West Coast Wednesdays: Avengers Vol. 1, #250
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Avengers, Vol. 1, Issue 250 (December 1984)
WEST COAST CREDITS!
Writer: Roger Stern
Penciler: Al Milgrom
Inker: Joe Sinnott, Ian Akin, and Brian Garvey
WEST COAST SUMMARY!
The return of Maelstrom brings together the Avengers of both coasts for their biggest fight yet.
WEST COAST THOUGHTS!
If you’re wondering why we went from West Coast Avengers #4 to Avengers #250, it’s because I’m following the instructions at the end of the mini-series, which kindly suggested I follow the West Coast Avengers here. So here we are.
The first thing I noticed about the issue is Al Milgrom’s art, who has always been the artist I associated with West Coast Avengers. While I loved his art as a kid, it’s a bit of a step down from Bob Hall’s work in the mini-series.
Stern does a good job making the West Coast Avengers’ appearance in the book make sense, as well as progressing the storyline he established in the mini-series. Though, if this issue were the first time I met the West Coast Avengers, I’d think they were just a group of insecure and whiny heroes.
Tigra and Wonder Man continue to be touchy. If they’re in a relationship, it hasn’t been mentioned at all, unless I somehow missed it.
There’s really nothing to really say here. It’s all pretty much by the numbers. Maelstrom appears. The teams unite. They fight Maelstrom and win. There’s a small bit about Captain Marvel conquering her fears which is just an easy way to remove her from the board, just like every JLA story has to get Superman out of the way first.
If it weren’t for the West Coast Avengers being here, I’d have no interest in reading this issue.
WEST BOAST OR ROAST?
Roast! For a big anniversary issue, this one falls short.
WEST COAST SCENE (OF THE WEEK)!
Iron Man: “I bet I can get everyone thinking the same thing. Am I right or am I right?”
Derek Handley
The way Al Milgrom drew fingers always disturbed me. There was something flattened about them…
Rogue, Captain Marvel, Superman, Zatanna… there’s a whole bunch of characters who have to be neutralized at the start of most super-team fights for the writer to be able to do anything. I really liked the Monica Rambeau Captain Marvel character, but it got stale really fast when every villain had a special weapon designed against her. Darkforce gun! Hyperspace jump neutralizes your powers! Darkforce portal! Magic rock!
Enjoying these posts. This was a great idea.
Christian A. Dumais
I think Milgrom was one of those artists who wasn’t exceptional by any means, but he could meet a deadline.
I enjoyed his work when I was young, though not so much these days. He’s like the opposite of Kirby, who I detested when I was young and love today.
I see what you mean about the way he drew fingers.
I really loved Captain Marvel, and I was thrilled when Ellis used her in Nextwave. I was hoping it would lead to her having a more active role in the modern Marvel universe, but she’s fallen out of view again.