Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers, Vol. 5

Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers #5

by Roy Thomas, John Buscema (Illustrator), Don Heck (Illustrator)

Collects Avengers (1963) #41-50, Avengers Annual #1.

Prince of Power, Hercules goes mano-a-mano with the Dragon Man; Captain America mixes it up with the Russian Red Guardian for the Red, White and Blue; the entire dag-blamed Avengers battle the Super-Adaptoid; Goliath and the Wasp face a blast from their shrinkingpast as they fight the Whirlwind. And a hero redeems the role of the Black Knight only to have the Avengers lose their teammates, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, to Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants-it's a cosmic balance, bub! And let us not forget, Avengers past and present joining together in combat against a sextet of baddies built up by the Mandarin.

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Fiction

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Roy 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.

Reviews

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

Merged review:

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.

[Dimitris Papastergiou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ah.. goes downhill real fast here. I got bored as fuck. Like.. I'd rather go back to read my Spawn series.. and I FUCKING HATE DOING THAT. BECAUSE SPAWN SUCKS.

So, you can understand that it sucked. So fucking unoriginal ideas, so boring, so stupid. So simple. So... ugh 60s and yeah... finally...makes....sense... it ...was...so....old.

Yeah I know. I know. It was a simpler time.

But I can't help it if I got bored and slept through most of it...so yeah.

[Robert Hultman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite

I enjoy many Marvel stories and mainly read these issues for the connections to the concurrent X-Men issues, but there were some good moments. Typical of Marvel at the time. I have always been less drawn the the Avengers, but would read more.

[Brandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is the stuff.

In my review for Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers, Vol. 4, I noted that the volume was largely a transitional work, with Stan Lee writing the issues in the first half of the book and then stepping aside for Roy Thomas to begin writing the book, although Lee's shadow still hung over the book and it never felt like he was willing to let Thomas cut loose. We know that eventually Thomas is able to let it rip (Vol. 6 has the classic Ultron/Vision storyline) but it felt like Lee was holding him back.

With Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers, Vol. 5 Thomas starts to come into his own as the writer of The Avengers. While I think that Lee was gradually giving Thomas more autonomy on the book (Lee had bigger fish to fry--to push specific Captain America storylines he stupidly forces Thomas to remove Cap from the Avengers in this volume twice) a second event occurred as detailed by Thomas in the introduction to set up Thomas' run to be classic, and it is probably one of the most serendipitous moments in comic publishing. See, in 1968, Marvel decided they wanted to sell an extra-sized annual, and The Avengers was a popular book that could support an annual. Unfortunately, the annual clocked in a 49 pages (a normal issue of was usually 20 pages) so Stan gave regular artist Don Heck the duties on the annual.

And he had John Buscema sub for Heck on the regular book.

Now I want you guys to know I have nothing against Don Heck. But Don Heck was no John Buscema. Buscema is one of the greatest comic artists who ever lived, and if the 60s belonged to Jack Kirby and the 80s belonged to John Byrne, the 70s belonged to John Buscema. His art was so clean and popular that when Stan Lee decided to publish How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way, John Buscema was the artist who shared his artistic technique. Read that again--when drawing comics "the Marvel way" Buscema was considered the artist who epitomized this. I'm going to assume that readers at the time had a visceral reaction to Buscema being put on the book--Heck was given another assignment and Buscema ended up beginning a fruitful partnership with Thomas that not only encompassed their work on The Avengers but also on Conan the Barbarian and The Savage Sword of Conan magazine. One has to wonder if we would look so fondly on Thomas' run on the book had Buscema not been in tow.

While this is not the epitome of their work together, you can see the growth from the beginning to the end of the volume. The early Black Widow story arc (set up in the previous volume) is great until the point when a hero shows up deus-ex-machina to pull the Avengers out of the fire when they are painted into corner (this kind of has Lee's stink all over it.) By the end of the volume, Thomas still has to deal with crap decisions from Marvel editorial (Lee) removing half the heroes from the book, but Thomas has now grown as a writer to the point where he can basically make anyone an Avenger. Some of his true innovations (Ultron, the Vision, Black Panther (a Lee creation but Thomas' decision to add him to the team)) come in the next volume, but you can see how he is edging toward greatness.

This volume also contains a touching tribute to Buscema, who had passed away right before publication, from Thomas, who had worked with him for so long, in the introduction to the volume. This is a must read for fans of Thomas, Buscema or those just interested in the history of comics.

