May 2, 2016 by jerrymcmullen - 0 comments

Essential Captain America Vol. 7

First Published: July 2013

Contents: Captain America #231 (March 1979) to #257 (May 1981)

Key Creator Credits: Roger McKenzie, Roger Stern, Sal Buscema, John Byrne, and others

Key First Appearances: Bernie Rosenthal, Joe Chapman/Union Jack (III), Kenneth Crichton/Baron Blood (III)

Story Continues from: Essential Captain America Vol. 6

Overview: Captain America continues his patriotic duty to his country. The first half of this volume has several one-and-done stories with a variety of creative teams. Beginning with #247, Stern and Byrne take over, pushing the title in a new direction. Over the next nine issues, Captain America battles MachineSmith; considers a run for the presidency; and battles Baron Blood to the death. The final issue of the Stern/Byrne run, #255, gives us the definitive origin story which is still in use, for the most part, to this day.

Other highlights from the book include Steve Rogers moving to Brooklyn to start establishing his own identity. He gets to know the other tenants in his apartment building, including Bernie Rosenthal, a law student that would be a key player in the Captain America stories of the 1980s. With no mention of his Avengers stipend, Rogers goes to work as a free-lance artist for magazines and other publications. His artist portfolio was large enough to hold his shield, to allow for quick changes into the Captain America costume as necessary.

What makes this Essential?: IBy definition, you should consider this Essential-worthy just to get the Stern-Byrne run on Captain America. BUT, those issues can be found together in various collections, usually under the Captain America: War and Remembrance title, in both hardcover and softcover, and always in color. I would be hard-pressed to name a better run of Captain America issues, so find a way to read them in full color. You’ll thank me later!

Footnotes: Captain America #241 was also reprinted in Essential Punisher Vol. 1.

On a personal note, this volume was the 100th Essential edition read by this reviewer. Finishing this volume is what prompted me to start the Essential Showcase blog back in 2013.

If you like this volume, try: the first Mark Waid and Ron Garney run on Captain America. Following Mark Gruenwald’s long run on the title, the stories (as well as the character) were feeling a little stale. The Waid/Garney run began with #444 (October 1995) and breathed new life into both Steve Rogers and Captain America. Going from #443 to #444 really felt like going from #246 to #247 with Stern/Byrne. The run came to an end with #454, so that the title could be included in the Heroes Reborn launch with WildStorm. The Waid/Garney issues have been collected into a Marvel Premiere Edition titled Captain America: Operation Rebirth, and, most recently, these issues were included in a Captain America Epic collection.

April 18, 2016 by jerrymcmullen - 0 comments

Essential Captain America Vol. 6

First Published: April 2011

Contents: Captain America and the Falcon #206 (February 1977) to #222 (June 1978); Captain America #223 (July 1978) to #230 (February 1979); Captain America Annual #4 (1977); and Incredible Hulk #232 (February 1979)

Key Creator Credits: Jack Kirby, Roy Thomas, Don Glut, Steve Gerber, David Anthony Kraft, Roger McKenzie, Sal Buscema, and others

Key First Appearances: Arnim Zola, Primus, Wendell Vaughn/Marvel Boy (Marvel Man/Quasar), Vamp, Ameridroid

Story Continues From: Essential Captain America Vol. 5

Story Continues In: Essential Captain America Vol. 7

Overview: Welcome back to the (sometimes) solo adventures of Captain America. He’s a soldier, a patriot, an Avenger, and most importantly an American. u recall the creation of Captain America, right? I’m not talking about the character’s origin story in the comics. Rather, I refer to the creation of the character in 1940. Writer Joe Simon doodled out a concept called Super

This collection wraps up the end of legendary Jack Kirby run of the mid-1970s. But before he goes, Kirby gives us another of his wacky character creations with Arnim Zola, the would-be conqueror who’s mind has been transferred to a robot body, which has a TV screen in its chest displaying Zola’s face. Zola was a Nazi biochemist who escaped capture at the end of World War II. If you are a long-time reader, you know that any time Captain America comes into contact with a former Nazi, that the Red Skull cannot be far behind.

