What's the Deal with Deacon's Den?

 

Every now and then I like to shine a light on some of the more obscure MC2 characters. In that tradition, today’s post we will be taking a look at the mysterious and magical mentor of Doc Magus, the man known only as Deacon.

 

First appearing alongside the young Sorcerer Supreme, Doc Magus in A-Next #3, Deacon is the one to suggest Doc Magus aka Dormagus recruits the recently reassembled new team of Avengers to counter Doctor Strange and his Defenders team comprised of the Incredible Hulk aka Bruce Banner and Namor the Sub-Mariner. While it’s not identified in this issue, we can presume this location is Dormagus’ ‘Sanctum Sanctorum’.

 

The following month over in the pages of J2’s own title, we learn that Deacon too possesses magical ability when he aids Doc Magus by casting Zane Yama aka J2’s astral form into a strange nightmare dimension. He is relieved when the pair of heroes return unscathed, having seen their unconscious bodies spasm while they were in peril (J2 #4).

 

It’s not until J2 #12 we learn that the Doc Magus operates out of his ‘Sanctum Sanctorum’ which is really just the back room of Deacon’s Den, a comic book store owned and operated by Deacon. When J2 and Doc Magus ignore Doctor Stange’s warning and journey into a pocket dimension via the Crossroads of Infinity to rescue Cain Marko aka The Juggernaut they discover it’s a trap too late and become trapped when their gateway back to Earth is destroyed by Nemesus. Notably, the energy backlash from this is shown to surround Deacon and his eyes glow red as he senses what has happened.

 

Found and assisted by Zane’s curious school associates, Deacon reveals he instinctively raised a protective shield around the gateway. With the help of the highschooler’s they manage to create a trail for the heroes to follow home…using Dormagus’ comic book collection. The bizarre events are explained away by Cain Marko as a temporal anomaly, and we learn via Zane’s closing monologue that Deacon’s Den closed down within a week and was replaced by a dry cleaner business (J2 #12).

 

While Zane believes Deacon’s Den to have closed down, it’s possible it makes an off-panel appearance as a target of Mr. Abnormal’s crime-spree. The super stretchy criminal notably steals a complete collection of Police Comics from a comic shop, so perhaps it was Deacon’s Den? Either way, Mr. Abnormal is defeated by the combined efforts of Speedball and Spider-Girl (Spider-Girl #15).

 

Deacon’s Den is definitely open and running again by the time the events of Spider-Girl #71 take place, with a ‘New’ sign and different appearance. Deacon is seen working the counter when J2 and Spider-Girl come seeking Doc Magus, who is once again using the store’s back room as his Sanctum Sanctorum. The three heroes thwart an invasion of invisible Darklings sent by Nemesus, though Deacon, sadly, isn’t an active participant in events this time around.

 

A little while later, during the events of Last Hero Standing, we get a confirmation that Deacon’s Den is located in Manhattan when Doctor Strange unsuccessfully attempts to recruit his son Doc Magus to his Defenders team so they can find the growing number of missing heroes. Deacon tells Dormagus he shouldn’t have turned down the assistance but gives up when the young Sorcerer Supreme brushes him off too. Shortly afterwards, Doc Magus is captured by the mastermind behind the plot, the Asgardian god of mischief Loki, leaving behind nothing but a smoking crater in the ground for the intestinally distressed Deacon to discover (Last Hero Standing #2).

 

When up and coming comic creators Jimmy Yama and Reynard ‘Wes’ Westin approach Deacon in the hope he’ll stock their Spider-Girl comic in his store, he initially declines but is convinced when Jimmy promises an appearance from the super heroine (Amazing Spider-Girl #4).

 

Of course, Jimmy asks his girlfriend Heather Noble to dress up as the fictional version of Spider-Girl from the comic he and Wes developed together. The promotional event at Deacon’s Den is advertised in the newspaper which draws the attention of the villainous Hobgoblin (Amazing Spider-Girl #5).

 

Sure enough, with Heather in costume as Spider-Girl, the Hobgoblin descends on Deacon’s Den (which also stocks MC2 comics, dontcha know) and kidnaps her. The Hobgoblin uses Heather as bait to draw out the one, true Spider-Girl. While the promotion had a good turn out, Deacon picks the perfect moment to ask if Jimmy and Wes obtained Spider-Girl’s permission to use her in their comic which, of course, they did not. Spider-Girl manages to save Heather and fight off the Hobgoblin with some unexpected assistance (Amazing Spider-Girl #6).

 

This next one isn’t an appearance of either Deacon or his Den but I’ve included it for the sake of completeness. Wes is seen with a newly bought comic (complete with carry bag) heading for a bus stop before a surprise encounter with April Parker. Does Wes frequent Deacon’s Den and why does he fold his precious comics? (Spectacular Spider-Girl vol. 1 #4/Amazing Spider-Man Family #8).

