I like this annual because there is a water tower on the corner, which means I get to use my “water towers” tag.
In the ’80s, artists like Frank Miller loved to put water towers in New York skylines. The structures often became essential parts of the action. There was even a story where Moon Knight got stuck in one for an entire issue!
And those of us who grew up in New York know that there aren’t many of these things left–and they were all pretty much gone in the ’80s, too, even though they still appeared in the 616. Maybe that’s because of the 616’s weird, constantly shifting timeline–the same sense of history that enables Punisher, who fought in Vietnam, to still be in his late 30s.
Speaking of war veterans, we were going to talk about this annual, right? Well, this annual introduces Annex. Terrible name. Alexander Ellis is a Desert Storm veteran who is given a suit of armor by a corporation that has sinister motives. Of course they do. Every corporation in the Marvel Universe is evil.
The designer of the suit and owner of the corporation lost his son in Desert Storm and the suit will, over time, download the deceased son’s consciousness into Alex’s brain.
And of course Spider-Man helps him, the evil company is taken down, and Ellis gets to keep the suit…And the terrible title of Annex!
Then, Black Cat fights art-stealing terrorists led by Deathstorm, who also debuts in this annual.
Hm. Solo helps Cat, and Deathstorm will be the villain in an upcoming Solo solo series that no one was looking for.
Next, Lizard has a brief adventure at The Vault.
And finally, John Jameson becomes a vigilante.
Seriously.