The Kirby run comes to an end with Captain America Annual #4, which has Cap facing off against another one of Kirby’s great co-creations, Magneto! Considering that one of these characters has powers of magnetism, and one of these characters carries an adamantium shield, well, it’s not looking good for our hero.

Following the obligatory reprint issue or two to recount Captain America’s origins, we are treated to a visit by Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. The spy organization has been recruiting a new team of super agents, but the squad needs a leader. Naturally, Nick believes that Steve Rogers is the man for the job, but Steve has a better suggestion. He proposes that the Falcon take on that task. He’s been working with Cap for many years and is ready to be a leader in his own right. So Captain America and the Falcon go their separate ways, but the two will find ways to reunite in the years to come.

So Captain America is once again working solo, but that doesn’t mean he is alone. We are treated to numerous appearances from the Avengers, and Sharon Carter is by Steve’s side to bridge the gap between his costumed and civilian life. The volume wraps up with a two-issue crossover with the Hulk, making for a pair of characters that we don’t normally see together. It’s a great way to bring this book to a close!

What makes this Essential?: This is an interesting transition time for Captain America. Jack Kirby’s run comes to an end. The title seems to have a rotating roster of writers before Roger McKenzie begins a two-year run. Sal Buscema returns to the book, providing some familiarity for the long-time readers. But the biggest change comes with the ending of the Captain America-Falcon partnership, both within the book as well as the title of the comic.

Despite all of the changes, this is a solid collection. The Kirby issues in this book are my favorites of his mid-1970s run. Arnim Zola may be one of, if not the last great crazy Kirby concept, who has become a mainstay in the comics and now in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Letting the book go back to its singular focus on the title character helps the book, allowing stories to go in different directions without trying to find a way to work the Falcon into the plot. That’s not to imply that I don’t like the Falcon. Just that after being partnered with the Falcon for seven years, having Steve Rogers on his own just offered up fresh takes on our hero.

Footnotes: The table of contents is incorrect in this volume, which lists Captain America Annual #4 as being located between Captain America #230 and Incredible Hulk #232 in the collection. The annual is actually found between Captain America #214 and #215, at the end of the Kirby run.

Captain America #230 and Incredible Hulk #232 are also reprinted in Essential Hulk Vol. 7.

If you like this volume, try: reading up on Quasar. From his humble origins as Marvel Boy contained in this Essential, his stature has grown over the years. He was a recurring character in Marvel Two-in-One with the Project: Pegasus storyline. He was a member of the Avengers, serving a key role in the Galactic Storm mission. He headlined his own title for 60 issues. And he was one of the featured characters in the original Annihilation story, which that event kicked off a series of events that brought “Marvel Cosmic” back into the mainstream. As a result of Annihilation, readers were given a re-introduction/re-imagining of the Guardians of the Galaxy concept which we later saw incorporated into the MCU. The early issues of his solo series were reprinted in 2012 in a Quasar Classic trade paperback. He’s an interesting character that we don’t see enough of anymore, so dive into the back issue bins to find his early adventures.

July 4, 2015 by jerrymcmullen - 1 Comment

Essential Captain America Vol. 5

First Published: June 2010

Contents: Captain America and the Falcon #187 (July 1975) to #205 (January 1977); Captain America Annual #3 (1976); and Marvel Treasury Special Featuring Captain America’s Bicentennial Battles #1 (1976)

Key Creator Credits: John Warner, Frank Robbins, Sal Buscema, Tony Isabella, Jack Kirby, and others

Key First Appearances: Moonstone, Threkker, Contemplator, General Argyle Fist, Brother Inquisitor

Story Continues From: Essential Captain America Vol. 4

Story Continues In: Essential Captain America Vol. 6

Overview: You recall the creation of Captain America, right? I’m not talking about the character’s origin story in the comics. Rather, I refer to the creation of the character in 1940. Writer Joe Simon doodled out a concept called Super American, but decided there were too many Supers in comics those days. So he gave him the title Captain, tweaked the name, and brought in artist Jack Kirby to flesh it out. Captain America Comics #1, featuring Captain America punching out Adolf Hitler, came out in late December of 1940, nearly a full year before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. So the history is there that Jack Kirby has been there since Day 1 with the adventures of Steve Rogers.

