Featuring: Avengers
Release: February 11, 1965
Cover: April 1965
12 cents
Script: Stan Lee
Layouts: Jack Kirby
Pencilling: Don Heck
Inking: Mickey Demeo
Lettering: Artie Simek
20 pages
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|---|---|---|
| Fantastic Four #38 | Reading order | Avengers #16 |
| Avengers #14 | Avengers | Avengers #16 |
For several issues, Avengers had become a Lee/Heck production and was much the worse for it. Last issue had everybody working at Marvel pitch in. Now, Kirby is on hand with the layouts. Recall, we’re basically talking positioning of characters, but with that comes the storytelling, and this story is a cut above the last several issues. That’s likely Kirby’s hand. He’s been the missing ingredient. He’s back to do layouts for two issues, and they’ll be two of the best Avengers stories of the era.
Ordering is funny, as continuity is getting tight. Everybody is embroiled in multi-issue arcs, stories are flowing into each other; Avengers is always tricky continuity because it needs to be fit around the solo titles; and there’s a wedding any day now.
That’s why we already skipped ahead 5 months in our X-Men reading and are so far behind in our Dr. Strange and Hulk reading. Trying to fit it all together. This is the February issue of Avengers. We’re already mostly on to March, but about to read the January Thor. I think it all makes sense. This issue for significant reasons plainly takes place after the July issue of X-Men.
Captain America doesn’t keep his identity secret from the other Avengers, but can be discreet. He uses an artist’s portfolio to hide his shield, the first hint at a future sometimes profession.
He writes to Nick Fury, whom he had met in the war, about getting a job with Army intelligence. Nick Fury is about to be recruited by a very special intelligence organization, but that is presumably not what Captain America is referring to. Last we checked, Nick Fury was an army colonel doing work with the CIA.
The Masters of Evil return. The opening salvo is the kidnapping of Rick Jones by Zemo. Wasp secretly follows them. Since Zemo was responsible for killing Bucky, Captain America’s last partner, the kidnapping of Rick will have some emotional resonance for him.
Black Knight and Melter wear their costumes in prison, as is common for super-villains. I always find this nonsensical, but at least Stan tries to offer an explanation for the artwork.
The original Masters of Evil featured Melter, Black Knight, and Radioactive Man. Then Zemo teamed with Enchantress and Executioner. This was presumably the new Masters of Evil, though they didn’t explicitly call themselves that. They were briefly joined by Wonder Man and then Immortus. Radioactive Man does not return this time, but this grouping of 5 villains is plainly the Masters of Evil now.
The original team of 4 involved one enemy specifically of each of the four male Avengers. Now, the Thor villain Radioactive man has been replaced by two Thor villains, one of whom is female. So 5 Avengers get 5 villains, in near perfect pairing, except Wasp gets no villain of her own and Thor gets two. But one’s a woman, so perhaps she pairs with the Wasp by default.
Most of the Avengers get involved in a battle in New York, which the comic will mostly seem to forget about; it will conclude next issue. Captain America alone pursues Zemo to rescue Rick.
It’s Giant-Man’s turn to shout what is by this point clearly the team catchphrase: Avengers Assemble! Thor had shouted this on three prior occasions.
Little do the Avengers realize that they are assembling for the final time.
Those two panels above are where the New York battle cuts off. It’s weird. Hardly a fitting cliffhanger. It just stops mid-scene and will pick up right there next issue. The rest of the issue will focus on Captain America and Zemo.
Zemo’s insidious plan is to trick Captain America into killing Rick. It doesn’t work.
Captain America gives a short speech about justice. He’s always at his best when he is extolling the virtues of justice and freedom and such.
Cap blinds Zemo, and his blast goes wild, hitting the rocks which crush him. Captain America claims it’s destiny that killed Zemo.
Zemo killed Bucky and now Bucky’s death has been avenged. Which is good, as the Avengers almost never do any actual avenging.
The issue has a dramatic ending, but not a cliffhanger. However, the battle in New York remains unresolved and continues next issue. So we will jump ahead to it. Next issue… everything changes.
Rating: ★★★½, 63/100
Significance: ★★★★☆
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: Avengers vol. 2. You can find it in Avengers Epic Collection vol.1: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Or on Kindle.
Characters:
- Rick Jones
- Thor/Dr. Don Blake
- Giant-Man
- Wasp/Jan Van Dyne
- Iron Man/Anthony “Tony” Stark
- Captain America/Steve Rogers
- Zemo
- Enchantress
- Executioner
- Black Knight
- Melter
Story notes:
- Giant-Man in new costume introduced in Tales to Astonish #65.
- Thor is this month’s acting chairman.
- Only Captain America’s identity is not secret to his teammates.
- Captain America keeps shield in artist’s portfolio.
- Captain America writes letter to Colonel Fury. References Sgt. Fury #13. Rogers has heard he’s involved with counter-espionage efforts for the Army and wants a job. Rogers eager to get into counter-espionage. This does not seem to be specifically a SHIELD reference.
- There is a time gap mid-issue where there is space for the solo heroes to have their own adventures.
- Zemo captures Rick; Wasp sneaks aboard craft.
- Iron Man authorizes XL-750 rocket plane.
- Enchantress and Executioner free Melter and Black Knight; bring weapons and horse.
- Movie about MMMS showing.
- Giant-Man’s turn to shout Avengers Assemble!
- Cap gives short speech about justice.
- Death of Zemo.
| Previous | #333 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Fantastic Four #38 | Reading order | Avengers #16 |
| Avengers #14 | Avengers | Avengers #16 |
