’s the suspense that gets ya….

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Ralph Macchio

Tom Palmer

Paul Becton