Discuss: Do-badder Super Groups

 

Monsters: Marvels 2

Marvels #2 (February 1994)
"Monsters"
Kurt Busiek-Alex Ross

Karen: I finished Marvels #2, and it put me in a melancholy mood, which I'm pretty sure it has every time before. The initial stuff with the Avengers battling the Masters of Evil is very exciting of course. The great shot of Giant-Man looming over Phil has to be one of the most talked about visuals from Marvels; it certainly makes an impression. Say, I actually found a website, Comic Coverage by Mark Engblom, that did a panel-by-panel comparison of the battle in Marvels #2 with the one in Avengers #6; here's the link. It was interesting to see the way Ross had changed perspective and yet kept all the details from the original Kirby drawings, right down to the same civilians in the scenes!

Doug: It's amazing how "brightly optimistic" this issue opens, because like you I recall what's coming in the later parts of the book. You know, at first I thought it was funny that the first time we see the Avengers corresponds to their adventure six issues into the group's history. But then I asked myself what they'd done publicly ahead of that; the big brouhaha against Zemo's goons seemed fitting then.

Karen: I think we've both discussed before how some of the very early Marvel books are less than exciting. I know I was extremely disappointed when I read the Marvel Masterworks collection of the first ten issues of X-Men; I thought it was deadly dull for the most part. The early issues of the FF and Avengers were also hit or miss.

Doug: I was reading Kurt Busiek's commentary that is tucked in between the first two issues of Marvels in the tpb I'm using. He talks at length about the research both he and Alex Ross did for this mini-series and some of the roadblocks they encountered. The story that really struck me was how to fit the X-Men, given their own continuity, into the Reed & Sue wedding. Talk about continuity issues -- Busiek tells that to the best of his reading and inferencing, the X-Men had to participate in the wedding in about a 4-hour window in the middle of one of their own adventures. How's that for being thorough?

Karen: That's either extremely diligent, or just insane. Maybe both!

Doug: As in the first issue of the series, we see genuine "hero worship" directed at Captain America. This is magnified in the second issue as he seems to be the greatest of the Marvels. Though technically powerless (certainly as compared to his Avengers teammates), we get the impression that Busiek and Ross are giving Cap the Superman treatment -- the so-called "greatest hero of them all".


 Karen: But after this of course came all the ugliness over the 'mutant threat.' Even after having read this a half a dozen times it still got to me. Seeing Phil, our everyman, pick up that brick -stomach churning. I realized that the reaction of his neighbors reminded me of a Twilight Zone episode (I had to look up the title) - "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street' - where aliens just cut power to some houses and let human paranoia and fear take their course. I can't help but think Busiek might have been influenced by that. In the back of the book I'm using, Ross explains how the look of the mutant girl the Sheldons are harboring was based on a Wally Wood character from a 1953 EC comic. I mean, when you see it, it's a dead ringer! Ross really doesn't pull any punches with the child either: at first you're hit with revulsion, yet this is undeniably a frightened little girl, and you can feel that coming out of the page. Just like Phil, quickly you shift from fear to sympathy. Yet for Phil, he has to fear for the safety of his family. This is one of the very few stories that dealt with mutants that actually got across a real feeling of what it would be like on Marvel-Earth during mutant paranoia. However, I didn't feel that Busiek and Ross explained why the fear was not more widespread to all super-heroes. They did have the debates with Professor X and Trask but how would the public know how Giant-Man or some of the other characters got their powers? This was true of course during the Lee/Kirby era as well, so it wasn't really their job to explain anything. I guess it's one of those things that just bothers me. But the mood they get across here is much more affecting than anything from that earlier era.

Doug: I have also always wondered what, at least in the public eye, set the X-Men apart from other super-powered beings. Maybe it goes back to Magneto's ramblings about Homo superior and mutants being the next step on the evolutionary scale, superseding Homo sapiens? And I agree that taking the focus off the longjohn types and putting it squarely on folks like us does add to the tension over the perception of this "threat". So think about it -- Communists, mutants, Kennedy had been assassinated, the civil rights issues... for the denizens of the Marvel Universe, these were unsettled times to say the least.

Karen: Oh, I get the whole idea of humanity being driven out by the mutants, but honestly, who could tell which super-powered hero was a mutant and which wasn't? Just because they say so? Never made any sense to me. But the overall value of the X-Men as an analogy for the outcast in society was valuable enough that it was worth "just rolling with it."

