Jim Lemoine
Sep 4, 2003, 08:43 pm
<img src="http://pages.sbcglobal.net/harahap/top40as.gif" border=0 align=left alt="Top 10 X-Covers"></a>The Top Forty Avengers Stories of All Time
Assembled and Edited by Jim Lemoine and Tan K.
And there came a day... a day unlike any other. On the day the Avengers were formed, Marvel created a means by which to bring their greatest heroes together to fight the most powerful foes of all. The Avengers roster has been filled with Marvel's best, their up-and-coming stars, and some truly surprising picks (everyone from Thor to Hawkeye to Darkhawk to aging actress Moira Brandon!). Avengers is a book about the heroic ideal in action; it's a book about team dynamics among the elite; it's a book about the problems and worries metahumans have to deal with on a daily basis.
There's something special about a team with members as awe-inspiring as Captain America, as powerful as Thor, as cocky as Hawkeye, as deep as the Vision, and as unpredictable as Tigra. There's something really fun about reading a team that features the Wasp working with Firestar, or the Scarlet Witch helping out Darkhawk. And there's something awesome about a team that fights villains like Kang, Ultron, and Count Nefaria... all of whom have been known to slap around no less than Thor himself.
Like any comic series, Avengers is capable of some mediocre storylines... but when Avengers is good, it's simply unbelievable. Marvel's premier team has found itself in situations unlike any other superhero team, from court-martialing one of their own members for wife-beating, to hanging out with David Letterman, to being mind-controlled and raped (yes, raped) by one of their teammates.
So read on, friends, as each week we present ten of the forty best Avengers stories ever created. See what these stories were about, how they impacted the team, and what exactly it was that made them so great. We've even asked long-time Avengers editor Tom Brevoort to join us and dish out a few words on what kind of impact the stories had for him.
So read on, and heed the call - for now, the Avengers Assemble!
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg003t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #3"></a>#40: SUB-MARINER!
Avengers (Vol. 1) #3
Written by: Stan Lee
Art by: Jack Kirby
With the Hulk having quit the Avengers in only their second issue, it falls on the remaining four members to bring the Hulk in. Too dangerous to be left unwatched, simply leaving the team just isn't an option for the jade behemoth. The team uses all methods they can to try and find their erstwhile teammate, eventually relying on Rick Jones to find the Hulk for them, and possibly contain him. While it at first seems that Rick has done exactly that and returned the Hulk to his form as Bruce Banner, eventually even Banner’s gamma ray machines are not enough to suppress his alter-ego. Reverting to the Hulk and refusing to listen to the pleas of Rick Jones, it seems the Avengers were right to worry about leaving the Hulk alone. They rush to meet him in the desert, ready to fight and contain him. Despite their best efforts, Hulk not only escapes, but defeats each of them one by one in his fashion; they really seem to have nothing that can stop him. Things only get worse when Hulk is joined by Namor the Sub-Mariner, and it seems the two may band together to destroy the human race. The Avengers, of course, fight back, and there is no clear winner. After a lengthy fight in which neither team consistently held the upper hand, the excitement causes Bruce Banner to resurface. Left with no allies, Namor flees to the sea, escaping.
The first two issues of the Avengers featured fights among the group, most often involving the Hulk. But in both of those issues, the fights came from outside manipulations. In the first issue, Loki’s tricks pitted them against each other, and the second issue had the Space Phantom stirring up trouble everywhere. All of that was just a matter of confusion and misunderstandings, and really set up the modern idea of heroic teammates mindlessly fighting each other.
But Avengers #3 was something different; there was no alien menace, no mind control, and no trickster God. Hulk and the Avengers were just fighting each other, genuinely wanting to take each other down, which can be a bizarre thought. All of these characters are meant to be heroes, and teammates, and yet one of them at least had no reservations about fighting dirty and really hurting them. That begs the question: what good is a hero? Not only that, but Hulk and Namor come together to destroy the human race: are these our heroes? Thor ends the issue by crediting Namor, who was trying to kill them all, with valor. All this blurs the line between a hero and a villain because it seems the only difference is what each chooses to call himself.
Back from the glory days, this story is Stan Lee at his finest. He was breaking new ground before there was even ground to stand on, and challenging pre-conceptions before people had had a change to form them. He created heroes who were human; his heroes had flaws and weren’t always perfect shining icons. They could hate each other, they could refuse to save people, they could even be villains in their fashions. This issue takes an important first step in trying to establish a sense of reality in comics, creating darkness and ambiguity even within the confines of healthy escapism.
This entry written by Dave Harris
Tom Brevoort: "A decent Kirby slobberknocker, with the characterization shoehorned in between the punching and the kicking. You even get the sense that, had Cap not appeared in #4, this team wasn't long for the world, that they were going to end up tearing each other apart."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg023.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg023t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #23"></a>#39: ONCE AN AVENGER...
Avengers (Vol. 1) #23-24
Written by: Stan Lee
Art by: Don Heck
Kang stands in the one kingdom of the future he hasn’t conquered. The princess Ravonna mocks him, but he loves her too much to hurt her or conquer her; he needs to win her hand. He sees that the new Avengers are left leaderless: the perfect chance to strike at his enemies. Quickly dispatching with Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch, he brings them to the future as proof of his ultimate superiority. A grave mistake: as the heroes struggle for freedom, Captain America comes back to join them, demanding that Kang bring him to the future with his team. Finally, Kang orders the invasion of Ravonna’s kingdom, refusing to be halted, and leaving the Avengers to battle against a legion armed with weapons from the future---fighting valiantly, the team falls to Kang’s forces. But when Kang attempts to take Ravonna as his bride, his own commanders turn on him, attempting to overthrow him with his own legions. The nigh-unstoppable Kang is left with no option but to turn to his enemies, the Avengers, and to help them fight off his own invasion forces... all for his love of Ravonna. With inspiration from Captain America and tactics from Kang, the revolt is successful and the war ended. But as Kang, honoring his word, sends the Avengers back to their time, a traitor’s blast makes its way towards the undefended Kang. And Ravonna sacrifices herself… for love.
This story has truly everything that you could want in an epic. Kang, merciless villain, gives up everything for love, and eventually, his Ravonna finds that she can do the same. But all the while, he also proves what a calculating and unbeatable force he is capable of being: an unstoppable but honorable tactical commander.
Captain America proves exactly why he is such a powerful symbol, leading armies of the future first against Kang, and then at his side. He single-handedly challenges Kang, the most powerful man in the future, and proves himself one of the few who can count himself Kang’s rival and equal.
And his new Avengers prove themselves worthy of the name. This new group replaces Thor, Iron Man, and Giant-Man, titans and gods. And though they had proven themselves heroes, there was nothing to say until now that they could truly take the place of the previous team. But facing impossible odds and a villain who once bested the original team, they prove themselves true Avengers.
This wasn’t the first Kang story, nor the last. It might not even be the best. But it is certainly one of the great ones. Kang’s first appearance in Avengers painted him as a futuristic conqueror, but gave him very little beyond that; he was created to be an all-powerful villain, not to be a true character. But this two-part storyline fundamentally changed all of that, giving depth to someone who could have easily been kept a throwaway character.
This story has intrigue, betrayal, love and war, with a villain, Kang, at the heart of it. He was dangerous, but also caring in his fashion. Ruthless, but human. All of the changes Kang has gone through over the years, and all that he has come to be, comes from these issues, which expanded on the character to make him interesting beyond being powerful. At this point, Kang is an essential piece of not only the Avengers, but of the Marvel Universe entire, because Stan Lee saw that it wasn’t only heroes who could be the stars of great stories. Kang has established dynasties, waged wars, conquered the world, and saved the universe. But it all began 40 years ago, in the future, when he fell in love with Ravonna.
