Featuring: Avengers
Release: June 9, 1964
Cover: August 1964
12 cents
Magnificently written by: Stan Lee
Majestically illustrated by: Jack Kirby
Masterfully inked by: Chic Stone
Meticulously lettered by: Art Simek
22 pages
In Tales of Suspense #56, Tony Stark very briefly flirted with giving up his Iron Man identity. He now faces a board of inquiry for his failure to answer an Avengers call. At that very moment, Odin is rendering judgment on Enchantress and Executioner for their part in the events of Journey Into Mystery #103. These events show the ever-tightening interconnectedness of the series.
Recall that Thor’s title went over a dozen issues without referencing or being referenced by any other series. There was no evidence it was set in the same world as that of the other heroes. Now, they are rather intertwined.
But continuity brings continuity errors, even when a single writer is nominally writing every title. The inquiry is tricky to reconcile with the details of Tales of Suspense #56 in a few ways. Thor charges Iron Man with ignoring a call. However, the Avengers didn’t really know how to contact him and never reached him. They talked to Mr. Stark’s secretary. She was able to talk to Mr. Stark, but never (as far as anyone knows) Iron Man. It would be like somebody who doesn’t know my phone number charging me with not answering my phone they didn’t call.
Secondly, they were trying to contact Iron Man to ask him to look into the Unicorn. Within a couple hours of that failed call, Iron Man did indeed find, battle, and defeat the Unicorn. So they attempted to contact Iron Man, didn’t know how to, never reached him, and thus it was, say, 2 hours between their attempt at contact and his completing the mission they sought to assign him. That hardly seems worth an inquiry.
There was no mention of this coming inquiry in the Iron Man comic. In fact, at the time, the Avengers all seemed to agree that Iron Man was in his rights to live his own life.
Loki seems to be freely wandering Odin’s palace, as he has been of late. It’s not clear why he isn’t in prison, given that Odin has now repeatedly sentenced him to eternal prison; Odin’s word: “eternal”. He notes it’s good that Odin is unaware of his involvement in the Enchantress/Executioner affair, because this time Odin would surely have punished him. Since that affair, Loki freed Surtur and Skagg and sent them to destroy Earth, events Odin is well aware of.
Captain America fights some wrestlers, including one named Crusher. We had met a wrestler named Crusher before. Crusher Hogan helped Spider-Man launch his career. But there’s no real evidence these are the same people; Crusher is likely a common name amongst wrestlers.
I’ve been snarky about Rick. I don’t necessarily understand or appreciate why he’s always getting invited on Avengers missions. I have a similar lack of appreciation for Snapper Carr or Wesley Crusher. I think Rick should go to school and leave the avenging to the pros.
But there are hints of emotional complexity here; something must be happening behind the scenes that the comics are hinting at. Rick is an orphan. Perhaps he is looking for a father figure. Perhaps he tried to find that in Dr. Banner. Rick and Banner had a relationship that made more sense, based on practicality: only Rick knew Banner’s secret, and Banner needed somebody to help him. So Rick served a purpose. What did Rick get out of it? Well, he was indebted to Banner for saving his life… and perhaps Banner became the father figure Rick was looking for. He and Banner seem to have split ways, so he’s clung to Captain America. Captain America has been training him behind the scenes, and apparently inviting him on every Avengers mission. It’s not obvious that Captain America needs Rick, but perhaps Captain America has paternal instincts… perhaps Rick is filling a void that Bucky had left in Cap’s life.
A lot of this is not said in the comics, and is probably not said between them either. They focus on training and missions and don’t discuss emotional needs. Until Rick tries on Bucky’s outfit and Captain America freaks out.
I don’t know if we have a good real-world analogue for the superhero/sidekick relationship. Cap and Rick seem to be in some type of courting period. Rick wants to be the sidekick; Cap is giving strong hints he’s also interested, but doesn’t know if he’s ready for a new one, after his last partner’s death. When Rick gets too close, Cap pushes him away. And, rather than confront the unspoken issues between them, Captain America decides a little vengeance is what he needs. Why consider the gaps in the lives of two people and how they can help each other when he can just go kill Zemo?
