By d. emerson eddy — The Avengers #264 might well have been the first issue of The Avengers that I ever owned. When I was a kid, regular Marvel comics weren't as readily accessible to me as their Star Comics line or the DC Comics books. I had to go with my parents into town to the grocery store and that trip was usually reserved to buy that month's Mighty Thor. There were, however, the rare occasion going in to the city, probably either at a department store or maybe K-Mart, that I'd find packs of three or four issues of bundled remaindered comics. Avengers #264 was one of these, packed with one of John Byrne's issues of Fantastic Four and an issue of Secret Wars II. The issue had the new Yellowjacket looming ominously on the cover and I was drawn in.

The story introduced me to Black Knight, Wasp, Captain Marvel, Hercules, Namor, and more while reinforcing some of the soap opera style that I feel became more prevalent through the '80s. I loved it and convinced my parents (and probably my grandparents) to see if they could get me more of the packs if they featured different issues. I only got a few other issues of Avengers, including #259, 263, and #266, but it also brought me further into Marvel's readership with some West Coast Avengers, another Fantastic Four, and an issue of Secret Wars II in each. It laid the groundwork for what I'd look for in back issues once I actually had regular access to a dedicated comics store.

Avengers #264 was in the first half of a lengthy run from Roger Stern, John Buscema, Tom Palmer, Christie Scheele, and Jim Novak that had started in #255 and ran to #285. The entire run was collected in four volumes, with #264 appearing in the second, Avengers: The Once and Future Kang. It contains Avengers #262 through #269 along with Avengers Annual #15 and West Coast Avengers Annual #1. The later Assault on Olympus story-arc may get broader attention as it essentially closed out the run, but it was these issues here that were really special to me. And when you consider that one of them was the set up for the return of Jean Grey and X-Factor, it falls into place more that the latter title was another of my first regular forays into Marvel.

The arc that gives the book its title is only three issues, from #267 to #269, but it's an entertaining story giving us a council of Kangs and battle between Kang and Immortus. Much of the structure of this collection, and indeed the entire run, is more of the standard old school serialized comics, with individual events per issue and continuing storylines, but not discrete arcs. Which in itself is nice to look back on, get hooked by Roger Stern's drama, and immerse yourself in the verve and flow of the lines from John Buscema and Tom Palmer. I think this last run on Avengers is truly some of Buscema's best superhero work and potentially rivals his Conan.

Although it wasn't until later in the '90s, particularly with Operation: Galactic Storm, that I really got into Avengers stories (and consider the bomber jacket era from Bob Harras and Steve Epting as “my” Avengers), it was the issues in Avengers: The Once and Future Kang (by Stern, Shooter, Fingeroth, Englehart, Buscema, Ditko, Bright, Palmer, Janson, Isherwood, Scheele, Lee, Scotese, Novak, Buhalis, Lopez, and Orzechowski) that opened the door and initially caught my imagination. These are fun stories that play with the legacy of the Avengers, some offbeat characters that you might not think of as “big guns”, over-the-top classic villains, and interpersonal relationships that hook you with that soap opera drama. Also, seriously, the John Buscema artwork. A master bringing all of his skills to bear with this run.

Avengers - The Once and Future Kang

Avengers: The Once and Future Kang
Writers: Roger Stern, Jim Shooter, Danny Fingeroth & Steve Englehart
Breakdowns/Pencillers: John Buscema, Steve Ditko & Mark Bright
Finishes/Inkers: Tom Palmer, Klaus Janson & Geof Isherwood
Colorists: Christie Scheele, Elaine Lee & Petra Scotese
Letterers: Jim Novak, L. Lois Buhalis, Ken Lopez & Tom Orzechowski
Publisher: Marvel Comics
The Sub-Mariner has joined the Avengers! And they’ll need his superhuman strength and aquatic expertise when they make a shocking discovery beneath the waves of Jamaica Bay, deal with a new Yellowjacket and clash with the unimaginable cosmic power of the Beyonder! But when the Avengers’ time-hopping nemesis Kang the Conqueror returns — a whole Council of Kangs, in fact — can Earth’s Mightiest Heroes escape the deadly realm of Limbo, dispatch the threats of the Space Phantom and Growing Man, and triumph over their futuristic foe? And what parts will Ravonna and Immortus play in the battle? Plus: The Avengers and West Coast team up to uncover a traitor in their midst! Guest-starring the Molecule Man, the Silver Surfer and Freedom Force!
Price: $16.99
Buy It Here: Avengers - The Once and Future Kang

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d. emerson eddy is a student and writer of things. He fell in love with comics during Moore, Bissette, & Totleben's run on Swamp Thing and it has been a torrid affair ever since. His madness typically manifests itself on Twitter @93418.