This entry written by Dave Harris
Tom Brevoort: "Stan at the top of his game, giving the up-till-then one-dimensional Kang some depth and some pathos. This is really the storyline in which he rose from the pack to become the team's number one nemesis. And it's one of the first Avengers stories I ever read."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg298.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg298t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #298"></a>#38: DISASTER!!!
Avengers (Vol. 1) #298
Written by: Walter Simonson
Art by: John Buscema
The Avengers had, at this point, disbanded, and they couldn’t have picked a worse time: Inferno had just ignited over in the X-books, and demonic chaos was beginning to spread across New York. So when innocent citizens are attacked by a demon car, there’s only one man for them to turn to: Edwin Jarvis?!?
Yes, this issue focuses on Jarvis, the Avengers’ faithful butler. It’s a story about Jarvis trying to find something to do with no Avengers around, and stumbling right into the midst of the madness that is Inferno.
Despite having no powers or training, Jarvis fights valiantly, as he has many times before and since. But a particularly demonic car is out of Jarvis’ league, and despite his will to be a hero, he lacks the necessary skills to back that will up. Thankfully, Jarvis is himself rescued from the demon car by the Captain (the alias then being used by Captain America, don’t ask).
The story is worthy of inclusion for a couple of reasons. First, it’s about Jarvis--in this issue called the "Last Avenger"--, the most normal human face the Avengers have. Stories of both wild adventures and real world issues are always a bit more potent when seen through Jarvis’ eyes, as his perspective is, to a degree, ours: that of a fairly normal person thrown in the midst of extraordinary circumstances and forced to play the part of the passive observer.
What also makes the story worthwhile is Jarvis starts getting the kind of respect he deserves: the Captain outright says how critical Jarvis is to the Avengers, and how they couldn’t run things without him. As if to drive the point home, Jarvis makes the suggestion at issue’s end that the Captain seek out and reassemble the Avengers: a suggestion the Captain takes him up on, almost as if it required Jarvis’ say-so to bring the team together again.
This isn’t the most dramatic issue ever published, but it still has plenty of power behind the conflicts it contains. And the fact that that kind of power can be brought out through Jarvis, of all people, makes this story great.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
Tom Brevoort: "A nice little oasis in the midst of an era I didn't much care for overall. It's always nice to see Jarvis get a turn in the spotlight."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/wca46.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/wca46t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="West Coast Avengers (Vol. 2) #46"></a>#37: FRANCHISE
West Coast Avengers (Vol. 2) #46
Written by: John Byrne
Art by: John Byrne
As single issue stories go, Franchise might not immediately pop to mind as one of the all-time greats. But it’s an underappreciated issue which introduces some very unique characters, and gives a slight shake-up to some old ones.
At the start of this issue, long-time Avengers Hawkeye and Mockingbird have recently taken a break from adventuring to work through some marital troubles they’ve been having. While separating themselves from the West Coast team, they learn of a Milwaukee based team of would-be superheroes who are calling themselves the Great Lakes Avengers, and of course the use of the name "Avengers" is completely without permission. When they go to investigate, what do you think happens? That’s right: there is a misunderstanding about who is who, and the two parties fight one another, stopping once they each realize the identities and intentions of the other.
The Great Lakes Avengers might not go down in history as the best characters ever created, but they are certainly original. Big Bertha can grow fat at will, thus increasing strength and durability; Dinah Soar looks like, well, a dinosaur, though nobody knows who or what she actually is; Doorman’s body is a doorway, through which people and objects can travel through solid objects like walls; Flatman can make himself stretch and flatten out (think a poor man’s Mr. Fantastic); and Mr. Immortal has the marvelous ability to die, over and over again, and keep coming back to life.
These characters are great, because they are fun and funny, without necessarily being a pathetic joke. True, their powers and personalities may be on the goofy side, but they can still whip your powerless butt! We see the potential in these characters, and so do Hawkeye and Mockingbird: they decide to stay on and lead this ragtag team, training them into an actual Avengers franchise team.
I have a personal fondness for this issue because it’s so blatantly optimistic. Every time some new would-be hero is introduced to a group of veterans, the initial impulse is always to treat the newbie like garbage and constantly question their powers, personality and drive, stopping only once they either prove themselves in dramatic fashion or are replaced with a newer whipping boy. But in this issue, Hawkeye believes he can turn these five characters into a team and a genuine force for good. We wouldn’t really blame him if he did react to them in the standard, doubtful way, and that makes his willingness to take a chance on them all the more inspiring.
I also ought to mention, before this entry ends, that this issue is the last issue before West Coast Avengers becomes Avengers West Coast. It is, admittedly, not that big a deal, but it is a minor milestone and I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention it.
There is also one slight drawback to this story, as it takes Hawkeye and Mockingbird away from the AWC for a while (excepting a few brief guest shots). Hawkeye, at least, would return in about a dozen issues, but his absence did handicap the title for a while (he was just that integral to the cast, in my opinion).
Franchise is a cute, fun little story that belongs on the list for no other reason than its pure enjoyment value, and how it doesn’t shy away from showing all parties involved in a flattering light.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
Tom Brevoort: "The Great Lakes Avengers are one of those concepts that people either love or hate (and no, none of them count as true card-carrying Avengers). A while back, we had tossed around the notion of doing some sort of project with them under the title GLA."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg181.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg181t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #181"></a>#36: ON THE MATTER OF HEROES
Avengers #181
Written by: David Michelinie
Art by: John Byrne & Gene Day
After defeating Graviton, Ultron, Count Nefaria, the Collector, and Michael the Enemy in rapid succession, the Avengers were easily at their most powerful. These five enemies, some of the most unstoppable the team had ever faced, had forced them to call in nearly all of their reserves. As of the opening pages of Avengers #181, there were no fewer than twenty-two active and honorary Avengers residing in the mansion... and that didn't even include Jarvis, the recently-departed Two-Gun Kid, or Vance Astro of the Guardians of the Galaxy, who was then in orbit aboard the Guardians' starcraft. One would think this would be a great and powerful time for the Avengers, but there was one problem... Henry Peter Gyrich of the United States government had revoked their special security privileges and official status. The Avengers had no communication system, no quinjets, and no clearance to operate.
It was bad enough when Gyrich ordered the team to reduce its roster to seven members, effective immediately; it was even worse when he revealed that the government had already decided exactly who would be on the roster: Iron Man, the Vision, Capain America, the Scarlet Witch, Beast, Wasp, and the Falcon. It didn't matter that Yellowjacket was married to the Wasp; the U.S. wanted him off the team. It didn't matter that Wonder Man had just found a place in the team and a friendship with the Beast; Gyrich thought he was too unproven. Not even Hawkeye's loyalty and fervent desire to fight alongside his friends made any difference; Gyrich had a personal grudge against the Avenging Archer, so Hawk was out. Iron Man, the team's leader, had no say in the matter. The choice had already been made, and the Avengers had to live with it.
After months of having too many Avengers around to give any one real character development time, Michelinie began his run as writer on Avengers by cleaning house. He did this in the most realistic way imaginable: by making bureaucracies impose their will on America's premiere superhero team. Nowhere was the story more powerful than Hawkeye's reaction to the Falcon's inclusion on the team: the Falcon, who had never before served as an Avenger nor expressed any interest in doing so, was only chosen to comply with the federal government's equal opportunities policies.
Aside from Avengers #16 and possibly Avengers #151, this was the first Avengers story to make a big deal about the roster of Earth's Mightiest. This was one of the first books to show what an honor it was to be included among their ranks, and how it made heroes feel when they were left out. It kicked off Michelinie's run with a bang as the next few issues would continue to see not super-villains as the Avengers' main nemeses... but the United States government itself.
Add to the mix some great early John Byrne art, a fun buddy scene with Wonder Man and the Beast, and the beginning of the story that would reveal Wanda and Pietro's true father, and you've got a truly memorable issue of Avengers; easily one of the best. After Jim Shooter's phenomenal run as writer of the title, Michelinie continued to give Avengers all the honor, majesty, and realism the book deserved.
