Classic Review: Marvel Masterworks- Avengers Vol. 8

Quick Summary

Pros: Two of the story arcs here are great and hold up from a modern perspective. The rest of the arcs are still entertaining and offer plenty of excitement.

Cons: Some of the storytelling features feel a bit outdated.

Overall: This is another successful Avengers volume that offers a lot of positives while containing very few negatives. The volume’s high points are enjoyable and are great to read from a modern perspective. Meanwhile, its low points are still enjoyable from the standpoint of action and excitement. Anyone who has been enjoying reading this series is likely to continue enjoying their reading experience with this book.

Story

Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 8, by Roy Thomas, is another solid mix of adventures that are a real treat to read. Many of the stories here are highly compelling and have a deeper message that still feels relevant today. The rest of the stories might not have the same level of complexity but are able to make up for it with exciting levels of action. This creates a collection that is fun all the way through and continues many of the positive elements this series has already captured.

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Avengers Vol. 8 starts out incredibly strong. It opens with a compelling story that has the Avengers team up with Kang the Conqueror and face off against the forces of the mysterious Grandmaster. The battles taking place across these chapters are exciting and they even go on to feature four villains designed as reflections of various DC Comics heroes, which is a novel concept that is fun to see. The entire adventure then concludes with a great moral message that chastises Kang’s preference for violence over love.

After this opening story, the other highlight in this collection features the return of the Sons of the Serpent and, thus, another great story arc condemning racism. The adventure has suspense, action, and enough uncertainty to keep things interesting all the way through. The core of this entire escapade though is the best part. It expresses an interesting message about racism and the divide in American attitudes toward race that still feels relevant in the modern day.

However, not every story here is as deep and meaningful as the ones detailed above. The adventures regarding Zodiak, a few of the shorter adventures in the middle, and the fight Lethal Legion are entertaining but don’t have a ton of depth to them. Instead, they end up being short showcases of physical action and fighting. Luckily, even these end up being fun in their own way, especially if readers are specifically interested in action.

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Art

Avengers Vol. 8 is another mostly positive artistic showing for the Avengers series. Both John Buscema and Sal Buscema do some great work at different points throughout this volume. The wonderful levels of detail seen in the scenes from space and the creativity seen in newly introduced characters, like the Squadron Supreme or the Zodiac, makes this volume a joy to look at. Then, later on, Sal Buscema’s work on the last few issues of this collection feature some of the most sleek takes on the characters thus far. All in all, this helps create a good looking volume that makes for a pleasing reading experience.

Continuity

Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 8 continues the story from Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 7 (Review).

The story here continues in Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 9 (Review).

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• Tony’s Stark’s reason for being in the hospital is explained in Iron Man #18 and his situation is resolved in Iron Man #19. Both issues are collected in Marvel Masterworks: Iron Man Vol. 6.
• Thor previously fought the Growing Man in Thor #140, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Thor Vol. 5.
• Princess Ravonna was nearly killed in Avengers #24, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 3 (Review).
• The Squadron Sinister is an homage of DC Comic’s Justice League of America. Hyperion represents Superman, Dr. Spectrum represents Green Lantern, Nighthawk represents Batman, and Whizzer represents the Flash.
• In Avengers #72, Captain America mentions the Red Skull impersonating him recently. This happened in Captain America #115-119, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 4.
• In Avengers #72, references are made to Nick Fury’s battles with Scorpio in Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Vol. 2, and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #5, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Vol. 3.
• In Avengers #72, a reference is also made to Nick Fury’s battle with Bulls-Eye in Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #15, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Vol. 3.
• Quicksilver mentions meeting Jarvis in Spider-Man #7, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 8.
• Rick Jones’s connection to Captain Marvel began in Captain Marvel #17, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Captain Marvel Vol. 2 (Review).
• The Avengers previously fought the Sons of the Serpent in Avengers #32, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 4 (Review).