Assembling the Avengers

 Week Ending 18th August 1973

It's took 45 weeks and 71 weekly comics to get to this point, the introduction of the Avengers. Boy it does feel like a long time coming, especially when the Hulk stories have been racing along leaving the FF, Spider-man, Thor and DareDevil behind. Was it worth the wait? Let's find out.

The Mighty World of Marvel #46

It's a bright colourful cover from Dick Ayers with inks by Mike Esposito but I kind of feel it should have had a more special feel to it. Maybe a Starlin cover or the original Avengers issue one cover by Jack Kirby and it should have taken up the full page. But I guess this does work on a UK newsagents shelf. The lower panels come from this weeks Fantastic Four strip by Jack Kirby with added inks by George Rossos. 

The Incredible Hulk. "The coming of the Avengers!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Dick Ayers

Originally published in The Avengers #1

Cover date September 1963

(Published in June 1963)

It feels very strange that it says "The Incredible Hulk" above the story title and not "The Mighty Avengers". Especially as the previous Hulk stories were originally written four and a half years after this one. This version of the Hulk feels more at home in the Mighty World of Marvel from way back in December 1972. Also with Loki as the antagonist, feels like it could have been a Thor tale with multiple guest stars. Hand on heart I absolutely love the Avengers, from many different eras. Roy Thomas's long run being my favourite. But after re-reading this classic again I feel let down in places, yes it has classic moments but I'm going to have to wear my rose tinted glasses for this one.

Marvel publisher Martin Goodman heard about the success of DC’s Justice League of America comic in around 1961 so he instructed Stan Lee to come up with a super-hero team comic that could rival it, but as Marvel at the time didn't have a collection of heroes to unite to become a super-group Stan together with Jack Kirby created the Fantastic Four. Two years later after the success of Spider-man and the Fantastic Four the opportunity arose to publish another two comic books. The X-men followed in some ways the template of the FF, while DareDevil followed Spider-man's popularity. Bill Everett was scheduled to pencil the book but due to ill health its release was delayed.  DD would make his debut later but in the mean time an opportunity presented itself to Marvel.

Marvel now had a cast of heroes to mould into a group title along the lines of DC's Justice League of America. Stan and Jack took nearly all of Marvel's super-heroes available, with the exception of Spider-man and Doctor Strange, who were co-created and drawn by Steve Ditko, which may have been part of the reason why they weren't used. Was Ditko holding them back for his own plots, or was it because a teenage hero and an otherworldly sorcerer didn't fit in with the group. Thor, Iron Man, Ant-man and the Wasp assembled for the first time to aid a framed Hulk at the request of Rick Jones and his Teen Brigade.

This story starts virtually as a Thor tale as Loki wanting revenge seeks a pawn to use against his half brother. With an illusion Loki tricks the Hulk into damaging a rail track to lure Thor into combating the monster after Loki diverts the radio message that was meant for the Fantastic Four to Don Blake, but the distress call is also heard by Iron Man, Ant-man and the Wasp. Let's talk about the elephant in the room, this story is over four and a half years older than last weeks Hulk tale and it does show. The Hulk from this team has come from a state of comic book limbo after his own comic was cancelled with issue 6. If you've read The incredible Hulk Vs the Metal Master story from MWOM #6 you'll appreciate the level of the Hulk's intelligence and personality. 

The other thing with this story that grates with me is the way the Wasp is written. Compared to other female characters at that time Janet Van Dyne comes over as an irritating flirt, where as Sue Storm as a mother figure and Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) as the older sister to the rest of the X-Men. To be fair to Stan I think he may have wanted to make the Wasp' character stand out a bit more, especially as she was surrounded by four macho type male co-stars, her dizzy flirt personality from her time in Tales to Astonish is defiantly less grating. 