Doug: As to this book's visuals, I can't think of another image that is as "Wow!" as the Giant-Man image... except perhaps two others: I love the full-pager with Galactus on his knees, picking himself up while levitating several stories above the street. And I am always washed over in trepidation when I see the panel with the Green Goblin perched on the window sill of Gwen Stacy's apartment, her body limp in his arms. Ugh... talk about foreboding.

Karen: There are so many stunning images from this series -and it was just four issues! Hard to believe when everything seems to be stretched to 12 issues any more. I really don't think Marvels gets the credit it is due. People talk about Watchmen and Dark Knight with such reverential tones, but for me, I'd much rather look at this series any day. I'd rather examine and admire my heroes than tear them down.

Doug: I've often wanted to read Watchmen again -- I've only ever read it once, in serialized form as I purchased it. I'm sure I'd get much more out of it in tpb form, which I own.

Doug: So let's have a discussion on the title of this story, as I feel it ties directly into your comments above about Phil Sheldon's getting sucked into the scenes with the angry mobs. How do you interpret "Monsters"? At first blush, it's obviously about the "mutant menace", right? Or is it Busiek being ironic? I don't feel that this story is overtly "preachy", yet I think in your reaction to Sheldon's behavior you've hit on what is perhaps the true meaning -- it's not the mutants who are the monsters, is it? 

Karen: I think it's pretty clear who the "Monsters" are (funny -- my version of the books does not include titles). I agree that the story is not too preachy -- perhaps it is bordering on it, but I think when you take the books as a whole, it's more the progression of Phil's attitude toward both the Marvels and the public. 

Karen: OK, let's not forget the cameos: How about Maude herself, Bea Arthur, at Alicia Masters' exhibit? And it looked to me like Alicia was modeled after actress Linda Hamilton. Tony Stark looked like Timothy Dalton.

Doug: Agreed on all fronts -- and don't forget Phil riding the elevator with Jack and Jackie Kennedy (which again is somewhat morbid as the events in these stories would have taken place in 1964...). Of course the wedding page has some special guests of the Richards', notably Rob and Laura Petrie (Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore) and the Beatles! Clark and Lois also made a second appearance at the Daily Globe's New Year's party, this time with Jimmy Olsen on tow.

Doug: And if the big purple robots put a start in everyone, that's nothing. Wait until the next big fellow draped in purple shows up. And what an issue that will be -- splash page city! 

Legion of Doom, or Legion of Fools?

Karen: We're talking super-villain teams today. Talk about your favorites, your not-so-favorites, and discuss this question: can a group of selfish, nasty bad guys ever really work effectively towards a common goal?

Under Siege: Avengers 277

Avengers #277 (March 1987)
"The Price of Victory"
Writer:  Roger Stern
Pencils:  John Buscema
Inks:  Tom Palmer

Karen: Welcome to the conclusion of our look at the storyline collectively known as "Under Siege," certainly one of the most popular Avengers' sagas and one we've enjoyed reviewing here at BAB. At the end of last issue, our heroes had regrouped and were starting to turn the tide, but then Goliath began tossing Thor around, and Zemo Jr. looked like he might use the mentally unhinged Blackout to send the entire team  "to the cornfield" (a No-Prize to whomever gets that reference)! 

Karen: This issue picks up with a very over-confident Goliath learning that Thor is quite accustomed to bringing down giants. The thunder god smashes his captor's finger with Mjolnir and then knocks him over, sending them both tumbling down to the lower level of the mansion. The Wrecker then appears and comes after Cap, thinking him easy prey, especially without his shield. The thug is more powerful than ever, as Thor had been in the process of removing the Wrecking Crew's Asgardian-derived powers and had channeled their magic back through the Wrecker himself -now he has all of the mystical energy of the entire gang! Cap realizes he's in for a fight.

Doug:  The splash page with Goliath actually standing on the floor below, with his torso a level up and holding Thor, was an interesting perspective.  The background serves to show the reader the destruction of the mansion that has already taken place.  I love in the Cap/Wrecker scene two one-liners from our hero:  one is the obligatory cliche' "He's faster... more powerful than I remember!" (second only to "I've never seen anyone move so fast!", spoken by just about every hero in the Marvel Universe at one time or another), while the other is a great bit of Cap-characterization:  "He's four times as strong now!  I'm going to have my hands full!"  Attaboy Cap -- no shield, no big deal.  We'll get through this!

