1985 - House Ad for the West Coast Avengers and Vision and the Scarlet Witch Crossover

Vision and the Scarlet Witch by Chris Samnee

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to my American neighbours!

I'd like to think the Vision would have done a better job cutting the turkey with his solar ray!

1985 - The Vision and Scarlet Witch

The Vision and Scarlet Witch

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Richard Howell

12 issue miniseries

Written by veteran Avengers scribe, Steve Englehart and drawn by Richard Howell, this miniseries draws from the rich history both characters have.

From SteveEnglehart.com:

“Richard Howell was the artist here. He had the same deep affection for Vizh and Wanda that I did, and we loved doing this book. Since Vizh and Wanda had gotten married in Giant-Size Avengers #4, the next logical step for them was to have a child. Of course, he's only an android, but she has magick... Once Wanda gets pregnant in issue 3, the following nine issues take place in real time - the first time that had ever been done. And I went one step farther by tying each story to a prominent holiday of the month.”

I found the run of 12 issues to be a bit much and felt like it dragged on. It’s interesting now looking at it a bit differently now with the information in the above quote about these single-issue, theme-based plots. Most of the overall story’s tension comes from family issues, be it the Quicksilver, or Magneto and their relationship with the family of Avengers.

Englehart succeeds at weaving the back story of these characters in with flow of the story. It’s also fun to watch as we walk along with the Vision and the Scarlet Witch during their pregnancy and child birth.

I do have to point out though that the Toad, no matter how powerful he's made, can't be anything but an underling. Englehart tries to make him more than he can ever be. Having Toad as the principle villain in one issue was bad enough, but in three issues was just over the top.

Howell’s art excel at conveying beautiful emotional scenes, but his overall sense of action and dynamic storytelling falls short. So in short, his art works as this series depends on those key emotional scenes and you can look past the weaknesses of the action scenes.

The series was groundbreaking and daring not only in its portrayal of the evolution of the relationship between the Vision and the Scarlet Witch, but in the collapse of Crystal and Quicksilver’s marriage as well as Crystal’s affair (issues that were rarely dealt with in comic books in the 1980s).

This miniseries was recently reprinted in trade paperback format, Avengers Vision and Scarlet Witch - A Year in the Life. Here’s the promo blurb:

“In a world full of heroes, villains, and monsters, there are few stranger phenomenons than the marriage of a mutant witch to a heroic synthozoid! As this unlikely couple settles into their home in Leonia, New Jersey, they find themselves at odds with the members of their complex families, including Ultron, the Grim Reaper, Quicksilver, and Magneto! And when Wanda uses the power of a village of witches to make herself pregnant, the happy twosome becomes a happy foursome when twin sons William and Thomas are born, the future Wiccan and Speed of the Young Avengers! Plus, the dissolution of Crystal and Quicksilver's marriage! This title features the threats of the Lethal Legion, Salem's Seven, Samhain, the Toad, the demons of Zor, the Enchantress, and the Grim Reaper! And guest-starring Dr. Strange, Power Man, Spider-Man, and the Avengers! It collects Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1985) #1-12, and West Coast Avengers (1985) #2.”

Marvel Solicitations for June 2010 - 1980s goodness

AVENGERS: UNDER SIEGE PREMIERE HC

Written by ROGER STERN 

Penciled by JOHN BUSCEMA 

Home are the heroes, but the villains are waiting for them! Avengers Mansion becomes the site of one of the team's greatest battles when Baron Zemo's Masters of Evil take down Earth's Mightiest Heroes one by one, one seemingly forever! Plus: an odyssey of Avengers, Alpha Flight and Atlantean civil war! Guest-starring Ant-Man, Doctor Druid and Paladin, later of Thunderbolts fame! Collecting AVENGERS #270-277. 192 pages, $29.99.