Flash forward to 1975, and Marvel re-signs Jack Kirby to a contract after a five-year run at DC. Part of the deal gave Kirby creative control of his books, so he did a lot of titles that fell on the fringes of the Marvel Universe, such as The Eternals and Devil Dinosaur. But he was also given the chance to write and draw Captain America. Kirby jumped in head first and turned the action level up to 11 with the start of his run in the monthly Cap book.

Kirby takes Captain America (and the Falcon) on a MAD run across the country in search of a BOMB. (Yes, that is a subtle plug to the main storyline, Madbomb.) In typical Kirby fashion, there are a lot of Nazis, a lot of 1950s monster references, and a lot of fist-fighting — maybe this is what Kirby was most comfortable drawing, or what he thought would sell best. Marvel really didn’t care, because it was still new art by the King.

What makes this Essential?: If Marvel had planned things out more in advance, they could have easily made this an Essential Captain America by Jack Kirby volume. This volume contains six issues before Kirby took over the title. This Essential ends with issue #205, and Kirby’s run ends ten issues later (including Annual #4) with issue #214. So it could have been possible to get all of the Kirby run in one Essential. Alas, it did not work out that way.

Regardless, this collection is worth a look for the Kirby issues. I will be the first to admit that this is not Kirby’s greatest work. Part of the deal to get Kirby to return to Marvel required giving him more creative freedom and less editorial supervision. I’ve contended for many years that writers and/or artists should not be their own editors. The stories could have been helped some by another voice providing input and suggestions. These are action-packed stories, but there is very little character development going on here.

Footnotes: Captain America’s Bicentennial Battles #1 was initially published as an over-sized Treasury edition. Because of the size of the treasury, the page dimensions to not scale down properly for the Essential formatting, which leads to extra white space on the bottom of each page.

If you like this volume, try: the Captain America volume from 2013 by Rick Remender and John Romita, Jr. This was another re-launch with the All-New Marvel event. In this storyline, Captain America is thrown into Dimension Z, a post-apocalyptic world ruled by Arnim Zola. There is no United States or no American Dream to defend. Steve Rogers just has to be a man standing up for what is right. While this storyline ran over the course of 1 year in publishing time, the events of the story cover 10 years in Captain America’s life. Along the way, Cap gains a son, but is he the father? The story as well as the art echoes back to the frenzied approach that Jack Kirby took in the stories in this Essential. And much like the 1970s Kirby run on Captain America, this run by Remender & Romita, Jr. is either really loved or really hated. This isn’t your typical Captain America storyline, so you have to be willing to accept the character in this different environment.

December 20, 2014 by jerrymcmullen - 2 Comments

Essential Captain America Vol. 4

First Published: January 2008

Contents: Captain America and the Falcon #157 (January 1973) to #186 (June 1975)

Key Creator Credits: Steve Englehart, Stever Gerber, Tony Isabella, Mike Friedrich, John Warner, Sal Buscema, Alan Weiss, Frank Robbins, Herb Trimpe, and others

Key First Appearances: Viper (I), Solarr, Deadly Nightshade, Helmut Zemo/Phoenix (I), Moonstone (I), Roscoe Simons/Captain America (V), Viper (II) (Madame Hydra), Nomad (Steve Rogers)

Story Continues From: Essential Captain America Vol. 3

Story Continues In: Essential Captain America Vol. 5

Overview: Just a word of warning before we get too deep into this review. You may want to take some notes along the way, because this one might get confusing. In this book, we have two Captain Americas; we have two Vipers; we have the first appearance of Phoenix, but it’s not THAT Phoenix that you are thinking about. Likewise, we meet Moonstone for the first time, but it’s not THAT Moonstone that you are thinking about. I’ll do my best to keep things clear, but your best bet might be to pick up a copy of Essential Captain America Vol. 4 and follow along with me.

Now, if you were to make a list of Captain America’s most fearsome foes, we probably would put Baron Zemo on that list. The problem there is which Baron Zemo. There’s been at least a dozen Baron Zemos. One dies, and the next crazy Zemo takes on the costume and title and rushes off to face Cap. In this volume, we meet Helmut Zemo, who works under the Phoenix identity. He won’t become Baron Zemo for another 100 issues, but we are more familiar with him as Citizen V in The Thunderbolts.