Karen: Two levels below, the Wasp, Ant-Man, and the injured Black Knight watch over the badly wounded Jarvis, who desperately needs medical attention. The Wasp tells the men to stay with Jarvis until she can bring help, but the Knight stubbornly insists on coming with her. He's still teed off about her seeming romantic disinterest in him a few issues prior. They manage to break through the debris blocking their way only to find Thor and Goliath going at it. Thor spots his team-mates before the giant does and tries to distract him, before he notices them and tries to go after them. Thor somehow whispers to Jan to go help Cap, fighting above. Really, how the heck does he manage to whisper to her in the middle of battle? Ah well, it's probably another of Mjolnir's powers...

Doug:  It seems the running theme of this storyline is 
the maturity and independence of the Wasp.  While we can no doubt chalk it up to the "heat of the battle", Jan is quite brusque with the Knight -- rather callously putting him in his place.  This is no ditzy socialite we're dealing with here, but a woman leading her team as capably as would Cap or Iron Man.  This Wasp makes snap decisions that are not only right, but ones she stands by.  And the Knight really comes off looking like a lovesick fool.  As I recall, he didn't look so hot later in the series when Sersi arrives, but my memories are admittedly foggy on that era (I resisted the temptation to refer to that period as the "bomber jacket era".  Oh, wait -- I just did!).  Hey, on the docket for sometime late in the spring is a review of Avengers #'s 139-140.  I'll tell you right now that one of the problems I'll comment on is the inconsistency of height as depicted by penciller George Tuska once YJ starts his out-of-control growth.  That is not present anywhere in this story with Goliath.  He's very consistently drawn, with some great visuals along the way, such as his arm falling through a wall.  No troubles with scale at all.  However, scale is certainly an issue with the whispering, as it would appear there's about 20 feet separating Thor and the Wasp, as well as a height differential.  And... that Thor's head is turned away from Janet would make Asgardian ventriloquism the only acceptable answer to this quandary.  Perhaps the God of Thunder had frequented the wares sold in the midst of Silver Age Marvel Comics?

Karen: I can only assume there was a little artist-writer miscommunication here. 

Karen: You gotta love Cap. Even when vastly outmatched, he's always in the fight. He watches the Wrecker and realizes he's just  a brawler. Cap feints and draws the Wrecker to make a wild lunge, which causes him to bring part of the roof down on himself. This would stop most villains, but not the souped-up Wrecker. As Cap starts to walk away, the Wrecker crawls out of the pile and tells Cap he's going to make him eat his crowbar!

Doug:  You know, when I see a guy get a building dumped on him and then he bursts up through the rubble (or even when Hercules got all of the metal wrapped around him back in #274), I always think how hard his skin must be, because there's never a mark. Well, and how nicely their clothing must be tailored, because it never rips either.

Karen: While everything is occurring in the mansion, Zemo has made his way to the roof, preparing to escape via his ship. We get a repeat of the scene from last issue, where he zaps Dr. Druid with his stun gun, and begins to work on the deranged Blackout, trying to get him to use his powers over the darkforce to send the Avengers and what's left of the mansion away into that mysterious dimension. But Dr. Druid, although paralyzed, reaches out telepathically to Blackout, and tells him to resist Zemo, that Zemo doesn't care at all about him but only wishes to use his powers. It works -Blackout begins to resist, and this frustrates Zemo, who snaps at Blackout, demanding that he obey!

Doug:  This scene sort of plays out like the end of Return of the Jedi, doesn't it?  Struggle for control, lots of lightning-looking energy, etc.

Karen: You're right, all we needed was wrinkles and cackling. Back inside, Cap's doing his best to hold off the Wrecker when Thor and Goliath come rampaging into the area. Thor seems to be getting the better of his titanic foe, so Goliath decides to sprout up another story or so, bursting through to the next level of the mansion! The poor place is literally being torn apart.This causes the hangar deck to collapse and sends the villainous Yellowjacket sprawling. The Wasp arrives and gives Cap a hand with Wrecker, stunning him with her stings, while a blow from Thor's hammer sends Goliath tumbling on top of the Wrecker, taking down both bad guys. A squad of Army Rangers arrive to assist but Cap waves the men off -it's too dangerous, as most of the mansion has collapsed or is about to. In a gaping cavern below them,  Zemo's ship has fallen, and with it Yellowjacket, who quickly sizes things up and surrenders.

