Marvel 1976.06 - Avengers #148

Avengers #148

Title: 20,000 Leagues Under Justice

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: George Perez

Avengers: Captain America, Iron Man, Beast, Hellcat, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Thor, Moondragon

Villain:Squadron Supreme (Hyperion, Golden Archer, Doctor Spectrum, Lady Lark, Whizzer, Amphibion, Tom Thumb)

Don't you think that the white box on the bottom left of the cover ruins the artwork? That box contains the barcode when the comics are on sale. June 1976 is the first month that has the barcodes on Marvel's comics, and it's still continuing today, 45 years later. It's sad. Couldn't the barcode have been placed at the top right, next to the title? That way the cover art wouldn't have been damaged.

In the image I've used above the box is white, but it varies, depending on the whim of the person who scanned the cover. Sometimes it's white, sometimes it's black, and sometimes the original barcode is left unchanged. It doesn't really matter. It looks ugly whatever colour it is.

In the previous issues (since Avengers #141) the Squadron Supreme has had five members. In this issue we see that there are another three members who've been in the background until now. They're three more parodies of members of DC's Justice League of America.

Captain Hawk is Hawkman.

Amphibion is Aquaman.

Tom Thumb is the Atom.

In case any readers still haven't figured out that the Squadron Supreme is a parody of the Justice League of America, Steve Englehart has given up subtlety by calling this story "20,000 Leagues Under Justice". But really, it should already have been obvious, even to readers like me who only have vague knowledge of DC comics.

I like the splash page, with the heroes and villains lined up on either side of the main picture. It's good artwork, but it doesn't fit the story. It's neither the state of affairs at the beginning of the issue, nor is it something that will happen later in the issue. It's just wrong. A deliberate mistake? There's no way George Perez could have blundered so badly, so it must be deliberate. But why? The cover, drawn by Jack Kirby, also contains blunders. Thor isn't even present for this battle. But mistakes on the covers are a frequent occurrence that I shan't go into again. Mistakes on the splash page are a rarity.

The following story is divided into four chapters, but only the second and third are named. It would have been cleaner to name them all.

The first (unnamed) chapter shows the Squadron Supreme vowing revenge. President Rockefeller announces that the Serpent Crown wants to take control of the Avengers' world, as it's already taken control of his world. To achieve this, he says it's essential that the Squadron Supreme should defeat the Avengers.

Chapter 2: Captain Hawk, Tom Thumb and Amphibion vs the Beast and Hellcat.

The Squadron Supreme shows a lack of coordination. Instead of attacking as a team, they challenge the two Avengers in turns and are easily defeated.

Chapter 3: Doctor Spectrum and the Whizzer vs Captain America and Iron Man

Iron Man defeats the Spectrum while Captain America defeats the Whizzer. Captain America accuses the Whizzer of turning bad, but the Whizzer claims that he's still a patriotic American. There's a new president, and he still obeys him, even if he's wearing a funny looking crown on his head.

In the unnamed fourth chapter the six Avengers reunite. That's the four Avengers from the last two chapters, along with the Vision and the Scarlet Witch. The Vision has a plan on how to win the Squadron Supreme over. The Beast disguises himself as the president and meets the Squadron Supreme in his office. He tells them that they're foolish to accept everything they're told, even when it's obviously bad. 

Hyperion recognises immediately that something is wrong. No president of any political party would ever speak so honestly. When the Beast reveals himself, they're reluctant to pursue him and the other Avengers. They say they need time to think about the words they've heard.

The Avengers find a machine in the White House which takes them back to their own world.

Meanwhile, Yellowjacket and the Wasp are both diagnosed as healthy enough to return home. The Wasp can't wait to be with the Avengers again. Yellowjacket has doubts whether he really wants to be with the Avengers.

Thor and Moondragon are flying back to New York. She suggests to him that he shouldn't be an Avenger, because he's far superior to the other Avengers. He doesn't need a team of inferiors around him.

The drama in these two little stories, only half a page each, practically overshadows the rest of the comic and the battle with the Squadron Supreme.