This volume is a slow build up to the Secret Empire storyline. We met the Secret Empire years ago, as an offshoot of Hydra. Remember Hydra – cut off one limb, two more rise up! So it turns out that the Secret Empire has been inserting agents into the highest offices in the United States government. And not just the highest offices, but the oval offices too, if you catch my drift. With the help of the Falcon, members of the Avengers, and the X-Men, Captain America is able to uncover and take down the Secret Empire (for now).

Following the battle with the Secret Empire, Steve Rogers finds that he is questioning everything he thought he knew. He finds that he can no longer wear the costume of Captain America, and walks away from the role. Nature abhors a vacuum, and several volunteers step up to assume the mantle of Captain America. The most notable of those was Roscoe Simons, who finds an outfit and tries to partner up with the Falcon. Unfortunately for Roscoe, the pair encounter the Red Skull, who is not happy that his most hated foe is no longer wearing the Captain America uniform. He beats Roscoe senseless, hopefully teaching him a lesson.

Meanwhile, Steve Rogers has adopted a new identity in Nomad, the man without a country. Nomad discovers the beaten Roscoe Simons, and realizes he still has a responsibility. He can represent the American people and the American spirit, even if he does not always represent the American government. Steve Rogers returns to the Captain America identity, and the hunt is on to track down the Red Skull.

What makes this Essential?: This is an intriguing collection. While I personally do not care for many of the stories here, I recognize that they are important to the history of the Marvel Universe. The Secret Empire/Nomad story came out during the Watergate era in Washington, D.C. Coupled with the Vietnam war, many people were disillusioned with the United States government. It makes complete sense that Steve Rogers would walk away from the uniform and his government. The story appealed to a lot of readers at the time, and Sal Buscema and Steve Englehart have indicated in interviews that this run put Captain America into the top ten books sold during this era. So from a historical perspective, I think this is worth reading.

Footnotes: During the Secret Empire story arc, the X-Men were working alongside Cap. During this era, the X-Men comic was reprinting issues from the 1960s. The only way readers could keep up with their favorite mutants was following their adventures in other titles, such as Captain America, Avengers, Marvel Team-Up, and the Incredible Hulk.

If you like this volume, try: Avengers Forever by Kurt Busiek, Carlos Pacheco, and Roger Stern. Originally published as a 12-issue mini-series, this is the ultimate Avengers time-travel story. Immortus is targeting Rick Jones, who uses the Destiny Force to bring Avengers from different eras to help him out. One of those Avengers is the disillusioned Captain America that we saw at the end of the Secret Empire story. This Cap is still strong enough to inspire his fellow Avengers, but he doesn’t take over the book. Captain America and the other Avengers (current day Wasp and Giant Man; a Hawkeye from right after the Kree-Skrull war; Yellowjacket post-breakdown but pre-marriage to Jan; a future Captain Marvel; and an alternate universe Songbird) go toe-to-toe with Immortus across time and space. This is an epic story that only a master storyteller like Busiek could have pulled off. This story initially came out 15 years ago, but I still pull it off of the shelf every couple of years to re-read and marvel (pun intended) at how well done this book is. You can find this in both trade paperback and hardcover, as it has stayed in print over the years.

September 10, 2014 by jerrymcmullen - 3 Comments

Essential Captain America Vol. 3

First Published: December 2006

Contents: Captain America #127 (July 1970) to #133 (January 1971); Captain America and the Falcon #134 (February 1971) to #156 (December 1972)

Key Creator Credits: Stan Lee, Gene Colan, Gary Friedrich, Gerry Conway, Steve Englehart, John Romita, Sr., Sal Buscema, and others

Key First Appearances: Leila Taylor, Boss Morgan, Jack Monroe/Bucky

Story Continues From: Essential Captain America Vol. 2

Story Continues In: Essential Captain America Vol. 4

Overview: Welcome back to the continuing adventures of Captain America and the Falcon. This volume features an all-star list of comic greats, as Stan Lee and Gene Colan wrap up their long run on the book, and familiar Marvel Bullpen creators like Steve Englehart, John Romita, Sr., and Sal Buscema get their chance to take on star-spangled superhero.

