That's Just Dumb

Doug: Some things, in the hands of the ignorant, are dangerous. As this is the endless season of elections here in the States, we are inundated with poll after poll. But it's a poll I saw on Twitter a couple of days ago (and actually voted in) that has drawn my ire. Have a look for yourself:

Doug: Really? Now you all could guess that I voted for Goliath. Yup -- finished dead last. Check out the number of voters. Over 13K... and over 8100 of those nitwits chose Ant-Man as their favorite alias of Hank Pym? Clearly, these weren't Bronze Age Babies voting in this poll.

Who's the Worst... Costume for Functionality?

Doug: Thanks to everyone who sort of hit around today's topic without landing on it in yesterday's conversation. Today we're not looking for the worst costume -- but the worst costume for all your crime-fighting, swashbuckling, et al. activities. Of note from Tuesday's post were Yellowjacket's "wings" and capes in general. So have at it!

How Small Problems Become Big Problems: Avengers 140

To Everyone Here in the States, a Very Happy Memorial Day (and a special "thank you" to all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom) -- Bring on Summer!

 

Avengers #140 (October 1975)

"A Journey to the Center of the Ant"

Steve Englehart-George Tuska/Vince Colletta

Doug:  When we originally set up this post, we'd included the cover scan from the Comic Book Database, our usual source for the covers we display at the top of our reviews.  However, when scanning for the art samples I decided to switch it out with a scan of the cover of my personal copy.  I want you to direct your eyes to the "A" in Avengers and notice the date written on the cover of this magazine.  I bought this at a corner grocery store (yep, can actually remember exactly when I came into possession of this issue).  Do you have books in your collection with such defacing?  I know that retailers could tear the tops off of the covers and return them to the magazine distributors for partial refunds; my assumption is that what we see here is part of that process.

Doug:  As a youngster, I'll admit to being totally confused by this issue!  I had never seen an issue of Amazing Adventures featuring the Beast, and had really only read the character a time or two in reprints (notably in the Avengers/X-Men crossover that ran in Avengers #53 and X-Men #45 -- albeit in reprints).  But Steve Englehart wrote this one largely as if we were all in on the entire backstory.  When I was nine I found that to have placed a veil over my eyes; on the re-read, I was taken back to that time almost 40 years ago.  We've grown so accustomed to recaps, that this tale without any sort of detailed one included was just a whirlwind (pun intended)!  But enough about me...

Doug: We open on the steps to the hospital at which Janet Pym is a patient.  After helping Yellowjacket defeat the Whirlwind, the Beast has walked his new teammate back to the place where his wife lies in grave danger.  However, as the Beast ascends the steps to the building, he turns to notice Hank Pym stagger and attempt to support himself before crumpling to the ground.  As the Beast bounds over to give aid, he notices that a) YJ's passed out, and b) he seems to be growing!  Hank McCoy deduces that this must be fall-out from a microbe YJ had gotten as Ant-Man some months before.  Panicking, the Beast eschews the stairs or elevators of the building and instead scales it from the outside.  Entering the Wasp's room, he greets Thor, who continues to stand watch.  Thor ushers the Beast out into the hall, where the Thunder God is debriefed on Hank Pym's condition.  The two Avengers make their way to the street, where Pym has already grown to 20 feet!  A doctor comes out and suggests that they move YJ while they still can; Thor says "nay", as he's pretty sure the fallen hero will soon fill any enclosure.  At that, the Beast gets an idea and bounds away without explanation.

Karen: I liked the Beast's simple explanation for why YJ had used his size-changing powers even though he knew it was dangerous: "He wanted to hit somebody so bad..."! That pretty much sums it up. I'm with you, I was fairly confused about the Beast and what he was up to the first time I read this, having not read his Amazing Adventures series.

Doug:  To be fair, Englehart does give us an ever-so-brief reflection by McCoy on his days at the Brand Corporation working as a chemist -- it still went over my head.  Hank wants to break into his former place of employment, as he thinks a project he was working on may help his new friend.  But Brand has a fair amount of security, so the next 3 1/2 pages give us the break in and then subsequent break out by our furry would-be Avenger.  He's able to locate the serum he was after, but has to take out a few guards along the way.

Karen: I think I've commented on this before, but it's odd to think that the Beast had a healing power at this point, much like Wolverine's, and actually I believe he had it before Wolverine's was ever mentioned. But it seems to have been forgotten at some point. He's also got a sort of stream-of-consciousness thing going, where he just keeps rambling on from one thing to the next. I think Steve Englehart must have felt very simpatico with the Beast.

Doug:  Subplot #2 (from last issue):  A redhead knocks on the front door of Avengers Mansion and is told by Jarvis that the Beast is not home.  Really?  You could just walk right up to the front door?  No wonder "Under Siege" took place!  She refuses to leave, and parks herself on the front porch.  I had no clue who she was, and as I recall, a few issues later during the big reveal I still had no idea.

Karen: Shouldn't there be a gate at least?

