Featuring: Avengers Release: October 11, 1966 Cover: December 1966 12 cents Edited (ecstatically) by Stan Lee Scripted (surprisingly) by Roy Thomas Drawn (dynamically) by Don Heck Lettered (legibly) by Sam Rosen 20 pages
To be an Avenger is to surrender a part of one’s life… to be ever at the beck and call of humanity! Still, in these quiet moments, each of the others has another human being to whom he can reach out… only I have no one… no life, except behind the mask of the Red-White-and-Blue Avenger!
This begins a 70-issue run on Avengers by Roy Thomas. Thomas will have his highs and lows over those 70 issues, and it will take him a minute to warm up and get into the groove, but on the whole I think his Avengers will be much better than Stan Lee’s.
We’ll try to note along the way milestones marking an increase in quality. I’ll offer a hint that a new artist is going to help a lot.
The slow move of Stan off scripting duties, and the expanding bullpen of artists… this is a transition into the next era of Marvel Comics. Where it’s not Stan and Jack and Steve making most of the comics.
Featuring: Avengers Release: September 8, 1966 Cover: November 1966 12 cents Spellbinding story: Smilin’ Stan Lee Awe-inspiring artwork: Dashin’ Donnie Heck Lots of little lettering: Adorable Artie Simek 20 pages
This is Stan Lee’s final credited issue of The Avengers. He may have had a hand in next issue. But starting next issue, the official scripting duties will be passed to Roy Thomas.
He leaves without much fanfare. Especially for a man so known for talking to his audience. No goodbye, no notes about it. He wrote 34 issues of one of the most beloved superhero teams of all time, and then just handed off the duties.
And he doesn’t try to go out with a bang, not really. It’s the first part of a two-part story. I wonder if he does that intentionally, thinking it’s easier for a new writer to finish off a story than come up with a new one. His final Spider-Man (comic book) story will have a similar flavor, introducing a new villain and then leaving the second part to the incoming writer.
Last issue’s blurb about this issue, went “Next: Goliath changes!”
I took that to mean he was going to finally change his clothes and wash this outfit. The blurb in the letters page hinted at more, that this would relate to Goliath’s efforts to return to normal size. It also hinted we’d see the return of Bill Foster, and of Wanda and Pietro.
We do get the return of Bill Foster, not seen since, well, last issue. But nothing else along those lines happens in this issue, and we get an editor’s note apologizing and assuring us that a big change is coming for Goliath. I think the pun is intended.
…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
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.
Featuring: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD! Release: June 9, 1966 Cover: September 1966 12 cents Edited (in absentia) by… Stan Lee Layouts and script by… Jack Kirby Pencilling and inking by… Don Heck Lettering by… Sam Rosen 12 pages
Part of the month when Stan is on vacation. Kirby did the script. Stan still claims to have edited the comic while also claiming to not be in the office. His name still comes first in the credits.
The first script we’ve seen Kirby get credit for in our Marvel reading.
Certainly not the first script Kirby deserved credit for.
The battle against AIM/Them continues. I’d almost gotten in my head that AIM and Them were just different names for the same organization. But then last issue AIM was described as a branch of Them.
Now the narrator tells us AIM is in league with Them.
After a failed attempt to kill Nick Fury, Count Bornag Royale notes that AIM must improve its prestige with Them. That suggests there really is a distinction. My current thinking is that AIM is a branch of Them.
Featuring: Avengers Release: August 9, 1966 Cover: October 1966 12 cents Stan (The Man) Lee, writer Dazzlin’ Don Heck, artist Adorable Art Simek, letterer Invincible Irving Forbush, snake charmer 20 pages
…beware of the man who sets you against your neighbor!
The cover features Scarlet Witch fighting against the Sons of the Serpent. But I think she’s in Europe and missing all the action.
The reprint of the story in Marvel Triple Action #25 corrects the cover, drawing instead Black Widow, who was in the story.
The Sons of the Serpent originally seemed to have the goal of getting all immigrants out of America. But when they attacked a Black American-born man, we saw their goals were a bit broader. Now, they mention creeds. They also are targeting people of different religions.