Our duo continues helping out Nick Fury, Sharon Carter, and S.H.I.E.L.D. with a variety of familiar foes, such as the Red Skull, Hydra, and the Grey Gargoyle. Heroes like Spider-Man and the Avengers make cameo appearances, as New York City is the hub for all Marvel super-heroes.

Now, one of the struggles for our title character is to find something to occupy his time when he is not in costume. Sam Wilson works as a social worker in Harlem, and now has a steady girlfriend in Leila Taylor. But what can Steve Rogers do? Well, with good intentions, he joins the New York City Police Department. He works with Police Commissioner Feingold to set it up, but they agree to tell no one of Rogers’ other identity. Of course, this leads into all kinds of crazy excuses that Rogers must come up with to explain missing his shift, much to the annoyance of Rogers’ sergeant, Brian Muldoon (who bears a solid resemblance to Jack Kirby, one of Captain America’s co-creators).

The volume concludes with a face-off with the Captain America and Bucky from the 1950s. We find out that the government tried to introduce a new Captain America during the early days of the Cold War. William Burnside is an avid Captain America fan, and while researching his hero, he discovers the super soldier formula long thought lost. He undergoes plastic surgery to have his face shaped to look like Steve Rogers. Bringing in a young Jack Monroe that shares Burnside’s beliefs, the two teamed up as Captain America and Bucky. But their version of the super soldier formula causes psychotic breakdowns in the heroes, and the government is forced to put the two into suspended animation. Reanimated in the early 1970s, the 1950s Cap and Bucky come to blows with our Cap and Falcon. Our fearless heroes triumph, and the 1950s heroes are put back on ice. (In later years, Jack Monroe would return to Captain America’s side, adopting the Nomad costume identity in the 1980s. For more on Nomad, come back for Essential Captain America Vol. 4!)

What makes this Essential?: This volume really has me on the ropes. I don’t want to write a negative review about it, but I don’t know that I can write a positive review either. Given the incredible talents of the creators involved with the volume, one might expect the stories to be more epic in nature, or even more memorable. I don’t believe they were phoning it in during this era, but this is one of those books that felt like priority 1 was to just get a book out each month. This is a very good read for the Captain America fan, but I believe the casual Marvel Universe fan will find it disappointing.

Footnotes: Captain America Special #1 (1971) and #2 (1972) are reprint issues. collecting previously published stories from Tales of Suspense and Not Brand Echh. The covers for the two issues are in this volume.

Beginning with issue #134, the title of the comic changed to Captain America and the Falcon. This remained the title until issue #222, which can be found in Essential Captain America Vol. 6.

If you like this volume, try: the Captain America movies from 2011 and 2014. In all fairness, this may seem like a cheat. Maybe I am struggling to find another book to recommend based on the events of these comics. But at this point, if you are reading Volume 3, you probably have also read Volumes 1 and 2, which gives you 8 years worth of Captain America stories. So you understand who the character is and how he should be portrayed. So jump over to the movies. The 2011 Captain America: The First Avenger film portrays our hero’s origin, using the story from Captain America #255, which is viewed as the definitive Captain America origin, during the Roger Stern-John Byrne run in 1980 (see Essential Captain America Vol. 7). Jump ahead to the 2014 Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier and we see Captain America working with S.H.I.E.L.D., which we have seen a lot in these Essentials. Look at the opening to Captain America #153, as Captain America comes home and finds Nick Fury sitting in the dark. That scene was later mimicked in the movie. Chris Evans visually personifies Captain America in the flesh, even more so than Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man. The Captain America films have done an excellent job of aligning the movie character to that of the comic character, They are worth the re-watch to appreciate how faithful they were to the comics.

January 8, 2014 by jerrymcmullen - 3 Comments

Essential Captain America Vol. 2

First Published: January 2002

Contents: Captain America #103 (July 1968) to #126 (June 1970)

Key Creator Credits: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Jim Steranko, and Gene Colan

Key First Appearances: Dr. Faustus, Madame Hydra, Sam Wilson/Falcon, Redwing

Story Continues From: Essential Captain America Vol. 1

Story Continues In: Essential Captain America Vol. 3

Overview: Captain America bounces back in this second Essential volume from Marvel. We see the transition of the character in this book, as Lee & Kirby take their final run together with Steve Rogers, before handing him over to next wave of creators in the Marvel Bullpen.

