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Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers #11
Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers, Vol. 11
The Avengers face off against Magneto and the Space Phantom. The Grim Reaper offers the Vision a chance to have his consciousness transferred into a human body. When the Sentinels abduct Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, her brother Pietro pursues her all the way to Australia. Soon, though, it is Pietro that is missing. Wanda finds love in an unexpected place.
252 pages, Hardcover
First published July 27, 2011
6 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
Roy Thomas
4,514 books273 followersRoy Thomas was the FIRST Editor-in-Chief at Marvel--After Stan Lee stepped down from the position. Roy is a longtime comic book writer and editor. Thomas has written comics for Archie, Charlton, DC, Heroic Publishing, Marvel, and Topps over the years. Thomas currently edits the fanzine Alter Ego for Twomorrow's Publishing. He was Editor for Marvel comics from 1972-1974. He wrote for several titles at Marvel, such as Avengers, Thor, Invaders, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and notably Conan the Barbarian. Thomas is also known for his championing of Golden Age comic-book heroes — particularly the 1940s superhero team the Justice Society of America — and for lengthy writing stints on Marvel's X-Men and Avengers, and DC Comics' All-Star Squadron, among other titles.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 4, 2018
Yeah... boring stories.. good artwork... Hawkeye bitching and crying all the time.
September 30, 2023
In this volume we find The Vision and the Scarlet Witch become the focal point for the series. Thomas builds on The Vision's discontentment with his lack of humanity in #102 while introducing a foe who soon-to-be Avengers writer Steve Englehart would use quite often: The Grim Reaper. The Grim Reaper was the brother of the late Wonder Man, whom the Vision's android brain patterns were modeled after. The Grim Reaper offers The Vision his deceased brother's body, which is in a form of stasis, in exchange for him standing aside while he destroys the team to revenge his fallen brother.
While all of that is happening, we see the return of The Sentinels, who have returned to Earth to save humanity from the “threat” of mutantkind. I dig this aspect of Silver and Bronze Age Marvel. The true shared universe aspect, where one hero's villains turn up in another magazine. There didn't have to be some lame tentpole event series with umpteen crossover titles to make it feel that way, either. The shared universe wasn't just implied, it was successfully implemented in an organic way. The suspension of disbelief was easy during this era.
Roy Thomas hands the title off to Steve Englehart with issue 105 after his Sentinels three-parter. Unlike today's comics, The Avengers were left with no time to catch their breaths before being called into action again, this time to the Savage Land. Having scooped up the Black Panther and losing Quicksilver in the previous issue, the team fights another Thomas/Adams X-Men era foe: the Savage Land Mutates: Gaza, Barbarus, Equilibrius, Amphibius, Lupo, Lorelei, and Brainchild. These comics are so action packed and fun to read. Comics without a whiff of self awareness or irony are refreshing when compared to today's hamfisted soapboxes.
#106 is a reframed Captain America inventory story that ties up a dangling plotline from a few issues earlier: The Vision and his desire for humanity. In one of those convoluted, it makes sense because everyone was stoned back then kind of way, the Grim Reaper's partner is none other than the Space Phantom. What makes it even more bizarre is that they use the inventory story as an even more confusing backdrop, inserting the Space Phantom disguised as the head of Hydra for the time being because he was biding his time in order to destroy The Avengers. None of it makes any sense to me either, but it was a blast to read nonetheless.
This “arc” is resolved in #108, which also neatly ties up the Vision and his desire to be human. He and the Scarlet Witch profess their love for one another at the end of that issue, setting the stage for a bizarre human-synthezoid relationship that will culminate in The Celestial Madonna storyline.
#109 and 110 tie up the loose ends of the Savage Land adventure from a few issues earlier, revealing Magneto to be behind it all while bringing The X-Men into the proceedings as well. Remember, The X-Men were cancelled, with their title being relegated to a reprint series. Writers like Englehart kept them alive, limping along from guest spot to guest spot until Len Wein and Dave Cockrum would give rebirth to the series in 1975. These two issues lead into Daredevil #99, acting as a way to get rid of Hawkeye and bring back the Black Widow, who has been Daredevil's love interest and co-star in that series during that time. #111 wraps up the Magneto/X-Men/Savage Land saga nicely.
The writing is great, while the art is uneven. It starts out very strong. Rich Buckler, an underrated artist if ever there were one, nails the Marvel house style of the era. I'll take this aesthetic over what passes as comic art any day of the week. Jim Starlin and Dave Cockrum aid and abet, adding their polish to various issues. Things go south with the then over-the-hill Don Heck, who phones in weak artwork with weak inking by various folks. Don Heck did some solid work, it's just that this ain't it.
While all of that is happening, we see the return of The Sentinels, who have returned to Earth to save humanity from the “threat” of mutantkind. I dig this aspect of Silver and Bronze Age Marvel. The true shared universe aspect, where one hero's villains turn up in another magazine. There didn't have to be some lame tentpole event series with umpteen crossover titles to make it feel that way, either. The shared universe wasn't just implied, it was successfully implemented in an organic way. The suspension of disbelief was easy during this era.
