Set Description:
The Avengers is my all-time favorite title. There are others that I am extremely fond of, and it is very close on several of them, but when all is said and done, it's The Avengers. My first issue I ever picked up was issue #157 and was hooked. Gerry Conway story with Don Heck & Pablo Marcos art. I had so many questions after reading it that I could hardly wait to read the next issue. That was the fight between The Vision & Wonder Man. I just loved that fight as an 11 year old and read it over and over and over again. That's what you did as a kid back in the day with your comics. Issue 158 is also the first appearance of Graviton. Jim Shooter was the writer for a lot of the issues as the run continued. Grim Reaper, Ultron, Nefaria, Korvac Saga starts, Ultron again, The Collector, a new line-up, Absorbing man, Quick-Silver/Scarlet Witch origin(which has been whizzed on and changed). Through most of this, you are Earth's Mightiest Heroes and getting your a$$ kicked every issue, great stories. Sure, the dialogue is a little corny by today's standards, but that doesn't take away from the story and what happened.
When they got into the 190's on issues I thought it started getting wobbly and by 203 or so didn't think they were as good as they used to be.
One story that I keep going back to is the Nefaria one(164,165 &166). I would like to see this made into a movie, though I know that won't happen. A few years ago, I told this story to a friend who had never read it, acting out the parts and reciting the dialogue along with character reenactments. After my recital of this, my friend said, " I am going to have to read this." He did. He thought the story was fantastic, but thought the reenactment was even better! High praise from him because he doesn't give out compliments very often.
It's been quite a few years since I have read these back issues and even the ones before this, so my memory might be faulty or remembering it as being better than I would think of it if read today. In my opinion, the Avengers started getting real good in the 40's and had no bad stretch until just after issue 200, which of course, is where this set falls.
|