Doug:  Subplot #3 (again, from last issue):  The Vision and the Scarlet Witch return to NYC via quinjet, and as Wanda continues to lament their honeymoon being cut short, the Vision looks out the window and spies a very large Yellowjacket lying prone in the middle of the street.  He quickly whips the quinjet around and executes a landing, and then hurriedly greets Thor for the 411.  I'll use this space to comment on a bone I've often picked with artists who have to draw giant-sized characters, and I alluded in an earlier post that I'd be bringing this point up when we reviewed this issue.  YJ looks great in this panel -- perfectly proportioned, and he really looks like he might be 50 feet tall.  However, George Tuska's depictions of the supposedly ever-growing Hank are all over the place throughout the rest of the story, and that bugs me.  There must have been some frame of reference that Tuska could have used for consistency's sake.  As long as we're at it, I'll reiterate that Vinnie Colletta isn't the best inker for Tuska.

Karen: Vision's sort of peeved that everyone's surprised they're back so soon, and Wanda's certainly not happy to cut the honeymoon short, although I think at this point she should just be glad Mantis is not around any more. I agree about the ever-changing size of Mr. Pym -he looks 40-50 feet tall when seen by Wanda and Vizh above, but then perhaps 25 feet tall when they land. It is a bit distracting.

Doug:  Wanda emerges from the quinjet as well, and figures that if Hank Pym's troubles are physical and/or organic that she'll be able to fix it.  Nope -- witchcraft is a no-go.  The Beast arrives back on the scene, and among the Avengers they determine that a blood sample from Jan is what McCoy needs to complete his analysis of his wonder-serum and adapting it to Hank Pym's needs.  But when they get back in the hospital, Jan's attending physician says he won't allow a blood draw.  Say what?  I thought this was a somewhat silly plot device, as no doctor should leave any stone unturned when saving a life is at issue.  But what this did do was get an appearance by Dr. Don Blake, who convinces Jan's doctor to help out the Beast.  He relents, and McCoy is able to get a lab to hole up in and do his work.

Karen: Don Blake -- always showing up just at the right time. But really, how does the man have any credibility at all in the medical community? I got a good laugh out of this. The character was such a plot device. I was glad when they finally got rid of him for good.

Doug:  Subplot #1 (again - last time - from last issue):  Moondragon and Iron Man are just about to leave Doc Doom's castle after having gone there in search of Hawkeye.  Finding no evidence of the bowman, Iron Man follows the priestess from the chamber when he hears something -- the time travel platform suddenly materializes, and with blood on it.  Iron Man declares that he smells a trap!

Karen: Although I tend to connect Hawkeye with Cap, because of their time together in the early days, Iron Man has a strong connection to Hawkeye too of course: Hawkeye first appeared in Iron Man's book (well in Tales of Suspense anyway) as an enemy. So Shellhead's intense motivation to find Clint is understandable.  Just one question here though: Why is Moondragon drawn with pointed ears?

Doug:  Back at the hospital, the Beast is finally successful in getting the formula he wanted to create.  After his five hour ordeal, he looks in on Jan.  Passing by a window, he sees that Hank Pym has now grown to 150 feet (but looks much smaller than he did from the Vision's previous aerial view).  Racing to the elevator and down, McCoy joins Thor, the Vision, and the Scarlet Witch beside their fallen comrade.  The Beast declares that the serum has to get into YJ's bloodstream fast.  The Vision offers to take it, and climbs the arm and chest of Yellowjacket.  Once on his chest, the Vision turns intangible and enters the giant.  Of course this is reminiscent of a turned table from several years past, when Hank Pym as Ant-Man saved the Vision in similar fashion.  I found it puzzling that it seemed unclear to the Beast how Pym would be administered the drug, yet once inside YJ the Vision remarked to himself that he didn't know how McCoy had made the drug with properties of tangibility/intangibility.

Karen: Beast creates the formula but apparently isn't sure how he's going to get it into YJ. Then the Vision volunteers, and says he can take it, as he can control not only his own density, but that of his costume and everything within it, and with that pours the formula into his cape. OK, fine. But then a few minutes later, the Vision is inside YJ's chest and declares he doesn't know how the Beast has made the liquid intangible like himself. I think what happened here is old Steve wrote the first part, then went and had dinner, or went to bed, who knows, then came back and wrote the second part and completely forgot what he had written before!

Doug:  Inside Yellowjacket, the Vision makes his way toward and then into the giant's heart.  Along the way he's attacked by the very microbes that have caused this problem.  In a move that I guess I would not have recommended, the Vision slightly solidifies himself so that he can combat the little nasties.  He's then able to release the serum and exit the body.  Once outside he's hailed as a hero, while standers by note that Yellowjacket is already beginning to shrink.  It's mere moments before he's conscious, and then sitting up shortly thereafter.  Once back to his normal height, he quickly jumps to his feet and begins to run toward the hospital -- against the advice of his teammates.  Undeterred, Pym finds his wife's room, where she has also snapped back to "normalcy".  The two share a reunion, as the Avengers bask in their love, and a mission accomplished.