Yes, Stan Lee was an innovator, but I feel like a lot of his work followed the same formula and that some of his work (Fantastic Four, Amazing Spider-Man) was more inspired than others. But when I read these older Marvel comics, I feel like Stan started it, but guys like Roy Thomas and John Buscema took it to another level. Without them, there probably wouldn't be stuff like Infinity War, so we should all be grateful.

[J.B. Mathias · Rating 2 out of 5]

These were some of the lamest comics I've ever read and makes me wonder how Marvel ever became what it is today. The artwork is mediocre, the character designs are middling the backgrounds are generic coloured strangely. Everything has the same weird 60's alien sci fi look to it even when that doesn't make sense like when they're drawing olympus.

Now the dialogue...oh boy the dialogue. On the one hand it's very simple and overly descriptive because it's being written for children...and wants to hold their hand through every single panel. Every character monologues about every single step they make in a way that nobody has ever talked in the history of the world. Every villain has the same vague ambition and the exact same personality, the trope of the cartoon villain is on display in full and is not deviated from for even a moment. Every character is one dimensional and it makes the dialogue so repetitive and a slough to read. Hercules is boastful so get ready to hear him boast in every dialogue bubble, Hawkeye is hotheaded so get ready to hear him bitch and moan in every panel..etc. etc.

And yet despite the condescending simplicity of the dialogue the diction is often way above a childs reading level. No marvel comic reading child knows what you mean by Brobdinagian. Nobody who hasn't read Gullivers Travels knows what that means. They like to sprinkle in all of these 10 dollar words some of which I had to even pause to figure out what they meant which is fine if that's the story you are writing and you are writing for an audience that wants to be challenged...but the audience here are kids who can't read full novels, or teenagers and adults who want some light fluffy escapist reading. The high school diction doesn't match the kindergarten prose.

The plots are ridiculous in a way that even suspension of disbelief can't save. I signed up to read stories where men can shrink themselves, and gods from mythology show up to stop crime...and even I don't buy into these plotlines. Everything is some ridiculous deus ex machina. The villain comes up with some magic sci fi deus ex machina, then the heroes come up with some negative deus ex machina to prevent them from defeating the bad guy...then they regroup and come up with some positive deus ex machina to defeat the bad guy end of every comic. I love comics, this is not skepticism about comics or about super heroes it can be done very well...this was done very poorly. The villains were some of the worst and least memorable villains and the roster of Avengers is probaly the worst it's ever been. I just finished reading it and I already forget all of the villains.

Marvel comics eventually got good...and there are some minor things here and there that were taken from this era of comics...which the better ones owe alot to...but these stories in particular were borderline unreadable and don't get a pass just because they were from a different time. There's a reason comics were considered a less than respectable niche interest until fairly recently...they were not good.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reprints The Avengers #41 through #50, and the first Avengers annual. Basically, this is the bulk of 1967, and I read most (all but 2) of these books when they were new and I was 8 (9 for the last couple).

The Avengers was my favorite comic book back then, and I can certainly still see what I liked about it. The particular bunch of Avengers at the time had a very nice color scheme in their costumes. Captain America, Hawkeye, Goliath, the Wasp, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch, augmented by Hercules and the Black Widow, with a couple small appearances by Thor and Iron Man. Roy Thomas was very good at plotting stories which allowed for long passages without fight scenes, which were always my favorite parts in superhero comics. And John Buscema was an immediate revelation as an artist when he took over the book with #41, even though I have always revered the under-appreciated Don Heck.

That said, nostalgia aside, it's hard to get excited about these issues, at least until #47 when Thomas started unraveling the team of seven members (Hercules had become a full member in #45), leaving only three by the end of #50. Marvel comics were always better when there were problems aside from super-villains, and the team was at its lowest ebb by the end of this book.

I doubt anybody has noticed, but over the years, whenever an occasion presented itself, I have asked, "What beardless youth is this?" That's a quote from #50, when Zeus first sees Hercules, who mysteriously shaved off his signature whiskers in #46, after a year apart. A throw-away line that somehow resonated with me all those years ago.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thomas finds himself between Lee, fans, artists, and Irving Forbush. At this stage the book is halting and starting, sputtering and coughing. They can’t figure out Goliath’s powers, obviously concerned he stands out. They struggle with Hercules’s relative power. They can’t decide if they like the Maximoffs. Thomas wants seven heroes while Lee wants four. The story changes directions, not for the sake of the story, but reactionary to fan letters or fears.