This entry written by Jim Lemoine
Tom Brevoort: "This sure seemed like a big deal, back in the day. And the John Byrne artwork is awfully pretty."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/hawkeye4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/hawkeye4t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Hawkeye (Vol. 1) #4"></a>#35: HAWKEYE
Hawkeye (Vol. 1) #1-4
Written by: Mark Gruenwald
Art by: Mark Gruenwald
The original Hawkeye series worked on so many levels (even levels that creator Mark Gruenwald didn't intend!) that it just had to be included on this list.
There was a time before the 1990's when character-centric limited series were a very rare thing at Marvel. Unlike the '90's series most of us grew accustomed to that simply featured unending battle sequences and heroic pin-ups, a limited series of the '70's and '80's would split time more evenly between character development and classic superheroics. The original Hawkeye limited series is the perfect example of this, as it moved Clint Barton forcefully out of his mundane day job and back into the Avengers' spotlight (so to speak)... and he even got married along the way.
Hawkeye himself is so appealing because he's the model of the imperfect hero: he's just a normal guy trying to hang out with gods like Thor and Hercules. He's unprofessional, he's chauvinistic, he's sometimes petty, and he's a typical broke blue-collar guy. And yet, behind all of his personality flaws, he's probably one of the noblest of all of the Avengers. Gruenwald understood all of this when he wrote Hawkeye, and he played Hawk's personality for all it was worth.
Some may argue that many parts of this series were cliche, and they were... but at every opportunity, Gruenwald pointed out his own stereotypes and mocked them, as if he wanted us to say, "I can't believe he wrote that!" Yes, we see Hawkeye flying around on an amazing new flying techno-sled... but then we find out that it cost Hawk three months' salary, and it's destroyed by Hawkeye #3 anyway. Yes, one of the series villains, Oddball, has amazingly stupid powers (he threw custom billiard balls)... but the stupidity of those powers are pointed out when one of Oddball's hostage calls out, "Look, everybody! He's going to juggle me to death!" (Oddball promptly smashes the hostage's face with what looks like a 2-ball) In true Austin Powers Dr. Evil style, the series' major villain Crossfire tells Hawkeye his origin and all his plans after Hawk is captured.. but first Crossfire laments how stereotypical he's being by doing it!
At its core, Hawkeye was Gruenwald's vessel for restoring Clint Barton to the Avenger we'd known and loved. The series firmly removed Hawk from his high-paying security job (leaving him open for full-time Avenging) and at last addressed and put to rest the archer's insecurities over his colossal failures with the two women he'd loved: the Black Widow and the Scarlet Witch. The latter was probably the biggest theme of all, as the series saw him fall for yet another woman who betrayed him, bringing him to the attentions of a certain ex-SHIELD agent named Mockingbird. Throughout the series, it's obvious there's some attraction between the two, but Hawk refuses to open up and risk being hurt again. By the series end, you're convinced that Gruenwald is going to leave everything unresolved in true Marvel fashion... and then you read the shocker on the last page of the last issue. On that page, we learn that Hawk and Mock resolved their differences, acknowledged that they were falling for each other, and got married!
I've heard some people complain that the series art wasn't the best in the world, and they're probably right... but if you ask me, it's perfect for an imperfect hero like Hawkeye.
This series reminded us why we love Clint Barton. It brought him back to the Avengers and realistically gave him a dynamic partner, in both love and superheroics. It's a great story with several truly unpredictable moments, and definitely worth a mention in this list of the greatest Avengers stories.
This entry written by Jim Lemoine
Tom Brevoort: "Mark Gruenwald had an unbridled love of comics, and that led him to sometimes try to do more than was actually prudent--which is my way of saying that Mark was a better editor and writer than a penciler..."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/tb12.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/tb12t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Thunderbolts #12"></a>#34: HEROES' REWARD
Thunderbolts #10-12
Written by: Kurt Busiek
Art by: Mark Bagley
The Masters of Evil, posing as superheroes during the absence of the Avengers and Fantastic Four, were publicly outed as villains by S.H.I.E.L.D. The Masters, calling themselves the Thunderbolts, had succeeding in worming their way into the public's trust, gaining access to the headquarters of the Fantastic Four and the secret files of the Avengers. As the rest of his group edged closer to true heroism, Baron Helmut Zemo decided to nip those urges in the bud; he revealed that he himself had tipped S.H.I.E.L.D. off as to the team's true identity. With the information he'd gained posing as the hero Citizen V, Zemo activated a mind-control device that would enable him to take over the world, bit by bit. Sure, the Avengers and FF eventually showed up to stop him, but even they were no match for his new power. Eventually, most of the Thunderbolts revolted against Zemo, and by the combined efforts of those Thunderbolts and the Avengers, Zemo was defeated.
The Thunderbolts supplanted the Avengers as the major heroic figures of the Marvel Universe, and for the Marvel reader they represented a quality comic book based in normal continuity during the Heroes Reborn era. When the Avengers came home in Heroes Return, the meeting/showdown/connection between them was natural. For the reader, the crossover event was a highly anticipated meeting.
What was great about this story was its unpredictability. We all expected the Thunderbolts' charade as heroes to last for another year or two, or at least a few more months... the public outing was shocking but realistic. After that, we all predicted that the story would come down to the "good" Avengers fighting the "evil" Thunderbolts... when nothing could be farther from the truth. Zemo managed to mentally enslave both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four during the time most of the Thunderbolts were deciding to turn against him. Thus, when the greatest heroes of the Marvel Universe arrived on the scene, they weren't the cavalry; they were the bad guys. And only the "good" Thunderbolts stood a chance of stopping them. Busiek would continue to add new layers of depth and personality to these wannabe heroes... their uncertainty of their role was almost reminiscent of Stan Lee's original Avengers.
In the end, Busiek and artist Mark Bagley gave us quite possibly the ultimate battle between the Avengers and the Masters of Evil, one in which all preconceptions were destroyed. This was a story of redemption, plot twists, intrigue, character development, lost loyalties, and newfound direction. And the cliffhanger ending on the last page of Thunderbolts #12 was fantastic, promising future meetings (and battles!) between the Avengers and the Thunderbolts.
This entry written by Tan K.
Tom Brevoort: "Not really an Avengers story, but the capper to the T-Bolts' first year that we'd been planning pretty much from the start. We'd have ended up somewhere around here even if the Avengers hadn't been returning from Heroes Reborn at this time--though that certainly made it easier to coordinate."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg116.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg116t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #116"></a>#33: AVENGERS/DEFENDERS WAR
Avengers (Vol. 1) #115-118 & Defenders (Vol. 1) #8-11
Written by: Steve Englehart
Art by: Sal Buscema & Bob Brown
With the X-Men still in reprints and the Fantastic Four struggling to find themselves post-Stan Lee, the Avengers and the Defenders were the heavy hitters of the Marvel Universe in the early seventies, and both team titles were being written by the same man: Steve Englehart. It was a crossover waiting to happen.
The plot of the Avengers/Defenders War is pretty much your standard fare: Dormammu and Loki form an unlikely alliance in their ongoing quest for power and, while they're at it, the destruction of their respective nemeses. To that end, they seek yet another artifact of great power, and it's up to the heroes to prevent them from utilizing that artifact to take over Earth and add it to Dormammu's own dark dimension.
But let's be honest with ourselves: the plot isn't why we picked this up, nor is it why we enjoyed it or why it made this list. This story made the list because it delivers precisely what the title promises: under a combination of clashing goals and manipulation by the bad guys, the Avengers and the Defenders, the two mightiest teams in Marveldom, go to war with one another. And we get a front row seat.
