…To Become an Avenger!
Featuring: Spider-Man
Release: August 2, 1966
Cover: November 1966
25 cents
Smilin’ Stan Lee
Layouts by Jazzy Johnny Romita
Pencilin’ by Dashin’ Donnie Heck
Inking’ by Mirthful Mickey Demeo
Letterin’ by Adorable Artie Simek
21 pages
| Previous | #598 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Thor #140, Story B | Reading order | Tales to Astonish #85 |
| Amazing Spider-Man Annual 2 | Amazing Spider-Man Annual | Amazing Spider-Man Annual 4 |
I can’t fight it any longer! I’ve got to follow my own destiny– and let the chips fall where they may! I must have been given my spider-power for a reason! Thor was right! I do have an obligation– to mankind!
This is a “King-Size Special”. Which Marvel will sometimes be calling their Annual issues.
It boasts “72 Big Pages”. Let’s do math. The story is actually a pretty normal-sized 21 pages, but they reprint two old Spider-Man stories (issues 11 and 12), which brings the total to 64 pages. What are the other 8 pages? A table of contents, and some ads. When they advertise 72 pages, they are advertising 7 pages of ads.
The first stories I ever read with Spider-Man were Transformers #3 and Avengers #317. In the Avengers saga, Spider-Man was offered membership in the Avengers, but when Spider-Man struggled to keep up on their space adventure, Captain America and Spider-Man both agreed membership wasn’t for him. Avengers was one of the first series I regularly followed, so I read Avengers #329 a year later, in which Spider-Man does officially join the Avengers. No explanation was given for why Cap and Spider-Man changed their mind. Avengers #329 is the first time he officially became an Avenger, but the arc in #314-317 was not the first time he came close. That is here.
The Avengers are an interesting grouping. They began as Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Ant-Man, and the Wasp. All characters who had had solo (or duo) series. Left out of the Avengers were the Fantastic Four, already an established team, as well as Dr. Strange and Spider-Man. Behind the scenes, there seems a clear pattern that Kirby formed the Avengers from characters he had created, but left off the characters Ditko had created. They were soon joined by a revived old character of Kirby’s, Captain America.
When the original team disbanded, they needed replacements. Rather than turn to established loner superheroes like Daredevil, Dr. Strange, or Spider-Man, they sought out old enemies like Namor and Hulk, and accepted applications from reformed villains, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and Scarlet Witch.
The Avengers know Spider-Man, or at least of him. He teamed up with Giant-Man and Wasp in Tales to Astonish #57; Wasp hated him because wasps and spiders are natural enemies. Spider-Man briefly ran into the individual Avengers in Amazing Spider-Man Annual 1. They fought a Spider-Man robot created by Kang in Avengers #11. And they were all guests at the wedding of Reed and Sue.
For his part, Spider-Man has mostly been a loner, but at the start of his career, he tried to join the Fantastic Four, only to learn they don’t pay a salary. You sometimes find yourself asking if things might have been different. What if Spider-Man had joined the Fantastic Four?
But the Avengers are funded by Tony Stark. Maybe they can afford to pay Spider-Man?
I think this is a really good comic, if we forgive some nonsense in the premise. Which we’ll get to.
It even has great art. Heck is the credited artist, and Romita is just credited with layouts, but a lot of Romita shines through, perhaps due in part to Esposito’s finishes. Layouts have been Heck’s biggest weakness as an artist.
Where does this fit in in Spider-Man’s story. The most important thing to note to me is that Peter Parker has the motorcycle he acquired in Amazing Spider-Man #41, so it’s after that. I think Amazing Spider-Man #41-43 read well as a story, united by arcs for the Rhino, Mary Jane, and John Jameson. So I didn’t care to break that up. Hence we are reading it after #43. This is where a lot of collections place it, including the Essential, Omnibus and Epic Collection. The Masterworks weirdly places it after issue 50. But I think the thinking there was just to put it at the end of one of their volumes and not worry about where it “goes”. The MCP wants it before issue 42, and the CMRO agrees, but that seems unnecessary when there are so many unresolved plot threads from issue 41 to deal with first.
“We’ve studied that photo of Spider-Man long enough” says Cap. How much was there to study in one photo? Detail-oriented heroes, I guess.
In the funniest line of any of these comics we’ve read, Hawkeye describes Spider-Man as “a real swinger”.
Captain America, famous for his tact, notes Hawkeye identifies with Spider-Man because they’ve both been outlaws.
The question before them is: Should Spider-Man be offered membership in the Avengers.
Wasp, of course, hates spiders.
Thor and Iron Man are present at a meeting of the Avengers, but neither is an active member. Iron Man took a leave of absence in Avengers #16 and Thor left unceremoniously in Journey Into Mystery #120.
