#339 - #344

August 1991 - December 1991

To combat those threats which no single hero can stand against, Earths' Mightiest Heroes have forged a covenant to unite in battle for the protection of all mankind!

    Miscellaneous Comments: January 4^th, 1999 I like the idea of the Avengers. I'm not sure why, exactly. As a kid (late 70's and early 80's) I never read any Avengers comics, so I can't attribute my fondness to nostalgia. Marvel UK re-printed several Avengers issues as part of their Secret Wars II series, and that was my first introduction. Of sorts. In late '86 I started reading the West Coast Avengers (a great series) and that was my first introduction proper. These days I pick up back-issues now and again. Not with any great vengeance, mind you, but I still consider myself a fan.
    Type of Series: Costumed Super-Hero; Action-Adventure; Super-Team
    Similar Comics: The utterly brilliant West Coast Avengers for one.
    Strengths: Usually depends on the characters for it's appeal. That particular line-up usually matters. I don't own that many Avengers comics, but I have a certain fondness for the Wasp/Captain America/Hercules/Captain Marvel/Starfox/Balck Knight team that met The Beyonder during Secret Wars II.
    Weaknesses: In the case of these issues, the biggest weakness is fill-in writers.
    Impressive Characters: Captain America. The Black Knight.
    Impressive Writers: Bob Harras is impressive here in these issues, since the others are fill-in writers and the issues are mostly quite dreadful.
    #339 is by Harras and is the sixth and final part of "The Collection Obsession." It is to Harras' credit that I honestly enjoyed this issue a great deal, despite not having read parts 1 - 5. In the heat of battle some characters meet tragic ends, and I was both moved and impressed that I was moved. Makes me wanna go out and track down the other issues.
    Harras is also responsible for #343 and #344, an exciting two-parter which brings The Swordsman (apparently) back from the dead.
    Impressive Artists:
    Less-Than-Impressive Characters:
    Less-Than-Impressive Writers: #340 contains a truly dreadful story from David Michelinie and Scott Lobdell, which features a woman running into traffic to attract the attention of the Avengers so they can save her children from her husband, who has turned them into gun-toting soldiers, while he secretly plots evil deeds, all (somehow) inspired by a childhood encounter with Captain America. It's dreadful stuff.
    #'s 341 and 342 are a little bit better. "Rage Of Angels / By Reason Of Insanity" is a two-parter by Fabian Nicieza about racial tensions in the inner city, all fuelled by The Hate Monger. None of this is really Avengers territory, but to be fair to the writer, he does make note of this fact when Captain America comments that: "Stopping the Hate Monger won't stop that madness, son! It has to start inside each one of us."
    Less-Than-Impressive Artists:
    Continuity:
    Guide: Jay's Comic Book Compendium offers an issue guide to The Avengers.
    Reviews:
    Other Info:

-The Bob Harras issues were a lot of fun to read. Super-hero comics the way I like them.
-The Black Knight. I've always liked him and he really comes over a treat in the two Swordsman issues.
-

-The "Clay Soldiers" issue is just plain stupid.
-
-

Comments are welcome: dec@iol.ie