After reading The Avengers War Across Time by veteran DC writer and editor Paul Levitz and legendary British artist Alan Davis, I found the Wasp to be more likeable. Granted this version of the Avengers comes from a period when the group has settled more comfortably with each other as Captain America is now a member. Levitz writes her in a similar but more sympathetic way. The Lee/Kirby run does improve so I can take its faults at face value. I can over look minor amounts of cheese like the Hulk hiding in the circus as a robot clown and Janet Van Dyne's short comings. I highly recommend the Avengers War Across Time series by Levitz/Davis though, it's a brilliant read that fits well into Marvel continuity without feeling forced. Alan Davis inks his own artwork giving it a slight 60's feel. It's a fantastic read. 

Back to the origin story, Thor suspects that the God of Mischief is up to his old tricks, so he goes of to Asgard to confront him leaving Iron Man, Ant-man and the Wasp to tackle the Hulk. Sure enough this leads to some crazy-ass Kirby fight scenes both on Earth and Asgard, including the final confrontation between the assembled heroes and Loki, as he makes himself radioactive to fend off the heroes, only for Ant-man to command an army of ants to release a hidden trapdoor that sends the trickster down a chute into a lead lined tank! As you do! 

Before they part Ant-man and the Wasp suggest that they combine forces when the need arises to form an unbeatable team. Iron man and Thor quickly agree, even the Hulk can see sense in the proposal, adding that he's sick of being hunted and hounded and that he'd rather be with them, than against them. The only thing is left is to find a name for themselves. The Wasp comes up with the now immortal name...the Avengers. And there you have it, the heroes are victorious and would go on to become one of Marvel's most important groups, leading to countless comics and an incredibly successful movie franchise.

Right after the story ends we are left in no doubt that the Mighty Avengers are a thing with a feature page telling the reader that "the Incredible Hulk joins with Four super-stars to form comics' newest super-group supreme...the Mighty Avengers!" may be this should have been in front of the Avengers story as it doesn't read like a promo for next weeks issue.

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

The mailbag opens with the Bullpen column suggest that teaming up the Hulk with four other super-stars is the greatest happenings in comic history. Even though I see its faults I have to agree with them. While they're on a wave of great ideas they tease that another group of heroes will be making their debut very soon as the world's strangest teen-agers ever, the X-Men will appear in the pages of MWOM in three weeks time. 

On with the readers letters, N. Binet from Jersey, wants to see Marvel UK expand from just two weekly comics. David Bradford, all the way from Perth Australia writes that he has been collecting American Marvel comics for two years but has started collecting Marvel UK comics, because he's finding them more interesting with the three different stories every issue. I find it interesting that Marvel UK comics are shipped to Australia. Paul Bolton from Morecambe wonders why in one Fantastic Four comic he bought, Sue Storm can activate a force field but in current weeklies she can't? Stick with Marvel UK Paul and you'll find out that she can and does.

  Peter Williams from Suffolk is disappointed that Marvel UK has ran out of back issues for SMCW #1 and #2 as well as some issues of MWOM. You've got to get them while you can Peter. He must love the Fantastic Four so much he had a dream about them! Christopher Jopling from Retford thinks that Marvel comics are great, but his sister Linda, who had taken the time to write in on his behalf, thinks they're "RUBBISH"! Harsh words from Linda, but I'm willing to bet that she grows to love them. Finally Stephen Hill from Yorks writes saying that MWOM is great especially with two Hulk stories every week but he asks why take out DareDevil? Couldn't they publish another comic. with DD in it? The mail bag ends with a "newsflash" that "Uncle Reg" was overwhelmed by the response to the "Wordophobia" competition but the winners will be announced soon, more news next week.

The Fantastic Four "The Hate-Monger demands- death!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: George Roussos

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #21

Cover date December 1963

(Published in September 1963)

The opening splash page for the second part of the Hate-Monger story uses the cover of the Fantastic Four issue 21 with added text to fill in readers on last weeks action. On the whole I'm not a fan of George Roussos' inks, they don't capture the detail of Kirby's artwork like other inkers do. He seems to make the artwork look basic but for all I know Kirby might not have pulled out all the stops on this story. Mister Fantastic fights terrorists in the jungles of San Gusto with a variety of weird techniques that come from the mind of Kirby until he's captured by the Hate-Monger and his men. 