Roy Thomas hands the title off to Steve Englehart with issue 105 after his Sentinels three-parter. Unlike today's comics, The Avengers were left with no time to catch their breaths before being called into action again, this time to the Savage Land. Having scooped up the Black Panther and losing Quicksilver in the previous issue, the team fights another Thomas/Adams X-Men era foe: the Savage Land Mutates: Gaza, Barbarus, Equilibrius, Amphibius, Lupo, Lorelei, and Brainchild. These comics are so action packed and fun to read. Comics without a whiff of self awareness or irony are refreshing when compared to today's hamfisted soapboxes.
#106 is a reframed Captain America inventory story that ties up a dangling plotline from a few issues earlier: The Vision and his desire for humanity. In one of those convoluted, it makes sense because everyone was stoned back then kind of way, the Grim Reaper's partner is none other than the Space Phantom. What makes it even more bizarre is that they use the inventory story as an even more confusing backdrop, inserting the Space Phantom disguised as the head of Hydra for the time being because he was biding his time in order to destroy The Avengers. None of it makes any sense to me either, but it was a blast to read nonetheless.
This “arc” is resolved in #108, which also neatly ties up the Vision and his desire to be human. He and the Scarlet Witch profess their love for one another at the end of that issue, setting the stage for a bizarre human-synthezoid relationship that will culminate in The Celestial Madonna storyline.
#109 and 110 tie up the loose ends of the Savage Land adventure from a few issues earlier, revealing Magneto to be behind it all while bringing The X-Men into the proceedings as well. Remember, The X-Men were cancelled, with their title being relegated to a reprint series. Writers like Englehart kept them alive, limping along from guest spot to guest spot until Len Wein and Dave Cockrum would give rebirth to the series in 1975. These two issues lead into Daredevil #99, acting as a way to get rid of Hawkeye and bring back the Black Widow, who has been Daredevil's love interest and co-star in that series during that time. #111 wraps up the Magneto/X-Men/Savage Land saga nicely.
The writing is great, while the art is uneven. It starts out very strong. Rich Buckler, an underrated artist if ever there were one, nails the Marvel house style of the era. I'll take this aesthetic over what passes as comic art any day of the week. Jim Starlin and Dave Cockrum aid and abet, adding their polish to various issues. Things go south with the then over-the-hill Don Heck, who phones in weak artwork with weak inking by various folks. Don Heck did some solid work, it's just that this ain't it.
September 21, 2023
Avengers Masterworks 11 includes some more highs for the team, as well as some comparative lows.
Roy Thomas finishes up his run writing for the comic, with Steve Englehart taking over. I enjoyed the material with the Sentinels, the Space Phantom and the Grim Reaper, but the stories with the Savage Land Mutates, Imus Champion and Magneto felt like a dip in quality. I always see Magneto as an X-Men villain and whenever he's in Avengers issues I feel like he isn't written correctly. It is nice to see the romance between Vision and Scarlet Witch blossoming though during these issues.
As for the artwork, there is no real consistent penciller in this volume. Rich Buckler starts things off commendably, with nice, clean, capable work. John Buscema pops in for a couple of issues and is great as usual. George Tuska and Jim Starlin show up for a issue or two as well, doing a decent-enough job. However, Don Heck also returns for a short run of issues and, as much as it pains me to say this, he just isn't as good as the others. It's almost as if comic book art in general has improved while he's remained in the past.
Overall, a slightly rocky start to Englehart's run, but definitely worth reading. He would rapidly find his footing in the issues to come.
Roy Thomas finishes up his run writing for the comic, with Steve Englehart taking over. I enjoyed the material with the Sentinels, the Space Phantom and the Grim Reaper, but the stories with the Savage Land Mutates, Imus Champion and Magneto felt like a dip in quality. I always see Magneto as an X-Men villain and whenever he's in Avengers issues I feel like he isn't written correctly. It is nice to see the romance between Vision and Scarlet Witch blossoming though during these issues.
As for the artwork, there is no real consistent penciller in this volume. Rich Buckler starts things off commendably, with nice, clean, capable work. John Buscema pops in for a couple of issues and is great as usual. George Tuska and Jim Starlin show up for a issue or two as well, doing a decent-enough job. However, Don Heck also returns for a short run of issues and, as much as it pains me to say this, he just isn't as good as the others. It's almost as if comic book art in general has improved while he's remained in the past.
Overall, a slightly rocky start to Englehart's run, but definitely worth reading. He would rapidly find his footing in the issues to come.
July 22, 2018
Yay! Steve Englehart has arrived! These aren't his best stories on the title, but I'm glad to see him,as it means some classic stories are about to be born.
September 17, 2023
Avengers #101-111, & Daredevil #99
April 7, 2013
A collection of stories from the period in my life when I wanted to be a comic-book artist. I spent way too much time trying to imitate the artistic styles of Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott.
My favorite story in this is from Avengers #102, beautifully written by Roy Thomas from a concept by Chris Claremont.
My favorite story in this is from Avengers #102, beautifully written by Roy Thomas from a concept by Chris Claremont.
February 16, 2016
The Marvel Masterworks volumes are fantastic reprints of the early years of Marvel comics. A fantastic resource to allow these hard to find issues to be read by everyone. Very recommended to everyone and Highly recommended to any comic fan.
December 30, 2013
Roy's long, classic Avengers run starts wrapping up here. Bravo, Roy.
August 12, 2016
Some classic gems here. But, volume 10's long storyline (The Kree Skrull War) is on a higher level.
June 24, 2015
The Avengers #110-111 4 stars.
Daredevil #99 TBR.
Daredevil #99 TBR.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews