COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK – “Solo Avengers” #18 (May 1989)

'Solo Avengers' #18 (May 1989)

This week’s “Comic Book of the Week” is “Solo Avengers” #18, which was published by Marvel Comics in May 1989. This 32-page issue contained two stories, the first featuring Hawkeye and the second featuring Moondragon. R.F. Buckler was the cover artist for the issue, which sold for 75 cents at newsstands.

The first story was titled “When You Wish Upon a Star,” and its creative team included Howard Mackie, writer; Don Heck, inker; Ron Wilson, penciller; Morelli, letterer; Jackson, colorist; Mark Gruenwalk, editor; and Tom DeFalco, editor in chief.

That story begins with Hawkeye practicing his archery skills outside West Coach Avenger headquarters. He releases an arrow toward a target only to have it blow of course by a strong wind. As it turns out, the wind’s not natural. It was created by super-powered weather manipulator, Texas Twister.

Twister explains that he’s looking for his girlfriend, Shooting Star. Months ago, she disappeared after a demon took her place, and Twister now wants to see the demon face to face in order to figure out what happened to Shooting Star. Twister knows that the Avengers are keeping the demon prisoner beneath their headquarters, and he demands to see it.

Hawkeye takes Twister down to the basement, where the ugly, green demon is being held in a iron cage. Twister then grabs the demon in a bear hug and kisses it on the lips. The demon then transforms into Shooting Star. The demon the goes into Twister’s body, so Shooting Star and Hawkeye team up to bring down the demon.

In the end, they subdue the creature and force it to go into a statue. The demon complies and becomes trapped because it can’t release itself from an inanimate object. The last panel shows a reunited Twister and Shooting Star making goo-goo eyes at one another.

The second story was titled “Will You, Won’t You, Will You, Won’t You…?” Its creative team included Peter B. Gills, writer; James Brock, penciller; Roy Richardson, inker; Paul Becton, colorist; and Rick Parker, letterer.

This story is set on Titan, one of Saturday’s moons and features Pamela Douglas, aka, Moondragon. She’s the mother of a child that’s being gestated in a tank outside her body, and the child is a clone of herself that will serve as a host body for her cousin, Heather, who’s currently sharing Douglas’ mind and body.

The big day has arrived for Douglas to remove her child from the tank. Once she has the baby in hand though, she’s informed that once she transfers Heather’s mind to the child, she’ll have to turn the infant over to the priests of Shao-Lom and return to Earth. Douglas refuses.

They eventually work it out, and Douglas learns that she won’t be forced to leave. Later, while Douglas is traveling on a shuttle with her new baby, they get sucked into an alien spacecraft piloted by the beings known as The Dance. They eventually release her and allow her to return to Titan with her baby.

This comic (unless I’ve sold it) and others are available for purchase through Peacock’s Books on Amazon.com. If you’re interested in buying it, search for it there by title, issue number and date of publication.