Why are they here now? And where does this occur in their respective stories? They have both been busy. And they are at an Avengers meeting as though nothing urgent is going on. So probably Jane and Happy aren’t missing. Iron Man isn’t under summons to Congress or in the hospital. Thor isn’t in Asgard. Iron Man isn’t in China.
We’ve tried hard to find a spot in their stories for this issue to take place, and think it fits after Thor #140, published 7 months later. Thor is on Earth, has just battled Kang, and has a breather. Similarly, we think after the defeat of the Mandarin in Tales of Suspense #86, Iron Man has enough of a breather to visit the Avengers. That issue comes out 3 months after this one.
The hardest bit of continuity here is the AIM/Secret Empire sagas, which an already complicated issue can’t be separated from. We’ll see why in a moment.
But the presence of Thor and Iron Man is hugely significant to the saga of the Avengers. It suggests they are still Avengers, just in an inactive status. And they still have decision-making authority within the group. Perhaps that applies to all former Avengers, or perhaps the founding members will get a special status.
In the early days of the Avengers, they had a rotating chairman. But with the new Avengers, Cap seemed to just be in charge, a fact Hawkeye had not been happy with. Thor still seems to think they rotate chairs and that Cap is just the chairperson of the moment.
On the question at hand, they decide to ask Daredevil is Spider-Man is worthy. If they trust Daredevil’s opinion so much, why not offer him membership?
Daredevil gives the thumbs up, so the Avengers decide that Spider-Man must be tested.
Thor makes the offer to Spider-Man, rather haughtily. And is offended when Spider-Man hesitates. “Are you not aware of the obligation a super-powered being has…” asks Thor. I think Spider-Man knows that better than most.
But Spider-Man has pros and cons to weigh. The fundamental theme of the Spider-Man series so far is about balancing different responsibilities. He already struggles to balance his life as Spider-Man with his schoolwork, finances, taking care of Aunt May, and his social life. Can he handle being an Avenger on top of that?
On the other hand, maybe J. Jonah Jameson would finally respect him as an Avenger.
Quite the page from the Romita/Heck/Esposito team as Spider-Man meets the Avengers.
Being quite the thinker, Spider-Man guesses the test is to randomly attack all the Avengers. It wasn’t.
Spider-Man had attempted his audition for the Fantastic Four in the same manner.
Was anyone else tested before joining the Avengers? The original team just formed. Cap was found in a block of ice and offered membership. If Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were tested, we didn’t see it. Thor does claim every candidate for the Avengers must submit to a trail.
Only Hawkeye proved himself to gain membership. He proved himself by beating up Jarvis, the butler.
Spider-Man’s test will be to tackle the Hulk.
The same Hulk who took on the Avengers and Fantastic Four combined and walked away.
This is what I think doesn’t make a lick of sense. First, pretending that there’s always been a test for joining the Avengers. Second, making it seem like taking on Hulk is a reasonable test. Third, if it’s important they find the Hulk, then they should do it. Hulk is rampaging in New York. That’s a real crisis, that the Avengers don’t seem to be taking seriously. It doesn’t really make sense and detracts from what is otherwise an excellent comic.
Why is Hulk in New York? He showed up in Tales to Astonish #84, at which point Number One of the Secret Empire ordered a brainwashed Namor to confront him. Namor hasn’t found the Hulk yet, even though they watched a movie together. Hulk went to New York specifically to look for the Avengers, who he hoped would help him find Betty.
So Hulk wants to find the Avengers. The Avengers want to find the Hulk. The Avengers send Spider-Man after the Hulk.
Spider-Man remembers the Hulk from Amazing Spider-Man #14, but Hulk doesn’t remember him. Stan claims their meeting was in Amazing Spider-Man #10, which is why I am skeptical about worrying too much about these editor’s notes when thinking about continuity.
Hulk and Spider-Man have a brief fight. Spider-Man is outmatched.
But then some gamma rays change Hulk back into Banner.
Spider-Man now sees Hulk’s true face, and Hulk is also inclined to reveal his name for some reason. Hulk’s identity isn’t that much of a secret anymore. Since Rick Jones told Betty and Major Talbot his identity. But it’s still something very few people know at the moment.
Banner explains to Spider-Man he can’t control his transformations. Spider-Man compares it to the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. But of course Dr. Jekyll chose to transform himself into Mr. Hyde. So the analogy is imperfect. However, Bruce used to transform himself into the Hulk by choice as well. It’s only recently he’s lost control.
Banner turns back into Hulk, and Spider-Man does somehow manage to overcome him.
He could take him to the Avengers now, but he feels sympathy for the guy. So he decides to let Hulk go and fail his test rather than leave Hulk in Avengers custody.
