With the Eternals coming to the silver screen, I thought it would be nice to take a look at a comic that involves them meeting with a team they had been associated with in the comics: The Avengers. Earth's Mightiest Heroes and the Cosmic Space Heroes have crossed paths quite a few times over the years, what with a couple of Eternals even becoming Avengers themselves over the years. This story delves a bit into the mythos of the Eternals, and was also meant to help set up for a future epic adventure I'll look at in...the future. This is Avengers #246!
The cover is a Al Milgrom and Joe Sinnott piece. It's pretty cool, depicting Avenger members Starfox and Wasp brawling with some armored men. They're joined by the Eternals' resident party girl Sersi and She-Hulk, who had joined the Fantastic Four as a replacement for the Thing after the first Secret Wars.
"Gatherings"
Writer: Roger Stern
Penciler: Al Milgrom
Inker: Joe Sinnott
Colorist: Christie Scheele
Letterer: Jim Novak
Editor: Mark Gruenwald
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
The story begins with the Avengers known as Vision and the Scarlet Witch meeting the then-President, Ronald Reagan, at the White House.
The Vision wishes to make a proposal to the President in private, which makes Wanda suspicious. It was already strange that he decided to go visit Washington, but this? This is downright weird. Anyway, we next switch scenes to a neighborhood in New Orleans. A man is hard at work cooking up some gumbo.
Meet Frank Rambeau, the father of a heroine we've met before on this blog: Monica Rambeau, aka Captain Marvel II. Monica is planning to visit her parents...while trying to figure out how to tell them about her being a superheroine. Next, we look in on Avengers Mansion.
Wasp is reading a book when she gets a call from Hawkeye out west. That West Coast-based Avengers team of his is getting a new headquarters.
And that concludes our Hawkeye and the West Coast Avengers cameo. The Avenger member known as Starfox...
Not that Starfox!
That's him! Anyway, the Avengers known as Starfox visits Wasp in the Avenger Mansion’s library. Wasp and Starfox discuss her being bored out of her skull. Starfox knows exactly what will cheer her up: A party! He happens to be heading out to one, and he could use a plus one. On the plane back from Washington, Wanda notices Vision is continuing to act, well...off. He insisted on taking an airliner instead of a Quinjet...and he also anted some coffee. Strange...
We get a quick scene with Monica arriving at her parents' house, and then we join Janet Van Dyne and Starfox at the party. One of the notable guests is one Jennifer Walters, aka the Senational She-Hulk. The party's hostess had invited her after they crossed paths at a bakery. Starfox reveals that he and Jan have technically crashed the party. But the hostess doesn't mind.
Yup, the hostess is the Eternals' resident mistress of matter manipulation, and future Avenger, the scintillating Sersi! She tends to not mind party-crashers, as long as they're not dull. And having two Avengers crash can hardly be considered dull. Nearby, a drunk guest tries to fix himself up in the mirror.
Yeah, maybe it's time for you to cut back, buddy. This is Domo, and he wants to summon Sersi. There is a big decision to be made in the Eternals' home city of Olympia. Sersi is like, "Don't wanna! I wanna have fun!"
In New Orleans, Monica shows her parents her powers and Captain Marvel costume. Her father is excited...beacuse she met Captain America!
Back to the party! Unfortunately, Rule #275 of Super Hero Comics kick in: When Super-Heroes have a party, the party shall be attacked. And that happens here.
Sersi knows who they are. They're called Delphans, and they are here to pick her up. Thing is, as established earlier, Sersi would rather go do her own thing. And she does not like being told what to do. And naturally, a fight breaks out! Sersi, She-Hulk, Wasp, and Starfox vs. Delphans! Round One! Fight!
At LaGuardia Airport, a scrum of reporters meet the Vision and the Scarlet Witch. It's here we learn exactly what the synthezoid and the Gipper were talking about: The Avengers' Chariman being a part of the president's Cabinet. Back at the party, the Delphans manage to capture Sersi and flee to their ship. Starfox and Wasp try to pursue, but the ship teleports away...with them in it.
The Delphans take advantage of the Avengers' being distracted by their teleportation to blow the ship to pieces. The two Avengers survive the blast, to end up in Olympia, the Eternals' home in Greece.
I enjoyed this comic. I love that it touches on several storylines going at once. Wasp and Starfox going party-crashing, Vision working on a secret project while having some troubles with his then-paramour Wanda, and of course, the kidnapping of Sersi. Not a lot of action, but that's fine here because we get some fun character stuff. Al Milgrom turns in some good art...even though he does seem to be fond of giving Sersi a large forehead. Maybe he's trying to imitate Kirby's original interpretation of Sersi? Would make sense.
If you want to read this yourself, I suggest you track down the 2020 trade paperback The Eternals: The Dreaming Celestial Saga. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! See you next time!
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