I loved this issue, actually. The art is obviously great, and I liked the writing as well. I liked seeing Yellowjacket, Ant-Man, and Wasp being featured as the stars here. And a training academy for supervillains? Why not. It seems like a reasonable enough concept, by comic book standards.
The whole idea of an "academy" devoted to training up villainous minions and foot-soldiers was just a delightful one to me. It's a joke, of course-- but a dark, dark, and broadly, unapologetically cynical one. I mean, one of the CLASSIC questions that would up in our to 14 year-old comic book bull-sessions was, "where do all of these super-villains get their armies from? Who ARE these guys??" I can only imagine that the germ of this concept had been floating around for years as an ongoing editorial gag ("Why, they hire them from Rent-a-Thug, of course-!"), until Shooter or Michilinie or someone said Heywaitaminnit-- why not??
Actually Shooter did write a story around this concept about a dozen years earlier, in Adventure #372, when he was the writer of the Legion of Super-Heroes series. His story featured an academy for super-powered teenage baddies--they received training to prepare them to join the Legion of Super-Villains.
The whole idea of an "academy" devoted to training up villainous minions and foot-soldiers was just a delightful one to me. It's a joke, of course-- but a dark, dark, and broadly, unapologetically cynical one. I mean, one of the CLASSIC questions that would up in our to 14 year-old comic book bull-sessions was, "where do all of these super-villains get their armies from? Who ARE these guys??" I can only imagine that the germ of this concept had been floating around for years as an ongoing editorial gag ("Why, they hire them from Rent-a-Thug, of course-!"), until Shooter or Michilinie or someone said Heywaitaminnit-- why not??
Actually Shooter did write a story around this concept about a dozen years earlier, in Adventure #372, when he was the writer of the Legion of Super-Heroes series. His story featured an academy for super-powered teenage baddies--they received training to prepare them to join the Legion of Super-Villains.
And yet, that scenario sounds just a touch. . . doofy to me- although I should reserve judgment since I haven't read that story. But you're right, that story would certainly be a precedent for the rough idea, yes? I do prefer the Taskmaster model, though, since it does seem to be thought through with the realities of economics and such-- and provides a quasi-reasonable answer to one of those officially unasked questions about just how the MU could function. The sister question, of course, is who the heck builds all of those secret bases, compounds, labs, workshops, etc, etc that seem to exist by the hundreds in various parts of NYC? I half-remember that this may have been sort of explained somewhere, somewhen-- but no details are springing to mind. I mean. . . who's hangin' the drywall? Who's doin' the rough-out electrical stuff? Installing the bathrooms? How the heck do they tie into the electrical grid? Unless they have a private hydro-electic plant (like. . . from their own dam), their whole operation would have to be run on gasoline-powered generators. I dunno-- seems an unlikely way to power up a thousand google-watt worldwide encephalo-enslavement beam and its accompanying banks of computers. . .
HB-- nitpicking away
(PS- Say, Shar-- I was indeed happy to see ol' Eli M get another playoff win onto his scorecard indeed! Just seems like a nice, underappreciated guy. Man, how about Tebow's finish in the Denver/Pittsb. game, though-!)
ultron69 Avengers Founding Member member is offline
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Re: Avengers Vol. I - Short cut Edition « Reply #304 on Jan 9, 2012, 1:35pm »
Surely Deathstroke the Terminator is partly based on the Taskmaster?
By the way, I love many of Jan's costumes, but I hate this one. Maybe it's just the engineer in me that cries out for symmetry.
P.S. Has Denver been sandbagging it? just waiting for the playoffs? Where did that come from? Also, I actually think the Giants have a shot at beating the Packers, not that I want them to.
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Re: Avengers Vol. I - Short cut Edition « Reply #305 on Jan 9, 2012, 1:37pm »
HB, to your question about the "behind the scenes" stuff in the comics univerese, could it be Damage Control (fictional construction company appearing in Marvel Comics, which specializes in repairing the property damage caused by conflicts between superheroes and supervillains) that you're thinking of?
(PS- Say, Shar-- I was indeed happy to see ol' Eli M get another playoff win onto his scorecard indeed! Just seems like a nice, underappreciated guy. Man, how about Tebow's finish in the Denver/Pittsb. game, though-!)
Damn it, I knew I should've selected Tebow for my fantasy playoff team...but noooo, I took Alex Smith instead!
HB, to your question about the "behind the scenes" stuff in the comics univerese, could it be Damage Control (fictional construction company appearing in Marvel Comics, which specializes in repairing the property damage caused by conflicts between superheroes and supervillains) that you're thinking of?