Nick Fury arrives in full Howling Commando style to rescue the FF's leader, forcing the Hate-Monger to give Richard the antidote for the Hate ray. Like all villains the Hate-Monger escapes behind a bullet-proof glass wall. Reed pockets some more antidote pills which he gives to his teammates when he fights the rage induced friends, first Johnny, them Ben and finally Sue. The cured foursome rush to aid Nick Fury in his assault on the power plant that supplies the the H-rays. As the Hate-Monger is about to fire his personal hate-ray gun on the Human Torch an Invisible Girl grabs the evil fend from around the neck, causing his aim to be ruined. Fate or karma, two of his men to be caught in the ray's path, causing their subconscious hatred for their leader to manifest itself in a hail of bullets.

The twist in the tale comes as Reed unmasks the demagogue, revealing that he was Adolf Hitler all along. The Nazi undertones were plain to see from the very beginning. Hitler would still be universally recognised as a figure of evil, even in the early 70's. In the story it is suggested that the Hate-Monger may well have been one of the Feuhrer's many body doubles. Later on it was revealed that this version was a clone of Hitler made especially by the Nazi master geneticist scientist named Arnim Zola, in which the mind of Hitler was transferred into at the moment of death. I love this FF story it reminds me of the 1978 classic film "The Boys from Brazil", which was taken from the 1976 novel of the same name by Ira Levin. Maybe Levin got his idea after reading the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby story.

 

A teaser for next weeks Mighty World of Marvel, more Avengers action as the "new" Giant-man joins to take on the mysterious Space Phantom.

The inside back page features an in-house advert for this weeks Spider-man Comics Weekly issue 27, as Spider-man trapped in a flooded underwater fortress must face "The Final Chapter!" And Thor must face Loki, Mister Hyde and Cobra in "Every hand against him!" They're still pushing those FOOM memberships too. I guess there must have been loads left. Wish I had one.

The second money coupon with a reminder of the questions for Marvel's second pocket money competition as seen on both Mighty World of Marvel and Spider-man Comics Weekly's back pages.

Spider-man Comics Weekly #27

Rather than crop the original Steve Ditko version of the cover from Amazing Spider-man #33 Marvel UK elected to use the panel from the Marie Severin cover of Marvel Tales Volume 2 issue 26, cover dated May 1970. It's a little bit of a shame as Ditko's original cover is a beauty.  The lower Thor panel is taken from the Thunder God's own tale that is featured inside the comic, by Jack Kirby with Chic Stone handling the inks.

Spider-man "The final chapter!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: Steve Ditko

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #32

Cover date January 1966

(Published in October 1965)

Now here's a master class in creating gripping drama in the comic media through repetition and building tension. The first thing Steve Ditko does is with four even panels let the reader know what's at stake, with the first panel showing Aunt May ill in hospital, the second Doctor Kurt Connors working on the serum that will cure May's radiation poisoning. The third shows the Master Planner's (Doctor Octopus) henchmen waiting outside a steel door for the winner of the battle between Spidey and Doc Ock, the fourth panel, a leaking hidden under-water fortress. The in the fifth, larger panel a trapped Spider-man with a container holding the precious serum.

Six panels make up the second page, starting with two evenly sized top panels showing Spider-man straining against the heavy machinery that is pinning him down. 

The next two slightly larger panels show our trapped hero from both his right and left sides as he strains with effort as water runs over his head like falling tears.

The panels five and six show him exert extreme unbearable force to move the unmovable weight. His arms shake, his vision spins as his muscles ache with the effort required. 