While these stories feature a healthy dose of classic villains like the Red Skull and Batroc the Leaper, new villains are added to the mix that expands Cap’s rogues gallery. First up is Doctor Faustus, who uses drugs and mind-control techniques to fight Captain America in psychological battles. The other addition is Madame Hydra, the new leader of the criminal Hydra organization. Complete with her Hydra-green lipstick, Madame Hydra (later known as the Viper) becomes the female antagonist that can tempt Steve Rogers with her body, or lead Hydra in an attempt to take over the world.

Rick Jones tries donning the Bucky costume and serves as Cap’s partner for a few issues. While it does not work for either one, it does show that Cap excels with a partner. Enter Sam Wilson, Harlem social worker and the high-flying Falcon. Captain America and Falcon would partner for many years going forth, and their strong friendship continues to this day.

What makes this Essential?: Captain America starts to expand as a character in this volume, as new creators move in to take over for Lee and Kirby. While Steve Rogers still pines for the world he left behind, he starts to accept living in the (then) modern world of the late-1960s. The creative teams start realizing the possibilities of the character, whether serving as an agent for the government or S.H.I.E.L.D., or as the leader of the Avengers. The creative art advances by Steranko and Colan make this a worthwhile edition to pick up.

Footnotes: While the Black Panther is considered to be the first black superhero, he is a prince from the African nation of Wakanda. The Falcon, who debuts in this Essential, is considered to be the first African-American superhero, created by Lee and Colan.

If you like this volume, try: the Jim Steranko run on Nick Fury, which ran in Strange Tales and in the early issues of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. These stories have been collected numerous times (but not in an Essential) so it should not be difficult to track these down. Steranko came in and took over the art duties from Kirby, and then the writing duties from Roy Thomas. Steranko’s run was part James Bond, part Andy Warhol’s pop art, and pushed the limits of the Comics Code Authority numerous times. Our perception of what S.H.I.E.L.D. should be came from these issues. Truthfully, this is a story better read in color, so pick it up any way you can.

December 18, 2013 by jerrymcmullen - 6 Comments

Essential Avengers Vol. 3

First Published: March 2001

Contents: Avengers #47 (December 1967) to #68 (September 1969), and King-Size Avengers #2 (September 1968)

Key Creator Credits: Roy Thomas, John Buscema, Gene Colan, and Barry Windsor-Smith

Key First Appearances: Dane Whitman/Black Knight, Aragorn, Typhon, Grim Reaper, Ultron, Scarlet Centurion, Vision, Yellowjacket, Man-Ape, Goliath (II), Barney Barton

Story Continues From: Essential Avengers Vol. 2

Story Continues In: Essential Avengers Vol. 4

Overview: Welcome to the Mighty Avengers! Writer Roy Thomas takes full control of the issues collected in this volume, putting his own vision (pun intended) into the team. The Avengers welcome two new members: Black Panther is brought in from the pages of Fantastic Four; and the Vision is introduced as a villainous pawn who overrides his original programming and stands with our heroes. Hank Pym adopts yet another identity in Yellowjacket, and Clint Barton discards his bow and arrows as Hawkeye to take over as the second Goliath on the Avengers team. A new Black Knight is introduced, but he will not officially join the Avengers team until the next Essential volume.

We also get the introduction of two foes that will plague the Avengers for decades to come. The Grim Reaper shows up to take vengeance on the Avengers for the death of his brother Simon Williams, the original Wonder Man from Avengers #9. Things would get much more complicated when it is discovered that the Vision has the memories of Simon Williams, making him a step-brother of sorts to the Grim Reaper.

And Hank Pym inadvertently unleashes an evil unto the world with his creation of Ultron, a self-replicating robot that desires nothing more than world conquest. Ultron places the Vision into the team as a traitor, only to be betrayed by the synthezoid. Ultron would return over and over again, with plans of ruling the planet and punishing his “father”.