Karen: Man, did he recover quickly or what? I thought that was a little hard to swallow, but then we're talking about a guy who can grow to 150 feet tall, so I guess all bets are off. I have to say the trip inside YJ was pretty underwhelming, particularly when compared to the similar trip inside the Vision as drawn by Neal Adams in issue #93. I think my favorite part is Thor raising his hammer and yelling at the end.

Doug:  I have always liked this two-parter, probably mostly due to the fact that it was among the first consecutive issues of the Avengers that I owned.  As I've said before, I had quite a smattering of this title as well as the Marvel Triple Action reprints, but this may have been the first complete story that I owned -- I know that very early on I had copies of #'s 111 and 119 as "new" issues.  I really enjoyed the battle the previous issue with a giant Yellowjacket, and the pacing of this conclusion, with the Beast working to beat the clock, the return of the Vision and Scarlet Witch, and the various subplots all served to give me the impression that this was a must-read comic series.  And as I've loved these heroes for over 40 years now, I'd say the creators did a good job at selling to this guy.

Growing Pains: Avengers 139

Avengers #139 (September 1975)

"Prescription: Violence!"

Steve Englehart-George Tuska/Vince Colletta

Doug:  What in the world is there not to like about a floating heads cover?  Well, no matter what you might suggest to the contrary, I'll always argue that there is nothing not to like.  And there's no place better to find them than featuring Earth's Mightiest Heroes!  Hey, this 2-parter was my suggestion to Karen a few months ago when we were plotting the spring after our January hiatus.  It's never been a secret that I'm in Hank Pym's corner -- have been since I read this story, Avengers #28, and on and on.  This book also shows that Steve Englehart had truly mastered Stan Lee's formula of angst, subplots, and characterization.  And there's not just a little bit of action in this one.  Shall we?

Doug:  When this book was new, I had only read a smattering of tales of the Avengers.  I knew of the Kooky Quartet and the team just after, I'd seen parts of the "Celestial Madonna" arc, and some of the Giant-Size issues.  But in terms of having any sort of a consistent run on the title, I'd not amassed anything approximating that as of yet.  So as we go through this, with all of the aforementioned subplots, I'll say that it wasn't exactly a jumping-on point for this 9-year old!  But I will say that with this issue, I did start a string of issues that didn't stop until just before #200 when I stopped collecting for a few years.  We open in a hospital room, where it's pretty crowded.  An apparently naked Janet Pym lies asleep while her husband threatens the Toad.  You see, in the last ish Magneto's former lap dog had impersonated the Stranger and Janet had suffered grave injuries.  Now Hank ain't happy -- not a bit.  The rest of the roster is present as well, and it's a pretty impressive line-up:  Thor, Iron Man, the Beast, and Moondragon.  This was the line-up, along with Cap, Vision, and the Scarlet Witch, that Englehart would use in the conclusion of his run as writer.

Karen: I suppose I'm repeating myself, but I jumped on to the Avengers bandwagon with issue #92, right at the start of the Kree-Skrull War, and the Pyms didn't have a role in the saga at that point, so my real introduction to them was via reprints in Marvel Triple Action and elsewhere. But Hank already seemed like a tragic figure to me because of his troubles getting stuck at giant-size way back when. He always seemed very dedicated to Jan too, which made their later problems all the more painful. Doesn't it seem weird that Jan is apparently nude under the sheet?

Doug:  It's a complete artistic faux pas, because when our baddie arrives she's clearly wearing a hospital gown.  Anyway, as Hank gets madder and madder, his teammates try to calm him down.  Hank yells at the doctor, at Iron Man, at Thor -- really, everyone.  In the midst of the turmoil, who should show up but the Whirlwind?  And just like a Whirlwind -- seriously, out of the blue (well, he was on the cover...).  He rolls in, hurls a few insults, brushes off the Beast and Thor, makes a dope of Iron Man, and cracks Yellowjacket in the noggin.  It's not until Moondragon gives him a mind blast that he abandons his plan of kidnapping the Wasp.  He retreats, and it's right back to the yelling.  I thought this opening scene was a little strange, to say the least.  While I had, at the time, read other Marvel books with this sort of in-fighting, this was over the top.  Hank all of a sudden winces with pain, and then runs off.  Thor and Iron Man are incredulous at Hank's behavior under stress.  In fact, Iron Man makes a snide remark:  "To think he helped found the Avengers!"

Karen: Hank certainly seemed to be cracking up. It's not like he hadn't shown signs of mental instability before -- let's not forget that his whole Yellowjacket persona came about because of a  mental break. But I don't think we'd ever seen him behave quite so erratically as this. Of course, Englehart was trying to ratchet up the tension here. As for Iron Man's remark -- did you notice that Englehart developed distinct personalities for all of the team members during his run? Even the heroes who had their own books, like Iron Man and Thor, were consistent within the Avengers title (even if they didn't conform to their depictions in their own title). His Iron Man tended to be a bit of an arrogant, headstrong old timer.

