Today's Lunchtime Reading West Coast Avengers 35 The Voice of Doom

West Coast Avengers 35 The Voice of Doom

Published: August 10th, 1988

Writer: Steve Englehart Penciler: Al Milgrom

Cover Artist: Al Milgrom

Hawkeye and Mockingbird wake up in bed together in the castle of Doctor Doom. The castle is currently occupied by Kristoff, who thinks he's Dr. Doom. Kristoff is looking for allies against Doom. The Hungarian Ministry of Defense has agreed to ally with him if he'll turn over the Avengers, but Kristoff would prefer to have the Avengers as allies.

Hawkeye and Mockingbird will be kept prisoners in the bedroom until midnight while they make a decision. Of the other Avengers, some are held prisoner elsewhere in the castle, and unlike the Communists, Kristoff has come up with power-cancelling devices with a little more individual flair. The Wasp tries her new antennae again… ...but finds that Kristoff has been keeping up with his payments to the exterminator and the castle is bug free. Kristoff shows up and makes the appeal to them as well. Then he goes to where Tigra and Moon Knight are being held. Since they are (relatively) new to the Avengers, Kristoff is not aware of their capabilities, so he puts them to the test in a Danger Room.

Meanwhile, Hawkeye and Mockingbird have it out. For Hawkeye, it's a trust issue; the fact that Mockingbird hadn't told him about it already. The conversation goes downhill from there and the Phantom Rider is certainly enjoying the fight.

 

Moon Knight eventually gets tired of being tested by Kristoff, so he tells Tigra to keep fighting no matter what happens, and then he lets himself get knocked out. What happens next i guess dispels any doubt over whether the guy in Moon Knight's head was really Khonshu or just another voice in his head. Khonshu faces off against Kristoff. Their fight actually ends when Khonshu addresses Krisfoff as Doom.

 

Hearing that a god believes he's the real deal is enough to get him to agree to release the Avengers. That decision is furthered when Hungary sends an emissary that turns out to be Quicksilver, who had previously insulted Kristoff when they were both held captive by the Fantastic Four. Kristoff tries to kill Qucksilver, but the Avengers stop them and Kristoff just kicks everyone out.