The super long saga of the Serpent Crown.
Steve Englehart continued to write the book, but #141 introduced the new regular artist “avengin’ ace George Perez.” This was the book that made him famous, to the point where he’s now one of the best known, most loved, and most influential artists in comic book history. Known for clean lines and intense detail–as well as skill with crowd scenes–all skills that would serve him well on a team book like The Avengers. He stayed on through #202 (with some missing issues here and there), and this period represents–at least artistically–my favorite Avengers period.
This lettter in #148 shows appreciation from Mary Jo Duffy, then a college student.
First of all, I love this 6-panel sequence:
It represents so much of what made the Steve Englehart Avengers so great. It starts out with a big, bold announcement of the villain du jour, with Vision saying “again? This is getting monotonous!” A moment uncharacteristically meta for its time. In these days of Deadpool breaking the fourth wall every issue, it’s no big deal, but it didn’t happen that much back then. It also is an example of the book starting to show its age. 141 issues in, the book was in fact starting to repeat storylines (we already discussed how this was happening with stories about The Collector). I also love this sequence because Moondragon and Thor go off on their own ’cause they’re Gods and you’re not, and we see the introduction of a new role/characterization of The Beast as a ladies’ man. His comic relief was a much needed injection to the book.
Also, Nelson Rockefeller appears!
Now, about story itself. The cover claims that it contains “The Squadron Sinister…”
Despite the fact that the alternate universe JLA team is, in fact, properly called the Squadron Supreme within the book itself.
Ah….That delicious George Perez art!
And as the tale continues…
Kang sent Hawkeye back in time where he teamed up with Marvel’s Western heroes, and was later joined by Moondragon and Thor.
Great stuff. Oh, and if you’re confused…Yes, the dude in white was also known as Phantom Rider but is best known as the original Ghost Rider.
While he was there, Hawkeye had a bromance with Two Gun Kid, and gave a bit of foreshadowing…
When this saga is over, he’ll be quittin’.
And then Thor did this fist thing:
Q: What’s the difference between a saloon and an elephant’s fart?
A: One is a bar room, and one is a BAROOM!
Yes, Kang is in this story. It’s time travel story. Of course there’s Kang!
Beast’s ex-GF becomes Hellcat.
Issues #145-146 tell a filler storyline by Tony Isabella and Don Heck, Cap gets a beatdown from a badguy called “The Assassin” (who looked like a cross between Cobra Commander and a KKK member) and ends up in the hospital.
He’s sick!
In the splash to #146, above, I like how Don Blake isn’t just a surgeon, he’s like the best surgeon in the world. But most of all, I like that Cap still has his mask on in the OR.
Then, in #147-149 we get the conclusion to the Crown story.
The Squadron Supreme issues are always gold.
There’s also some homoerotic bromance stuff between Steve and Tony.
After the Serpent Crown cult is defeated and the Squadron is sent home, and Orka, too, is defeated (another villain vying for the Crown), there’s a cute epilogue promising a lineup change for the big #150.
And through it all, Moondragon is a pain in Thor’s ass.
And Vision and Wanda get tender.
And speaking of these two lovebirds, Richard Howell–who would draw their 1980s maxi-series, gets a letter printed in #149.
I am glad that Mr. Ekko thought that it was a cool idea to have Captain America in full costume for his surgery on the splash page of issue#146, but I though it was dumb- who goes into surgery full dressed-?? Captain America’s costume, in particular, is made out of chainmail, and I am pretty sure that there is no scalpel in the world that could slice through it. Everybody gets “gowned up” for surgery- even major, big-league superheroes. No exceptions. I enjoyed the photography of the Scarlet Witch sans tiara, because she is more attractive without it. ( and so are Storm and Wonder Woman, for that matter ) LESS is MORE, dammit! I spent this entire story arc wondering just why all of the Avengers-especially the leadership- Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America- were being so easy-going about Moondragon’s endless assertions of her “godhood”- ( goddesshood-? ) especially when it’s just pure egotistic bullshit. Moondragon possesses a few superhuman talents, and is a pretty impressive martial artist, but she is a long way from being a “goddess”. Why wouldn’t one of the leaders put her in her place-?? At least Thor finally told to her STFU. ( I’m glad it was Thor who did it, too ) The first time I read these comics back in 1976, I definitely picked up on kind-of a “gay-vibe” going on between Iron Man and Captain America, but, ( so to speak ) at the time, I told myself that I must be mistaken, but ( so to speak ) here we are, 48 years later, and Mr. Ekko picks up on it, as well. So much for my lurid imagination. As if Captain America doesn’t have enough problems with his image’s “Bruce Syndrome”, with all the teen sidekicks, etc. Finally- the Beast and Hellcat: I have to agree with Chris Claremont’s assessment of the Beast’s character during this phase of his four-color career- without the ‘Bill Buckley’ vocabulary, this guy seems like a completely different character altogether, and CERTAINLY not the same guy who appeared in the first sixty-six issues of ‘X-Men’. The vocabulary is just as endemic to who the Beast is, as the Angel’s wings are to who he is, or Wolverine’s claws, or Thor’s hammer, or Iron Man’s armor, or Captain America’s shield, or Green Lantern’s power ring. I am glad this deficiency was eventually corrected. The Beast is a super-wordsmith, and that is just who he is- period! In the Hellcat’s origin sequence, we get a mention that she was motivated to become a super-heroine due to her crush on Mr. Fantastic. I always thought that was a very cute story-point, but, after that one-and-only mention of it, it was never touched on, ever again! That was unfortunate, because just think how much fun it would have been for Patsy to continue a psychotic crush on her Reedie- Sweetie- how much fun it would have created not just here in the pages of ‘The Avengers’, but over in ‘The Fantastic Four’, as well. ( Sue would eventually cop a ‘tude, and THAT would have been fun! ) So- ‘Avengers’#145-146- for a two-part fill-in story- not bad! Grade- “C”!