"AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!"

Just a few of my favorite eras and

favorite line-ups

from Earth's Mightiest Heroes, The Avengers.

***

INFINITY, INC.

(All artwork featured is by Jerry Ordway & Mike Machlan.)



(The team from Who's Who in DC Comics)

I was always a fanatic about DC Comics and Earth 2 in particular.
The JSA were a real favorite of mine, perhaps for the nostalgia--the sense
of history, longevity, originality, familiarity to the team.
Growing up in the 1970s, reprints of the Golden Age greats were
plentiful, and it was as if I had read about them all along.
(The All Star Squad and Power Girl were some of my
favorite characters!)

So when DC had Roy Thomas join together all the offspring
of the original JSA (the first time such an idea was done, I
believe,) I was ecstatic. This was a prime time to be collecting.
Between having the JSA active again in the present,
the excitement of new characters (especially kids a teen
could relate to,) and the tremendous art team, it was a
definite highlight of my comic reading experience!

(teaser from DC Sampler)

There was a lot to digest with such a huge cast and so much

history to play with, and this was back in the day when comics

(in particular Roy Thomas ones) were chock-full of dialogue

and a multitude of panels and story. You got your money's worth.

It was magical; You started with Jerry Ordway, and then some

Don Newton 'fill-in" issues, to be followed by Todd McFarlane

who--at the time--had a new and fun look that fit the book well!

I loved those crazy panel and page designs! (Later, there would be

phenomenal Michael Bair issues.)

(Specialty shop promo poster)

Alas, like most good things, it wasn't meant to last.

With pending changes due to DC's ridiculous and unnecessary "Crisis"

(which erased the Multiverse and decades of history and uniqueness,)

Infinity was one of the hardest hit books.

Everything Earth 2 was affected by the mess of Crisis, and the book

had to upend stories and characters to fit all the revisions in.

To be fair, Roy & Dann did a phenomenal job of making lemonade out

of lemons, but in the end you were still left with a bitter taste.

Infinity, Inc. ended up being one of those teams whose characters

and memory got a continual shaft, with deaths and limbo and

bad handling following the inevitable cancellation.

But I will always have great memories of all the issues

that gave me happiness those years ago. DC can't take

my memories!

As long as the back issues exist, the revisions and

editorial dictates of a corporation mean nothing to me.

R.I.P. Syl, Karen, Dick, Helena, Lyta, Hank, Yolanda,

Todd, Rick, Beth, Albert, Norda, Hector, Jennie-Lynn, & Bones!
You'll always be Infinitors to me!

Thanks to Roy, Dann, Jerry, Mike, Todd, and all the rest for

a stellar run and a lot of good memories.

 

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Favorite Costumes: Polaris

To be fair, the Mistress of Magnetism has

had her share of double-bagger costumes.

However, as long as the variations to the

original Steranko classic don't veer too far....

And the artist & writer don't feel the need

to make her possessed or butch or a giantess

to add 'character' (ugh!)....

she is a star!

There should be a regalness to Lorna,

not a trashy or common look.

(I also have much love for the Cockrum

stripper outfit, but it is much more.....dated, I think.)

You can't improve on perfection.

'Iconic' is iconic for a reason.

Favorite Costumes: Yellowjacket

There was something very visceral

about the first appearance of the Yellowjacket.

Perhaps that ignited my passion

for the costume; attributing the dark side to it.

But this alter for Hank Pym's otherwise subdued

personality has always been a favorite.

The very basic yet electric design;

strong and subtle and pure.

I even enjoyed the female character

that took over the role in the years it was unused.

It's just such a flawless, simple design.

But the original just kicks ass.