Questions About Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (I & II)

[The Confessor]

I’ve been really enjoying the ‘Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes II’ over the last few months. So much so, that I decided to pick up all 8 issues of the first series a few days back. I've just finished reading them and because I'm an Avengers newbie, I have a whole ton of questions. I think for the time being I’ll limit myself to only asking questions about issue #1 of the first series and see what kind of response I get.

As I understand it, both of these series are based on events that happened in early, Silver Age issues of The Avengers and this is just a modern re-telling. I’m assuming that Joe Casey has embellished & fleshed out the story a bit and I’m kinda curious as to which parts are original 1960’s story and which are modern additions.

OK, so here goes…


Series One: Issue #1 Questions

Q1. Was the Hulk really invited to join the original line-up and were the other Avengers sent to capture him after he went AWOL?

Q2. Who exactly is the non-powered teenager called Rick that accompanies The Hulk to the signing of the Avengers Official Charter and did they really let him stay on in the mansion and accompany them on missions?

Q3. Did Iron Man’s armour really change at exactly the time this issue is set?

Q4. Was Agent Murch present in the early issues of The Avengers and did he really give them as much trouble over their A-1 Priority Status?

Q5. Is the way we see The Avengers find Captain America in this issue pretty faithful to the original comics?


Many thanks in advance to anyone who provides answers. :)

[Mikl C]

Series One: Issue #1 Questions

Q1. Was the Hulk really invited to join the original line-up and were the other Avengers sent to capture him after he went AWOL?

Yes, Hulk joined. He left cuz he didn't get on with the other members, then got into several fights with them.

Q2. Who exactly is the non-powered teenager called Rick that accompanies The Hulk to the signing of the Avengers Official Charter and did they really let him stay on in the mansion and accompany them on missions?

Rick Jones. He was responsible for forming the avengers when his radio signal was intercepted by the different heroes. He hangs with hulk alot. And he went on some missions yeh, they needed him to beat Kang lol.

Q3. Did Iron Man’s armour really change at exactly the time this issue is set?

Dunno..

Q4. Was Agent Murch present in the early issues of The Avengers and did he really give them as much trouble over their A-1 Priority Status?

Doubt it.

Q5. Is the way we see The Avengers find Captain America in this issue pretty faithful to the original comics?

I think they respected him, but I don't think the avengers needed him to legally stay functioning.

[jade_nova]

Q3. Did Iron Man’s armour really change at exactly the time this issue is set?

Yes, it did. When issue three of the Avengers came out his armor was something like that of what it is today. Try to find a copy of Essential Avengers vol. 1 it has the first sixteen issues that are covered in the first Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

[Kirk G]

I’ve been really enjoying the ‘Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes II’ over the last few months. So much so, that I decided to pick up all 8 issues of the first series a few days back. I've just finished reading them and because I'm an Avengers newbie, I have a whole ton of questions. I think for the time being I’ll limit myself to only asking questions about issue #1 of the first series and see what kind of response I get.
As I understand it, both of these series are based on events that happened in early, Silver Age issues of The Avengers and this is just a modern re-telling. I’m assuming that Joe Casey has embellished & fleshed out the story a bit and I’m kinda curious as to which parts are original 1960’s story and which are modern additions.
OK, so here goes…


Series One: Issue #1 Questions

Q1. Was the Hulk really invited to join the original line-up and were the other Avengers sent to capture him after he went AWOL?

The Hulk was part of the original five Avengers, added by Stan Lee specifically to produce tension and have some angst in the group. By the end of issue 2, he was leaving, fought against the team along side the Submariner in issue #3 and although a guest-star in issue #5, that was the last we saw of him until tracked down by the Avengers in the two part confrontation in Fantastic Four #25-26... considered to be the finest Hulk-Thing fight ever.

Q2. Who exactly is the non-powered teenager called Rick that accompanies The Hulk to the signing of the Avengers Official Charter and did they really let him stay on in the mansion and accompany them on missions?