Doug:  How strong must Goliath be?  As Cap says, he bursts right up through a level that was reinforced to hold the quinjets, and he goes head first!  Additionally, just counting what is actually shown, he's taken four blows to the face from Mjolnir.  That should be some serious damage to the ol' noggin!  So I'm thinking that, at least as Stern/Buscema/Palmer characterize him, this version of Goliath (again, nee Power Man) must be almost to Hulk strength -- or at least heading toward that level of durability.

Karen: Back on the roof, Zemo continues to struggle with Blackout, using cybernetic control devices in his mask to try to overpower the madman's brainwaves. The effort is too much for Blackout, and he collapses. Zemo rushes over only to discover the man is dead. Dr. Druid, recovered from his paralysis, explains that it was a massive cerebral hemorrhage that killed him- all due to Blackout's tremendous resistance to being used by Zemo. Captain Marvel arrives, more than a little angry at Zemo, and he attempts to shoot her, but she easily melts his guns. Cap and the Wasp then join them on the roof, and Cap tells the rest of the Avengers he'll handle Zemo. The other Avengers leave, and it's just Cap and the son of one of his oldest foes. Zemo tries to attack Cap with his own shield, but he easily dodges it. As they fight, Zemo tries to blame Cap for what happened to his father and his family, but Cap's not buying it. Bucky's death still wounds him deeply, and Zemo's attack on the Avengers has Cap furious. Zemo still can't understand why all the things he did to Cap didn't make him break. "I've known torture, Zemo. I've endured the worst the Third Reich had to offer. If there's one thing life has taught me, it's never to give up!" OK, call me hokey, but I love heroic speeches like that. Cap continues to say that seeing Jarvis tortured only made him more determined to avenge him. And with that, he clobbers Zemo with a left round house to the jaw. Zemo desperately tries to throw Cap's shield at him, but he plucks it one-handed from the air, and then hauls the villain up by the shirt. Zemo asks, "Will you kill me, as you murdered my father?" Cap explains that the original Baron Zemo's death was caused by Zemo himself, but his son doesn't want to hear it. He springs at Cap, who blocks the blow, and then Zemo stumbles, and teeters over the edge of the roof. Cap tries to grab him , but he falls and lands hard on the ground below. This whole sequence really seems to epitomize Cap to me. It also reminded me of the sequence in Avengers vol. 3 when Cap fought Kang all by himself. I'm sure Kurt Busiek must have been aware of this scene when he wrote that.

Doug:  Once the jig was up, Zemo began to cower, didn't he?  When Monica melted his guns and he immediately raised Cap's shield, offense wasn't on his mind.  He was looking for the best way out.  When Cap faces him, alone, you can still sense Zemo's desperation.  At that point he's devolved to crying about his foiled plans.  It sort of smacks of stereotypical over-the-top comic book villains, but you know what?  It seems wholly appropriate here, and Stern pulls it off.  Cap remains stoic even while recounting the losses he's faced at Zemo's (or his father's) hands.  I loved the panels when Zemo maniacally hurled the shield at Cap, and Cap catches it so nonchalantly, as he's done a million times before. Hey, in the last issue our commenters brought up the lack of violence by sword-wielding characters in four-color comics.  In that vein, Buscema/Palmer do a very subtle job of showing the brutality of Zemo's landing.  We see that his back is bent over a large chunk of masonry, and his right ankle appears to be either broken or at least dislocated.  If he's dead, it was a painful end.

Karen: The depowered Wrecking Crew are hauled off by the police and both Jarvis and the Knight are taken to the hospital. Zemo is said to be "perhaps fatally injured" and Moonstone suffered a broken neck, although little spinal cord damage. As all the injured are taken away, Captain Marvel wonders, "Where's Cap?" She finds him alone in the mansion. In one of the most memorable scenes from any Avengers comic, we see Cap at his most human, and most vulnerable: on his knees, holding the bits and pieces of the photos shredded by Zemo and Hyde. Captain Marvel is clearly stunned to see Cap this way. As he raises his face to look at her, we see he is crying. "I didn't think it would hurt, Monica. Zemo took pictures from my footlocker and tore them up before my eyes... and then it didn't matter...not then. The Avengers were in danger, lives were at stake...for all I cared, Zemo might have been ripping up old train schedules. But...but now...This was the only picture I ever had of my mother...She didn't like having her picture taken...and now...gone...trashed like everything else." She's never seen Cap like this, and neither have we. It's moving. Cap feels somewhat ashamed to be crying over pictures when his comrades are in the hospital. But Monica reassures him. It's not just pictures he's grieving over -it's his past. It's the sense of violation he's feeling. But she tells him that they're the Avengers. They'll get past this. They have too many people depending on them for them not to. And with that, they both walk back out into the light, facing the task of picking up and starting over.

