John Byrne original Avengers art

[samurainoir]

This was a classic era!

The Avengers 184 Page 15 Original Art with John Byrne Pencils 1979 | eBay

[The Toyroom]

That was a legendary era for Avengers fans with Byrne and George Perez both doing art chores around the same time...

I always though it'd be great to do a TwoMorrows style book comparing the art of the two entitled "Masters of Rubble"

[The Toyroom]

The line-up back then was pretty solid...Not like the bunch of 3rd stringers and hangers on during the Bendis era...

[samurainoir]

To be fair though, at the time I'm sure there might have been some griping by early fans about the third stringers like Ms Marvel, The Beast, Wonder Man hanging around after not being able to sustain their own books.

Time has made them classic, but in the seventies I'm sure Silver Age fandom was unhappy with this blue fur version of the Beast or the female Mar-Vell knockoff, or the inclusion of a z grade character like Wonder Man coming back to life and taking a slot that Hank Pym or Black Panther could occupy in the line-up. Or even Falcon, after losing his status as co-headliner of Cap's book.

I have a fondness for their solo titles, but objectively, I'd have to admit they were clunkers in execution.

HIGH GRADE MS MARVEL # 1 MARVEL COMICS 1ST APPEARANCE MS MARVEL | eBay


Amazing Adventures #11 -- 1st Grey Beast | eBay


Marvel Premiere #55 Wonder Man 9.4 | eBay

[The Toyroom]

Blue Beast on the Avengers was much better than non-furred Beast on the X-Men. And his friendship with Wonder Man was one of the great character pieces on the book.

True the Avengers has always been about 2nd and 3rd stringers joining the team going all the way back to Cap's Kooky Quartet. But it seemed so much more believable than Power Man, Iron Fist, Moon Knight joining the team. not to mention Jessica Jones or Squirrel Girl. I never cared for Gilgamesh or D-Man or Triathalon or Silver Claw either.

I'll give Bendis Spider Woman. But Spider-Man and Wolverine no. Dr. Strange is sorta a maybe but he's an aloof Defender to me and not really an Avengers kind of guy. But he makes more sense than Ronin...

[samurainoir]

But at the time they put Wonder Man and Beast in a book together, I don't think they realized the happy accident of the chemistry they had as oddball buddies. I'm sure it was a What the? Moment for fans as much as Luke Cage and Spiderman having such hilarious banter in their time together on New Avengers. Or to cite another classic but unlikely pairing... Booster and Beetle, in the 80's third stringer Justice League.

On the flip side, you have to admit that it was pretty amazing that they are able to FINALLY launch a best-selling Defenders book. All it took was for them to name the title The New Avengers (while at the same time bringing back the "classic" Avengers line-up in another title or two). Case in point, the New Avengers current title outselling the newly relaunched Defenders title by a third.

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that twenty years from now, Cage, Spiderman and Wolverine will be looked on as a classic era as well. It's just the nature of the generational nostalgia cycle.

[The Toyroom]

In much the same way I love the Silver Age Satellite-Era JLA, including Firestorm. But I can do without Vibe, Gypsy, Vixen, Steel, Faith, Manitou Raven, Major Disaster, Bloodwynd, Maxima, Triumph, Aztek, Mon-El, Donna Troy, Cyborg, Guardian, Agent Liberty, L-Ron....I could go on and on

[Iron Mego]

I have that issue of The Avengers. I remember that story-line very well from my childhood, one of my favorite issues.

[madmarva]

Blue Beast on the Avengers was much better than non-furred Beast on the X-Men. And his friendship with Wonder Man was one of the great character pieces on the book.

Amen! Wonder Man and Beast are my favorite super-hero buddies.

[The Toyroom]

^ Oh my stars and garters!

[samurainoir]