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Rating: 
Summary: The original Avengers assemble for their first ten issues
Review: The idea of the Avengers as Marvel's answer to DC's Justice League of America was pretty much a no-brainer, but it was the execution of the concept that proved problematic. When Stan Lee and Jack Kirby came up with the original line-up they basically went out and collected a group of characters who only had "half" a comic book each, with Thor in "Journey Into Mystery," Iron Man in "Tales of Suspense," the Hulk and Ant-Man/Giant-Man in "Tales to Astonish." The problem was that if you have Thor AND the Hulk AND Iron Man, and then you go and turn Ant-Man into Giant-Man, you are talking about some serious brute strength. Who are these guys supposed to fight? Well, the answer was Loki, the Executioner, Namor, and the Lava Men. In other words, troublemakers form Asgard, the Sub-Mariner, and raw numbers of violent humanoids. The first ten issues of "The Avengers" are collected in this Marvel Masterworks volume, with all of the stories scripted by Lee and Kirby doing the pencils for the first eight issues with my least favorite Marvel artist, Don Heck, then taking over. Beyond the historical importance of the first issue, the only true classic tale in this collection is #4, where the Sub-Mariner has a hand in reviving Captain America. In issue #16 Cap would be the only one to remain as the strength of Thor, Iron Man, and Giant-Man was replaced by the skills of Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch, which was only taking the pendulum too far the other way. It was not until the Avengers finally had a truly original member with the Vision that it really found its legs as a comic book. This was never a favorite of mine during the Sixties and seeing this issues again only reminds me why. Still, for Captain America fans there are a couple of reprinted issues worth having in color.
Rating:
Summary: The original Avengers assemble for their first ten issues
Review: The idea of the Avengers as Marvel's answer to DC's Justice League of America was pretty much a no-brainer, but it was the execution of the concept that proved problematic. When Stan Lee and Jack Kirby came up with the original line-up they basically went out and collected a group of characters who only had "half" a comic book each, with Thor in "Journey Into Mystery," Iron Man in "Tales of Suspense," the Hulk and Ant-Man/Giant-Man in "Tales to Astonish." The problem was that if you have Thor AND the Hulk AND Iron Man, and then you go and turn Ant-Man into Giant-Man, you are talking about some serious brute strength. Who are these guys supposed to fight? Well, the answer was Loki, the Executioner, Namor, and the Lava Men. In other words, troublemakers form Asgard, the Sub-Mariner, and raw numbers of violent humanoids. The first ten issues of "The Avengers" are collected in this Marvel Masterworks volume, with all of the stories scripted by Lee and Kirby doing the pencils for the first eight issues with my least favorite Marvel artist, Don Heck, then taking over. Beyond the historical importance of the first issue, the only true classic tale in this collection is #4, where the Sub-Mariner has a hand in reviving Captain America. In issue #16 Cap would be the only one to remain as the strength of Thor, Iron Man, and Giant-Man was replaced by the skills of Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch, which was only taking the pendulum too far the other way. It was not until the Avengers finally had a truly original member with the Vision that it really found its legs as a comic book. This was never a favorite of mine during the Sixties and seeing this issues again only reminds me why. Still, for Captain America fans there are a couple of reprinted issues worth having in color.
Rating: 
Summary: Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers
Review: This reprints the Marvel Comics title, Avengers, issues 1-10. This collection of 1960's nostalgia reprints the first Silver Age team comic book that consists of many of the super-heroes that have or had comic books of their own. The Hulk, Thor, Ironman, Ant-man, and the Wasp team-up to defeat the Norse god of mischief, Loki, in the first issue. Other highlights include Captain America joining the Avengers and the first death of Wonder Man.
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