In the third page the first panel shows cracks in the ceiling growing wider, the second Spider-man knows he must not give up, he can't close his eyes, he has to keep a clear head. In the third panel he cries that he'll do it for Aunt May, he won't fail.

In the forth larger panel he strains again moving the machinery with all his might, his vision going black, his head aching but still he tries.

With his limbs suffering, unendurable pain and the torment of the ordeal he pushes through it all to overcome the incredible agony to triumph. He frees himself with herculean strength as seen in this beautiful single panel page. 

You can see with each page the number of panels decreases but they grow larger in size focusing in on the tension. Building drama until the climatic conclusion, only to start again as Spider-man must face more challenges. 

It's an incredible piece of comic book story telling, showing why Steve Ditko was one of the best. Marvel UK's black and white panels with its grey tones add to the tension and make it a gripping read. I love these comics but there is one thing that I really can't forgive about Marvel UK. One choice they made that is unforgivable. They removed the original page two to save space in the comic. Later we'll see a Thor feature page I could have done without. The original page with Spider-man doubting his ability and recalling his failure that indirectly caused his Uncle Ben's death. This page uses six evenly sized panels and one larger panel in which Spider-man draws the conclusion that he mustn't give up, no matter what the odds. He can't fail for a second time. If you read this blog alongside those Marvel UK weeklies that's great but if you can do yourself a favour and dig out the original version. You'll see what an amazing comic creator Ditko was.

Recovering the container that holds the ISO-36 serum Spider-man makes his way through the labyrinth of water flooded tunnels in search of an exit to the surface. With increasing water pressure leaks become torrents of water until the onrushing deluge fills the fortress, immersing our hero in the relentless hammering of tonnes of water, until week and tired he holds on to the flask of precious serum. Just as he reaches the surface, Doc Ock' men equipped with scuba driving masks and air tanks pull him back into the water. He over comes them only to find more henchmen waiting for him on the surface, a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Extremely weak and tired Spider-man doesn't give up, even against the overwhelming numbers his need to save the one person he loves more than anyone drives him on to eventually stand exhausted amongst a pile of unconscious henchman. 

He takes the serum to Doctor Connors, secretly testing it on his own radioactive blood. It works so he rushes it off to Aunt May's hospital where she's give the life saving serum. While waiting for her recovery he goes back to take pictures of the captured Master Planner's gang by the police to sell to the Daily Bugle, making enough money to pay for Aunt May's hospital bills. Seeing Peter all black and blue from the bruising he received when fighting Doc Ock and his men, Betty Brant freaks out when Peter says it can get tough getting news pictures for the Bugle. That was the straw that broke the camels back, ending their relationship once and for all. Seeing his Aunt well but tired the happy but exhausted Peter walks off into the night and so ends another classic Spider-man tale. Truly amazing!

Here's the Mighty Thor Memory Page feature I mentioned before. Recalling two of Thors adventures. The first fighting against his own double as seen in SMCW #13 and the second when he was pitted against Zarrko, the Tomorrow Man and his 20th Century Super-robot in SMCW #20. Both from not long ago and as old as I am, I don't need reminding about them. Like I mentioned earlier I  would've much preferred seeing page 2 of the Amazing Spider-man #33 story in this issue. But I'm 50 years too late to complain about it now.

 

The Web and the Hammer

News from the Bullpen teasing the Avengers and the X-men together soon in the pages of the Mighty World of Marvel. As well as next week the return of Kraven the hunter in Spider-man.

Ronen Gaha from Nelson has calculated that in the near future another Marvel UK comic will be published to please the growing number of people who like him would like to see the Avengers, Captain America, the X-Men, Doctor Strange, Adam Warlock, the Silver Surfer, the Black Widow and the Inhumans, to name loads. He adds more introductions to more characters means less need to edit out characters from the stories like in the Sinister Six story from SMCW #9 and #10. Micheal Porter from Sussex likes Spider-man outfit and wants the blue-prints for his web-shooters. George Yong from Essex is in love with Jane Foster who he thinks is pretty and dainty. His auntie also has a crush on DareDevil. 