Doug:  Yes, Englehart's team was ever-fighting, and at the drop of a hat.  I recall the scene in Avengers #130 when Thor and IM tangle -- short fight.  Hey, even though we're really just starting, let's take a time-out from the plot and look at the art.  First off, I always liked the "nose mask".  I know it is much maligned, but it always made sense to me -- why would you want your nose all scrunched under the flat faceplate?  So I like this era.  But a third of the way through the book and George Tuska has used nothing but straight-on camera angles!  I know I'm going to comment on a couple of cool panels later in this review, but to begin this one, with all of the angst and confusion, the art just doesn't sell that idea!  And Vinnie Colletta just isn't the guy to help Tuska, although they were often paired up in the Bronze Age.

Karen: The nose mask on Shellhead took a little getting used to, but it didn't bother me, because as you say, it actually made sense. Although visually, I think the flat mask is more dramatic. I think Alex Ross' version, where the face plate bends out slightly, is probably the best all-around version. But back to the art -- I've said before I'm not a Tuska fan, and I'll pretty much leave it at that.

Doug:  At the conclusion of the hospital scene, after Hank had stalked off, Iron Man grabs Moondragon and tells Thor and the Beast that they will go in search of Hawkeye.  Ol' Hawk had used Doc Doom's time machine two issues prior and had not returned.  Thor, chairman at the time, chafes at this insubordination.  I'll declare that I did not care at all for Iron Man at this time, and this very issue may be a big reason why.  It's pretty obvious why he wants to sneak away with her, and a few pages later we'll find that I'm right.  But we cut away as Thor begins his own Asgardian meltdown, and pick it up with Dr. Pym on the street.  Waiting outside the hospital is Charles, Janet's chauffeur.  The Pyms had fired him during the Ant-Man series that ran in Marvel Feature (of which I've never read an issue).  Charles says something like Janet might benefit from a familiar face -- Hank of course tells him to get lost.  We then see Charles enter the hospital anyway, and get a peek at his thoughts.  Charles is in reality the Whirlwind, and has always been close to the Pyms.  But when Charles enters Jan's room, he finds the Beast and Thor still by her side.  Thor greets him, as he backs out the door to scheme again.

Karen: I had perhaps two issues of Marvel Feature when Pym was playing "Incredible Shrinking Man" but I honestly can't recall much about them, other than Egghead and his niece appearing in an issue. I also haven't read many of the old Tales to Astonish when Pym headlined. So this whole backstory with Whirlwind is news to me. It sort of makes the Pyms look clueless. Of course, Whirlwind doesn't appear too bright when he saunters into the hospital, expecting to find the Wasp left alone. Really? You think the Avengers would leave one of their own alone and vulnerable to attack? Duh!

Doug:  Subplot #1 -- Iron Man and Moondragon rocket across the Atlantic Ocean on their way to Latveria.  Iron Man, in all his best (or worst) smarminess, comes on to Moondragon.  She turns the tables on him, which takes Tony off guard.  But in a preface to her conversations with Thor some months in the future, she yells to her companion that although she was born on Earth, she is not an Earthwoman!

Karen: I thought this was a hilarious comeuppance for playboy Stark. "Should I now turn to you like this and press my yielding lips to your cold metallic ones?" Stark is completely dumbfounded, not used to having a woman refuse his come-ons. More than any other writer at that particular time, Englehart had a sensitivity to women and their issues, and managed to create scenes like this which were not heavy-handed but did manage to get across a point.

Doug:  Subplot #2 -- A female hand grasps a newspaper announcing that the Beast has joined the Avengers.  She crumples the paper, turns on her heel, and cries, "Look out, Beast!  You won't escape me again!"

Karen: Now we know where this is going, but at the time, as I hadn't read any of the Beast's solo stories in Amazing Adventures, I had no idea what this was about. I'm sure I was not alone.

Doug:  Oh, so it's somewhat self-serving by the author, a la Brian Bendis and all of his "pets"?

Doug:  Back to the main action, Hank's at home, reminiscing on the good times he and Jan have had.  It's really nice, and we believe that they have a deep love.  As he turns to leave the house, Whirlwind attacks him on his front lawn.  Hank immediately calls on ants to weaken the ground, which throws Whirlwind off balance.  Then Hank draws his cellular-disruptor pistol and Whirlwind flees immediately.  Here is a very nice series of five panels where Tuska and Colletta really shine.  The page you see here with the aerial shot of Whirlwind followed by Hank looking pensively at the gun is really well done.  A little detective work in his brain, and...  Hank calls the hospital and checks on Jan.  He asks the Beast a question, and gets the answer he assumed he'd get.  He turns down the Beast's offer of help.

