Avengers Forever #12 of 12

Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern // Carlos Pacheco
February 2000
***

While AF provided the epic conflict that Busiek’s Avengers needed, it never fulfilled its early promise. The Destiny War is revealed as a battle btw Avengers from noble & corrupt timelines. It ends w/ Rick Jones fused to Capt. Marvel Jr. & w/ lords of time Kang & Immortus as distinct beings.

last issue: Avengers Forever #11 of 12

also indexed for Feb ’00
Avengers #25

Avengers Forever #11 of 12

Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern // Carlos Pacheco
November 1999
***

As in “The Kree-Skrull War”, Rick Jones—now aged & weathered, linked once more to Capt. Marvel—manifests the author’s heroes from a field of cosmic Kirby dots. For R. Thomas, that was ’40s masked men; for Kurt B., it’s the Avengers themselves. Pacheco provides scope, but the solipsism is a letdown.

last issue: Avengers Forever #10 of 12
next issue: Avengers Forever #12 of 12

also indexed for Nov. ’99
Avengers #22

Avengers Forever #7 of 12

Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern // Carlos Pacheco
June 1999
***

As the team storms an Escher-like citadel in Limbo, its various members work thru internal conflicts. Cap & Hawk gain confidence while Avs from the future share a kiss. But the strongest bit is the double-act of Ant-Men, as the schizoid version (Yellowjacket from Av #59) seems to betray the team!

last issue: Avengers Forever #6 of 12
next issue: Avengers Forever #8 of 12

also indexed for Jun. ’99
Avengers #17

Avengers Forever #4 of 12

Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern // Carlos Pacheco
March 1999
****

Busiek pays homage to Thomas & Englehart, building his mini partly around their runs. His Avengers board a time machine to stop Immortus from erasing their sidekick, Rick Jones. They’re off to the Wild West (backstage in Av #142-3!), Killraven’s future, & ’50s America—where VP Nixon is a Skrull!

last issue: Avengers Forever #3 of 12
next issue: Avengers Forever #5 of 12

also indexed for Mar. ’99
Avengers #14

Avengers Forever #3 of 12

Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern // Carlos Pacheco
February 1999
****

Epic, Avengers-defining comics, w/ goofy super-SF to rival Morrison’s JLA. Immortus invades a “chronopolis” (a city that abutts all eras) so he can gain the power to prune the timestream! Pacheco shines: his “actors” have expressive body language & his panels cut & frame subjects in compelling ways.

last issue: Avengers Forever #2 of 12
next issue: Avengers Forever #4 of 12

also indexed for Feb. ’99
Avengers #13

Avengers Forever #2 of 12

Kurt Busiek // Carlos Pacheco
January 1999
*****

Rick Jones, acquiring time-manipulating superpowers, gathers Avengers to fight chrono-baddies. Ingeniously, the team’s drawn from several eras. It’s got Thomas’ delusional Yellowjacket & Englehart’s disillusioned Cap for drama, a few contempo members, & even future Avenger/current T-bolt Songbird!

last issue: Avengers Forever #1 of 12
next issue: Avengers Forever #3 of 12

also indexed for Jan. ’99
Avengers #12

Avengers Forever #1 of 12

Kurt Busiek // Carlos Pacheco
December 1998
****

Busiek spins a mini out of last summer’s Kree crossover assisted by Pacheco, whose style is a mod ’90s update of Pérez’ image density. A classic Kirby AI-monster conspires to hyper-evolve perennial sidekick Rick Jones, a gambit that gets noticed by a sinister time guardian & his younger self—Kang!

next issue: Avengers Forever #2 of 12

also indexed for Dec. ’98
Avengers #11