On Hiatus (ish)

So I've been planning on taking a break from this blog for a while, since my interest in superhero comics has been sorely tested lately, and if you read this blog you can probably guess why.  (It's Civil War.)  Now it looks like that break is going to happen a bit sooner than I planned--Marvel isn't letting me log into their website, so I can't finish the next Avengerous Tale I was working on, which really stinks.  It was gonna be awesome.

Once I do manage to get back in, I'll probably post sporadically, i.e. when I feel like it and not every weekend like I've been doing.  My interest in this blog will probably peak again someday--it's waxed and waned in the past--but for now I think I need to take a step back.  In the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy what I've already posted and thanks so much for reading!

Avengerous Tales 2.42 - Avengers #150-#151

To read Avengerous Tales 2.41, go here!

Let’s just hope that the 150^th issue is more exciting than the 100^th.  Well, it certainly can’t be worse than the 200^th! 

Avengerous Tales 2.41 - Avengers #148-#149

To read Avengerous Tales 2.40, go here!

 

Cover by Jack Kirby!  COVER BY JACK KIRBY!  COVER BY JACK KIRBY!!! 

Also, bless both these cover artists for not putting the nose on Iron Man’s mask.  I don’t know if they forgot it or just straight-up refused to do it, but either way, I’m sure we’re all grateful.

Avengerous Tales 2.40 - Avengers #146-#147

To read Avengerous Tales 2.39, go here!

 

Just a reminder—the previous issue was created by Tony Isabella, Scott Edelman and Don Heck rather than the usual creative team of Steve Englehart and George Pérez.  In this first issue, we also get an art assist from Keith Pollard before returning to our regular folks.

Avengerous Tales 2.39 - Avengers #144-#145

To read Avengerous Tales 2.38, go here!

 

One, I know this is supposed to be Hellcat’s big badass debut, but it just looks like she’s falling on her butt.  Two, I was really surprised to find out Hellcat was a ‘70s invention.  The name just sounds so ‘90s xxxtreme.

Avengerous Tales 2.38 - Avengers #142-#143

To read Avengerous Tales 2.37, go here!

 

Was this cover artist incapable of showing dangerous scenes without a damsel in distress?  The Scarlet Witch is hardly in this issue, and she’s certainly never in more peril than anyone else.  What is this nonsense?

Avengerous Tales 2.37 - Avengers #140-#141

To read Avengerous Tales 2.36, go here!

I’m sure you won’t be the least bit surprised to learn that one of these covers has a big fat lie on it.  Comics, amirite?

 

Avengerous Tales 2.36 - Avengers #138-#139

To read Avengerous Tales 2.35, go here!

Prescription: Death doesn't tell me very much.  How often am I supposed to take death?  How many deaths can I safely take at one time?  What are the potential side effects of death?  Does death have any contraindications?

I don't think Whirlwind has ever even seen a medical school...

Avengerous Tales 2.35 - Avengers #136-#137

To read Avengerous Tales 2.34, go here!

 

Before we dive in, I should explain something about Issue 136—it’s a reprint.  See, during the 1970s, Marvel’s creators seemed to have trouble meeting their deadlines from time to time.  When that happened, rather than delaying the book, Marvel would usually print a replacement story that had absolutely nothing to do with whatever ongoing storyline was happening.  In this case, however, they’re reprinting a story from Amazing Adventures #12, originally published in 1972, rather than giving us a new story.

Either way, it was kind of jarring and irritating.  Still, since it’s in an Avengers comic and features both an Avenger and a future Avenger, I’m going to review it anyway.
 

Avengers 2.34 - Avengers #135-Giant-Size Avengers #4

To read Avengerous Tales 2.33, go here!

 

Dang, we’ve been having a lot of giant-size specials lately, haven’t we?  Also, instead of Sal Buscema and Joe Staton on artwork, we have our old friend George Tuska instead.  Hi, George!

Avengers 2.33 - Avengers #133-#134

To read Avengerous Tales 2.32, go here!

