Customer Reviews

Marvel Masterworks The Avengers Volume 3 (Volume 3)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Volume 3 of "The Avengers" in the Marvel Masterworks series collects episodes 21-30 of the comic book, which is covers the second major lineup in the group's history. Led by Captain America, the group consists of Hawkeye, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch at the start of this volume with Goliath rejoining the team by the end of this volume, although it turns out that the former Giant-Man and former Ant-Man is now stuck in extra large size. As Cap says, "The most powerful Avenger...and yet...he's also the most tragic!" (This coming from a living legend who had been frozen in a block of ice since the final days of World War II). The original Avengers line-up was too powerful, with Thor and Iron Man, not to mention the Hulk at the very beginning. Then they went to skill over strength with a group consisting of a guy who throws a shield, a guy who shoots arrows, a mutant who runs fast, and a witch. When Hank Pym rejoined the team they could actually use a bit of strength without having the overkill of a Norse God. They were not that powerful of a group of superheroes, especially compared to the Fantastic Four (or the Justice League of America over at DC), but they could hold their own against the X-Men.

At this point "The Avengers" is still being written by Stan Lee, with Don Heck established as the book's artist. Now, I have made clear that Heck was my least favorite artist that Marvel used on a regular basis, but that being said, the issues where his pencils are being inked by Wally Wood (#20-22) are the best Heck's work ever looked (I was going to add issue #23 inked by John Romita, Sr. to that short list, but it really looks like a Romita drawn issue). Dick Ayers inks #25 and Frank Giacoia #26-30, which is right before the period where Heck did the pencils and ink (for the record, Chic Stone did the least to enhance Heck's art for this book). But you can make up you own mind about where Heck's artwork stands in the Marvel pantheon.

The collection gets off to a good start with the introduction of Power Man (who is he?) in #21. He defeats the Avengers and the city council orders the Avengers to disband. In #22 the Avengers try to find out who is helping Power Man (the Enchantress), and while they succeed and the City Council declares Avengers Day, Steve Rogers announces he has played straight man to these jokers long enough and he decides to split. However, Kang the Conqueror returns for a rematch in the next two-issues (note that #24 features a cover by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers). If you thought that was bad, Dr. Doom shows up for #25, which means the Fantastic Four cannot be far behind. The Wasp has to be rescued from Attuma in #26, which means the Avengers have to assemble underwater in #27. Giant-Man is back in #28, only now he is known as Goliath, because the Wasp has still not been rescued; now the Collector has her. They rescue the Wasp, but then Goliath collapses and we find out why in #29, although the Black Widow and the Swordsman cause problems (you new that sooner of later a guy with a sword should show up to fight a pair of guys with a shield and arrows). Finally, in issue #30 the Scarlet Witch wants to resign because she has not been helping the group lately, so Cap lets her and her brother go on vacation while the Avengers that are left finish up with the Black Widow and the Swordsman.

There are no classic Avengers tales here, but you have to admit things are never dull in any superhero team that has both Hawkeye and Quicksilver on it because they are the two biggest malcontents around (in the pre-Wolverine era anyhow). Hawkeye always thinks he would be a better leader than Captain America, and Quicksilver is always complaining about humans hating mutants (although he is sending back a healthy dose of animosity in the other direction all by himself). The Scarlet Witch is the problematic character because if Wanda is hitting on all cylinders then she should be able to win every fight by herself (Do you see Doctor Strange fighting with a team? No, not until the Defenders anyway, but that is decades away at this point). But I had to admit I like the brother and sister act of Pietro and Wanda since it sibling bickering is more interesting than lovers/spouses bickering (to wit, Hank and Janet), plus they have the whole need for redemption since they used to be members of Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. I really consider these stories just marking time until the Vision shows up, because that is when this comic book finally comes into its own.