At least he doesn’t take Rick to South America with him on his vengeance quest.
Enchantress and Executioner can project visual images of themselves capable of interacting with others far away. This seems to be a power that almost all the characters possess. Only hypnosis is a more common skill.
Enchantress has two goals: revenge on Thor; and, Thor falling in love with her. I foresee no difficulties reconciling those goals.
Zemo describes the Masters of Evil to Enchantress and Executioner. He mentions Melter and Radioactive Man, but leaves out Black Knight. Understandable. There are some hints that Zemo is forming a new Masters of Evil with Enchantress and Executioner, and many sources describe this threesome as the second incarnation of the team. However, that phrase appears nowhere in the comic. The three agree to an alliance, but not that they are any particular team.
This issue spends an extremely long time on setup before getting to the main plot. Enchantress puts a spell on Thor, making him believe the Avengers are evil, leading to a fight. To my mind, a Thor that really wanted to destroy the Avengers would not have much trouble.
We get a cool image that shows Jack deviating from his usual style to display Thor’s madness and what the evil Avengers look like.
There’s a line of dialogue here which contains personal significance. As I have mentioned, Avengers was my first comic ever and a series I’ve dearly loved since. When I first read these early issues, probably around college, I was disappointed. The tone and pace of the old style wasn’t what I was used to, but it was more than that. I realized that what I loved about the Avengers better treated these old stories as an etheral backdrop. I liked that being an Avenger was about joining a proud tradition, and seeing the early adventures that built that tradition could never really compare to how they had been built up in my mind; from every time I read a superhero take pride in being a member of this institution built by legends. I don’t think the Avengers have really earned their reputation yet, based on the first 6 issues of comics. But we see here the first sense that the characters think they have. Stark talks about how much being an Avenger means to him. We get the first hints of pride in the name, in the institution they have started.
Mild chronology note: This comic was published on week after Tales to Astonish #59, but since that story shows Iron Man on the team in good standing, we are reading this comic first.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 57/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers vol. 1. The scans are from a reprint in Avengers Classic #7 (2008).
You can also find the story in Avengers Epic Collection vol.1: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Or on Kindle.
Characters:
- Thor
- Rick Jones/Bucky
- Giant-Man
- Wasp
- Captain America
- Iron Man
- Odin
- Enchantress
- Executioner/Hans Grubervelt
- Loki
- Crusher
- Moose
- Dr. Zemo/Zemo
Story notes:
- Adjectives: “The exquisite Enchantress, the evil Executioner, and the diabolical Dr. Zemo”.
- Zemo was referred to as Dr. Zemo in Sgt. Fury #8, but simply as Zemo in Avengers #6. Here, the Avengers line up with Sgt. Fury and sometimes call him Dr. Zemo.
- Iron Man facing a board of inquiry for dereliction of duty. His punishment is a suspension from Avengers activities for one week.
- Odin banishes Enchantress and Executioner to Earth for the events of Journey Into Mystery #103.
- Executioner stripped of helmet and ax.
- Enchantress sees article in Daily Record that Zemo had escaped, likely to South America.
- Rick dons Bucky outfit for first time. Rick does eventually take on the role of Bucky. This is arguably his first appearance as Bucky.
- Giant-Man and Wasp off to New England, specifically Cape Cod, to study insect life. Wasp intends to shop in antique store; Giant-Man intends her to type his research notes.
- Thor notes Iron Man will be back by their next meeting, implying it is at least one week later.
- Enchantress places spell on Thor to make him believe the Avengers are evil and that he must stop them.
- Odin took some of Enchantress’ powers from her, but not all.
- Enchantress causes a cave-in and accidentally frees Captain America.
- Zemo aims vibra-gun at Captain America.
- Captain America holds to Zemo’s ship with transistor-powered magnets. I think Zemo could have noticed the passenger. It will be a rough ride from South America to New York for Cap. But he is Captain America.
- Iron Man dispels Thor’s hypnosis by reflecting sunlight or something.
- Thor sends Zemo, Enchantress, and Executioner into space warp.
#224 story in reading order
Next: Tales to Astonish #59
Previous: Daredevil #3