What makes this Essential?: I see a transition in the Avengers title in this era. The team becomes less focused on being the world’s mightiest heroes, and instead becomes one large family, albeit dysfunctional. Early stories in this volume deal with the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver trying to break their connections with Magneto. Pym “fathers” Ultron, who in turn “fathers” the Vision. Grim Reaper seeks vengeance for his brother, and finds his brother’s personality and memories alive in an android. Hawkeye comes face-to-face with his long lost brother. And Pym and Janet Van Dyne tie the knot in the first wedding ceremony at Avengers Mansion, creating a whole-new dynamic for the team with married super-heroes. This may sound a lot like a soap opera, but it works for the Avengers. As a reader, I want to keep coming back to see what is going to happen next to these characters. These family issues is what made the Avengers so fascinating throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Footnotes: Avengers #53 was also reprinted in Essential Classic X-Men Vol. 2.

Avengers #61 was also reprinted in Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 2.

Beginning with issue #62, the word “Mighty” was added on the cover, making the cover title read The Mighty Avengers.

If you like this volume, try: the Last Avengers Story by Peter David and Ariel Olivetti. Issued in 1995 during the painted art wave of comics, this prestige format book takes place some number of years in our future. Ultron has destroyed Avengers Mansion and the team inside. Fueled by grief and anger, Hank Pym tries to assemble what remains of the Avengers team to defeat Ultron one last time. Gathering up the Wasp, Hawkeye, She-Hulk, Human Torch, and Cannonball, this Avengers team takes on Ultron, as well as the Grim Reaper, for a final resolution. This story has been collected multiple times, most recently in the Avengers: First to Last collection from 2008.

November 20, 2013 by jerrymcmullen - 2 Comments

Essential Captain America Vol. 1

First Published: March 2000

Contents: Captain America stories from Tales of Suspense #59 (November 1964) to #99 (March 1968), Captain America #100 (April 1968) to #102 (June 1968), and a story from Captain America Comics #5 (August 1941)

Key Creator Credits: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Key First Appearances: Batroc the Leaper, Sharon Carter/Agent 13, Peggy Carter, Super-Adaptoid, Agent Axis, M.O.D.O.K., Fourth Sleeper, Exiles

Story Continues In: Essential Captain America Vol. 2

Overview: Following his triumphant re-introduction to the Marvel Universe, Captain America leaps into an ongoing feature in Tales of Suspense, sharing the book with his fellow Avenger, Iron Man. After issue #99, Iron Man left for his own monthly book, and Tales of Suspense was renamed Captain America, continuing the numbering from Tales of Suspense.

As with many Silver Age stories of the era, familiar plot points are brought up issue and issue. Steve Rogers is a stranger in a strange land, trying to acclimate himself into a new era. Memories of his deceased sidekick Bucky haunt Captain America, not only in his dreams but also in the real world with his encounters with Rick Jones. And while evil has advanced to new levels, the faces behind them remain the same, with arch foes from World War II such as Baron Zemo and the Red Skull.

There is a stretch of issues in the first year of the Captain America feature that re-imagine the Simon & Kirby Captain America stories from the 1940s, giving the new comic readers of 1964 a look back to the early days of the character. As the storyline progressed, new allies and threats were introduced that would become mainstays for years to come. The blonde beauty Sharon Carter was introduced, who at the time was the younger sister of Peggy Carter, one of Captain America’s wartime associates. As we got to see more of S.H.I.E.L.D., a comparative rival organization sprung up by the name of A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics). From the A.I.M. labs come the living computer M.O.D.O.K., and the first appearance of the Cosmic Cube.

What makes this Essential?: It’s hard to say anything negative about a Stan Lee and Jack Kirby story. These are decent stories, but not exceptional stories. There are many issues that felt like a repeat of the previous issues – whether that was intentional or accidental, I don’t know. I think the best way to read this would be concurrently with Essential Avengers Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. The first story in this volume came out the same month that Avengers #10 did, so pick up there and alternate reading the stories between the two volumes. Both sets of stories make references to events in the other book, and the Avengers make numerous appearances in the Captain America stories in Tales of Suspense.