Doug:  In regard to the scene with Cap, this filled out a personal triptych of heart-warming/wrenching humanistic comics in the mid-1980's.  Beginning with Amazing Spider-Man #248 (January 1984), and moving into Fantastic Four #285 (December 1985), and then to this book (March 1987).  From "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" to "Hero" to this scene with Cap, we got to see our heroes as real people with real emotions.  Maybe not coincidentally, the bookend stories were both written by Roger Stern.  I agree with you -- it's one of the most memorable moments in the Avengers canon.

Karen: This story had an epic feel without an epic scale. It all played out inside Avengers mansion  but the epic quality of it comes from the emotional aspect of it. There are wonderful character moments, and of course the art was top notch. It's not hard to see why "Under Siege" consistently ranks as one of the favorite Avengers stories of all time.

Under Siege: Avengers 276

Avengers #276 (February 1987)

"Revenge"

Roger Stern-John Buscema/Tom Palmer

Doug:  I'm not messing around with these guys you see above.  But wait -- Dr. Druid?  Ugh.  Remember when we had the post last week asking where your jumping off point was for certain titles?  Well, while Dr. Druid certainly proves helpful in the concluding two issues of this story, he was part of my personal "beginning of the end" in terms of my love for this title.  I like Mantis, but for all of you out there who don't?  Dr. Druid is my "Mantis" -- see what I'm saying now?

Karen: It truly is an enigma how this guy ever wound up on the team. Really, was he anybody's favorite?

Doug:  We pick the story up back at the hospital where Hercules lay in a coma, suffered from the beating he sustained in Avengers #274.  The Wasp and Ant-Man (Scott Lang) despatched Titania and the Absorbing Man the previous issue and are being interviewed by the police.  Jan is burning to make the whole situation right, and with Lang's offer of help flies off to pursue a plan.  As we remarked previously (and our readers blew up the comments section on that post), Roger Stern has really deepened the personality of Janet Van Dyne, and I like it.  The subtle bits of characterization that we'll find in these last two issues, of Thor and Cap deferring to her leadership, are great pieces of the overall puzzle that has been the creation of this richer Wasp.

Karen: She's as take charge as any male leader but still seems to be the same character, somehow. I don't know if part of it is my willingness to accept the change, since I never liked the Wasp's flighty personality, but I bought into the idea that this really was just a more mature Janet Van Dyne here.

Doug:  Back at the Mansion, Mr. Hyde continues to give Jarvis a brutal beating, laughing about it the whole time.  Cap and the Black Knight, both still bound, are forced to watch... and listen.  Dane continues to try to reach his ebony blade mentally; but the Fixer's stasis field holds both the sword and Cap's shield.  Outside, the U.S. Army has gathered and headquartered in Central Park.  Jan and Ant-Man meet with the commanding officer, and the three of them mull strategies.  Jan asks for time, and to be allowed to do things her way.  With few options, the Colonel agrees.  Jan tries to raise Thor, using the biggest cell phone ever invented, but finds him unavailable.  We then shift scenes to the dark dimension that holds Captain Marvel.  She continues to fly around, looking for some way out.  As we saw last issue, she was drawn to a pinpoint of white light, only to see it disappear as she drew near.  But again this issue, she sees one.  Launching herself toward it, we then immediately scene shift to a dock in San Francisco of all places!  The Shroud, he of Super-Villain Team-Up fame,  has a baddie cornered.  As the Shroud begins to emit his Darkness, who should suddenly blast out of the inky mists but Marvel?!  Stunned, she is helped to her feet by the Shroud, and they quickly deduce that the Darkness that the Shroud taps into must be the same dimensional force used by Blackout.

Karen: Jarvis must be a pretty tough guy, because Hyde really seems to be whaling away on him. Even though very little is shown, it's still hard to take, as we mentioned last time. The gigantic cell phone was just a sign of the times. I remember those bricks! No wonder so few people were interested in having a phone back then. But I didn't recall that the Shroud had the ability to manipulate the darkforce. I had to go back and read the Wiki entry on him to see that he gained that power later on in his career. I guess it was appropriate for the character.

Doug:  I remember really liking the Shroud back in 1970-whatever, but man, on those SVTU re-reads was it disappointing.  Time was definitely not kind in this guy's eyes!

