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Post by Tana Nile on Oct 29, 2007 10:31:03 GMT -5
OK Assemblers, out of all the various Avengers comics published over the years, can you come up with your five favorite covers? Please list the covers and give your reason for choosing them. I'll start: 1. Avengers #4 - the return of Cap, such an iconic cover, and so dynamic. 2. Avengers #57 - "Behold the Vision!" Dramatic art by Big John Buscema. 3. Avengers #92- the first Avengers comic I ever had, the beginning of the Kree-Skrull War, with great art by Neal Adams. Is it any wonder I have such high standards?  4. Avengers #141 - the stand-off with the Squadron Supreme, by George Perez. His art has improved since then, but this is the cover of his I always flash back to when I think of his Avengers work. the angle gives it extra energy.  5. Giant-Size Avengers #1 - oddly enough, by Romita Sr. I just like the big three running towards us!  modified to add the 3 covers not already shown by other posts! ;D |
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Post by dlw66 on Oct 29, 2007 10:45:28 GMT -5
The Kooky Quartet against Kang the Conqueror -- Avengers #23  The Return of Hank Pym!! Avengers #28, a reprint of which was the second (and still my all-time favorite) Avengers comic I ever had!  The first great John Buscema cover, and with a great shot of Goliath to boot! Avengers #51  Another super Buscema cover, featuring some of the Avengers rogues gallery of the day -- Avengers #79  The first off-the-shelf Avengers mag I ever bought, and my indoctrination to the then-modern team -- Avengers #130 (featuring the art of Dave Cockrum).  |
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Post by scottharris on Oct 29, 2007 15:59:21 GMT -5
1. Avengers 96 -- Neal Adams and an enraged Vision = awesome.  2. Avengers 57 -- Buscema with the all-time classic 1st Vision.  3. Avengers 4 -- Cap returns.  4. Avengers 256 -- Great Buscema cover, so good I had to buy it -- my first issue of Avengers.  5. Avengers 129 -- Kang! The Celestial Madonna storyline starts! Sweet.  Honorable mentions: 7, 48, 51, 59, 85, 97, 102, 141, 223, 367 |
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Post by dlw66 on Oct 29, 2007 19:17:41 GMT -5
Scott -- your "first" issue of Avengers was my first issue after a 4+ year hiatus. I didn't think comics were cool for high school dudes, so I got out of it. Then I got to college and started hanging with some friends who I found out were into it. #256 was the first issue I bought off a spinner rack when I started catching up!!
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Post by sharkar on Oct 29, 2007 19:35:17 GMT -5
What a great, fun topic. Exalt to Tana for starting. I wholeheartedly agree with the already-cited choices of #4, #23, #28, #51, #57, and #79. I hope no one minds if I bend the rules a bit, but I'm going to have to split my choices up, into two separate posts. Classic Kirby for a classic issue:  I get vertigo just looking at this!  The King's cover conveyed more drama than the actual story.  I've mentioned my fondness for this cover before--it's one of my all-time favorites. Great work by Colan.  I also recently mentioned this cover in another thread--very well-drawn and atmospheric.  EDIT: corrected "8" to "28" (great Kirby Goliath cover). |
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Post by sharkar on Oct 29, 2007 20:08:59 GMT -5
I neglected to mention I also agree with the choice of #96...IMO one of Adams' most effective Avengers covers. You could really feel the Vision's fury! Now, you may have noticed my other list did not include the work of a certain artist. Well, that's because when it comes to the Avengers, to me this gentleman's work is in a category all his own. So here are my top five Big John Buscema Avengers covers (excluding the fantastic choices others have already cited): An appropriately dark cover for a dark story.  JB excelled at group dynamics. He elevated the overused "team vs. team" shot to another level.  Ditto here on the group dynamics. No one was better at rendering the male physique.  You can feel Cap's anguish.  Look at the arrangement of figures. Amazing.  |
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Post by Tana Nile on Oct 29, 2007 21:52:30 GMT -5
Wow, I love seeing everyone's choices. Issue 96 was also on my top ten list, but I went with 92 from that era instead. Although I loved Perez' run in volume 3, I just didn't feel that close connection to any of his covers, although the one featuring Ultron's face does stick out in my mind. I also really liked Avengers Annual 2, especially the Hulk, he looks so beastial!
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Post by bendisbites on Oct 30, 2007 1:09:46 GMT -5
Hmm I'll have to see about adding the images later, but among my faves:
Avengers #181
161
141
122
76
I hate having to stop at just five!
What about 58 and 276 and 285?
So many good ones...
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Post by sharkar on Nov 1, 2007 18:25:12 GMT -5
I hate having to stop at just five! So many good ones... I know what you mean, it's hard to choose just five (that's why I had to post two lists...  ). You mentioned #76; another great Buscema cover. Although I loved Perez' run in volume 3, I just didn't feel that close connection to any of his covers, although the one featuring Ultron's face does stick out in my mind. I agree...for the most part those covers aren't that memorable to me either. For me, my favorite cover from this run would be #2 (v.3); his penchant for crowd scenes/details is more than just decorative here:  EDIT: re-added image |
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Post by Doctor Bong on Nov 1, 2007 19:45:18 GMT -5
Well... even the 1st cover from vol. 3, with all of Avengerdom assembled & charging...  |
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Post by sharkar on Nov 1, 2007 20:09:52 GMT -5
Yeah, I have to admit I wasn't crazy about that cover (#1,v.3), Bong...which is not to say it wasn't good or very well-drawn...but just that it didn't grab me. I prefer the cover to #2 with his ingenious, meticulous depiction of the alternate identities.