PETER PORKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-HAM VOL. 1 TPB

Written by STEVE SKEATES, TOM DEFALCO, STEVE MELLOR & MIKE CARLIN 

Penciled by MARK ARMSTRONG, STEVE MELLOR, JOSE ALBELO, FRED HEMBECK & ERIC CARTIER

It's 1983, and Star Comics -- the branch of Marvel aimed at kids -- is launching its most popular title: Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham! When average pig Peter Porker gets the powers of a spider, he must balance his super-hero life with his job at the Daily Beagle -- or J. Jonah Jackal will have his hide! Featuring such threats as Ducktor Doom and his Kangaroo Court, Captain Reno, Nagneto the Magnetic Horse, the Buzzard and the Bullfrog, and the Breaded Boremamuu! And guest-starring Captain Americat, the Incredible Hulk-Bunny, the Fantastic Fur, Goose Rider, Croctor Strange, Iron Mouse and more! Collecting MARVEL TAILS STARRING PETER PORKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-HAM #1 and PETER PORKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-HAM #1-5. 144 pages, $19.99

AVENGERS: VISION & THE SCARLET WITCH - A YEAR IN THE LIFE TPB

Written by STEVE ENGLEHART 

Penciled by RICHARD HOWELL & AL MILGROM 

In a world full of heroes, villains, and monsters, there are few stranger phenomenons than the marriage of a mutant witch to a heroic synthozoid! As this unlikely couple settles into their home in Leonia, New Jersey, they find themselves at odds with the members of their complex families, including Ultron, the Grim Reaper, Quicksilver, and Magneto! And when Wanda uses the power of a village of witches to make herself pregnant, the happy twosome becomes a happy foursome when twin sons William and Thomas are born, the future Wiccan and Speed of the Young Avengers! Plus, the dissolution of Crystal and Quicksilver's marriage! Featuring the threats of the Lethal Legion, Salem's Seven, Samhain, the Toad, the demons of Zor, the Enchantress, and the Grim Reaper! And guest-starring Dr. Strange, Power Man, Spider-Man, and the Avengers! Collecting VISION AND THE SCARLET WITCH (1985) #1-12 and WEST COAST AVENGERS (1985) #2. 344 pages, $34.99.

1982 - Vison and the Scarlet Witch

Vison and the Scarlet Witch
Written by Bill Mantlo
Illustrated by Rick Leonardi (penciler) and Ian Akin/Brian Garvey (inkers)

Bill Mantlo deals with a lot of subplots which were not getting the coverage they deserved within the pages of the Avengers. His script and plot are well done, particularly the non-linearity of issue #2. Rick Leonardi’s pencils are sketchy and I’m not normally fond of them. However, Akin and Garvey’s inks add a softness and texture to the penciled art which I really enjoyed. The colorist, Bob Sharen, also does a wonderful job. And all-around good and consistent production for all four issues.

In issue #1, “Trick or Treat”, The Vision and the Scarlet Witch have stepped down from their duties as Avengers and move into their new home in Leonia, New Jersey. Jarvis gives the Scarlet Witch an ancient spell-book (recovered by Captain America #256), and unfortunately, as it is Halloween, Samhain, the eternal embodiment of all Hallows Eve attempts to free himself from the book. The Vision is kept busy battling some transformed trick-or-treaters, while the Scarlet Witch destroys the book ending Samhain’s threat.

Issue #2, “Faith of our Fathers”, has Robert (Whizzer) Frank asks the Scarlet Witch, who he believes is his daughter (see Avengers #185-187 where we learnt he wasn’t), to help him obtain custody of his son, the mutant-powerhouse Nuklo. The Vision accompanies them to the lab where Nuklo’s powers are regulated and they meet the scientist who is attempting to cure Nuklo. The scientist, however, turns out to be one of the Whizzer’s old enemies, Isbisa, and attacks them using powers that have been siphoned from Nuklo. With Nuklo’s help, they defeat Isbisa, but Robert Frank suffers a fatal heart attack.