Doug:  We then look in on a Dr. Anthony Druid and his personal secretary.  Druid is concerned about the news of the Avengers Mansion takeover, and decides to attempt to clear his mind and learn what he can.  He picks up on Dane Whitman's efforts to reunite with the sword, and having seen the dark force surrounding the Mansion soon changes into his "fightin' duds".  Back at the army camp, Ant-Man and the Wasp are doing a little crying in the coffee as they commiserate about all of their strike-outs for assistance -- no West Coast Avengers, no Fantastic Four, no Vision and Scarlet Witch, no Falcon.  Just as they decide they'll attempt to scour the city for the likes of Spider-Man and Daredevil, Captain Marvel arrives.  As she tells them about her ordeal, who should literally walk up but the God of Thunder.  Alriiiiiight...

 

Karen: The shot of Druid's eyes and the image of the Knight above them was pure Buscema to me. Did ol' Doctor D seem like a huge dude -I mean tall and big -to you? He looked about 6'6" when he stormed out! It's a bit hard to believe that Wasp and Ant-Man were having such poor luck getting a hold of anyone -are there no telephones in Wakanda? - but it was good to see Thor show up, even with that silly beard.

Doug:  Well if he's that big, then he's that ugly, too.  And I remember the Panther's cool entrance in issue #159 when they were fighting Graviton for the first time.

Doug:  Inside the Mansion, the thugs continue to loot the place.  Moonstone finds every opportunity to be alone with Blackout, continuing to attempt to sway his loyalty from Zemo to her.  No dice.   In the Assembly room, Hyde holds up the nearly-dead Jarvis and gloats to Cap and the Knight.  In a control room, Zemo oversees Yellowjacket and the Fixer as they attempt to steal the memory discs from the Avengers' mainframe.  Suddenly the lights go out, alarming Zemo.  The Fixer moves quickly to find the source of the problem.  Oops -- when the power went out, so did the field locking down the Avengers' weapons.  The sword is gone!  Now possessing the ebony blade, the Knight frees himself and Cap, while Hyde bellows threats.  Using the darkness for stealth, the Knight and Cap mete out their revenge against Hyde, frustrating him into an even deeper mad rage.  Captain Marvel suddenly materializes through the floor, followed by the Wasp and Thor.  Hyde is knocked out while trying to head butt Thor.  This was during the time when Thor's bones were becoming brittle, if memory serves.  If I also recall, the Thunder God would soon have to wear a special suit of armor to protect his degenerating condition.

Karen: I believe you are correct, amigo. It did give me a little smile to see that Thor didn't have to raise a finger to stop Hyde-he just stood there and let him knock himself out! How was Hyde ever a major Thor villain? Of course, all our heroes seem to get more and more powerful over the years, but the villains -particularly the grade C listers -don't keep up.

Doug:  You ask how Hyde was a big-time baddie?  Because his partner was the Cobra.  Duh...  OK, I'll admit I almost laughed out loud while typing that.

Karen: Yeah, I was thinking about that partnership too. What an unbeatable combo. If you're Ka-Zar, maybe.

Doug:  Now the tide begins to turn.  The Avengers reunite to inspect the damage done to Jarvis.  Thor swears revenge as Yellowjacket eavesdrops.  She scurries back to Zemo and tells him of the danger the Masters are now in.  Zemo decides to flee immediately, leaving everyone to their own devices.  He takes YJ with him.  Outside, Dr. Druid has arrived at the Mansion, cloaking himself from the notice of the assembled soldiers.   He contacts Blackout and orders him to remove the darkforce cube that has encased the Mansion.  It falls, and Druid enters the grounds.  Inside, Ant-Man has snuck up on the Fixer and KO's him with one punch!  There's a cool moment back in the Assembly room, as Jarvis has been laid prone on the meeting table.  Thor looks at him, and in what at least to my ears appears to be Dr. Don Blake's voice, examines and passes judgement on the condition of the Avengers' faithful servant.

Karen: Seems like they were still getting some mileage out of the Blake identity, at least in moments like these. Ant-Man's one punch takedown of the Fixer was also great fun.The way poor Jarvis was drawn, with his shirt shredded, you'd think he'd been attacked by a wild animal. Then again, the way Hyde was drawn, I suppose he was.

