Comic Browser:

Avengers #319

Jul 1990

Fabian Nicieza, Rik Levins

Story Name:

The Crossing Line: Part One: The Waterwind Interdiction

Synopsis

Avengers #319 synopsis by T Vernon

Rating:

In the North Atlantic Ocean, Royal Navy nuclear submarine Waterwind is brought to a halt by sabotage and invaded and captured by a band of Russian terrorists called Peace Corpse, led by Major Illyich Prokvitch. Prokvitch names the traitor in their midst and then executes the commander, Admiral Rickert, but not before the Admiral sends out a distress message….

At the Parliament Building in London, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher discusses the crisis with her cabinet. Excalibur is not available so she makes the decision to contact the United States government for aid….

The Avengers (Captain America, Sersi, Vision, Quasar) are meeting in their new headquarters when Peggy Carter puts through a call from President George H. W. Bush outlining the submarine crisis and asks for their help. Cap agrees. They try contacting Namor but can’t get through, Thor neither, so Cap suggests Peggy call in non-Avenger Walter Newell, Stingray, as one with the needed undersea experience. As they head out in the Quinjet, Quasar expresses concern that international terrorism is out of their line and Cap is worried about the lack of information….

Aboard the Waterwind, the terrorists are completing their takeover of the sub when they detect another craft approaching. They are then contacted by the newcomers, the Russian superhero team the People’s Protectorate (Vostok, Perun, Fantasma, Crimson Dynamo, Red Guardian) who demand they surrender or be destroyed….

The Avengers arrive at the scene, having picked up Stingray who has briefed them on the type of submarine involved. Instruments detect two craft underwater so they dive and spot them; the sub fires torpedoes at the smaller ship and the Russian heroes easily destroy them with their powers. Cap recognizes the Soviet heroes and doesn’t trust them so he decides to deescalate the situation. Leaving Cap in the Quinjet, the others swim forth to battle. Sersi encases Perun in a block of plastic. Vostok manipulates the Vision’s internal systems, disabling him. Quasar casts a Photon-Net over Crimson Dynamo but he easily breaks through it. Red Guardian contacts Cap, asking that they halt the battle, as it will only accomplish the hijackers’ goals. Fantasma is overwhelmed with negative thoughts, suggesting that something bad is going to happen; she senses someone demanding they pay for violating them. And then as Stingray searches for a way to enter the sub, a missile hits near him, sending him hurling through the water. The two hero teams look to see a war party of the last Atlanteans approaching—led by Tyrak, Orka, and U-Man—demanding they leave the area or die….

Story #2

Rats in the Kitchen

Writer: Mark Gruenwald. Penciler: James Fry. Inker: Keith Williams

Synopsis

By T Vernon
Rating: 4 stars

The Avengers Support Crew (Edwin Jarvis, Peggy Carter, Fabian Stankowicz, John Jameson, Michael O’Brien) is sitting at breakfast prepared by Jarvis before they start their day outfitting the Avengers’ new headquarters. Jarvis declines offers of help cleaning up and assures Peggy he enjoys the constant companionship. Once alone, Jarvis is confronted by the Crimson Cowl, terrifying him. The Cowl explains that it was once a disguise worn by Ultron but was mainly the identity Jarvis took on when he betrayed the Avengers. The panicked butler shoots his foe to no effect. The Crimson Cowl demands that Jarvis unmask him; he does, only to see his own face, reminding him of his betrayal being his greatest fear, that he will do it again. The Cowl tells Jarvis that the only way to kill the Crimson Cowl would be to kill himself. Jarvis fires one last shot and the Cowl vanishes. Michael O’Brien enters, having heard the gunfire; Jarvis tells him he saw a rat and panicked….

Review / Commentaries

Avengers #319 Review by T Vernon (November 15, 2024)

Comments: “The Crossing Line: Part 1 of Six: Confrontation!”—Cover. First appearance of the People’s Protectorate; their relation to the Soviet Super-Soldier team is unclear and presents some difficulties of chronology; see Marvel Database for details. Vostok debuted as Sputnik in CAPTAIN AMERICA #352-353; this is his first appearance as Vostok. Fantasma likewise debuted in CAP #352-353 as Fantasia; this is her first appearance as Fantasma. This Red Guardian is the fourth, Josef Petkus, same intro as Vostok and Fantasma. Crimson Dynamo is Dmitri Bukharin, around much longer than the others on the team, starting in IRON MAN #109-112. First appearance of the Peace Corpse (a pun on the US Peace Corps) which only appears in this six-issue story arc.

Second story: Jarvis was hypnotized by Ultron to assume the identity of the Crimson Cowl and betray the Avengers (AVENGERS #54-55).

Review: A good introductory episode for this six-part epic, largely setting up the situation (terrorists hijack a nuclear sub) and bringing together the players (Avengers, Soviet heroes, Atlanteans) and waiting to see how they interact. It has the requisite tension required by the situation. The pared-down team also raises some questions though the appearance of Atlantean bad guys at the end explains why Namor was omitted as his being King of Atlantis would introduce a different dynamic for the story. Cap’s idea that the Avengers attacking the Russian heroes is the way to deescalate the confrontation seems a bit dubious but then that’s what ensures tense situations will fill six issues.

The second story looks promising too, following a different pattern from the first, by splitting the group up to give each one a solo adventure then bringing them together in the end. And Jarvis’ episode is quite traumatic. And now I’ve got a bad feeling about the rest of them.

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(The Boy Wonder)

Fabian Nicieza

Rik Levins

Chris Ivy

Renee Witterstaetter

Paul Ryan (Cover Penciler)
Tom Palmer (Cover Inker)

Additional Credits

Letterer: Bill Oakley.
Editor: Howard Mackie. Editor-in-chief: Tom DeFalco.

Listed in alphabetical order. All stories.

Avengers

Captain America
(Steven Rogers)

Jarvis
(Edwin Jarvis)

Orka

Peggy Carter

Perun
(Lord of the Storm)

Quasar
(Wendell Vaughn)

Sersi

Vision

Vostok

Plus: Crimson Dynamo (Dmitri Bukharin), Fabian Stankowicz, Fantasma, John Jameson, Michael O'Brien, President George H. W. Bush (George H. W. Bush), Red Guardian (Josef Petkus), Stingray (Walter Newell), Tyrak, U-Man.

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Avengers #319

The Crossing Line: Part One: The Waterwind Interdiction

Synopsis

Rats in the Kitchen

Synopsis

Review / Commentaries

Additional Credits