All of this comes on the cusp of Thomas’s run becoming Thomas’s run.

But there’s good things here:

* John Buscema, John Buscema, and John Buscema. I am curious if he’s drawn the most Avengers books. I suspect he is. Regardless, he’s who I most think of when I think Avengers art (excepting maybe Epting and his jaws). That being said, the rotating inkers are continually shifting the tone of this book. By the end we are in a good place.

* The first appearance of a Red Guardian (and it is still weird that I live in a world where someone who has never cracked a comic may know who the Red Guardian is).

* Black Knight (the third/Dane Whitman) and Aragorn make their first appearances: one of my personal top two Avengers and my favorite flying horse, respectively.

* Typhon (who should get more play)

* Whirlwind’s first but not first appearance.

* The first team-up of the old team with the new.

* vaudeville Magneto makes it back from the Stranger’s planet.

Thomas run is about to begin singing and Avengers will hit a first high. This book is the treading before that.

[Alex Andrasik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roy Thomas is starting to hit his stride! There's less histrionics and more solid ideas. Hank Pym's continuing identity issues are getting a little old, but at this point, Thomas must be doing it on purpose, taking a character who couldn't find his feet alternatively and inserting that sense of uncertainty and volatility as a character trait. I'd like to think so, anyway, and if that's the case, it's happening a couple of decades earlier than I would have figured.

Thomas does some great work with the return of Magneto, Quicksilver's strained loyalties, and furthering the human-mutant divide--way better than what we're getting over in the X-Men in the same period. Which is odd, because Thomas is writing both titles.

Score one for Dane Whitman!

And Thomas finally does some work crafting the Greek pantheon into something approaching real characters. I appreciate there being some key differences between them and the Asgardians becoming apparent: the Greeks already seem more hedonistic, less warrior-focused (interestingly, Ares is described as the "craven" god of war), and more intentionally aloof from the world of mortals, stating explicitly that they'd pulled back from Earth millennia ago. I wonder if they will continue to be developed in this direction or if this is a one-off characterization on Thomas' part.

[William Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great reprint of those early formative issues of the Avengers. This volume reprints issues #41 - 50 and their first annual and if it represents anything it is a period of transition. In this collection Captain America, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver all leave, and the new Black Knight (Dane Whitman, one of my favorites) is introduced. Roy Thomas has taken over the writing chores from Stan Lee but the art duties are shared by alternating the talents of outgoing Don Heck and incoming John Buscema. These comics originally appeared in 1967-8 and the writing is overblown, overly dramatic and representative of its time. Stan Lee made Marvel a popular alternative in comics through his bombastic hyperbole (!) and that style continued for a long while after these comics.
Issue #50 ends on a low note when the only Avengers left are Hawkeye, Wasp and a weakened Goliath but the dramatic beauty of Buscema's artwork is a wonder exemplified in issues #49 & 50, easily the best in the book.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is where things really begin to take off for me.

John Buscema's art is absolutely fantastic, and the two issues that Don Heck returns for are probably the best work he's put out for the superhero team.

Not only this, but in my opinion Roy Thomas' multi-layered storylines are miles better than anything Stan Lee wrote. No longer does the comic book rigidly follow a single event, but instead switches between single members or small groups of Avengers doing their own thing, only for them all to come together towards the end of the plotline for a tantalising climax.

Normally I would mention my personal highlights, but I honestly enjoyed every issue in this volume. The Avengers is finally becoming a comic book to be reckoned with!

[Jimbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The revolving roster of the Avengers starts here. Within the pages: Black Widow, Captain America, Hercules are Avengers, then they aren't.

The stories are full of old villains and villains from other magazines. Diablo and Dragon Man from the FF, Mandarin from (Tales of Suspense --Iron Man), Whirlwind, a.k.a. Human Top (Tales to Astonish--Ant-Man/Giant-Man) and Magneto (X-Men comics) all take on the Avengers.

Good stories from Roy Thomas. Less in fighting, but still an issue except with different characters. I keep hoping that they improve Wanda and Jan's powers--I know that it is still 1967 and 1968 and woman are still considered less than strong, but still, knowing where they end up--it takes fifty years? Geez.

[Daniel Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not an Avenger fan back in the day, and I am not too fond of the particular team in this book. They are clearly moving away from the original team and having a hard time establishing the successors (somewhat like what is happening in the MCU right now).

