Collects Avengers #231-241, Avengers Annual #11-12, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16, Fantastic Four #256, and Doctor Strange #60.

Writers:
Ann Nocenti, Roger Stern, J. M. DeMatteis, John Byrne.
Artists:
Bob Budiansky, Dan Green, John Byrne, Al Milgrom, John Romita Jr., Butch Guice.

The first issue in the trade is Avengers Annual #11, an rather forgettable story in which two cosmic beings manipulate the Avengers and the Defenders into fighting each other. Next is Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16, in which we get the origin of Monica Rambeau the new Captain Marvel. Poor old Spidey is completely overshadowed in his own annual.

Next we move on to the Avengers proper in Avengers #231. The Avengers are interrupted giving a funeral to Jocasta by Plantman attacking the President. This must also be around the time of the famous Iron Man storyline Demon in the Bottle in which Tony Starks becomes an alcoholic and James Rhodes takes over as Iron Man for a while. Starfox also drops in for a visit and joins the Avengers. I have never liked Starfox all that much. I have always thought his powers were really creepy.

The regular issues are interrupted again by Avengers Annual #12. I liked this one much better than the last annual. The United Nations send the Avengers to the Moon to check up on the Inhumans and make sure they're not going to cause any trouble for the people of Earth. Sure enough, things soon escalate into a fight between both groups. Lockjaw proves to be smarter than everyone as he soon realises what is really going on and who the real threat is.

We return to the regular issues of the Avengers with #233. Annihilus is on Earth and has trapped the Fantastic Four in the Negative Zone. He has erected in impenetrable force field around the building and it's up to the Avengers to find a way through. Things take a more personal turn when the Vision tries to phase through the barrier, only to fall down, seemingly dead.

Another interruption this time, this time it is Fantastic Four #256. This is the events of Avengers #233 from the point of view of the Fantastic Four, trapped in the Negative Zone they have to find a way home before Annihilus destroys everything. At least the Fantastic Four get some funky new costumes out of it. Some nonsense to do with the Negative Zone anti-matter interacting with the unstable molecules of their costumes. Scarlet Witch cuts Mr Fantastic off before he can bore everybody with the science. Of course, it turns out that the Vision isn't dead after all, the barrier simply drained all of his energy when he tried to phase through it. He will still need to recharge, so he will be out of action for a while.

Back to the Avengers with #234. We gets hints that She-Hulk and Starfox spent the night together. In a later issue of She-Hulk's own book it becomes apparent that they did indeed spend the night together as Starfox used his powers to seduce She-Hulk. Now do you see why I think the guy's so creepy? We also get a re-telling of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver's origin story. Well, until Marvel changed it all because they didn't have the movie rights to the X-Men and all the various mutant heroes. So I guess Wanda and Pietro aren't mutants any more? I don't know what's going to happen now that Marvel seem to be getting the X-Men movie rights back.

One final interruption this time as Doctor Strange asks for Wanda's help in fighting Dracula in Doctor Strange #60. I shouldn't be so mad about Doctor Strange interrupting events as I really do like the classic Marvel version of Dracula. There should be more vampires with facial hair.

Then it is back to the Avengers proper in #235 as they do battle with the Wizard. Avengers #236 has a guest appearance from Spider-Man. Spidey is having money troubles yet again and asks to join the Avengers when he finds out how much each member earns. Spidey stows away on a Quinjet when the Avengers get called away to fight the Lava Men. The story continues in #237 as the Lava Man attack leads to several super villains escaping from custody.

The Vision finally regains consciousness in Avengers #238 and establishes a connection with the world-controlling computer ISAAC on Titan. I'm sure nothing bad could possibly come from that. Avengers #239 gets a bit weird as the Avengers make an appearance on the David Letterman Show. Apparently Assistant Editor's Month was a thing back in the day and all sorts of weird stuff went down.

Avengers #240 is just as weird as Spider-Woman has become a ghost and for some reason nobody can remember she ever existed. This continues with Avengers #241 as the Avengers do battle with Morgan le Fey and try to return Spider-Woman to her body.

I really enjoyed Roger Stern's writing the Avengers during the famous Under Siege arc, so I thought that it might be worth checking out the rest of his Avengers run. I have to say that I am enjoying it all so far. I look forward to reading the second book of the Absolute Vision story arc.

My rating: 4 stars.