Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Vol 2: The Old Order Changeth

 

I've been picking up a number of these early 60's Marvel reissues because they're a good deal and I like to relive my youth! Totally fun, escapism stories with some of the greatest superheroes ever conceived!

This volume collects issues 11 through 20 of the Avengers, with the earlier episodes concerning the original lineup and some major villains and events - bad guys like Kang (who creates a faux Spider-Man to fight our heroes), the Mole Man, the Red Ghost, Zemo, the Executioner, the Enchantress, the Black Knight (the bad guy, not the later Avenger), the Melter, and, of course, space aliens'n'commies, along with milestones like the Wasp almost dying from a rogue gunshot and the original team splitting up!

Of course, Captain America leads a new, streamlined team of Hawkeye, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch (whose hex power is a bit more specific and reliable at this time that its later randomness) to fight more wild evil ones, including Hawkeye's old teacher turned master thief, the Swordsman!

Great storytelling from Stan Lee and while I'm not a big fan of Don Heck's artwork, he does good layouts and one story even has Wally Wood inking, which is a treat! Fine, fun stuff, for sure!