No. . . no, I remember Damage Control clearly, I do. Bought their mini-series' and everything (never cared for the art-- thought the concept was fun, though). Boy, there'sand economic model that's hard to quantify! Ultimately, the entire nature and scope of the insurance industry in the MU (particularly in New York) would have to be something that we can't even imagine in the real world. That alone would shut down the activities of pretty much every Super Team-! I mean, how bottomless can the pockets of the Maria Stark Foundation have been? I'm not sure a secret Diamond & Vibranium mining operation operated by slaves would even be enough to support the continuous financial outlay they've done over the years. . .
Nah-- the bad guys, the would-be conquerors & Napoleans-- who the heck makes their urban lairs?? Crooked, mafia-run construction companies, maybe?
I DO like the fact that Hydra & AIM provide health, dental, and retirement plans for their workers. It's hilarious even while it makes perfect sense. . . !
"Cease to resist me, and you may live to see another day!" --SuperSkrull
Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,341 Location: DC Metropolitan area Karma: 55
Re: Avengers Vol. I - Short cut Edition « Reply #308 on Jan 10, 2012, 7:56pm »
Aaagh! It's my least favorite of her bajillion costumes! My LEAST-!!
Although a close second is the one with the complicated letter "W" incorporated as an unattractive collar. But I think that one was also hindered by the HORRIBLE hairstyle that came with it- a buzz cut on the back and sides, with a huge pouffe of a bouncy, curly bun protruding high off the top of her forehead. I daresay this was during Al Milgrom's time on the book, so this look was disadvantaged on several levels.
Nope, give me the simple, gold-sequinned, big-collared body-suit w/ the red (or sometimes blue?) tights & sleeves. That's the Jan I love. Probably. . . not the first time I've brought that up on this board. . .
Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 116 Location: Oldenburg-Germany, Deutschland Karma: 11
Re: Avengers Vol. I - Short cut Edition « Reply #310 on Jan 28, 2012, 7:14am »
After being home from three weeks in Berlin my next reading:
US Avengers No. #196
“The terrible Toll of the Taskmaster!”
David Michelinie/Gerorge Perez/Jack Abel
Continued from #195 und #194:
After Wasp, Ant-Man and Yellowjacket were overwhelmed by the Taskmaster, the clanking in the cold New York winter before the Solomon Institute still hiding Avengers are forced to intervene.
But Taskmaster is a much harder nut to crack as the Avengers thought and he can skillfully defend their access with tricks and feints. He runs away from the eyes of the Avengers with a jet. Iron Man is boiling with rage....
Taskmaster: I think this is his first appear at Marvel. I just love the clever and witty Villain. With his many tricks he brings the Avengers to despair! And he is one of my favorite Heroclix Figures:
After being home from three weeks in Berlin my next reading:
US Avengers No. #196
“The terrible Toll of the Taskmaster!”
David Michelinie/Gerorge Perez/Jack Abel
Continued from #195 und #194:
After Wasp, Ant-Man and Yellowjacket were overwhelmed by the Taskmaster, the clanking in the cold New York winter before the Solomon Institute still hiding Avengers are forced to intervene.
But Taskmaster is a much harder nut to crack as the Avengers thought and he can skillfully defend their access with tricks and feints. He runs away from the eyes of the Avengers with a jet. Iron Man is boiling with rage....
Taskmaster: I think this is his first appear at Marvel. I just love the clever and witty Villain. With his many tricks he brings the Avengers to despair! And he is one of my favorite Heroclix Figures:
Welcome back, Mich! Been kind of missing the trips down memory lane you provide us with-!
Wasn't this the storyline that, as you say, has most of the team camped outside of the institute, keeping watch? I'm pretty sure one of my favorite, small, "real" moments is shown here, with the Beast ferrying coffee/hot chocolate around to everyone. Just a brilliant touch on the writer's part, displaying a level of simple, everyday humanity that we can all relate to w/out killing it by over-emphasizing it.
On the down side, I'm pretty sure that the poor, escaped, cloned fellow that we met a couple of issues before (collapsing on the mansion steps even as he's stunned by Jan's beauty) is rather casually killed off. I do think this is an editorial flaw in the story, as we become (again, this is from memory) rather invested in this character early on, but then he's dismissed later as little more than a plot device. Keep the guy alive, for pete's sake-- he may have contributions to make to some story years & years from now-!