How about you, what are your 5 favorite covers?
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Post by dlw66 on Nov 2, 2007 10:27:03 GMT -5
My favorite George Perez Avengers covers (in no order, just 5 of 'em): I can't verify that this is by Perez, although I am pretty sure that it is. George did the interior pencils.  The center, with Ant-Man shooting up to double-punch Cap and T'Challa is great. Others have focused more on Wanda...  Very cool -- there have been many variations of this idea.  As a kid I think I traced this cover until there were grooves worn in the paper!!  Probably my favorite visual, as mentioned by others!  |
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Post by sharkar on Nov 2, 2007 12:06:39 GMT -5
Those are some really great covers, dlw, especially the full-length depictions of YJ, Wanda, Widow...excellent figure work. The center, with Ant-Man shooting up to double-punch Cap and T'Challa is great. Others have focused more on Wanda... This is probably "old hat" and already an accepted part of John Byrne lore, but I love the homage he paid to #161 with his later WCA cover...besides Wanda (obviously) reclining in the foregrounds of both covers, Ant-Man "shooting up to double-punch Cap and T'Challa" is echoed by the Vision "shooting up" flanked by Hawkeye and Simon. Also, in a neat twist, Hank in the aggressor in the first cover and he's "passive" in the second...and Vizh is passive in the first cover and the aggressor in the second.  |
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Post by Doctor Doom on Nov 2, 2007 18:24:24 GMT -5
I know I'll be hated for this, but one of my favourites based on pure simlicity and yet emotion (Even though the story contained within could not match it) is 503. It always seems so sad to me:  |
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Post by Bored Yesterday on Nov 3, 2007 7:17:55 GMT -5
Wow these are all over the board. I love seeing everybody's suggestion. And will post my own picks when I get a chance.
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Post by uberwolf on Nov 3, 2007 8:38:54 GMT -5
I know I'll be hated for this, but one of my favourites based on pure simlicity and yet emotion (Even though the story contained within could not match it) is 503. It always seems so sad to me: Hated? Whatever for? It is a fantastic cover, but as you say, the rest of the comic sucked. |
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Post by Tana Nile on Nov 5, 2007 10:02:47 GMT -5
That cover actually reminds me of the Under Siege story, where in the aftermath, we see Cap looking through what's left of his personal mementos.
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Post by sharkar on Nov 5, 2007 11:35:24 GMT -5
I agree, when I first saw #503's cover that's what I thought, too; the way he's positioned and everything...I assumed it was an homage. Very powerful panel and cover.
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Post by sharkar on Nov 5, 2007 12:00:05 GMT -5
I love going through these old covers! Here, some hard-boiled favorites: (and yes, I am cheating here by including non-Avengers, non-Marvel covers here...I think the Avengers cover was more than a little influenced by the DC covers.)    |
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Post by Doctor Bong on Nov 9, 2007 21:05:25 GMT -5
Yeah, I have to admit I wasn't crazy about that cover (#1,v.3), Bong...which is not to say it wasn't good or very well-drawn...but just that it didn't grab me. I prefer the cover to #2 with his ingenious, meticulous depiction of the alternate identities. How about you, what are your 5 favorite covers? Sorry it took me so long for me to post about this: I was trying to think hard about it...! But, in the end, I'm afraid I'm not going to be original at all, except maybe for my # 1 choice: 1) Avengers #1 Vol. III 2) #97 Vol. I 3) the one from Vol. III barely showing Ultron's face in the dark, its eyes red & aglow... 4) the one from Vol. III where a colossal Kang's impaling the world with the giant sword that is his "Damocles" base/ship... 5) King-Size Special #2 |
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Post by Doctor Doom on Nov 10, 2007 6:16:38 GMT -5
Ah, Bong, you read my mind! I forgot your fourth cover and it ruled! Volume 3 #49  Incidentally, another favourite of mine was actually not the Ultron one you guys keep talking about, but the picture of him from the cover of V3 22. Particularly love the red hue and that the logo in the top left corner is the aforementioned image...  |
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Post by sharkar on Nov 15, 2007 21:01:02 GMT -5
I'm going to have to take a closer look at Volume 3's covers... you're all citing great choices! In retrospect, it's strange to see how the classic Kree-Skrull War was referred to on this cover- -the "Skrull vs. Kree War!!"  |
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Post by starfoxxx on Dec 1, 2007 14:46:21 GMT -5
great replies!!! Covers STILL are a weakness for me (propbaly one of the reasons im an Avenger and not an X-fan. top 5 Avengers#240-my 1st Avengers ish,who were all these characters?the Spiderwoman ghost floating thru the wall was cool. Avengers #249- Thor AND Hercules with a great lineup and the shadow image of the demons. Avengers #250 (im nostalgic for this era) a cool "heroes in a big, bad hand" cover with east and west teams, (still miss that, but MAYBE 50 teams will be cool too, whenever that happens). Avengers #221 just a personal fave, i love the check your favorite thing. finally, Avengers #200 great, big lineup, (Best Ever???) and G. Perez. almost all Perez' covers were great and would probably fill the rest of my top 10.
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). You mentioned #76; another great Buscema cover. 