Rick Jones was the leader of a "teen brigade" of ham radio enthusiasts who monitored amateur radio frequencies and helped to inform the Avengers or call for them. They were a reminant of the kid gangs mentality, and Rick began to function as a kid sidekick...frequently paired with Captain America. Rick was the original kid sidekick of the Hulk, from his origin in Hulk #1 through at least the end of his magazine in issue #6, but continued as a supporting character through most of Hulk's appearances in Tales to Astonish #60-100 or so. He faded after he revealed the Hulk's secret ID and then pled to the president for amnesty for the Hulk...and got it. He's since had a long and colorful career in Marvel Comics. See the handbook listings for him.

Q3. Did Iron Man’s armour really change at exactly the time this issue is set?

Iron Man's original grey armour from Tales of Suspense #39 was spray painted gold by the time he joins the Avengers. After only two issues there, he modifies his armor to a lighter, more colorful red and yellow scheme that continues in his own book (Tales of Suspense) for YEARS... and through Avengers #16, when he leaves.


Q4. Was Agent Murch present in the early issues of The Avengers and did he really give them as much trouble over their A-1 Priority Status?

No, Agent Murch is an invention to create the conflict that runs through the first volume of EMH. I don't recall ever having seen him anywhere else before.

Q5. Is the way we see The Avengers find Captain America in this issue pretty faithful to the original comics?

Pretty much faithful. The original is in Avengers #4, though retold periodically in (I think) Avengers #56, Captain America #100, 109, and many other times as well. The revision to his discovery comes in the Ultimate Avengers #1-2 and in the recent DVD... which is very good, by the way!


Many thanks in advance to anyone who provides answers. :)

You're welcome. I'd recommend picking up either the first volume of Marvel Masterworks: Avengers #1-10 and second volume #11-20 all in color, or, the first essential Avengers volume, Hulk volume and maybe the first essential Captain America volume. They may not be in color, but for an investment of less than $30, you could score the first twenty issues of Avengers (which is the time period you want) ....and buying essential Avengers Vol. 3, you'd get the time period that the second Earth's Mightest Heroes series in now embellishing.

You'll note in the second series that the Black Panther is given a much stronger role, and the Vision is suddenly included in adventures. The real gem in this series, IMHO, is the backstory of why Hank Pym breakdown, and, in issue #1, WHY Sheild is suddenly very suspicious of the Vision in light of the recent Super-Adaptoid... a very logical and realistic connection that completely escaped us at the time Roy Thomas spun these tales. I'd pick up the Essential Avengers #3 to read these stories (Avengers #45-58) in context.

I just picked up the sixth Marvel Masterworks volume which covers Avengers #51-58 [plus X-men #45 and Annual #2, which are necessary for the series].
I recommend this particular volume for the history of the Black Panther with the team, as well as Vision joining, and the return of Giant-Man, all in color!

[Kirk G]

Correction: The need to retain Captain America for their security clearance is entirely a new element. It somewhat makes sense.

In the original (Avengers #4), Cap has no where to go, so he throws in with the avengers, saving them from an alien with a statue-producing ray (It didn't make much sense back then, and even less now.) But it "proved" he was capable and dependable, and so, they welcomed him into the ranks.

The subtext of the original Avengers from #4-16 was that the Avengers felt the Hulk was their responsibility to corral and Iron Man charges Cap and the new replacements in issue #16 (recapped very well at the end of Avengers #503) to find the Hulk and convince him to re-join.

Tony recognised that this would be a shared goal, give them a purpose, forge them into a fighting team, force them to follow cap, and that they NEEDED a powerhouse. Now, whether he actually thought that they could pull it off is doubtful, and even Cap has frequent doubts through the next 12 issues until Giantman returns as Goliath... but by then, the Hulk subplot is generally forgotten after issue #20 or so...