I wasn't as smitten with the Taskmaster as many were, right off the bat. Mostly just because he clearly isn't an Avengers-level nemesis. "Photographic Reflexes" is a hoot of a power-concept-- but c'mon-- a menace that no single hero can face alone-- as it were? But as I've said before, the whole package he comes with, as well as the sense of mystery (which I believe is still maintained, yes?) does make him engaging and fun to read.
ultron69 Avengers Founding Member member is offline
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Re: Avengers Vol. I - Short cut Edition « Reply #312 on Feb 12, 2012, 5:05pm »
Well, #196 is the follow-up to #195, and I loved it just as much. The art and the writing were both top notch, especially the art, of course, thanks to Mr. Perez. It's true that the Taskmaster doesn't seem like guy who should be taking on the Avengers all by himself (well, he did have help from his goons) but then Deathstroke was always taking on the Teen Titans and that worked out pretty well, so I guess it can be pulled off with good writing and George Perez art.
After being home from three weeks in Berlin my next reading:
US Avengers No. #196
“The terrible Toll of the Taskmaster!”
David Michelinie/Gerorge Perez/Jack Abel
Continued from #195 und #194:
After Wasp, Ant-Man and Yellowjacket were overwhelmed by the Taskmaster, the clanking in the cold New York winter before the Solomon Institute still hiding Avengers are forced to intervene.
But Taskmaster is a much harder nut to crack as the Avengers thought and he can skillfully defend their access with tricks and feints. He runs away from the eyes of the Avengers with a jet. Iron Man is boiling with rage....
Taskmaster: I think this is his first appear at Marvel. I just love the clever and witty Villain. With his many tricks he brings the Avengers to despair! And he is one of my favorite Heroclix Figures:
Welcome back, Mich! Been kind of missing the trips down memory lane you provide us with-!
Wasn't this the storyline that, as you say, has most of the team camped outside of the institute, keeping watch? I'm pretty sure one of my favorite, small, "real" moments is shown here, with the Beast ferrying coffee/hot chocolate around to everyone. Just a brilliant touch on the writer's part, displaying a level of simple, everyday humanity that we can all relate to w/out killing it by over-emphasizing it.
HB
Yes, right! It is. This little moment is very pretty, the Avengers in the cold NY-winter and the Beast is going around with a thermos and spending hot coffee for his pals!!!
Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 116 Location: Oldenburg-Germany, Deutschland Karma: 11
Re: Avengers Vol. I - Short cut Edition « Reply #314 on Mar 15, 2012, 1:15pm »
US – Avengers #197 Prelude of the War Devil
David Michelinie/ Jack Infatino/“Jacks little Helpers“
After the straining dust-up with the Taskmaster (#196) it is time for a little break in the HQ. But the(general) cussedness of things are lurking: - the elevator in the mansion gets stuck, - the perculator doesn´t work - Mrs. Marvel is in the third month pregnant - Beast and Wonder-Man are chased by brashed Fans
This is an nice „behind the scenes“ – story and a prelude for the begining story-line of the WAR – DEVIL.
According the credits the ink were created by „Jacks little helpers“ ! In a caption-box Jim Shooter explains: „Abel has been laid up of late and a buch of his pen-pushing pals have volunteered their services to help him. Who did what we´re still not sure, you are welcom to guess!“
David Michelinie/ Jack Infatino/“Jacks little Helpers“
After the straining dust-up with the Taskmaster (#196) it is time for a little break in the HQ. But the(general) cussedness of things are lurking: - the elevator in the mansion gets stuck, - the perculator doesn´t work - Mrs. Marvel is in the third month pregnant - Beast and Wonder-Man are chased by brashed Fans
This is an nice „behind the scenes“ – story and a prelude for the begining story-line of the WAR – DEVIL.
According the credits the ink were created by „Jacks little helpers“ ! In a caption-box Jim Shooter explains: „Abel has been laid up of late and a buch of his pen-pushing pals have volunteered their services to help him. Who did what we´re still not sure, you are welcom to guess!“
Somehow, I. . . I can't specifically recall much about this issue at all. Hunh. And it's the kind of thing I usually love, too. I do remember Ms. Marvel's troubling situation, and I remember Hank & Simon getting mobbed. . .
