Avengerous Tales 2.45 - Avengers #155-#156

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Before we get started today, I need to provide a quick synopsis of Super-Villain Team-Up #9, where the cliffhanger from last issue was picked up.  The Avengers are all fitted with controlling collars and are compelled to attack Hydro-Base, where Doctor Doom of all people is trying to help get the Hydro-men back to normal.  (I assume this is because he was captured by Namor’s cousin Namorita, and she’s making him do her bidding.)  Meanwhile, the Beast has gone to Whizzer and Wonder Man for back-up, and they both agree to help find and free the Avengers.  Also Namor was enslaved by Doom and is dying or something.

Avengerous Tales 2.44 - Avengers Annual #6-Avengers #154

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Dangit, Yellowjacket, watch where you’re divebombing before you crash into Nuklo.

Avengerous Tales 2.43 - Avengers #152-#153

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CHICKEN HEAD!  BWAHH!

Avengerous Tales 2.42 - Avengers #150-#151

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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

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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

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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 2.31 - Avengers #130-#131

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

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It's secret origins time!  Yippee!

Avengerous Tales 2.27 - Avengers #124-#125

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

Avengerous Tales 2.25 - Avengers #120-#121

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.