The conflict between the two powerhouse teams would score higher on this list if not for two shortcomings. The first is the fairly predictable formula it follows. As I already mentioned, the story itself is entertaining though not outstanding, and the ending smacks of a convenient wrap-up. The second shortcoming, which particularly effects the story's placement on a top Avengers list, is the fact that the Avengers get thrashed. The Silver Surfer beats the Vision and the Scarlet Witch, and the Valkyrie out fights the Swordsman. Dr. Strange easily trounces Mantis and the Black Panther (a mismatch so astounding you can tell Englehart just ran out of match-ups), and Namor holds even with Captain America until they realize they are being duped. What's worse, the one really good match-up, Hulk vs. Thor, barely gets underway before everyone realizes what's what and they team-up against the villains. Though I mention this one-sidedness as a shortcoming, it's only considered one from the point of view of an Avengers list: the battles are actually pretty good, and none of the outcomes are outrageously unrealistic.
For fans of team team-ups or "versus" events, Avengers/Defenders War is definitely something you should read. Though not the most original story to be found, it does offer up some decent character clashes that are good enough for the price of admission.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
Tom Brevoort: "The first real event-crossover and the first multi-title, multi-month crossover. So all that stuff that fans say they hate while they secretly love (when done right) started here."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avgv3-11.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avgv3-11t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 3) #11"></a>#32: POMP & PAGEANTRY
Avengers (vol.3) #10-11
Written by: Kurt Busiek
Art by: George Perez
Connected to the land of the living by his love for the Scarlet Witch, the ionic man Simon Williams (a.k.a. Wonder Man) has been fluttering back and forth between states of life and death. Simon's constant state of flux has weakened the barriers between our world and the land of the dead, and the Grim Reaper decides to take advantage of the situation by launching an all-out attack on the Avengers in the midst of their annual parade. It's the Reaper's allies that really shock the Avengers and make this story memorable: The Swordsman, Mockingbird, Doctor Druid, Hellcat, Thunderstrike, the original Captain Marvel, and the aforementioned Wonder Man... all former Avengers, slain in the line of duty.
The root cause of all this, the Scarlet Witch, is oblivious to the Reaper's attack since she skipped the parade to visit her old mentor, Agatha Harkness. Together, Harkness and Wanda discover that the power to summon Wonder Man from the dead was caused by his love, and that he can be fully restored to life simply by Wanda's own admission of her love for him. Wanda eventually realizes that she does in fact love Simon, bring him (and the Reaper, by accident) firmly back to life.
More than just another Avengers slugfest, this saga firmly established the mortality and vulnerability of Earth's Mightiest Heroes - even the mighty Avengers can die. Bringing dead Avengers back to life was not something that had been done often at all, but the best part about it was writer Kurt Busiek's attention to strong characterization. Dead Swordsman talked just like the live Swordsman did back in the '70's. Thunderstrike blamed Thor, the hero who empowered him, for his death. Mockingbird searched fruitlessly for her living husband, Hawkeye (who wasn't with the Avengers at the time), and even left a message for him after her mind had been restored by the waning of the Reaper's power.
There are also some very nice and subtle elements that writer Kurt Busiek embedded into the overall story. The resolution that finally occurred didn't happen on in the battlefield; it took place elsewhere. Even though Wanda wanted to rush headlong into the war zone, her mentor made her realize that the use of her mind and heart was where the true answer to the Grim Reaper threat resided. Even the final defeat of the Reaper was accomplished relatively passively. Too often fisticuffs are the primary battle ender, and the change of pace was nice.
There seemed to be a movement for old time villains to be upgraded to make them seem more formidable a few years ago; some worked and some didn't. The Grim Reaper, made to look and act more like a literal Grim Reaper, was a prime example of an "upgrade" that didn't work or make sense. There are many villains (and heroes) who have similarly suffered, and needed to be cleaned up because of regurgitated use (teen Iron Man and the "new" Wasp come to mind). Busiek "fixed" the Reaper, bringing him back to his roots, in a very simple but effective story. Busiek focused on the human Reaper, Eric Williams, and brought his primary, original motivations back into focus.
To me, the best part of this story was seeing Wanda and Simon finally get together. Their never-quite-working-romance had been an ongoing theme since the Vision's dismantling during John Byrne's run on Avengers West Coast, and to see these two classic characters in each other's arms at last was very exhilarating. What gave it a real world flavor was the image of a possibly jealous Vision looking at them from afar.
Overall, this arc was very entertaining. George Perez alone quantum-leaps any comic he touches. Pomp and Pageantry may not be the most enthralling read for the flip-through reader, but those that sit down and enter the story will be presented with a very nice tale of heroism, love, and redemption.
This entry written by Tan K.
Tom Brevoort: "The closest thing to an out-and-out anniversary story we did during George's return engagement, this two-parter gave him the chance to draw just about everybody, hero and villain, from the book's long run--not to mention the Stuntmaster and Chili."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg067.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg067t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #67"></a>#31: BETRAYAL
Avengers (Vol. 1) #66-68
Written by: Roy Thomas
Art by: Barry Windsor-Smith & Sal Buscema
Betrayal may be too old-fashioned for today's fans, but that doesn't stop it from being an enjoyable chapter in the ongoing struggle between the Avengers and one of their mightiest foes, Ultron.
In the story, a scientist has just synthesized a new metal alloy called adamantium (yes, THAT adamantium). The metal is, for all intents and purposes, indestructible: it can only be shaped using a special molecular rearranger (the type of device that only existed in the Silver Age... ah, memories). The Avengers are examining the new metal and testing it against their powers when something goes wrong: the Vision is overcome with some sort of headache and disappears. Later, under what would be revealed as the control of his creator, Ultron, the Vision steals the adamantium and the molecular rearranger, and uses them to build Ultron a new, indestructible body.
This story is a landmark for a number of reasons. First, it is one of the earliest examples of the Vision dealing with his connection to both the then-deceased Simon Williams (AKA Wonder Man) and his homicidal creator, Ultron. The Vision being manipulated by Ultron would become a recurring theme over the years, and its proper start is here. What's more, the story highlights how quickly the other Avengers are willing to assume the worst of the Vision, and question whether or not he should have been allowed onto the team. This would also be a recurring theme, as the Vision's origin and oft-unpredictable behavior would lead to many confrontations between the android and his fellow Avengers. The story also introduces adamantium to the Marvel Universe, and hooks Ultron up with it for the first, but certainly not the last, time. (It is worth noting that the origin of the metal provided here would be significantly altered later on, in order to better connect it to characters like Wolverine.)
Though the story is quite fun, as most Ultron/Vision stories are, it is not without its problems. It relies heavily on some of the less admirable tendencies of Silver Age stories, particularly in cliffhanger endings that are hastily undone by the start of the next issue, not to mention the laughable manner in which Ultron is finally defeated.
The art, despite the talents of both Buscema and Windsor-Smith, also falls flat in too many places. Like too many artists of the era, Buscema and Windsor-Smith seem to be intent on trying to draw like Jack Kirby, rather than utilizing their own styles. The result is at best a stale imitation of Kirby's work, at worst a jumbled mishmash of conflicting artistic styles.
Despite its shortcomings, Betrayal is an enjoyable outing, and a must-read chapter in the ongoing struggle between Ultron and the Vision.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
Tom Brevoort: "The return of Ultron, and the beginnings of him as a world-class threat, the introduction of adamantium into the Marvel Universe, some early Barry Smith art, and the first time the Vision stepped through another person."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
Be sure to check back next week for Part 2, #30-21! For more special articles, features, and columns celebrating the 40th Anniversaries of the Avengers and X-Men, click here! (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21464)
<center><hr width=75%></center>
ComiX-Fan would like to thank Van Plexico, Chris Luna, and all the fine folks at Avengers Assemble (a darn fine Avengers site, which can be found at www.avengersassemble.us/ (http://www.avengersassemble.us/)) for their cover image assistance!