 

Okay guys, chill out already.  The Secret of the Hooded One really isn't all that exciting.

Avengerous Tales 2.32 - Avengers #132-Giant-Size Avengers #3

To read Avengerous Tales 2.31, go here!

I guess Steve Englehart got a hand cramp halfway through working on these next two issues, because while the plot is credited to him, our current editor and former writer Roy Thomas has once against picked up the pen and provided us with pleasure and punches aplenty.

Avengerous Tales 2.31 - Avengers #130-#131

To read Avengerous Tales 2.30, go here!

1. What is going on with Vision’s anatomy here?

2. There’s a villain called the Slasher?  Sweet.  Nice to have another shipper on deck.

Avengerous Tales 2.30 - Avengers #129-Giant-Size Avengers #2

To read Avengerous Tales 2.29, go here!

So, uh, remember at the end of my last review when I wanted Marvel to stop picking on the Swordsman?  Well, I think they took that request rather differently than I was hoping…
 

Avengerous Tales 2.29 - Avengers #127-#128

To read Avengerous Tales 2.28, go here!

Between the last issue and this one, Captain America made good on his vow to give up that particular secret identity, so we won’t be seeing him in The Avengers for a while.  You can check out Captain America #176 if you want the details (and/or Cap’s origin story), but the rest of us have tuxes to rent and flowers to sneeze over—there’s a wedding in the offing!

 

(Today’s issues feature art by Sal Buscema and Joe Staton.)

Avengerous Tales 2.28 - Avengers #126-Giant-Size Avengers #1

To read Avengerous Tales 2.27, go here!

It's secret origins time!  Yippee!

Avengerous Tales 2.27 - Avengers #124-#125

To read Avengerous Tales 2.26, go here!

We got ourselves some guest artists for today’s issues—John Buscema and Dave Cockrum.

Avengerous Tales 2.26 - Avengers #122-#123

To read Avengerous Tales 2.25, go here!

I really want a Zodiac story where we see them auditioning someone for Ophiucus but he’s such a loser that they kick him out, and Ophiucus is really mad and wants revenge but he’s still a loser so he doesn’t even try until he gets bit by a radioactive snake charmer and gains the power to control reptiles or something and then he goes on a rampage.

Marvel, you are not allowed to steal this idea.  If you want it, you have to pay me, and by ‘pay me’ I mean ‘gimme an Avengers movie where they don’t spend 50+% of the time hating each other.’  (What, me bitter?)
 

Avengerous Tales 2.25 - Avengers #120-#121

To read Avengerous Tales 2.24, go here!

Grab your horoscopes, nerds and nerdlings, because today’s Avengerous Tale is all about the zodiac and they’ve got some very bad predictions for you.  And me.  And everybody in the world.

Avengers 2.24 - Avengers #118-#119

To read Avengerous Tales 2.23, go here!

Once again we turn to The Defenders—Issue Ten, to be precise—for the next chapter of our ongoing crossover.  Here we see Hulk and Thor reviving their old rivalry, but they don’t get the chance to finally determine who’s stronger before the Defenders and the Avengers show up, together at last and ready to get to the bottom of how their feud began.
 

The Hulk is reluctant to follow orders any more but is eventually persuaded to give up the Evil Eye.  The Silver Surfer has brought along the other pieces, but before they can do anything with them, one of Dormammu’s lackeys sweeps into our dimension just long enough to scoop up the Evil Eye and deliver it to his master.  Dormammu promptly puts it to bad use, shifting Earth into his own dimension so he can conquer it and turning New York into a ghoulish monster-ridden hellscape.  I was gonna make a joke about that last part, but… nah.  Too easy.  Gotta draw the line somewhere.
 

Avengerous Tales 2.23 - Avengers #116-#117

To read Avengerous Tales 2.22, go here!

Before I start discussing the Avengers today, we need to discuss another comic: The Defenders.

See, the previous issue of The Avengers was basically a set up for a big crossover with The Defenders, which focused on the adventures of another set of heroes who defend instead of avenge, I guess?