Wonder Man guest-stars in issue #3, “Blood Brothers!”, to provide Vision with an energy transfusion to pull him out of a coma caused by the injuries he sustained last issue. Mantlo’s coma sequences are wonderful pulling in the Vision’s past, which included Ultron and the original Human Torch (whose body the Vision now occupies with brain patterns based on Wonder Man). The Grim Reaper (Wonder Man’s brother, and therefore the Vision’s as well) attacks eager to kill both the Vision and Wonder Man to satisfy his crazed lust for revenge. Wonder Man helps the Vision out of his coma and they defeat the Grim Reaper.

Magneto discovers, in issue #4 “Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself...!”, that he is the father of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Magneto tracks his children to the moon, where the Scarlet Witch and the Vision are visiting Quicksilver and Crystal, who have just had their first child Luna. During the battle, Magneto reveals himself as their father and the battle comes to an end when it begins to threaten his granddaughter. Mantlo does a good job handling these characters considering they all are strong, distinguishable characters, such as Magneto, a powerful mutant striking back against humanity for their ill-treatment of him, or Quicksilver, the hot-tempered misunderstood mutant who has to settle into the role of father.

Mantlo demonstrates his strengths as a writer in this limited series. Perhaps most famous for his long run on the Incredible Hulk, Mantlo works each character effortless and lets them tell their story.

1985 - West Coast Avengers/Vision and the Scarlet Witch Crossover

The West Coast Avengers #1-2
The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #1-2
Steve Englehart, writer
Allen Milgrom/Joe Sinnott, artists - West Coast Avengers
Richard Howell/Andy Mushynsky, artists - The Vision and the Scarlet Witch

I can’t say that I was overly fond of Englehart’s first run on the Avengers (#105-150ish), but he was one of Marvel’s underrated writers in the 1980s penning the West Coast Avengers and Silver Surfer.

And one of his best stoylines didn’t involve some of the more recognizable Avengers like Captain America, Thor, Wasp. But rather the 2nd Avengers team, the West Coast Avengers.

>The basic blot involved the Grim Reaper who wants the brother he knew (Simon Williams) back and he’s willing to destroy the Vision and Wonder Man to bring that about. He forms an alliance with Ultron who also wants the Vision destroyed. And for good measure, throw in a wildcard, one Dr. Henry Pym (Ultron’s creator).

Steve Englehart did a great job with the story all around. On one side with the West Coast Avengers he juggles five very different characters and through some good characterization establishes the bonds between them. He also manages to insert a level of intimacy by recounting their individual origins.

On the other side in the Vision and the Scarlet Witch, in a strong prolog sequence, he delves into the origins of both the Vision and Scarlet Witch. In both titles, he spends a lot of time on the characters and demonstrates the importance of their internal conflict as well as physical:

- The Vision’s ongoing struggle to be human as well as deal with the consequences of his recent actions in the Ultimate Vision where he tries to take over the world’s computers.
- Wonder Man realizing who he was and how he’s become a better man as well as coping with his fear of dying.
- Tigra’s inner struggle with her feline side and trying to contribute to a team in which she feels inadequate.
- Pym, who has sworn off heroes, is dragged back into it because of his past actions.
- And Hawkeye who is trying to bring his team together and establish it as a legitimate branch of the Avengers.

The art in The West Coast Avengers is good, dynamic, and simple, but nothing more than that. However, the art in The Vision and the Scarlet Witch is weaker and the action doesn’t flow as well as its counter part.

It was nice to see a complicated crossover span only 4 issues (2 of which were 39-page special issues). It was a great start for both series, but unfortunately the Vision and the Scarlet Witch didn’t live up to for the length of their 12-issue run.

The story ends as predictably as super-hero epic do, with good triumphing over evil since the evil doers couldn’t work together and were defeated by the good who did come together as a team. The Vision and Wonder Man force a climatic confrontation with their brother, the Grim Reaper. They force the Grim Reaper to abandon his prestige view of his brother Simon, but he sees the bond between Vision and Wonder Man as something he can never be a part of, and dies fleeing from this.

And enjoyable read worth keeping an eye out for.