Grahame Broadbelt from Teeside collects the UK editions along side the American ones. He wants the UK comics to be in colour like their American counterparts and for Marvel UK to bring out mags featuring new heroes. Lee Chambers from Staffs has received his FOOM fan club package and asks why on the free poster that featured a host of super-heroes he couldn't see Sue Storm? Isn't the answer obvious, she was invisible?! Michael Crawshaw from Bradford who hasn't missed an issue of MWOM and SMCW and would like to see advertisements that offer a real life Spider-man costume. Adrian John from Stockport congratulates Marvel UK on Spider-man Comics Weekly issues 13 and 14 as they were sensational. He recommends them to all his friends. The final word goes to Bruce McVicar from Wales, he noticed that in the Thor stories Odin has two eyes, yet in legend Odin was supposed to have given one of eyes to Mimir the frost giant who guards the well of wisdom at the foot of the ash-tree Yggdrasil! The editor says that that tale has yet to happen. Bit of a cop out that one.

The Mighty Thor "Every hand against him!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Chic Stone

Originally published in Journey into Mystery #110

Cover date November 1964

(Published in September 1964)

Power of the Beesting readers who take great notice in the details given in these blogs might have spotted that this issues Thor tale comes from Journey into Mystery #110, jumping ahead two issues from last weeks adventure. Marvel UK opted to not print Thor adventures from issues 108 and 109 of Journey into Mystery, because those issues featured characters that hadn't been seen in Marvel UK yet. A slightly weak reason but let's look at why.

Journey into Mystery #108 featured a story called "At the Mercy of Loki, Prince of evil!" The guest star for that tale was Doctor Strange, who had already appeared in Spider-man in SMCW #23 but had yet made his own appearance in the UK in his own strip. The Avengers also appeared but with a line up that included Giant-man instead of Ant-man, who would appear in next weeks MWOM. In issue 109 of Journey into Mystery Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants appeared. Magneto would soon make his UK debut in just three weeks in MWOM, his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants would appear years later in the Superheroes #7 on the 19th April 1975, but the editor must have believed that it was easier to miss these stories out rather than explain all the continuity problems. 

In this weeks story Loki is up to no good pays for Mister Hyde and the Cobra's bail from prison in exchange for their services in kidnapping Jane Foster. He increases their powers so that they might defeat Thor. Holding the nurse hostage they demand that Thor lets them go for the time being. As Loki has planned Odin is angry in witnessing Thor letting the evil-doers escaping and he calls his first son to Asgard to answer for his actions. After some pointless fights between the Thunder God and Heimdall and later other Asgardians, Thor pleads his case with Odin and returns to Earth to fight Mister Hyde and the Cobra.

After a battle Thor defeats the two fiends but at a cost. Jane Foster is wounded and to save her life Thor uses the power of his hammer to cause the fabric of time to stand still. Prolonging her life so that the fleeting seconds that made her weaker could not pass. It's a fairly good Thor tale this week, Stan's writing is good and Jack's artwork is up to his action packed high standard but the "holding time back" plot devise, like that seem to be just like a "get out of jail card", I'm not a big fan of those. Will she survive? Find out next week. 

As with both Marvel UK weeklies at this period of publishing the inside page advertises their siblings comic and this week is no exception as it advertises this weeks edition of the Mighty World of Marvel. We get to see the wonderful classic US logos for the Avengers, the mighty Thor, the incredible Hulk, the invincible Iron Man, Ant-man and the Wasp. And see the cover for MWOM #46 in black and white that shows up the vanishing Loki better than the colour version. 

It's been a busy week with lots to read about, lots to write about and lots of work, with very little time to do it all in.  Will next week be any different? Probably not, more of the same then. Can't wait!

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.