Avengers Annual #13
Writer: Roger Stern
Artist(s): Steve Ditko/John Byrne
“In Memory Yet Green” is perhaps one of 1984’s more enjoyable reads. It’s an entertaining story displaying Stern’s strength as a writer and my favorite Avengers’ writer. The Avengers are called in to decide what to do with Bruce Banner’s the technical legacy (since at this point the Incredible Hulk has been banished to the Crossroads by Doctor Strange). Arnim Zola, however, also has a keen interest in Banner’s work and sends Hulk bio-clones in an attempt to seize Banner’s research. The Avengers along with Mr. Fantastic, She-Hulk, and Dr. Henry Pym, prevent Zola from getting his hands on Banner’s work.
Steve Ditko provides the pencils for this issue and John Byrne does a wonderful job with the inking. I’m not overly fond of Ditko’s late art, but Byrne’s inks add more depth to it and modernizes it.
Wonderful issue that was! I loved the Ditko/Byrne combination, as it tightened up Ditko's art and loosened up Byrne's inking into the perfect combination. And you're right about Stern -- easily the best Avengers writer of the '80s.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised how well Byrne inked Ditko.
ReplyDeleteGood issue
Would have preferred Buscema and Palmer on the art.
That would have been a fun issue to have Buscema/Palmer draw.
ReplyDelete