 

Oh well exCUSE ME.  P.S. Namor, Ken called, he wants his magic earring back.

Avengerous Tales 2.22 - Avengers #114-#115

To read Avengerous Tales 2.21, go here!

Apparently the Swordsman and Mantis have gotten into Hank Pym’s store of growth serum.  So has that bug, for that matter.

Avengerous Tales 2.21 - Avengers #112-#113

To read Avengerous Tales 2.20, go here!

New headcanon: Wanda’s ever-changing hair color isn’t a mistake, she just likes dying it back and forth for the heck of it.

Avengerous Tales 2.20 - Avengers #110-#111

To read Avengerous Tales 2.19, go here!

A special note for Hawkeye fans: you may want to keep a copy of your Fraction and/or Duggan TPBs at hand while you read this review to remind yourself of why you like this character.

Avengerous Tales 2.19 - Avengers #108-#109

To read Avengerous Tales 2.18, go here!

We spin the Wheel of Artists for the last time today.  Dave Cockrum, Joe Sinnott, and Don Heck are the artists for Issue 108, and then our old buddy Mr. Heck once again takes over as the regular artist for the next few issues.

As a side note, we find out this issue that Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne recently “““died.”””  Just in case it comes up again in future issues, I figure I should mention it now.

Avengerous Tales 2.18 - Avengers #106-#107

To read Avengerous Tales 2.17, go here!

It seems the Avengers are having trouble pinning down a regular artist: Issue 106 brings us the combined work of Rich Buckler and George Tuska, while 107 is by Jim Starlin, George Tuska, and Dave Cockrum.  I’d say I miss having a regular artist, but with my luck, when they DO get a regular artist I won’t like him and will yearn for the days when Marvel just threw The Avengers at whoever was available.

Avengerous Tales 2.17 - Avengers #104-#105

To read Avengerous Tales 2.16, go here!

 

We have lots of goodbyes to say in this review.  I hope you brought your Bat-hanky. *sniff*

Avengerous Tales 2.16 - Avengers #102-#103

To read Avengerous Tales 2.15, go here!

And we’re back to the floating head covers.  Great.  Also, like the last story, Roy Thomas is responsible for the script but not really the story idea.  That credit goes to Chris Claremont, who we’ll be talking more about down the road, although the comic just says this is “based on an idea from Chris Claremont,” so I don’t know if he provided Thomas with a full synopsis or just turned to him one day over coffee and was like “hey, wouldn’t it be cool if…?” and then let Thomas run with it.

Avengerous Tales 2.15 - Avengers #100-#101

To read Avengerous Tales 2.14, go here!

I am going to need so many tags for this.
 

Avengerous Tales 2.14 - Avengers #98-#99

To read Avengerous Tales 2.13, go here!

A brief sojourn to Thor #196-#197 before we begin this Avengerous Tale:

Asgard was under attack from a being called Mangog, which Odin himself created because he’s a genocidal a-hole, but that’s a long story and we’re not going to get into it right now.  The point is, Mangog’s on a rampage, and to protect the rest of the universe, Odin breaks the Rainbow Bridge and whisks Asgard away to a separate dimension.

Avengerous Tales 2.13 - Avengers #96-#97

To read Avengerous Tales 2.12, go here!

Diggin’ the new title font, but why is Namor naked?

Avengerous Tales 2.12 - Avengers #94, Avengers Annual #5, Avengers #95

To read Avengerous Tales 2.11, go here!

It’s my first Avengerous Tale of the new year, but we’ve still got to resolve the plotlines started back in the old one, so let’s get a-movin’.

Batman Retrospective

I know I don’t usually post on Tuesdays, and I guess this isn’t really a review, but I still wanted to talk a little about Batman since today just happens to be the 50^th (!!!) anniversary of its debut.  Click behind the cut for some fangirl reminiscing.  Or just wait until Saturday for the next Avengerous Tale.  Or both.  Both is good.