Footnotes: In the credits for this book, the Golden Age Captain America story is attributed to Captain America Comics #10, written by Stan Lee and art by Joe Simon. However, the ComicBookDB website and the Grand Comics Database website both attribute the story to Captain America Comics #5, written and drawn by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.
The family relationship between Peggy Carter and Sharon Carter has changed over the years, as the stories moved further and further away from the fixed time-point of World War II (1939-1945). Initially, Peggy and Sharon were sisters. Later revisions made Peggy an aunt to Sharon, to allow for the greater difference in age if Peggy was to have served during World War II.

If you like this volume, try: the two Captain America: Winter Soldier trade paperbacks, that collected the first year of the 2005 relaunch of the Captain America title by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. Brubaker and Epting took Captain America back to the 1960s feel with a political espionage storyline with the Red Skull controlling things in the background. The Soviets have obtained a Cosmic Cube, and Captain America is brought in to clean things up. Along the way, Captain America comes face-to-face with the Winter Soldier, which turns out to be Steve Rogers’ worst nightmare come back to life. The Brubaker-Epting run on this title is one of the best Captain America story-arcs, and it all starts with these volumes. With the upcoming Captain America movie in 2014, these stories will become very popular to track down.

October 30, 2013 by jerrymcmullen - 3 Comments

Essential Avengers Vol. 1

First Published: October 1998

Contents: Avengers #1 (September 1963) to #24 (January 1966)

Key Creator Credits: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Don Heck

Key First Appearances: Space Phantom, Lava Men, Heinrich Zemo/Baron Zemo, Nathan Garrett/Black Knight, Masters of Evil, Kang, Simon Williams/Wonder Man, Immortus, Count Nefaria, Maggia, Jacques Duquesne/Swordsman, Erik Josten/Power Man, Princess Ravonna,

Story Continues In: Essential Avengers Vol. 2

Overview: And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth’s mightiest heroes and heroines found themselves united against a common threat. On that day, the Avengers were born — to fight the foes no single super hero could withstand! Through the years, their roster has prospered, changing many times, but their glory has never been denied! Heed the call, then — for now, the Avengers Assemble!

In an attempt to gain revenge against his step-brother, Loki creates a plot to force the Hulk to fight Thor. Along the way, Iron Man, Ant Man, and the Wasp join with Thor, before they realize that their true enemy is not the Hulk but rather Loki. From that point, the five heroes vow to ban together to form an unbeatable team. The Wasp suggests the Avengers name, and the rest is history.

Subsequent early issues will have the Hulk leaving the team and Captain America, the now living legend of World War II, joining the team, establishing a tradition of an ever-changing Avengers line-up. This is dramatically shown in issue #16, when the remaining founders take leave from the team and are replaced by a team of reformed criminals in Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch (dubbed Cap’s Quirky Quartet).

Several long-time Avenger foes are introduced with Kang, Immortus, and Baron Zemo and the changing lineup of his Masters of Evil. Future Avenger members Wonder Man (initially a villain, but reforms years later following his resurrection) and Swordsman make appearances in this volume.

What makes this Essential?: As much as the Fantastic Four title was in response to DC’s success with the Justice League of America title, the Avengers is the more comparable doppelganger to the JLA. The original members of the Avengers (Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Ant Man and Wasp, Captain America) all were featured in other anthology books at the time. The Avengers gave the characters a second monthly appearance each month. The events in this title impacted the individual character’s stories in the anthology books, thereby building up the Marvel continuity in a unified comic universe. If Iron Man or Thor was absent from an issue, an editor’s note would drop a hint to the reader to check out that other book to see what was going on.

Also, given the success of recent movie franchise, this is a worthy look at the humble beginnings of the Avengers. While small details were changed, the basic idea of a band of heroes uniting to stop Loki remains the same.

If you like this volume, try: the Avengers Assemble Vol. 1 HC from Kurt Busiek and George Perez. This collection contains the first year of the 1998 relaunch of the Avengers title. While other individual Avengers stories may be more memorable, this series by Busiek-Perez is one of the greatest runs of Avengers stories. The story kicks off with reuniting all previous Avengers to stop Morgana Le Fay from remaking the Earth. The team then slims down to a more manageable line-up, with traditional mainstays (Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch) and introducing new Avengers (Firestar, Justice, Triathalon).