Assembled and Edited by Jim Lemoine and Tan K.
And there came a day... a day unlike any other. On the day the Avengers were formed, Marvel created a means by which to bring their greatest heroes together to fight the most powerful foes of all. The Avengers roster has been filled with Marvel's best, their up-and-coming stars, and some truly surprising picks (everyone from Thor to Hawkeye to Darkhawk to aging actress Moira Brandon!). Avengers is a book about the heroic ideal in action; it's a book about team dynamics among the elite; it's a book about the problems and worries metahumans have to deal with on a daily basis.
There's something special about a team with members as awe-inspiring as Captain America, as powerful as Thor, as cocky as Hawkeye, as deep as the Vision, and as unpredictable as Tigra. There's something really fun about reading a team that features the Wasp working with Firestar, or the Scarlet Witch helping out Darkhawk. And there's something awesome about a team that fights villains like Kang, Ultron, and Count Nefaria... all of whom have been known to slap around no less than Thor himself.
Like any comic series, Avengers is capable of some mediocre storylines... but when Avengers is good, it's simply unbelievable. Marvel's premier team has found itself in situations unlike any other superhero team, from court-martialing one of their own members for wife-beating, to hanging out with David Letterman, to being mind-controlled and raped (yes, raped) by one of their teammates.
So read on, friends, as each week we present ten of the forty best Avengers stories ever created. See what these stories were about, how they impacted the team, and what exactly it was that made them so great. We've even asked long-time Avengers editor Tom Brevoort to join us and dish out a few words on what kind of impact the stories had for him.
So read on, and heed the call - for now, the Avengers Assemble!
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg003t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #3"></a>#40: SUB-MARINER!
Avengers (Vol. 1) #3
Written by: Stan Lee
Art by: Jack Kirby
With the Hulk having quit the Avengers in only their second issue, it falls on the remaining four members to bring the Hulk in. Too dangerous to be left unwatched, simply leaving the team just isn't an option for the jade behemoth. The team uses all methods they can to try and find their erstwhile teammate, eventually relying on Rick Jones to find the Hulk for them, and possibly contain him. While it at first seems that Rick has done exactly that and returned the Hulk to his form as Bruce Banner, eventually even Banner’s gamma ray machines are not enough to suppress his alter-ego. Reverting to the Hulk and refusing to listen to the pleas of Rick Jones, it seems the Avengers were right to worry about leaving the Hulk alone. They rush to meet him in the desert, ready to fight and contain him. Despite their best efforts, Hulk not only escapes, but defeats each of them one by one in his fashion; they really seem to have nothing that can stop him. Things only get worse when Hulk is joined by Namor the Sub-Mariner, and it seems the two may band together to destroy the human race. The Avengers, of course, fight back, and there is no clear winner. After a lengthy fight in which neither team consistently held the upper hand, the excitement causes Bruce Banner to resurface. Left with no allies, Namor flees to the sea, escaping.
The first two issues of the Avengers featured fights among the group, most often involving the Hulk. But in both of those issues, the fights came from outside manipulations. In the first issue, Loki’s tricks pitted them against each other, and the second issue had the Space Phantom stirring up trouble everywhere. All of that was just a matter of confusion and misunderstandings, and really set up the modern idea of heroic teammates mindlessly fighting each other.
But Avengers #3 was something different; there was no alien menace, no mind control, and no trickster God. Hulk and the Avengers were just fighting each other, genuinely wanting to take each other down, which can be a bizarre thought. All of these characters are meant to be heroes, and teammates, and yet one of them at least had no reservations about fighting dirty and really hurting them. That begs the question: what good is a hero? Not only that, but Hulk and Namor come together to destroy the human race: are these our heroes? Thor ends the issue by crediting Namor, who was trying to kill them all, with valor. All this blurs the line between a hero and a villain because it seems the only difference is what each chooses to call himself.
Back from the glory days, this story is Stan Lee at his finest. He was breaking new ground before there was even ground to stand on, and challenging pre-conceptions before people had had a change to form them. He created heroes who were human; his heroes had flaws and weren’t always perfect shining icons. They could hate each other, they could refuse to save people, they could even be villains in their fashions. This issue takes an important first step in trying to establish a sense of reality in comics, creating darkness and ambiguity even within the confines of healthy escapism.
This entry written by Dave Harris
Tom Brevoort: "A decent Kirby slobberknocker, with the characterization shoehorned in between the punching and the kicking. You even get the sense that, had Cap not appeared in #4, this team wasn't long for the world, that they were going to end up tearing each other apart."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg023.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg023t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #23"></a>#39: ONCE AN AVENGER...
Avengers (Vol. 1) #23-24
Written by: Stan Lee
Art by: Don Heck
Kang stands in the one kingdom of the future he hasn’t conquered. The princess Ravonna mocks him, but he loves her too much to hurt her or conquer her; he needs to win her hand. He sees that the new Avengers are left leaderless: the perfect chance to strike at his enemies. Quickly dispatching with Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch, he brings them to the future as proof of his ultimate superiority. A grave mistake: as the heroes struggle for freedom, Captain America comes back to join them, demanding that Kang bring him to the future with his team. Finally, Kang orders the invasion of Ravonna’s kingdom, refusing to be halted, and leaving the Avengers to battle against a legion armed with weapons from the future---fighting valiantly, the team falls to Kang’s forces. But when Kang attempts to take Ravonna as his bride, his own commanders turn on him, attempting to overthrow him with his own legions. The nigh-unstoppable Kang is left with no option but to turn to his enemies, the Avengers, and to help them fight off his own invasion forces... all for his love of Ravonna. With inspiration from Captain America and tactics from Kang, the revolt is successful and the war ended. But as Kang, honoring his word, sends the Avengers back to their time, a traitor’s blast makes its way towards the undefended Kang. And Ravonna sacrifices herself… for love.
This story has truly everything that you could want in an epic. Kang, merciless villain, gives up everything for love, and eventually, his Ravonna finds that she can do the same. But all the while, he also proves what a calculating and unbeatable force he is capable of being: an unstoppable but honorable tactical commander.
Captain America proves exactly why he is such a powerful symbol, leading armies of the future first against Kang, and then at his side. He single-handedly challenges Kang, the most powerful man in the future, and proves himself one of the few who can count himself Kang’s rival and equal.
And his new Avengers prove themselves worthy of the name. This new group replaces Thor, Iron Man, and Giant-Man, titans and gods. And though they had proven themselves heroes, there was nothing to say until now that they could truly take the place of the previous team. But facing impossible odds and a villain who once bested the original team, they prove themselves true Avengers.
This wasn’t the first Kang story, nor the last. It might not even be the best. But it is certainly one of the great ones. Kang’s first appearance in Avengers painted him as a futuristic conqueror, but gave him very little beyond that; he was created to be an all-powerful villain, not to be a true character. But this two-part storyline fundamentally changed all of that, giving depth to someone who could have easily been kept a throwaway character.
This story has intrigue, betrayal, love and war, with a villain, Kang, at the heart of it. He was dangerous, but also caring in his fashion. Ruthless, but human. All of the changes Kang has gone through over the years, and all that he has come to be, comes from these issues, which expanded on the character to make him interesting beyond being powerful. At this point, Kang is an essential piece of not only the Avengers, but of the Marvel Universe entire, because Stan Lee saw that it wasn’t only heroes who could be the stars of great stories. Kang has established dynasties, waged wars, conquered the world, and saved the universe. But it all began 40 years ago, in the future, when he fell in love with Ravonna.
This entry written by Dave Harris
Tom Brevoort: "Stan at the top of his game, giving the up-till-then one-dimensional Kang some depth and some pathos. This is really the storyline in which he rose from the pack to become the team's number one nemesis. And it's one of the first Avengers stories I ever read."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg298.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg298t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #298"></a>#38: DISASTER!!!
