Product Description: Captain America. Iron Man. Thor. Doctor Strange. Namor the Sub-Mariner. The Hulk. The world's greatest heroes at the forefront of its two most titanic teams! But when the dread Dormammu and the lying Loki manipulate the Defenders and Avengers in an effort to obtain the awesome Evil Eye, the groups' first team-up is almost their last! Hero vs. Hero across the world, with world-destroying power as the stake! Guest-starring Sunfire and Prester John, later of Cable and Deadpool fame! Collects Avengers #115-118, Defenders #8-11
Takes you back to your youth, and shows how great Marvel can be! I really enjoyed re-reading this collection from 1973. I remember when it was being published and my brother and my best friend would wait at the gift shop for each new issue. I was a "big" collector back then, and this was the highlight of all my collection. Avengers vs. Defenders, the hours we spent debating who was stronger, smarter, more super. Truly a great collection, for first time readers and old folks like me, who want to relive the greatest comics of our own day. Buy it you won't be sorry. Nuff said.
Quoteable Heroes I take the point that there's way too much narration -- not like today's comics which have a big movie influence. And it's true that Dr. Strange seems underpowered one-on-one, but awfully powerful in the global sense, as if the writer really couldn't get his mind around the scope of Strange's power and depth (though one could contend that Dr. Strange's archenemy was using all sorts of tricks to keep Strange stumbling).
That said -- this has got to be the most quotable comic ever! Not from the narration, but from the dialog. You could base your whole life on the quotes from this series! Examples (they do make more sense in the story):
HAWKEYE: I ain't playin a lone hand if a guy who never hassled me needs help {kinda 70's I know -- but it was the 70s)
IRON MAN: I never did put much trust in man who claims to work magic...
NARRATOR: A prize is only a prize if it is valuable to its possessor {I know -- it's not a quote. It's narration. But true!)
HAWKEYE: Make it "Clint," Val, and I crave action too .
BLACK PANTHER: Better find a way, Prince of the Wakandas! It must be done!
VALKYRIE: Threats? From a man with a pretty moustache?
VALKYRIE: Where the Valkyrie walks is something you have absolutely no control over. I'll leave here when I please...
SWORDSMAN: You overestimate yourself all the way around, lady, and you underestimate me.
SUB-MARINER (to SUNFIRE): Why, you nationalistic moron!
SUB-MARINER: Believe me or don't! I shall waste no more time on you. Let the fish devour you now for all I care.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: Luck like that must be trying to tell me something. It's saying Don't ask questions -- Just do what you came for and get out.
SUB-MARINER (in response): That may be what luck is saying, Captain America -- but I say -- Luck can be broken. Exactly like you.
THOR: Naught but my death will satisfy him now!
VALKYRIE: While any of us breathes, we shall never be slaves
VISION: Logical exploration of ideas never offends me. But I can't provide a satisfactory explanation at this time { kind of a weak one to end on -- but of much more use than the Thor quote...}
For all this there's plenty of cosmic action and the like. Buy it!
Nostalgia appeal It was nice to finally read this storyline in a collected edition. I had most of these issues as a kid, but never got the whole story. It's not the best of the Avengers, but it's a decent read, esp for fans of the Avengers bronze age.
Old school, which explains a lot about the story This was a funner time in comics, campier and much more "Shakespearean" than we see today. Unfortunately, I am so used to the modern comic, looking back on this piece of the 70's, I can't really get too into it. They did a great job with the recoloring and it was a fun overall idea. The main problem was it made both teams seem like little children, who don't seem to think before they act. Dr. Strange comes out looking like an idiot, which is just wrong. The fights though, were fun and actually made some sense. The dialogue was too campy, and there were those cute little references they used to always make everywhere (i.e. "check out Avengers 145, bravo Bob - Timmy). I don't really regret buying this, but I know that I probably won't read it again. You just have to have a real appreciation for the comics of the past, and this is just before my time.
We need more 70's books from that bygone era! This is the classic Avengers/Defenders book that you can't put down! The classic 70's writers and artists are all here. Steve Englehart, writer and Bob Brown and Sal Buscema as artists. It's about Loki, the Avengers first adversary and how he teams up with Dr. Strange's nemesis, Dormammu! It's an all out slug festival to the finish with Marvel's finest talent. I wish they made them like this again. All the artists today get their contract and are in and out like yesterday's news. Bob Brown was one of Marvels most under rated artists. He also did the art chores on Daredevil. Sal Buscema was a workhorse and provided a lot of classic material that still stands up today. Writer Steve Englehart was another one of those names you never heard a lot about..however they were the mainstay at Marvel in the 70's ...
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