Doug:  Jan begins to give the team orders, when Captain Marvel reports back from her tour of the building.  She reports that the trouble will arrive, and soon.  And wouldn't you know it?  It's Cap, unarmed, who takes the battle to the Wrecking Crew.  Thor quickly follows, and using Mjolnir removes the Asgardian enchantments the group had received from Karnilla.  But, in removing the magic, it had to be channeled through the Wrecker -- more on that later.  There's no time to gloat, however, as Goliath grabs Thor's cape from behind and begins to swing the Son of Odin back and forth, each time striking his body against the floor.  Remember, this Goliath was once Power Man, and is infinitely stronger than Hank Pym or Clint Barton ever were with the growth serum.  Outside, Druid has levitated to the roof, where he encounters Moonstone, in one last gasp to wrest control of Blackout's mind from Zemo.  But as Druid arrives, so does Captain Marvel.  Moonstone hurls Blackout toward Marvel, and takes to the skies in an effort to flee.  Monica gives chase, cutting off Moonstone's path time and again.  They dodge and dart, until Moonstone suddenly crash lands, head first, into the rocky banks of a river.

Karen: That's a good point about this Goliath being stronger -I hadn't thought of that but I do believe you are right. He really tosses the thunder god around like a rag doll, and the expression of shock on Cap's face says it all. It's rather convenient though, that Thor is able to steal back the Norn power from the Wrecking Crew. Not that it isn't in line with dozens of Lee/Kirby era stories, as far as the miraculous powers wrapped up in Mjolnir. But it does wipe the battlefield of about half the bad guys!

Doug:  Druid has moved near to Blackout as Zemo and Yellowjacket emerge from the stairs.  Zemo shoots Druid with a stun gun, dropping the mental mage.  Zemo helps Blackout to his feet, and tells him that enemies are all around.  At the river, Captain Marvel inspects Moonstone's condition.  She's paralyzed, apparently, but tells Marvel that it's Baron Zemo who controls Blackout.  On the Mansion's roof, Zemo implores Blackout to send the Mansion and all of their enemies... into the dark dimension!

Under Siege: Avengers 275

Avengers #275 (January 1987)
"Even a God Can Die!"
Writer:  Roger Stern
Pencils:  John Buscema
Inks:  Tom Palmer

Karen: Howdy folks, we're back with part two of our review of "Under Siege." Last time around, I made a remark about how many muscle-headed dopes Zemo had under his command, and that if he had Sandman and Crusher Creel (aka the Absorbing Man), he'd have a full house. Well, guess who shows up in this issue? Mr. Creel! Yup, I completely forgot he was a part of this story. We begin though, with a one page recap of last issue in the form of a news broadcast, which explains that Avengers Mansion has been taken over by villains, with several of the team members having been captured, and Hercules having been beaten so badly that he is in critical condition at Newhope Memorial Hospital. Inside the mansion, Baron Zemo and Mr. Hyde watch the news and gloat in front of Captain America. Back at the hospital, the medical staff rush around trying to help Hercules. The Wasp waits outside in the hall and is surprised by the appearance of Ant-Man -but it turns out to be Scott Lang, not her former husband, Hank Pym. Lang offers his help to a Wasp who clearly feels terrible about everything that has happened.

Doug:  I think this was my first exposure to the Scott Lang version of Ant-Man.  Isn't that a classic costume?  I just love it.  The helmet is cool, and today's cover makes a bold statement.  Not quite as bold as when Hank donned the duds on Avengers #161, but I get a little giddy nonetheless.  Jan had to be a mess at this point, didn't she?  When Hercules was taken to the trauma unit, I wonder what was going through the minds of the assembled medical staff?  Even though they went through the protocol of filling out the medical information, they had to assume that Herc's physiology was out of their league.  One doctor does acknowledge the impermeability of Hercules' skin -- but could they possibly have been equipped to really save him?  I'll stand by my assessment of Hyde, made last week.  What a total nutjob! 

Karen: Back at the mansion, Zemo begins recording a message to be sent to the media, but Cap interrupts him, demanding that he free Jarvis and the Black Knight so that they can get medical attention. Cap says that this whole attack is really about Zemo wanting revenge on him anyway, so why not let the others go? All this does is infuriate Zemo more, and he smacks Jarvis around. He tells Cap he wants to cause him pain, as he's realized that the Avengers are Cap's surrogate family now. Cap tells Zemo that no matter what he does, the Wasp is still free and she'll never stop -she'll organize another team of Avengers and eventually bring him to justice. Zemo decides to make another move, and makes a call to Creel and his companion Titania, directing them to the hospital.  Meanwhile, Captain Marvel struggles, unsuccessfully at this point, to free herself from the darkforce dimension that Blackout has trapped her in.