Perhaps Captain America should have explained they wanted to help Hulk too.
But if they really want to help the Hulk, why don’t they go after him themselves now that Spider-Man has failed? Instead, they’ll just go on with their lives.
Rating: ★★★★☆, 75/100
Significance: ★★★★☆
This has some unfortunate plot contrivances, but I think you can look past those and find a great read. And Spider-Man and Avengers are basically my two favorite Marvel series, so seeing them interact was always going to be something I love.
I read this story in Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection vol. 3.
This joins the Best We’ve Read, a list that is getting tight. It displaces a great and spooky Dr. Strange adventure in Strange Tales #120.
Characters:
- Captain America
- Hawkeye
- Thor
- Iron Man
- Wasp
- Goliath
- Daredevil
- Spider-Man
- Aunt May
- J. Jonah Jameson
- Frederick Foswell
- Hulk/Dr. Bruce Banner
Minor characters:
- Mr. Wilson (pharmacist)
Story notes:
- The Avengers consider offering membership to Spider-Man.
- Thor wonders if Spider-Man can be trusted. Goliath suggests a test.
- Iron Man and Thor left other pressing matters because they were summoned.
- Thor notes Pietro and Wanda are absent and Cap says they are still in Europe.
- Duty roster makes Cap the chairman. He is acting chairman pro tem for the monthly session.
- The Avengers decide to consult Daredevil on Spider-Man.
- Someone asks why they aren’t offering DD membership.
- They blanket the area with high-frequency radio signals in Morse code to summon Daredevil.
- Wasp finds Daredevil attractive.
- Daredevil recommends Spider-Man for membership, citing battles with the Ringmaster and Masked Marauder.
- The Avengers unanimously vote to test Spider-Man.
- Thor is pretty haughty, ordering Spider-Man around, and then is upset Spider-Man hesitates at the offer.
- Thor gives Spider-Man 24 hours to contact them.
- Peter goes to get Aunt May new medicine prescribed by Dr. Bromwell.
- Spider-Man approaches Avengers HQ, a mansion Tony Stark lends them rent-free.
- Spider-Man loses his temper when they suggest he leave the room.
- The tests determine his power, his loyalty, and his ability to think on his feet.
- Iron Man notes the Hulk has been seen in the city, and Cap notes they’ve been too busy to go after him.
- Spider-Man reflects on what he knows about the Hulk.
- Spider-Man leaves and Cap and Goliath realize they should have explained why they wanted the Hulk.
- Spider-Man visits the Daily Bugle; Jameson tries to call the police; Foswell notes Hulk’s been spotted near the downtown Gamma Research Center (sign says Gamma Ray Research Center).
- Spider-Man is sympathetic that everyone attacks Hulk.
- The fight breaks the Gamma Ray wall and exposes Hulk to gamma rays, which change him back to Bruce Banner
- Spider-Man recognizes Banner as a top atomic scientist and Banner explains that he can’t control his transformations.
- Banner says his memories are hazy from when he’s Hulk. He doesn’t know why the Avengers want him.
- Spider-Man manages to stagger Hulk and web him up.
- Spider-Man sets Hulk free rather than turn him over to the Avengers, and then tells the Avengers he never found the Hulk.
| Previous | #598 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Thor #140, Story B | Reading order | Tales to Astonish #85 |
| Amazing Spider-Man Annual 2 | Amazing Spider-Man Annual | Amazing Spider-Man Annual 4 |
The truth is that Spidey and the Avengers are some of my favorite series, and contrary to popular belief, I think Spidey fits in very well as a member of The Avengers. I like this story for that reason, although I was a little disappointed by the ending. This classic era seems curious to me in the sense that Spidey already missed the opportunity to join the Fantastic Four, now joins the Avengers, and soon he’ll even reject an invitation to join the X-Men (which would have been very strange, lol).
Despite that, his irreverent attitude, with that carefree facade that hides his great responsibilities, allows for plenty of fun interactions with other members of the Avengers (in fact, there are about 150 issues of Marvel Team Up just because it’s so fun to see him interacting with other heroes). It was a wasted opportunity back in the late ’80s when he finally joined the group, but he was rarely called on missions… But oddly enough, he was more exploited in the mid-2000s when Spidey’s writers were making good use of the Avengers, either showing them in their day-to-day lives or bringing them in as backup for Spider-Man when things got tough. I quite liked that, and it even allowed for situations like pitting the Sinister Six against The Avengers.
Spider-Man and Avengers are two of my favorite series as well, and I always appreciate their interactions, and his many near-miss joins of the team. I agree when he actually did join it was underwhelming. He was in the background for two Avengers stories and the Avengers showed up in one Spider-Man comic, and then writers changed, and the whole thing seemed forgotten.