 

We get our last glimpse of Deacon in a fleeting cameo many overlooked in the MC2 story published as a back-up feature in the Secret Wars: Spider-Island mini-series. Yes, that’s Deacon carrying a sign decrying this Battleworld of Doctor Doom’s as a lie. So, once again, Deacon can see things beyond those of normal men. Thanks to Ron Frenz for confirming this appearance! (Secret Wars: Spider-Island #1)

 

Deacon is something of an enigma, he appears to live a mundane existence as a lowly comic book store owner, while displaying mystic abilities and being involved with events that are far more bizarre. Perhaps we’ll learn more about him someday? Thank you to arias-98105 for help with this post!

 

Until I buy a comic book store rather than buy from them, I remain

 

frogoat

Janet Van Dyne in the MC2

 

With Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania releasing, I would like to spotlight the MC2’s version of one of it is featured characters. Today, we will be taking a look at the last founding Avenger to be covered on this blog: The Wasp aka Janet Van Dyne in the MC2.

 

Janet Van Dyne first appeared in Tales to Astonish #44 as The Wasp, working alongside Hank Pym’s Ant-Man for the first time. In the MC2, Janet Van Dyne was first referenced obliquely in A-Next #2 with a mention of Cassie Lang utilizing Hank Pym’s process to implant bio-synthetic wings on herself. The implantation of such wings was first seen when Janet was transformed into the Wasp by Pym in her aforementioned debut appearance.

 

When the new team of Avengers seek answers for what occurred to the original Avengers, their questions are answered by Edwin Jarvis, who recalls their final mission to an alternate universe. Here we learn that the Avengers became aware of an alternate reality in which Victor Von Doom wielded a Universal Cube which would allow him to travel to other universes via portals to conquer them. With all of reality at risk, the Avengers held an emergency meeting. Many attended this urgent summons including (but not limited to) Captain America, Firebird, Firestar, Giant-Man, Hawkeye, Hercules, Iron Man, Justice, Living Lightning, Scarlet Witch, Tigra, Vision and the Wasp. Janet is wearing a version of her original Wasp costume here in her first MC2 appearance and last mission.

 We learn through Jarvis that this was around a year and a half prior to the Avengers officially disbanding. Sadly, many of the heroes did not return, with only Hawkeye, Hercules, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Vision and the Wasp re-emerging from the portal. Dr. Pym is among the fallen, leaving Janet Pym distraught (A-Next #7).

 

As I mentioned in the last post, Janet and Hank had twin children at some point prior, Hope and Henry Jr. Hope mentions in A-Next #12 that her mother Janet ‘died of a broken heart’ following Hank’s death. This may be poetic language or her own personal bias, but either way Janet passed away at some point following the Avengers mission leaving her children orphaned (A-Next #12).

 

When Hope Pym learns the new Avengers team has travelled to the alternate universe, we discover she blames the Avengers for the death of her parents, Hank and Janet, and she launches her revenge plot (A-Next #10). As the Red Queen, Hope uses her parents’ old security codes to sneak her team of Revengers into the Avengers Compound. Among the Revengers is her twin brother Henry Pym Jr, who objects to Hope’s change of plan, which involves not just capturing but killing the new Avengers in revenge for her parents’ deaths. Fortunately, Henry intervenes to stop Hope when she attempts to self-destruct the Avengers Compound, telling her their father Hank gave his life protecting the world and their mother Janet never blamed the Avengers (A-Next #12). Hope would continue to blame the Avengers for her parents’ death in future appearances.

 

It’s worth mentioning that Pincer aka Scott Lang of the alternate universe asks Stinger aka Cassie Lang if she is ‘Janet Pym—The Wasp—of your world?’ which might be an indication that Janet re-married Hank in the MC2. We may never know for sure though both children bear the name Pym too (A-Next #10).

 

The next and last time we see Janet depicted is in Last Hero Standing #1 during a symbolic flashback depiction of the Avengers’ earliest members when Uatu the Watcher is recounting the History of the MC2 like a sad little blogger. Here, Janet is seen again in what appears to be her original Wasp costume which first appeared in Tales to Astonish #44. I could be wrong, it’s extremely hard to tell at that size.

 

That is all I have to share today for Janet Van Dyne in the MC2. Or maybe that should be Janet Pym in the MC2? Either way, The Wasp’s legacy does continue via her children. Though Henry Jr’s rehabilitation is complete, it sadly appears Janet’s daughter Hope will continue on as a villainous force. Special thanks to arias-98105 for invaluable assistance.

 

Until I die of a takotsubo cariomyopathy following the death of my spouse, I remain

 

frogoat