Doug:  I understand that Zemo had all the cards, but doesn't the story at this point smack of the classical Silver Age baddie-motif of toying with one's enemies?  Really, with the exception of heroes strapped to a conveyor heading toward a huge buzzsaw, this scenario has all the hallmarks.  I felt really badly for Jarvis in this scene.  Who's a better human being, a more giving soul than he?  And Zemo let him have it -- tied up and all.  Cap's resolve is something, isn't it?  In the dictionary next to "hero".  I liked the rendering of the dark dimension that encased Captain Marvel -- it was reminiscent of Kirby's drawing's of space, the Negative Zone, etc.  I've always found the Absorbing Man to be a fun villain, yet one who you know is always going to last just an issue until he's tricked into absorbing the properties of toilet paper or whatnot.

Karen: Back at the hospital, the Wasp confides to Ant-Man that it's her fault that all of this has happened. Her security measures weren't good enough, she couldn't earn Hercules' respect -Jan is questioning herself as leader. Ant-Man tries to tell her that she's being too hard on herself but she won't hear it. A doctor comes out of the emergency room and informs them that Hercules has passed away.  It hits Jan hard. She asks to have a few moments alone with him. As she ponders what she could have done differently, the heart monitor suddenly beeps -Hercules isn't dead! She calls the doctors back and they discover he is still alive, but his heart is beating very slowly. As the medical staff attempts to revive him, the whole building shakes -they're under attack from the Absorbing Man and Titania! 

Doug:  Having been out of comics during the entire Yellowjacket fiasco, my memories of Jan were of her designing sexy costumes to entice Hank, mega-shopping sprees, etc.  So I missed any organic transition of her personality from ditzy socialite to strong-willed leader.  I must say -- I like the change.  As a founding member, it only made sense that eventually some writer would tap into that history and make her a major player in the upper echelons of the roster of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.  Roger Stern did a fantastic job of blending her soft side with her iron will in the hospital scene.  She really runs the gamut of emotions, all believable and well-played.  Creel's entrance, with the properties of the bullets he's been shot with, was colored well -- very cool panel.  Love the ball and chain as a weapon as well -- great visual.

Karen: At the mansion, Zemo and Hyde begin their psychological torture of Cap. They watch the assault on the hospital but Cap has faith in Wasp, despite the overwhelming odds against her. Zemo takes a picture of Cap and Bucky and shreds it before his face, while Hyde grabs Cap's original shield and crumples it. Cap remains calm but says, "I'll remember this, Zemo." Unable to get a reaction out of him, Zemo decides to up the ante and has Hyde begin beating Jarvis. It all occurs off-panel, but seeing the expressions on both Cap's and the Knight's faces lets one's imagination fill in the blanks -and it's not pretty. 

Doug:  Stern writes a real psychological angle into this story in this scene.  We expected all of the slam-bang stuff, but the tearing of the photo and crumpling of the shield really struck a cord with me.  This was a just a very personal assault, I suppose not unlike the Goblin's kidnapping of Gwen Stacy in Amazing Spider-Man #121 -- really hits where you live.  Again, the beating of Jarvis really sickened me, and the sound effect "KRAK" didn't help me any. 

Karen: Back at the hospital, the Wasp and Ant-Man manage to hold off Creel and Titania with a mix of strategy and pure luck. It really helps that these two villains have a combined IQ of about 80. They're able to force Creel into human form and knock him out, and Titania -well, Ant-Man shrinks her down to ant size, and Wasp zaps her! The fight, which they appeared to be hopelessly outmatched, turns out to be a confidence booster. That, and the news that the doctors believe Hercules is going to live, give Wasp the resolve she needs to go after the bad guys. "The Masters of Evil still have control of the mansion...they still have hostages. But I swear they have won their last round! Now it's our turn!"

Doug:  Absolutely loved the fight scene at the hospital.  It was a real underdog story, and if it was a film the audience would have been jumping and cheering.  Really thought it was smart and a great visual when Lang hit Titania with the shrinking gas.  However, I have a question about Jan's powers -- when was it that Hank retooled her growth powers to allow her to shrink to a height of only 4 feet and retain her flight wings?  I am pretty certain it was way after this story -- jeez, it wasn't into the storyline when she actually became bug-like, was it?  Any help from our readers would be welcomed by this dude with the declining memory banks!

Doug:  We're just getting rolling with this one -- Jan, Ant-Man, and Cap are all alive and well.  Have to find a way to spring Cap and the Knight -- think they will?