Karen: I agree, the art here was pretty dynamic. But I just didn't buy the whole bit here about Whirlwind running from the cellular disruptor pistol --"a weapon he shouldn't have recognized." If Whirlwind already knew about YJ and his powers, and he was so scared of the pistol, why would he have attacked earlier? I thought it was a little weak but I'm probably being nitpicky.

Doug:  Subplot #1, part 2 -- Iron Man, all sarcastic with Moondragon now, lands the quinjet and together they enter Doom's castle.  IM makes a comment about not being with the team when last they visited, in Avengers #56.  Surprisingly, this was one of the first issues of the title I owned, and a great one at that.  But, no time machine, and no Hawkeye.  We know where he is, don't we?

Karen:  Boy, Iron Man really is stinging from Moondragon's rebuff! It must have been a very uncomfortable trip to Latveria. But yes, the time machine is gone. Oh that crazy Hawkeye!

Doug:  Subplot #3 -- We see the Vision and Scarlet Witch, in full costume on their honeymoon (duh...).  Wanda wants to stay in paradise longer, but the Vision wants to return to the team.  I thought that this was appropriate, as he'd been the face of the team for years at this point.

Karen: I know way back when, we had some discussions about the Vision and Wanda's marriage, and I opined that in some ways it was a comic-book stand-in for an inter-racial relationship. I still feel that way -- Englehart had people protesting their relationship, even going so far in issue #113 to become suicide bombers. Here, Vision tells Wanda they need to go back and face the public and whatever reactions their marriage may cause. Vision almost seems anxious to do this, like he can't wait to see what the reality of their life together will be, for good or ill. But largely, the public disapproval angle was dropped, and the two mostly faced problems from Wanda's brother, Quicksilver, and the Vision's pseudo-brother, the Grim Reaper.

Doug:  Back in New York, we find Charles the chauffeur come staggering out of a bar.  But as he gets to his limo, Yellowjacket emerges from the back door.  Jig's up -- Hank grabs Charles and tells him exactly why the Whirlwind fled from Hank's pistol -- only Charles and a few others had ever seen the gun and knew what it could do.  And since the Whirlwind knew...  Charles immediately spins into costume and it's game on!  But the wild card in this fight?  Hank suddenly shoots up to 20 feet -- heck yeah!  I knew enough about Yellowjacket to know that this didn't happen -- never!  So I was totally taken aback and simply glued to the remaining pages.  For my criticism of the camera angles in the earlier parts of this issue, the improvement shown over the last five pages is astonishing.  This is fast-paced, all-out action.  The words and pictures really paint Hank Pym as a man possessed, and the Whirlwind as so cocky it costs him.  After a battle across a few city blocks, Hank shrinks to ant-size and gets up under Whirlwind's chestplate.  At close range the stings send his nemesis into a frenzy.  But just as he's about to put Whirlwind away, Hank inexplicably falls from the chestplate.  As Whirlwind readies to stomp the tiny Avenger, a big furry blue fist knocks him out cold.  While the Beast's sudden entrance might be a deus ex machina, I thought it served to further show Hank McCoy's wanting to make the Avengers his new home -- and bonding with a teammate to prove it.  In fact, the Beast hoists Whirlwind over his shoulder and the two heroes head back to the hospital.

Karen: One would think that suddenly growing to 20 feet tall, then down to bug-sized, couldn't be healthy for a person. Next issue we'll see just what a strain it put on Pym. As for the Beast's fortuitous arrival -- hey, that's what friends are for! However, it did make for a rather abrupt ending to the story. But the team regroups and things get really wild next time around.

 

Discuss: The Little Guys and Gals

It's A Bug's Life: Marvel Team-Up 60

Marvel Team-Up #60 (August 1977)
"A Matter of Love... and Death!"
Chris Claremont-John Byrne/Dave Hunt

Karen: Howdy folks. You might recall that at the end of part one of our story, it looked as if Yellowjacket had joined that big hive in the sky, as our villain Equinox caused a tanker truck to explode, catching YJ in the flames. As we begin part two, Equinox is excitedly yelling that he has killed an Avenger. This sets off that other Avenger, YJ's wife the Wasp, but sadly, her powers are no match for the villain. Spidey pulls Jan away just as she's about to get blasted.

Doug: I found the dialogue to be really clunky in the first few pages. Again (I just want to curse myself every time I suggest this), a little decompression would have been more impactful in regard to the way Jan's emotions played out. While Byrne's pictures are definitely pretty to look at, I'm finding that Chris Claremont is struggling to get away from the dock. And what should we make of Equinox? I sense that he's a minor-leaguer, and more trouble than he's worth. He is sort of cool-looking, however, especially the way the heat/ice alternates on his body.

