Wednesday, 18 January 2023

Marvel 1976.07 - Avengers #149


Avengers #149

Title: The Gods and the Gang!

Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: George Perez

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

Villain: Hugh Jones, Buzz Baxter, Orka

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



Usually splash pages are full page panels that artists use to show off their skills. George Perez has gone a different way. He's split the splash page into two beautiful pictures. On the left, Thor and Moondragon are returning to New York from Arizona. On the right, the other Avengers are flying back to Earth from the Squadron Supreme's world. The pictures show two different sides of his artistic skills.

Thor and Moondragon have been arguing all the way home. Moondragon insists that Thor is too powerful to be an Avenger, but he disagrees. When they arrive, Jarvis tells them that the others have gone to Long Island.

Back on the other world, the Squadron Supreme has renounced its support for the government, because he says the president is under the control of large corporations.

At Brand Corporation the Avengers are facing a private army, but they can easily defeat them. But Brand Corporation is also being protected by Orka, the Killer Whale. We've seen him a few times, most recently in Sub-Mariner #67, but he's never been this big or this strong. He knocks out all five Avengers with a single punch.

At this point, Thor and Moondragon arrive. Thor defeats Orka in a hard fought battle. 

Hellcat was only pretending to be knocked out. Is she really tougher than Iron Man and the Vision? She frees herself and beats up her ex-husband, Buzz Baxter. She frees the remaining Avengers, and they capture Hugh Jones. Together, all eight Avengers return to their mansion.

This is the end of the Serpent Crown saga. It seems like an anti-climax. This is Steve Englehart's last full issue as writer. I suspect that he would have contnued the Serpent Crown story if he'd remained.

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