Avengers #1 (September 1963) Part One

To mark the release of Marvel's Avengers in theaters this past weekend, I've decided to delve into the monumental first issue in which the saga began. Page two calls it a "Book-Length Super Epic", which is entirely true. While it may be only 22 pages, the story is crammed with so many plot points, action, useless dialogue, and characters, that it feels like a 100-page Annual. I was a little hesitant to follow through with this, but after the 3 days it took me to read the entire thing, here we go!

Our story begins with the evil Loki once again trying to find a way to seek revenge on his brother Thor. The problem however, is that Dr. Donald Blake only becomes Thor when there's trouble, and Loki wouldn't be satisfied if he were to beat a mere human.

"Loki" is just a pair of floating eyes throughout the first few pages.

As if moving pieces in a game of chess, Loki's move is to use the Hulk as a pawn in his scheme. He stages a scenario where the Hulk saves a train from falling off a bridge, but due to the circumstances, the people on the train instead mistake the Hulk for trying to attack the train and it's passengers.

All of the unneeded rambling is actually what makes this issue "Book-Length". Maybe Stan Lee had a laugh trying to see if Jack Kirby could actually fit all of the words in a panel.

Headlines hit newspapers of a "Hulk Rampage", and Bruce Banner's trusty sidekick Rick Jones summons the TEEN BRIGADE! (I really hate the Teen Brigade, by the way). They send a distress signal to the Fantastic Four, but Loki diverts the signal to the office of Donald Blake.

Not strange at all. In fact it's totally normal.

Despite rerouting the radio waves, Ant-Man, Wasp, and Iron Man manage to pick it up.

Ant Man in his pre-wife beating days.

It also makes its way to the Fantastic Four, but instead of helping out, Reed Richards decides his personal affairs are more important.

Mr. Fantastic is fantastic at flaking out on people when they need help.

Almost at once everyone shows up at the Teen Brigade Clubhouse, and Thor's eye spots the Hulk running past one of the windows.

Before Tony Stark began using AC/DC for entrance music, he actually would show up and sing "Hello! Ma Baby".

Not settling for words, Thor goes straight into attack mode, hurling his hammer at the green monster. Sadly, the Hulk was only one of Loki's illusions.

This happens to Thor in almost every battle - so its actually mostly possible.

So now the Avengers ask themselves a disturbing question: if this was just one of Loki's magic tricks, where is the Hulk?

too be continued...