Karen: Sure, there were a few rough spots here and there, but all in all, I thought Claremont did well. I agree that Equinox seems like a minor threat - I think that was a frequent problem with the MTU villains. If Spidey can handle Electro on his own, Equinox doesn't seem like he should be so difficult. But that's who we got here. Spidey and Jan begin to question Dr. Sorenson, the mother of Equinox. She defends her son by saying the thermodynamic processes in his body are affecting his mind, but that doesn't go over well with the Wasp. She grabs the doctor and yells at her, prompting Spider-Man to pull her off. Wasp snaps at him, saying. "Who've you ever lost?" Uh oh...Why not just drive a dagger in his heart? Spider-Man quietly responds, "Someone very close." But before that conversation can go any further, Equinox is on the move again, tossing cars like toys as he pursues our heroes. Dr. Sorenson tries using an experimental ray on him, but to no avail. Spidey scoops up the doc and swings off with the Wasp right behind. They realize they're going to have to have a plan. Since the Avengers are out of town, they head for (where else?) the Baxter Building.

Doug: Byrne's visual of Spidey with his shoulders seemingly slumped, head bowed and the hesitation in his voice is solid, even if it is a very narrow panel. I'd have liked to have seen floating heads of not only Gwen, but how about of Uncle Ben, too? And back to my previous comment, about the lack of emotional feeling coming through in the first scenes -- for me this just segued back into standard superheroing a little too quickly. I know Equinox was a violent menace bent on not only Spidey-destruction but property destruction in general, but... Ah, maybe I'm just being old and grumpy.

Karen: During their trip to see the FF, Dr. Sorenson explains how her son Terry came to be Equinox. Frankly it's kind of boring but essentially her scientist husband grew resentful of her success and started physically taking it out on her. She finally left him, but one night as she came to see him (not sure why) his house blew up. Seventeen year-old Terry ran in to save his dad but was caught in some strange energy beams, and of course, became Equinox. She tried to reverse the process but couldn't. Terry got crazy, and began a life of crime.
Doug: I guess if Barry Allen could become the Flash from some lightning and chemicals, then anything's fair. Here's a question for you -- since Equinox is apparently not wearing any clothes, then why does his head look as if he's wearing Wolverine's mask? Was that a cosmetic sort of thought so that in his first appearance readers could keep the bad guy separate from the Torch and Iceman?

Karen: Yeah, Equinox seems oddly inhuman. Besides the strange head shape, he also has fangs. If anything, he looks sort of demonic, which would make sense if his origin was a supernatural one. But otherwise, it's just weird. Once at the Baxter Building, Wasp is able to gain access with her Avengers ID card (don't leave home without it). As they enter the building though, the lights go out. Seems Equinox has zapped a sub-station nearby. Of course, Reed Richards would never rely purely on NYC's power grid, so the lights come back up immediately -however, the power loss means the building is operating off the back-up computer, and apparently it doesn't know that our heroes are authorized to be there! Lasers start firing and Spidey scrambles to get Dr. Sorenson to safety. But the door of the room he enters locks behind them, leaving Wasp on the other side. Jan's OK though -in fact, better than OK. She seems to be faster and stronger than ever before. Instinctively, she knows this is Hank's doing. She enters the ventilation system and flies to the main control room, where she shuts off the security system.

Doug: I really liked the panel where the Wasp rips open the grill. Her facial expression was well done. Four panels after that, there's an image that looks like it was ripped right out of Avengers #83 when the Wasp first spied the Lady Liberators. Didn't you think she negotiated those air ducts just a bit too easily?

Karen: Were you expecting there to be lasers in them too, like in The Andromeda Strain? Honestly, the thought never occurred to me! While Wasp has been having fun, Spidey and Dr. Sorenson have been holed up in the FF lab, improving her device. Unfortunately, using it on Equinox means being in close contact. And of course, who should show up but Equinox himself, burning a hole in the wall to make his entrance. Man, are the FF gonna be PO'ed!

Doug: Yeah, whoa -- what about how ol' "Noxie" (shoot me -- I hate that name) got to the point where he could blow out the wall? He scaled the Baxter Building like King Kong! Ummm..... Do you think Dr. Sorenson questioned Spidey's scientific aptitude? Parker assembled that new weapon about as quickly as Reed Richards himself would have. But back to the Baxter Building, and this thought would ring true in regard to Avengers Mansion as well -- don't you think there would be better security around the perimeter of the building? I mean, I realize these places are supposed to be right on a city block, with civilians all around. But I can't help but think that, with access to the Negative Zone just inside (for example), getting close to that sort of thing was just too easy.
Karen: Spidey takes on Equinox by himself, wishing the Wasp was there "to distract Noxie" but finds he's in trouble. Suddenly, a figure appears -is it the Wasp? The Thing? Aunt Petunia? No! It's Yellowjacket! That's right, he's not dead! Equinox is shocked, Spidey is shocked -but the Wasp, who has just flown into the room, is really shocked. Hank tells her to let Equinox have it with her stingers -and amazingly, they blast him across the room. While the thermodynamically challenged youth is still reeling, YJ slaps Dr. Sorenson's device on him and it stops his fire and ice powers -although he isn't quite human looking. Jan throws herself at Hank, who explains that when the truck blew up, he shrank to insect size and rode the shock waves. It rendered him unconscious but not dead. He also says that Jan's increased powers are due to a serum he gave her -her birthday present. Now the smaller she gets, the more powerful she gets. It took the adrenalin rush she felt when she thought Hank had died to activate it. YJ, Wasp, and Dr. Sorenson head off with Equinox in tow to see the police, leaving behind a poor wall-crawler who hopes he can clean up the Baxter Building before the FF come back.
Doug: The ending was good -- I really thought it was cool that Spider-Man felt like he should clean up. Nice detail. Of course since I'm using the new trade paperback, I peeked ahead to the next issue to see what happened next. The clean-up excuse was a nice bridge between issues 60 and 61. I didn't have a problem with the explanation of YJ's reappearance, although I wonder how long it took him to figure out that our cast had relocated to the Baxter Building. By the way, and maybe our readers will have to help us out here -- you cited the panel where YJ says they are taking Equinox to the police. Sure he's depowered, and is wearing the dampening harness-doohickey. Where did super-baddies end up back in 1977? Was the Vault open for business yet?

