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 2.9 - Avengers #88-#89

To read Avengerous Tales 2.8, go here!

You’ve probably noticed that we’ve been seeing Thor and Iron Man around more than we have for the past few years.  The comic never made an official announcement that these two were back to being full-time Avengers—they just started showing up on the regular all of a sudden.  I wonder how that played out in-universe, like did Thor’s socks just suddenly start appearing in the laundry while Iron Man left notes on the fridge complaining that they’re out of straws?

Avengerous Tales 2.8 - Avengers #86-#87

To read Avengerous Tales 2.7, go here!

When did this comic turn into an old EC horror story?

Avengerous Tales 2.7 - Avengers Annual #4, Avengers #84-#85

To read Avengerous Tales 2.6, go here!

Avengers Annual #4—a.k.a. Avengers Special #4 (the names of the annuals get a bit fuzzy after the first one)—is just like Avengers Annual/Special #3, in that there is not a single panel of new material in it.  It’s just back-to-back reprints of Avengers #5 and #6, so refer to Avengerous Tales 1.3 if you’d like to read my thoughts on them.  For now, let’s move on to the next regular issue of The Avengers, Issue Eighty-Four.

Avengerous Tales 2.6 - Avengers #82-#83

To read Avengerous Tales 2.5, go here!

Cover the first: Tony, that is the worst battle cry I’ve ever heard.

Cover the second: FOR THE LOVE OF AZAR NOT ONE OF THESE.

Avengerous Tales 2.5 - Avengers #80-#81

To read Avengerous Tales 2.4, go here!

This review is brought to you buy the letter R.  R stands for many things, like ‘review,’ which is what this is; ‘Red Wolf,’ who is today’s guest hero; and ‘racism,’ which this comic has an abundance of.  Happy reading!  Oh, look, another R!  Remarkable!

***Needless to say, if you’re sensitive about misrepresentation of Native Americans in the media, this Avengerous Tale is not for you.

Avengerous Tales 2.4 - Avengers #78-#79

To read Avengerous Tales 2.3, go here!

So we’re still going with the name Man-Ape, huh?

…Sigh.

Avengerous Tales 2.3 - Avengers #76-#77

To read Avengerous Tales 2.2, go here!

Welcome, nerds and nerdlings, to a very special era of The Avengers that I like to call ‘Why the heck is Wanda’s hair black on the covers and red on the inside?’

Avengerous Tales 2.2 - Avengers #74-#75

To read Avengerous Tales 2.1, go here!

Hey look, John Buscema’s back!  And just in time for things to get extra stupid!

***The first half of this review contains depictions and discussions of racism and racially-motivated violence.  If you’d prefer to avoid all that, don’t start reading until it says “Whew…”