You will notice how much the characters were changed in the Avengers and X-Men movies, mostly for the better. Hercules is a bore, the Scarlet Witch does not do much in the stories and Magneto is just a mad megalomaniac.

The stories themselves did not move me and were stretched to the limit. A lot is left hanging in the last issue on this book (it is said that things heat up in the next volume, I will check it soon).

But the art is great and there are a few good moments.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never knew that Hercules was such an important member of the team in the early days. There's a good bit of emphasis on Goliath and the mutant siblings Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Magneto returns and tries to lure the mutants to his side, as Captain America ponders life without the costume. Hawkeye leads the team to rescue Black Widow from a Chinese super-science lab, and they testify of their love for each other.

The only downside is that author Thomas is quite talky at times, and the constant, constant bickering and quick-to-fisticuffs that Marvel is known for, well it gets old.

Some great art by John Buscema, though!

[Sean O · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series up until the Annual. Then it gets tied into a multi issue featuring two separate fights with Magneto and Typhon. And at the end of the book, it’s Hank Pym (who can’t be Goliath anymore), the Wasp (who is mostly useless whenever the plot decides she’s useless, and Hawkeye (whose superheroing is “shoot arrow, get knocked out, get rescued, repeat.”)

But that’s just the last three issues. The rest of the book is super solid. I don’t know what Thomas is up to next. I know Clint Barton Goliath, Yellowjacket, and the Vision are in the near future, which is awesome, because it’s clear they needed to spice things up.

[L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will give them credit that the Avengers (what is left of them, that is) have by now cut down a great deal on the in-fighting. They still treat the women like crap but are a little more understanding with each other.

[JW David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avengers #41-50, Annual #1.

[Rick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Avengers #41-42 - This volume starts with a pair of baddies from the pages of the Fantastic Four as Diablo and the Dragon Man threaten the world. (2/5)

Avengers #43-44 - Next up is a wrap up for the long running Black Widow arc and the introduction of the Red Guardian. (2/5)

Avengers Annual #1 - The Mandarin is back and this time he’s got the Enchantress, the Executioner, the Living Laser, The Swordsman, the original Power Man, and Ultimo to attack the Avengers with. But the Avengers beef up their ranks with house guest Hercules and the return of Iron Man and Thor. This should have been a blockbuster, instead it comes across as petty and lackluster. (2/5)

Avengers #45 - Avengers celebration day in Central Park and the Super-adaptoid chases the party. Nothing particularly special here other than in the inclusion of the full compliment of the Avengers. This also offers the first vocalizations of Quicksilver’s growing dissatisfaction with humans and thus his resentment of the Scarlet Witch’s growing away from him. Unfortunately, it feels very contradictory to how Quicksilver had been previously portrayed. (2/5)

Avengers #46 - Whirlwind strikes! This is a kind of epilogue to the Ant-Man/Wasp/Giant-Man stories from Tales to Astonish. And it lands just about as well as hokey, clunky adventures. And Quicksilver’s racism increases. (2/5)

Avengers #47-50 - Everything changes. Everything! Magento arrives! Quicksilver & the Scarlet Witch arencaptured and forced to rejoin the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants! A new Black Knight! Hercules heads for Olympus! Captain America quits the team! Hank Pym’s chronic sense of inadequacy, his undiagnosed bipolar disorder, continues to increase! The Avengers are falling apart! Leaving Hawkeye and the Wasp left trying to keep things together. Yep, it’s one big steaming pile of mess. At least the art by John Buscema is an improvement over departing Don Heck. (2/5)

[Edward Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Avengers reach their milestone fiftieth issue, and gues stars abound, including The Fantastic Four and Magneto. Captain America is officially removed from the roster, and inspite of some pretty ropy villains, including The Whirlwind, The Black Knight and Dragon Man, these stories are still great fun.

[Jeff Bleyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most interesting stories in this edition are on the back end featuring Magneto, who successfully deceives Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch into joining forces with him against the X-Men & The Avengers.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is getting better, a bit more character based. But some stories are still just glorified fights.

[Christopher Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early Roy, but beautiful foundational Avengers work.

[Carl Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great art by John Buscema (composing the majority of this collection) makes this the best of the Roy Thomas run by far, perhaps the best of the series, and a very pleasant surprise.

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

#47-50 only. 3 stars each.