Karen: This was a fun romp, just a simple little story that delivered some solid entertainment. It was nice to see YJ and Wasp outside of the Avengers -that didn't happen too often!
Doug: I agree with you about the two-part story, and about the little Avengers -- and that may seem surprising given some of my criticisms above. I do believe that if Claremont had written this a bit later, after he'd become more comfortable with Spider-Man it might have been better. But Byrne's art really holds it together. By the way, if anyone is wondering where this 2-parter fits in with his X-Men writing schedule, these Marvel Team-Up issues fall right around X-Men #'s 105-106 -- and you may immediately recognize that the Claremont/Byrne run in the X-Men had not yet begun! Of course, they had been a creative duo on Iron Fist for well over a year, however. Hey -- news you can use!

Isn't It Great When Hank's Heroic? Marvel Team-Up #59

Marvel Team-Up #59 (July 1977)
"Some Say Spidey Will Die by Fire... Some Say by Ice!"
Chris Claremont-John Byrne/Dave Hunt

Doug: Welcome one and all to the first of a four-part look at the Claremont/Byrne Marvel Team-Ups. Karen suggested this to me about a month ago, and as fate would have it Marvel Comics released a trade paperback of these very issues just in time for Christmas! If you'll recall, we've already reviewed a 2-parter from this run, showcasing Havok and Thor against the Living Monolith. This time around we're checking in on Yellowjacket and the Wasp, and then Iron Fist and the Daughters of the Dragon. So, without further ado...

Doug: I feel it only responsible to bring up a major continuity issue right from the get-go. If you notice the cover date above, July 1977, then perhaps like me you may have wondered just where this story dovetails with the Avengers. Let's face it -- if you're reading a story about Dr. Henry Pym in the late 1970's-early 1980's, you have to worry about his mental state. Well, lo and behold if this 2-parter didn't hit the spinner racks at exactly the same time as Avengers #'s 161 and 162. Hmmph. What do you make of that?

Karen: Apparently listening to Spidey's wisecracks are what drove Hank over the deep end.

Doug: We begin with Spider-Man about to swing across the East River, after a Sunday dinner at his Aunt May's house. Suddenly a fire blast engulfs our hero, forcing him to let go of his webline (he says he had to let go before he burned? Did you wonder why?). But as he prepares to release another line, he's ripped across the chops by a baseball bat-sized bolt of ice. Unconscious, Webhead plummets toward the river. A short distance away, however, our co-stars are about to get it on (yeah, baby) when both Avengers spy Spider-Man's plight. To me, there are two keys in this scene: The first is Jan's statement that she's basically not seen Hank for a week as he's been holed up in his lab -- could this be the time when Ultron got to him and corrupted him? Additionally, Hank himself comments that he's increased his powers tenfold. Could the incorporation of his molecular disruptor gun into his wings have had anything to do with the mental instability we'd see in the "Bride of Ultron" storyline?

Karen: First of all, I have to say that I've always thought Byrne drew a great Spidey. He seemed to 'get' the character, at least from a physical sense. His web-slinger was always acrobatic yet powerful. Regarding Jan and Hank, I think Jan and Sue Richards should get together and commiserate. What is it with these eggheads, always neglecting their wives. I do think you could spin some sort of excuse for Hank's impending breakdown out of his work, but I doubt that there was any collaboration between Claremont and Shooter over this. It does work though.

Doug: Hank, now apparently faster than a speeding bullet, plucks Spidey from the water. You'll notice right away that a major improvement in Hank's powers is that he doesn't have to shrink to fly. I thought this looked weird -- I had the same feeling years later when Jan's powers were augmented such that she only had to shrink to around four feet to sprout her wings and fly. Hank brings Spider-Man back to the Pyms' apartment, stating that it's as well-equipped as any hospital. Funny, though, that all they do is seat him in front of the fireplace with a blanket over his legs! I've thought for a long time that medical expenses are ridiculously high... Spidey comes to, and the Avengers question him about his misfortunes. Spider-Man recounts how the Torch (shown in all his red-suited glory in a flashback) and Iceman once battled a super-baddie named Equinox, a thermo-dynamic man. Equinox possessed the ability to shoot flames from his icy hands, or ice from his flaming body.