Avengers (Vol. 1) #298
Written by: Walter Simonson
Art by: John Buscema
The Avengers had, at this point, disbanded, and they couldn’t have picked a worse time: Inferno had just ignited over in the X-books, and demonic chaos was beginning to spread across New York. So when innocent citizens are attacked by a demon car, there’s only one man for them to turn to: Edwin Jarvis?!?
Yes, this issue focuses on Jarvis, the Avengers’ faithful butler. It’s a story about Jarvis trying to find something to do with no Avengers around, and stumbling right into the midst of the madness that is Inferno.
Despite having no powers or training, Jarvis fights valiantly, as he has many times before and since. But a particularly demonic car is out of Jarvis’ league, and despite his will to be a hero, he lacks the necessary skills to back that will up. Thankfully, Jarvis is himself rescued from the demon car by the Captain (the alias then being used by Captain America, don’t ask).
The story is worthy of inclusion for a couple of reasons. First, it’s about Jarvis--in this issue called the "Last Avenger"--, the most normal human face the Avengers have. Stories of both wild adventures and real world issues are always a bit more potent when seen through Jarvis’ eyes, as his perspective is, to a degree, ours: that of a fairly normal person thrown in the midst of extraordinary circumstances and forced to play the part of the passive observer.
What also makes the story worthwhile is Jarvis starts getting the kind of respect he deserves: the Captain outright says how critical Jarvis is to the Avengers, and how they couldn’t run things without him. As if to drive the point home, Jarvis makes the suggestion at issue’s end that the Captain seek out and reassemble the Avengers: a suggestion the Captain takes him up on, almost as if it required Jarvis’ say-so to bring the team together again.
This isn’t the most dramatic issue ever published, but it still has plenty of power behind the conflicts it contains. And the fact that that kind of power can be brought out through Jarvis, of all people, makes this story great.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
Tom Brevoort: "A nice little oasis in the midst of an era I didn't much care for overall. It's always nice to see Jarvis get a turn in the spotlight."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/wca46.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/wca46t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="West Coast Avengers (Vol. 2) #46"></a>#37: FRANCHISE
West Coast Avengers (Vol. 2) #46
Written by: John Byrne
Art by: John Byrne
As single issue stories go, Franchise might not immediately pop to mind as one of the all-time greats. But it’s an underappreciated issue which introduces some very unique characters, and gives a slight shake-up to some old ones.
At the start of this issue, long-time Avengers Hawkeye and Mockingbird have recently taken a break from adventuring to work through some marital troubles they’ve been having. While separating themselves from the West Coast team, they learn of a Milwaukee based team of would-be superheroes who are calling themselves the Great Lakes Avengers, and of course the use of the name "Avengers" is completely without permission. When they go to investigate, what do you think happens? That’s right: there is a misunderstanding about who is who, and the two parties fight one another, stopping once they each realize the identities and intentions of the other.
The Great Lakes Avengers might not go down in history as the best characters ever created, but they are certainly original. Big Bertha can grow fat at will, thus increasing strength and durability; Dinah Soar looks like, well, a dinosaur, though nobody knows who or what she actually is; Doorman’s body is a doorway, through which people and objects can travel through solid objects like walls; Flatman can make himself stretch and flatten out (think a poor man’s Mr. Fantastic); and Mr. Immortal has the marvelous ability to die, over and over again, and keep coming back to life.
These characters are great, because they are fun and funny, without necessarily being a pathetic joke. True, their powers and personalities may be on the goofy side, but they can still whip your powerless butt! We see the potential in these characters, and so do Hawkeye and Mockingbird: they decide to stay on and lead this ragtag team, training them into an actual Avengers franchise team.
I have a personal fondness for this issue because it’s so blatantly optimistic. Every time some new would-be hero is introduced to a group of veterans, the initial impulse is always to treat the newbie like garbage and constantly question their powers, personality and drive, stopping only once they either prove themselves in dramatic fashion or are replaced with a newer whipping boy. But in this issue, Hawkeye believes he can turn these five characters into a team and a genuine force for good. We wouldn’t really blame him if he did react to them in the standard, doubtful way, and that makes his willingness to take a chance on them all the more inspiring.
I also ought to mention, before this entry ends, that this issue is the last issue before West Coast Avengers becomes Avengers West Coast. It is, admittedly, not that big a deal, but it is a minor milestone and I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention it.
There is also one slight drawback to this story, as it takes Hawkeye and Mockingbird away from the AWC for a while (excepting a few brief guest shots). Hawkeye, at least, would return in about a dozen issues, but his absence did handicap the title for a while (he was just that integral to the cast, in my opinion).
Franchise is a cute, fun little story that belongs on the list for no other reason than its pure enjoyment value, and how it doesn’t shy away from showing all parties involved in a flattering light.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
Tom Brevoort: "The Great Lakes Avengers are one of those concepts that people either love or hate (and no, none of them count as true card-carrying Avengers). A while back, we had tossed around the notion of doing some sort of project with them under the title GLA."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg181.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg181t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #181"></a>#36: ON THE MATTER OF HEROES
Avengers #181
Written by: David Michelinie
Art by: John Byrne & Gene Day
After defeating Graviton, Ultron, Count Nefaria, the Collector, and Michael the Enemy in rapid succession, the Avengers were easily at their most powerful. These five enemies, some of the most unstoppable the team had ever faced, had forced them to call in nearly all of their reserves. As of the opening pages of Avengers #181, there were no fewer than twenty-two active and honorary Avengers residing in the mansion... and that didn't even include Jarvis, the recently-departed Two-Gun Kid, or Vance Astro of the Guardians of the Galaxy, who was then in orbit aboard the Guardians' starcraft. One would think this would be a great and powerful time for the Avengers, but there was one problem... Henry Peter Gyrich of the United States government had revoked their special security privileges and official status. The Avengers had no communication system, no quinjets, and no clearance to operate.
It was bad enough when Gyrich ordered the team to reduce its roster to seven members, effective immediately; it was even worse when he revealed that the government had already decided exactly who would be on the roster: Iron Man, the Vision, Capain America, the Scarlet Witch, Beast, Wasp, and the Falcon. It didn't matter that Yellowjacket was married to the Wasp; the U.S. wanted him off the team. It didn't matter that Wonder Man had just found a place in the team and a friendship with the Beast; Gyrich thought he was too unproven. Not even Hawkeye's loyalty and fervent desire to fight alongside his friends made any difference; Gyrich had a personal grudge against the Avenging Archer, so Hawk was out. Iron Man, the team's leader, had no say in the matter. The choice had already been made, and the Avengers had to live with it.
After months of having too many Avengers around to give any one real character development time, Michelinie began his run as writer on Avengers by cleaning house. He did this in the most realistic way imaginable: by making bureaucracies impose their will on America's premiere superhero team. Nowhere was the story more powerful than Hawkeye's reaction to the Falcon's inclusion on the team: the Falcon, who had never before served as an Avenger nor expressed any interest in doing so, was only chosen to comply with the federal government's equal opportunities policies.
Aside from Avengers #16 and possibly Avengers #151, this was the first Avengers story to make a big deal about the roster of Earth's Mightiest. This was one of the first books to show what an honor it was to be included among their ranks, and how it made heroes feel when they were left out. It kicked off Michelinie's run with a bang as the next few issues would continue to see not super-villains as the Avengers' main nemeses... but the United States government itself.
Add to the mix some great early John Byrne art, a fun buddy scene with Wonder Man and the Beast, and the beginning of the story that would reveal Wanda and Pietro's true father, and you've got a truly memorable issue of Avengers; easily one of the best. After Jim Shooter's phenomenal run as writer of the title, Michelinie continued to give Avengers all the honor, majesty, and realism the book deserved.
