Retro review: Avengers #111

[Morfius]

Retro review: Avengers #111

In Avengers 110: Quicksilver had a spat with the Scarlet Witch because she came out of the closet to him as a robo-sexual (Someone who had sex with machines, namely, the vision) and the Avenger fall into Magneto’s trap. At the end of the issue, Magneto has captured and enslaved the original X-men (minus the Beast) Captain America, Iron Man and the Scarlet Witch. Magneto also has at least one of the Savage Land Mutates on his side. At the end of the issue, the only Avengers left are Thor, Vision and the Black Panther.

In the next issue, the Avenger go recruiting new members to help them fight Magneto and his forces.

You might think that they would try to get Quicksilver to help them. He has experience with Magneto and the X-men and this would be a good way to patch things up with Wanda. Also, since he’s just started boinking Crystal, perhaps they could get some Inhumans (or a whole army of them) to help?

Another possibility is the Beast. Englehart had written him before and later brought him into the Avengers?

Or with this many foes, perhaps they needed a powerhouse like the Hulk or Hercules? (both former Avengers)

Or perhaps Yellowjacket and the Wasp should be brought in? their ability to shrink could give them an edge against Magneto?

Of all the ex-Avengers they could have brought in to help, the Black Knight and the Swordsman, with their metal armor and swords, would have been the weakest against Magneto’s powers.

So who did they ask to join them? . . . . . .













. . .DAREDEVIL!

What was Englehart thinking?

 

[Nerys Myk]

Wasn't he writing DD at the time?

 

[CYOTI]

Engelhart is himself batshit insane.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Nah, that was Gerber.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

Naw, Gerber was insane in a fun way that turned out good comics.

Englehart was insane in a way that made me drop titles when the storylines and characterizations made no sense.

It was a funny era. You had the Lee era where the popularity of titles was built up by the writer who created them.

Then the Thomas ere, a guy who worshiped at Stan's alter and brought him coffee, got his chance and did even more with the titles he loved.

Then you have Englehart. Guy should have created his own title, built a fan base, proved he knew what he was doing, and then been given an existing title. But instead they handed him existing books, they kept selling because of fan loyalty, but we were all scratching our heads thinking WTF?

 

[Nerys Myk]

I loved the work of both Steves. the Avengers, Captain America, Howard the Duck and the Defenders were four of my favorite titles. They may even be responsible for my liberal leaning political outlook too day

Most of my comics reading pals back then loved Englehart's work. I don't recall any head scratching or mischaracterisation. His stuff was very much in keeping with what Thomas and Lee did. Gerber was the wild card. In some ways he was Grant Morrison, before there was a Grant Morrison. The Defenders totaly lost me after Gerber left. And no one ever did Howard the Duck better than Gerber.