Maybe it's just because there was no big event to frame everything else around? Did the art look as scattered as the credits sound? Maybe it was less than memorable?
ultron69 Avengers Founding Member member is offline
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Re: Avengers Vol. I - Short cut Edition « Reply #316 on Mar 23, 2012, 3:48pm »
I really enjoyed the writing here, the art not so much as I don't care for Infantino. I do often like the "filler" issues. The Beast/Wonder Man buddy stuff was fun, the starting of the Red Ronin story held my interest, and I actually started likine Ms. Marvel in this issue. Too bad they ruined her 3 issues later. I like the bit where she says to Wanda should the world needs her as the Scarlet Witch, and the she should find that more fulfilling than the silly stereotype of having a baby.
Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 116 Location: Oldenburg-Germany, Deutschland Karma: 11
Re: Avengers Vol. I - Short cut Edition « Reply #317 on Apr 27, 2012, 7:54am »
US – Avengers # 198
„Better red than Ronin!“
Michelinie/Perez/Dan Green
Red Ronin is a huge combat-robot and was developed by SHIELD/Tony Stark to stop Godzilla. The schizophrenic and mad scientist Dr. Earl Cowan takes possession of the combat-machine. He will navigate Ronin to the UDSSR to machinate the 3. World War. The Avengers fails to stop the powerful machine.
Meanwhile is Carol Danvers in an awkward predicament: she is pregnant! But she cannot declare oneself her pregnancy, ... because of lacking a male creator.
On the first look the story affects naïve to me. But on the second look the story comprises a lot of the fears for the III. World War at that time. In a sensitive prelude Carol Danvers is revealing her sorrows about her crazy und unexpected pregnancy to Wanda.
ultron69 Avengers Founding Member member is offline
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Re: Avengers Vol. I - Short cut Edition « Reply #318 on Apr 27, 2012, 8:42am »
I actually enjoyed this comic quite a bit. The Avengers try to stop Red Ronin two different ways (Beast & Jocasta by talking him out of it, Iron Man & SHIELD with force) and fail, and the ending, with his controls stuck on "destroy" set up nocely for the next issue. Plus, as Michdiers says, it incorporates some contemporary fears about WWIII (we have to remember the times in which things were written to get the full effect) and some nice dialogue between Ms Marvel and Wanda. Finally, the George Perez/Dan Green art is excellent, as usual.
Finally, the George Perez/Dan Green art is excellent, as usual.
!!! Yes, excellent art!!!
Ah, the whole world is watching The Avengers, we´re reading them in a real comic book:
US Avengers #199
Last Stand on Long Island
Michelinie/Perez/Green
After an coordinated action the Avengers are able to stop the huge combat-robot „Red Ronin“ at the moment. And after unplugguing the main-plug in the control system by the logic- scientific thinking Beast, the robtot is finally breaked down. The menace is avoided.
After turning back to the mansion the pals have to face an new danger. Carol Danvers pregnancy is going out of control, something weird is apparently happened with her …
This was a clever and smart story with a lot of fantastic ideas and a really amazing cliffhanger at the end.
Bad lettering, I´m not pleased by the lettering on the last pages.
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Re: Avengers Vol. I - Short cut Edition « Reply #320 on May 9, 2012, 12:43pm »
I love the fact that the Beast finally gets to save the day! I thought this was a pretty good "giant moster attacks city" story with again, excellent art. The end with Ms. Marvel had me very interested to see the next issue. Little did I know what disater awaited. I hadn't noticed the lettering, I guess. I'll have to take another look.
I love the fact that the Beast finally gets to save the day! I thought this was a pretty good "giant moster attacks city" story with again, excellent art. The end with Ms. Marvel had me very interested to see the next issue. Little did I know what disater awaited. I hadn't noticed the lettering, I guess. I'll have to take another look.
I tell ya, Mich, I almost blurted out too soon how the Beast was going to save the day, here-! Although this whole little 1-1/2 part story had kind of "fill-in issue" feel to me, the art was still great, the characters were consistent and fun, and it was a perfectly enjoyable diversion from the usual earth/solar system/galaxy/universe-saving routine that we see so often. And we TOTALLY needed to see Mr. McCoy finally gain some traction as the best man for the job at hand. . . and with his brain, yet!
Continued from #199: High tension in the Avengers Mansion. Mrs. Marvels son was born! The midwifes Dr. Blake an Jocasta are shocked: the baby develops within a few hours to a mature and attractive man. Meanwhile around the mansion the environment is going mad. There are bustling spaceships, sauriers, shuttering WW I biplanes, knights and indians…
A fascinating double-sized story with Mrs. Marvel as a involuntary mother of a just now borned infant, who is developing to an attractive man and who lets fall the heroin into a discord between mothership and beloved woman.
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