Karen: I never really understood how those fins on Hank's shoulders (never looked like wings to me) allowed him to fly, so I really didn't question him flying at full-size. I thought it was funny that he didn't want Jan to help him, since she wasn't wearing an outift made of unstable molecules, and therefore would have to fly in her birthday suit. There's a panel in there when Spidey is unconscious and he pictures Gwen falling -that was a nice touch. I love how Spidey is able to quickly figure out who his attacker is, all based on some idle chit chat with the Torch! That was a wee bit too convenient, but it got the story rolling.

Doug: You know, in The Ultimates, doesn't Jan battle the Hulk in the nude? Or maybe she just flashed him...?

Doug: Let's take a brief break from the plot to discuss some of the story elements. Tops, John Byrne's art is pretty good. I wouldn't say it's great, certainly not his best (can we blame that on the absence of Terry Austin on the inks?), but it's very nice. I would take issue, though, with Claremont's script - or at least elements of the dialogue. The use of the terms "Waspie" and "Noxie" was grating on my nerves. I really felt that Claremont struggled to find the voices of these characters. I'd have to go back to the aforementioned Havok and Thor issues to see if he improved -- those were published about a year after today's story.

Karen: As you know Doug, I have always thought that Byrne looked his best when inked by Austin. Austin's a talented artist in his own right and he seemed to bring out the best in Byrne's pencils. I would say that Hunt is acceptable -better than many, although not the best. Middle of the pack. I would agree with you that Claremont struggled at times to find the voice of his characters. He was pretty good with Spidey though. There were times that I recall, later in his X-Men run, when it seemed like everyone sounded the same. But he knows how to spin a good tale.

Doug: At the same time Spidey guesses who is nemesis is, guess who comes calling? You are right, and the Pyms' apartment took the brunt of the greeting. Equinox stands perched on what used to be a window sill, and declares that tonight Spider-Man dies! Yeah, yeah, yeah... Superhero slugfest ensues. Of note is a bit of foreshadowing that's not all that mysterious, as we see a traffic jam form below with an African-American lady very interested in the goings on above her and a disgruntled trucker carrying a payload of fuel. I can see where that one is heading. The fight is carried outside after YJ gives Equinox a new-and-improved disruptor blast. This is depicted well, as is a panel showing Jan shrinking. Once outside, Equinox escapes via an Iceman-like slide.

Karen: How come nobody ever gets burned by these fire-wielding guys? Heck, I got badly burned by a pop tart once. Oh well, I'll let it go. It's a pretty typical fight, although I agree that YJ's disruptors, as depicted by Byrne, actually looked powerful. He had that Kirby Krackle thing going on.

Doug: Our heroes pursue and Jan gets whacked upside the head -- you can almost hear her say "I've never seen anyone move so fast!". But we're spared. Instead, she rebukes her own clumsiness, and then jumps Hank for improving his own powers but not hers. I keep coming back to what Jim Shooter was writing this month in the Avengers...

Karen: Hank was always toying with his powers and his identity. It seemed like his inferiority complex evolved quite naturally. Who wouldn't feel inferior, when you're on a team with Hulk, Iron Man, and Thor, and all you can do is shrink and order bugs around? Then he fiddles around and gets growth powers, giving him some raw power although still below that of Hulk and Thor at least. I doubt that it was a conscious plan on the part of Stan and Jack, but by the time Roy had Hank have a mental breakdown and become YJ, you could just feel the desperation and frustration there. That made it easy for Shooter -and later writers - to turn Hank into a fragile figure.

Doug: The battle moves back to the bridge over the East River. Equinox is dangerous, but not in the "prime time" category. Nonetheless, Jan is injured by some flaming debris and rendered unconscious. Hank lights into Equinox pretty hard, while Spider-Man encounters the mysterious lady (whom we now know as the mother of our baddie) from the traffic jam -- now sporting one pretty large, quite high-tech gun. All players converge on the bridge. And as Spidey helps the Wasp to her feet, Hank and Equinox battle closer and closer to -- you guessed it -- the fuel truck. In a cold-blooded move, Equinox fires above the staggered Hank, right into the fuel truck igniting it into a huge fireball. Tense moments later, a figure emerges from the inferno and it's not Yellowjacket. Standing triumphantly atop the mangled truck, Equinox is confronted by a fighting made Wasp -- who declares that she will be the death of this villain!

Karen: The explosion just radiated heat and fury- great job by Byrne. I also liked the expressions on the 'floating heads' on that page. It was also nice to see the Wasp's fighting spirit -here she has a chance to truly be an avenger.