Avengers: July 2010 Archives

Last time, I knocked your socks off with that Marvel Treasury Avengers cover.  Well, these 3 covers for the regular Avengers comic are pretty darn great, too.

Avengers #151 is a classic cover, with the big three dudes (Thor, Cap, Iron Man) and one of those "old order changeth" issues.  It also marked the exit of writer Steve Englehart.  You can see the original Kirby pencils for this one over at Kirby Vision, along with a new ink/color job by Scott Reed.

It's interesting how different inkers will interpret Kirby's pencils.  Adkins changed the rendering in some places (Iron Man helmet and Thor's face) and the hand was changed from open to a pointed finger (probably an editorial decision).  Scott Reed certainly does keep to Kirby's original pencils.

You can see a few other Kirby pieces that Scott Reed has re-inked at the Kirby Musuem.  And Scott has a nifty website as well.

I think the cover to Avengers #156 is unique because of the perspective.  The heroes are flying up alongside a building, trying to reach Doc Doom on top.  Cap's guarding the Scarlet Witch while his comrades go on the attack.  A great ink job here by my pal Al Milgrom.

Avengers #148 is my least favorite among this set, but still cool because of the Squadron Supreme and Hyperion holding Thor over his head in a triumphant pose.

Check out the Jack Kirby Comics Weblog over at the Kirby Musuem.  Great stuff there, I really dig this Mister Miracle t-shirt that is coming out soon!  Nuff Said!

Perhaps you are like me and didn’t go to San Diego but followed the news closely this weekend?  Or perhaps you were there for all the Marvel Film announcements but didn’t have a good seat?  These videos will interest you, yes indeedy, courtesy of Hall H Coverage.

The press has widely reported on The Avengers film cast getting together, along with new Hulk Mark Rufalo and director Joss Whedon.  This video of the event gives you a front row seat on all the action.  The energy in that Hall was like a Nerdgasm of epic proportions.  Seeing those actors up there was like having the Beatles in front of you.

Going backward in panel time a bit, here is Kenneth Branagh on the Thor panel discussing his love for the Thunder God.  Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster) and Tom Hiddleston (Loki) walk out on stage.  Natalie looks petite and Hiddleston is much taller than Hemsworth.

More videos after the break…

There are some wonderful Avengers covers that Jack Kirby did during his mid-late 70s Marvel stint.  Here's one of my favorites: Marvel Treasury Edition #7, from 1975.

I like this cover as it features my favorite classic Avengers, running straight at the viewer.  Thor is front and center in a timeless pose, swinging the Uru hammer above his head.  Cap looks cool to the left and on the right you have Henry Pym as Giant-Man (blue costume).

If that wasn't enough, Kirby also did the back cover with a different Avengers lineup.  The Hulk makes an appearance and Henry Pym is in the red Giant-Man costume--and does double duty as YellowJacket!  This pinup must have foretold Avengers Forever.  :-)  You can see some retouching going on here--I believe that the Beast, Vision and Iron Man were slightly changed to make them look more like the contemporary versions.  Great stuff.  Nuff Said!

In the back of the newly re-launched Avengers titles, Brian Bendis is writing an Oral History of the Avengers.  Sort of a documentary approach to the Avengers history--what if every person connected with the team was interviewed?  It's very interesting, and somewhat controversial.  Best of all, this backup allows Marvel to showcase some great covers and illustrations from the past, including Art Adams covers to the Avengers Classics reprint series.

These illustrations are from Avengers Classics #1-3, showcasing the Hulk on cover, when he was briefly part of the team.  Here the Space Phantom impersonates the Hulk and attacks Thor, Iron Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp.  Which ticked off everyone to no end and made for the Hulk's early exit.  Iron Man is still in his "bucket-head" early armor, while Hank Pym upgraded himself from Ant-Man to Giant-Man.

The Hulk didn't go quietly--in the third issue he teamed up with Namor the Sub-Mariner to fight the Avengers.  Iron Man gets a new suit of armor--my favorite--with the pointed tips of the mask rising above his head.  I bought Randy Bowen's statue of this armor and I love it.

I really thought the Hulk was a lot fun in the Avengers.  He's a walking gamma bomb of chaos and unpredictability.  As Tony Stark says in the Oral History, "He was like a big, big, big dog on a leash.  Just take the muzzle off and let him loose."  It wasn't until The Defenders that we got the thrill of seeing the Hulk in a regular team book.

With all these new Avengers teams, Marvel tries to think out of the box and put in characters like Spider-Man and Wolverine that were previously off limits.  It looks like Wolverine and Hawkeye are pulling double duty on two teams.  Why not recruit the Hulk?  Nuff Said.