This entry written by Jim Lemoine
Tom Brevoort: "This sure seemed like a big deal, back in the day. And the John Byrne artwork is awfully pretty."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/hawkeye4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/hawkeye4t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Hawkeye (Vol. 1) #4"></a>#35: HAWKEYE
Hawkeye (Vol. 1) #1-4
Written by: Mark Gruenwald
Art by: Mark Gruenwald
The original Hawkeye series worked on so many levels (even levels that creator Mark Gruenwald didn't intend!) that it just had to be included on this list.
There was a time before the 1990's when character-centric limited series were a very rare thing at Marvel. Unlike the '90's series most of us grew accustomed to that simply featured unending battle sequences and heroic pin-ups, a limited series of the '70's and '80's would split time more evenly between character development and classic superheroics. The original Hawkeye limited series is the perfect example of this, as it moved Clint Barton forcefully out of his mundane day job and back into the Avengers' spotlight (so to speak)... and he even got married along the way.
Hawkeye himself is so appealing because he's the model of the imperfect hero: he's just a normal guy trying to hang out with gods like Thor and Hercules. He's unprofessional, he's chauvinistic, he's sometimes petty, and he's a typical broke blue-collar guy. And yet, behind all of his personality flaws, he's probably one of the noblest of all of the Avengers. Gruenwald understood all of this when he wrote Hawkeye, and he played Hawk's personality for all it was worth.
Some may argue that many parts of this series were cliche, and they were... but at every opportunity, Gruenwald pointed out his own stereotypes and mocked them, as if he wanted us to say, "I can't believe he wrote that!" Yes, we see Hawkeye flying around on an amazing new flying techno-sled... but then we find out that it cost Hawk three months' salary, and it's destroyed by Hawkeye #3 anyway. Yes, one of the series villains, Oddball, has amazingly stupid powers (he threw custom billiard balls)... but the stupidity of those powers are pointed out when one of Oddball's hostage calls out, "Look, everybody! He's going to juggle me to death!" (Oddball promptly smashes the hostage's face with what looks like a 2-ball) In true Austin Powers Dr. Evil style, the series' major villain Crossfire tells Hawkeye his origin and all his plans after Hawk is captured.. but first Crossfire laments how stereotypical he's being by doing it!
At its core, Hawkeye was Gruenwald's vessel for restoring Clint Barton to the Avenger we'd known and loved. The series firmly removed Hawk from his high-paying security job (leaving him open for full-time Avenging) and at last addressed and put to rest the archer's insecurities over his colossal failures with the two women he'd loved: the Black Widow and the Scarlet Witch. The latter was probably the biggest theme of all, as the series saw him fall for yet another woman who betrayed him, bringing him to the attentions of a certain ex-SHIELD agent named Mockingbird. Throughout the series, it's obvious there's some attraction between the two, but Hawk refuses to open up and risk being hurt again. By the series end, you're convinced that Gruenwald is going to leave everything unresolved in true Marvel fashion... and then you read the shocker on the last page of the last issue. On that page, we learn that Hawk and Mock resolved their differences, acknowledged that they were falling for each other, and got married!
I've heard some people complain that the series art wasn't the best in the world, and they're probably right... but if you ask me, it's perfect for an imperfect hero like Hawkeye.
This series reminded us why we love Clint Barton. It brought him back to the Avengers and realistically gave him a dynamic partner, in both love and superheroics. It's a great story with several truly unpredictable moments, and definitely worth a mention in this list of the greatest Avengers stories.
This entry written by Jim Lemoine
Tom Brevoort: "Mark Gruenwald had an unbridled love of comics, and that led him to sometimes try to do more than was actually prudent--which is my way of saying that Mark was a better editor and writer than a penciler..."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/tb12.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/tb12t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Thunderbolts #12"></a>#34: HEROES' REWARD
Thunderbolts #10-12
Written by: Kurt Busiek
Art by: Mark Bagley
The Masters of Evil, posing as superheroes during the absence of the Avengers and Fantastic Four, were publicly outed as villains by S.H.I.E.L.D. The Masters, calling themselves the Thunderbolts, had succeeding in worming their way into the public's trust, gaining access to the headquarters of the Fantastic Four and the secret files of the Avengers. As the rest of his group edged closer to true heroism, Baron Helmut Zemo decided to nip those urges in the bud; he revealed that he himself had tipped S.H.I.E.L.D. off as to the team's true identity. With the information he'd gained posing as the hero Citizen V, Zemo activated a mind-control device that would enable him to take over the world, bit by bit. Sure, the Avengers and FF eventually showed up to stop him, but even they were no match for his new power. Eventually, most of the Thunderbolts revolted against Zemo, and by the combined efforts of those Thunderbolts and the Avengers, Zemo was defeated.
The Thunderbolts supplanted the Avengers as the major heroic figures of the Marvel Universe, and for the Marvel reader they represented a quality comic book based in normal continuity during the Heroes Reborn era. When the Avengers came home in Heroes Return, the meeting/showdown/connection between them was natural. For the reader, the crossover event was a highly anticipated meeting.
What was great about this story was its unpredictability. We all expected the Thunderbolts' charade as heroes to last for another year or two, or at least a few more months... the public outing was shocking but realistic. After that, we all predicted that the story would come down to the "good" Avengers fighting the "evil" Thunderbolts... when nothing could be farther from the truth. Zemo managed to mentally enslave both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four during the time most of the Thunderbolts were deciding to turn against him. Thus, when the greatest heroes of the Marvel Universe arrived on the scene, they weren't the cavalry; they were the bad guys. And only the "good" Thunderbolts stood a chance of stopping them. Busiek would continue to add new layers of depth and personality to these wannabe heroes... their uncertainty of their role was almost reminiscent of Stan Lee's original Avengers.
In the end, Busiek and artist Mark Bagley gave us quite possibly the ultimate battle between the Avengers and the Masters of Evil, one in which all preconceptions were destroyed. This was a story of redemption, plot twists, intrigue, character development, lost loyalties, and newfound direction. And the cliffhanger ending on the last page of Thunderbolts #12 was fantastic, promising future meetings (and battles!) between the Avengers and the Thunderbolts.
This entry written by Tan K.
Tom Brevoort: "Not really an Avengers story, but the capper to the T-Bolts' first year that we'd been planning pretty much from the start. We'd have ended up somewhere around here even if the Avengers hadn't been returning from Heroes Reborn at this time--though that certainly made it easier to coordinate."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg116.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg116t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #116"></a>#33: AVENGERS/DEFENDERS WAR
Avengers (Vol. 1) #115-118 & Defenders (Vol. 1) #8-11
Written by: Steve Englehart
Art by: Sal Buscema & Bob Brown
With the X-Men still in reprints and the Fantastic Four struggling to find themselves post-Stan Lee, the Avengers and the Defenders were the heavy hitters of the Marvel Universe in the early seventies, and both team titles were being written by the same man: Steve Englehart. It was a crossover waiting to happen.
The plot of the Avengers/Defenders War is pretty much your standard fare: Dormammu and Loki form an unlikely alliance in their ongoing quest for power and, while they're at it, the destruction of their respective nemeses. To that end, they seek yet another artifact of great power, and it's up to the heroes to prevent them from utilizing that artifact to take over Earth and add it to Dormammu's own dark dimension.
But let's be honest with ourselves: the plot isn't why we picked this up, nor is it why we enjoyed it or why it made this list. This story made the list because it delivers precisely what the title promises: under a combination of clashing goals and manipulation by the bad guys, the Avengers and the Defenders, the two mightiest teams in Marveldom, go to war with one another. And we get a front row seat.