Featuring: Avengers Release: July 7, 1966 Cover: September 1966 12 cents Stan Lee, writer and raconteur Don Heck, artist and bon vivant Artie Simek, letterer and patron des artes Irv Forbush, scapegoat, junior grade 20 pages
Featuring: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD Release: May 10, 1966 Cover: August 1966 12 cents Script: Stan Lee Layouts: Jack Kirby Pencils: Don Heck Inks: Mickey Demeo Lettering: Sam Rosen Weapons: Forbush Novelty Co. 12 pages
…we of AIM feel we simply cannot deal with such an unlettered oaf! We find his very appearance offensive! The idea of America’s highest-priority counter-espionage leader going around in his shirtsleeves… unshaven, unkempt, and making a mockery of your own language– shocking!
Shadowy organizations. These secret power-hungry cabals. Hydra had been the big one, but they fell to SHIELD in Strange Tales #141. The Secret Empire seemed to collapse from within in Tales to Astonish #83. An unnamed shadowy cabal was behind Batroc in Tales of Suspense #75. Not sure if they are connected to one of these others, or their own thing.
Most relevant is the organization called Them. We learned they had employed the Fixer in Strange Tales #145. In Tales of Suspense #78, Fury warns Captain America that Them is a group of scientists looking to overthrow the government. We see they have beekeeper-like uniforms and work for someone called the Imperator. They send a Chemical Android after Captain America.
AIM (Advanced Idea Mechanics) is a defense contractor looking to supply the US government weapons to make up for the shutdown of Stark Industries. Count Bornag Royale is their representative, and has claimed SHIELD needs someone more sophisticated than Nick Fury at its helm.
AIM and Them seem to be the same organization, with AIM the public-facing front. In Tales of Suspense #79, we see Them/AIM is responsible for the return of the Red Skull and the creation of the Cosmic Cube. Fortunately, Captain America dealt with both threats. Seemingly for good.
Featuring: Captain America Release: May 10, 1966 Cover: August 1966 12 cents Stupifying script: Stan Lee Electifying illustration: Jack Kirby Dazzling delineation: Don Heck Luminiferous lettering: Artie Simek Frantic fund-raising: Irv Forbush 10 pages
So long as evil lives– to muster the forces of bigotry, greed, and oppression– the fight goes on! So long as men take liberty for granted– so long as they laugh at brotherhood– sneer at honesty– and turn away from faith– So long will the forces of the Red Skull creep ever closer to the final victory!
Them is an evil organization. AIM is an ordinary defense contractor. But Fury suspects a connection. Captain America remains unaware of this.
Eisenhower did warn us about the military industrial complex.
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. . . .Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. . . . In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
Soon, my limbs shall be swifter than ever before– while your hex power once again shall dazzle and defeat your enemies! All we need is patience, my sister– and an unaltering faith!
The Avengers are off to South America to save Goliath. And presumably will be here when Galactus attacks.
Hawkeye now likes Captain America, but still dislikes orders. As do I, Hawkeye. As do I.
Wasp recalls how they all used to share the command. It’s the first time they’ve really addressed this change. The original team had rotating chairs. The new team had Captain America as permanent leader. Given this, Hawkeye’s annoyance was understandable.
Featuring: Avengers Release: May 10, 1966 Cover: July 1966 12 cents Stan Lee: Writer Don Heck: Artist Frank Giacoia: Inker Sam Rosen: Letterer Irving Forbush: Arbitrator 20 pages
But, the past is over now! The past is dead! You are the master no longer! I’m free of you… at last!
We just saw Galactus appear in the middle of New York. There to devour the Earth. The Avengers have a mansion in the middle of New York. Why didn’t they help out?
Well, maybe they were away. Where? Surely not just elsewhere in New York fighting Black Widow. Maybe off wherever the Collector’s castle is? Or in the middle of the Atlantic fighting Attuma? Or perhaps they were in the “Far-Off Land”, as the title suggests. It seems likely they were quite far away.
Now, the Avengers won’t make it to the titular Far-Off Land this issue, but next issue.
And Marvels will claim this is where the Avengers were when Galactus attacked. Which is good enough for me.