The conflict between the two powerhouse teams would score higher on this list if not for two shortcomings. The first is the fairly predictable formula it follows. As I already mentioned, the story itself is entertaining though not outstanding, and the ending smacks of a convenient wrap-up. The second shortcoming, which particularly effects the story's placement on a top Avengers list, is the fact that the Avengers get thrashed. The Silver Surfer beats the Vision and the Scarlet Witch, and the Valkyrie out fights the Swordsman. Dr. Strange easily trounces Mantis and the Black Panther (a mismatch so astounding you can tell Englehart just ran out of match-ups), and Namor holds even with Captain America until they realize they are being duped. What's worse, the one really good match-up, Hulk vs. Thor, barely gets underway before everyone realizes what's what and they team-up against the villains. Though I mention this one-sidedness as a shortcoming, it's only considered one from the point of view of an Avengers list: the battles are actually pretty good, and none of the outcomes are outrageously unrealistic.
For fans of team team-ups or "versus" events, Avengers/Defenders War is definitely something you should read. Though not the most original story to be found, it does offer up some decent character clashes that are good enough for the price of admission.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
Tom Brevoort: "The first real event-crossover and the first multi-title, multi-month crossover. So all that stuff that fans say they hate while they secretly love (when done right) started here."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avgv3-11.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avgv3-11t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 3) #11"></a>#32: POMP & PAGEANTRY
Avengers (vol.3) #10-11
Written by: Kurt Busiek
Art by: George Perez
Connected to the land of the living by his love for the Scarlet Witch, the ionic man Simon Williams (a.k.a. Wonder Man) has been fluttering back and forth between states of life and death. Simon's constant state of flux has weakened the barriers between our world and the land of the dead, and the Grim Reaper decides to take advantage of the situation by launching an all-out attack on the Avengers in the midst of their annual parade. It's the Reaper's allies that really shock the Avengers and make this story memorable: The Swordsman, Mockingbird, Doctor Druid, Hellcat, Thunderstrike, the original Captain Marvel, and the aforementioned Wonder Man... all former Avengers, slain in the line of duty.
The root cause of all this, the Scarlet Witch, is oblivious to the Reaper's attack since she skipped the parade to visit her old mentor, Agatha Harkness. Together, Harkness and Wanda discover that the power to summon Wonder Man from the dead was caused by his love, and that he can be fully restored to life simply by Wanda's own admission of her love for him. Wanda eventually realizes that she does in fact love Simon, bring him (and the Reaper, by accident) firmly back to life.
More than just another Avengers slugfest, this saga firmly established the mortality and vulnerability of Earth's Mightiest Heroes - even the mighty Avengers can die. Bringing dead Avengers back to life was not something that had been done often at all, but the best part about it was writer Kurt Busiek's attention to strong characterization. Dead Swordsman talked just like the live Swordsman did back in the '70's. Thunderstrike blamed Thor, the hero who empowered him, for his death. Mockingbird searched fruitlessly for her living husband, Hawkeye (who wasn't with the Avengers at the time), and even left a message for him after her mind had been restored by the waning of the Reaper's power.
There are also some very nice and subtle elements that writer Kurt Busiek embedded into the overall story. The resolution that finally occurred didn't happen on in the battlefield; it took place elsewhere. Even though Wanda wanted to rush headlong into the war zone, her mentor made her realize that the use of her mind and heart was where the true answer to the Grim Reaper threat resided. Even the final defeat of the Reaper was accomplished relatively passively. Too often fisticuffs are the primary battle ender, and the change of pace was nice.
There seemed to be a movement for old time villains to be upgraded to make them seem more formidable a few years ago; some worked and some didn't. The Grim Reaper, made to look and act more like a literal Grim Reaper, was a prime example of an "upgrade" that didn't work or make sense. There are many villains (and heroes) who have similarly suffered, and needed to be cleaned up because of regurgitated use (teen Iron Man and the "new" Wasp come to mind). Busiek "fixed" the Reaper, bringing him back to his roots, in a very simple but effective story. Busiek focused on the human Reaper, Eric Williams, and brought his primary, original motivations back into focus.
To me, the best part of this story was seeing Wanda and Simon finally get together. Their never-quite-working-romance had been an ongoing theme since the Vision's dismantling during John Byrne's run on Avengers West Coast, and to see these two classic characters in each other's arms at last was very exhilarating. What gave it a real world flavor was the image of a possibly jealous Vision looking at them from afar.
Overall, this arc was very entertaining. George Perez alone quantum-leaps any comic he touches. Pomp and Pageantry may not be the most enthralling read for the flip-through reader, but those that sit down and enter the story will be presented with a very nice tale of heroism, love, and redemption.
This entry written by Tan K.
Tom Brevoort: "The closest thing to an out-and-out anniversary story we did during George's return engagement, this two-parter gave him the chance to draw just about everybody, hero and villain, from the book's long run--not to mention the Stuntmaster and Chili."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg067.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/acovers/avg067t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Avengers (Vol. 1) #67"></a>#31: BETRAYAL
Avengers (Vol. 1) #66-68
Written by: Roy Thomas
Art by: Barry Windsor-Smith & Sal Buscema
Betrayal may be too old-fashioned for today's fans, but that doesn't stop it from being an enjoyable chapter in the ongoing struggle between the Avengers and one of their mightiest foes, Ultron.
In the story, a scientist has just synthesized a new metal alloy called adamantium (yes, THAT adamantium). The metal is, for all intents and purposes, indestructible: it can only be shaped using a special molecular rearranger (the type of device that only existed in the Silver Age... ah, memories). The Avengers are examining the new metal and testing it against their powers when something goes wrong: the Vision is overcome with some sort of headache and disappears. Later, under what would be revealed as the control of his creator, Ultron, the Vision steals the adamantium and the molecular rearranger, and uses them to build Ultron a new, indestructible body.
This story is a landmark for a number of reasons. First, it is one of the earliest examples of the Vision dealing with his connection to both the then-deceased Simon Williams (AKA Wonder Man) and his homicidal creator, Ultron. The Vision being manipulated by Ultron would become a recurring theme over the years, and its proper start is here. What's more, the story highlights how quickly the other Avengers are willing to assume the worst of the Vision, and question whether or not he should have been allowed onto the team. This would also be a recurring theme, as the Vision's origin and oft-unpredictable behavior would lead to many confrontations between the android and his fellow Avengers. The story also introduces adamantium to the Marvel Universe, and hooks Ultron up with it for the first, but certainly not the last, time. (It is worth noting that the origin of the metal provided here would be significantly altered later on, in order to better connect it to characters like Wolverine.)
Though the story is quite fun, as most Ultron/Vision stories are, it is not without its problems. It relies heavily on some of the less admirable tendencies of Silver Age stories, particularly in cliffhanger endings that are hastily undone by the start of the next issue, not to mention the laughable manner in which Ultron is finally defeated.
The art, despite the talents of both Buscema and Windsor-Smith, also falls flat in too many places. Like too many artists of the era, Buscema and Windsor-Smith seem to be intent on trying to draw like Jack Kirby, rather than utilizing their own styles. The result is at best a stale imitation of Kirby's work, at worst a jumbled mishmash of conflicting artistic styles.
Despite its shortcomings, Betrayal is an enjoyable outing, and a must-read chapter in the ongoing struggle between Ultron and the Vision.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
Tom Brevoort: "The return of Ultron, and the beginnings of him as a world-class threat, the introduction of adamantium into the Marvel Universe, some early Barry Smith art, and the first time the Vision stepped through another person."
<center><hr width=75%></center>
Be sure to check back next week for Part 2, #30-21! For more special articles, features, and columns celebrating the 40th Anniversaries of the Avengers and X-Men, click here! (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21464)
<center><hr width=75%></center>
ComiX-Fan would like to thank Van Plexico, Chris Luna, and all the fine folks at Avengers Assemble (a darn fine Avengers site, which can be found at www.avengersassemble.us/ (http://www.avengersassemble.us/)) for their cover image assistance!