AVENGERS: EARTH'S MIGHTIEST HEROES #1 - 4

Writer: Christopher Yost
Production: Taylor Esposito & Irene Y. Lee | Editors: Michael Horwitz & Nathan Cosby
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley | Executive Producer: Alan Fine

One thing that bugs me occasionally with tie-in comics is the chronology. Folks who read this blog regularly are quite aware that I take timelines very seriously. I like to know exactly where stories are taking place in relation to one another, down to the day if possible. And while this mini-series, published by Marvel in 2010 to tie in with the TV show, doesn't go quite that far, it does slot very neatly into place among the show's episodes. In all likelihood, that's due to the fact that the comic is written by the series' showrunner, Christopher Yost -- which gives this particular tie-in the distinction of being an official part of the series canon, unlike a lot of other such comics.

Each of the first three issues features one lead story and one backup, with the final issue being a book-length adventure. The timeline is a little weird, though: issue 1 obviously takes place after episode 13, "Gamma World Part 2", due to the fact that Hawkeye is among the Avengers. Issue 2's placement is nebulous, as Hawkeye doesn't appear, but it definitely takes place after episode 10, "Everything is Wonderful", by virtue of a cameo appearance from Wonder Man, and before episode 14, "Masters of Evil" since it depicts Baron Zemo recruiting a member of his team. Issue 3 is set after episode 11, "Panther's Quest", as Black Panther is among the Avengers, but it also precedes episode 12, "Gamma World Part 1", as the Hulk is still on the run. Finally, issue 4 is clearly set after episode 19, "The Kang Dynasty", because it features the full lineup (i.e., Hawkeye and Hulk are among the team), the Avengers are familiar with the Masters of Evil when they show up, and Cap makes refernce to Kang's invasion of Earth. Not sure why Yost went with a mostly chronological setup aside from Hawkeye's weird inclusion in issue 1, but what are you gonna do (aside from read #1 between 3 and 4 whenever re-reading the series to assuage your anal-retentive tendencies*)?

The backup stories jump around a lot more. Hawkeye and Black Panther are the stars of the first issue's backup, so it's clearly set after "Gamma World". Hulk is among the Avengers in the second story's backup, setting it either prior to episode 8, "Some Assembly Required" (which is possible since we never see Captain America, Hawkeye, or Black Panther in the story) or subsequent to "Gamma World". Issue 3's backup stars only Captain America and the Wasp, so it can be placed anywhere after episode 9, "Living Legend".

Now, without further ado, on with the show -- err, comic:

"ADAPTATION"
Artist: Scott Wegener | Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu | Letterer: Dave Sharpe

In issue #1's first story, we find Captain America struggling to adapt to life in the modern day, looking for his place in a world that has changed nearly unrecognizably. He takes a little time to fight Batroc the Leaper and his Brigade (which includes the Fixer in this continuity), and then joins the Avengers in repelling an AIM attack on a Stark facility. When AIM unleashes the Super-Adaptoid, Iron Man ignores Cap's strategic advice as usual and sics all the Avengers on it -- allowing the Adaptoid to absorb the powers of the entire team. But Cap deduces that the Adaptoid can be shut down by... hitting it in the chest, which he does.

The bizarre placement of the Adaptoid's Achilles' heel aside, this is a good story. I admit that I get tired of every Cap writer feeling this inexplicable need to do a "man out of time" thing (I love that the MCU only paid it minor lip service early on and then dropped it entirely going forward), but I do like Yost's presentation of him here. As usual in the TV show, Cap is totally right about how to tackle the enemy, and as usual, Iron Man pays him no heed, only to see Cap save the day. My one annoyance with this recurring bit is that we never, ever seen Iron Man's reaction to it. I assume that's intentional, to illustrate Stark's arrogance, but it's nonetheless irritating.

"TRUST"
Artist: Patrick Scherberger | Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu | Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Issue 1's backup story spotlights Hawkeye and Black Panther as they come to terms with one another while fighting Vault escapee Whiplash. I don't really recall and particular enmity between Hawkeye and the Panther in the TV show, but maybe the reason is that it was all resolved here. Overall, this story is a small character piece and feels unnecessary to the larger EMH tapestry.

"OBSESSION"
Artist: Scott Wegener | Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu | Letterer: Dave Sharpe

The second issue's lead story finds the Avenges having pursued Vault escapee Crimson Dynamo to Switzerland. But as soon as the group defeats the Dynamo, Russia's super-team, the Winter Guard, arrives to arrest him. Iron Man is triggered at the sight of Guardsman Titanium Man's armor, which he believes to be derived from his own technology, and attacks. The Avengers and Guard are sucked into a brief brawl, allowing the Crimson Dynamo to escape. Iron Man eventually realizes he was wrong and -- gasp -- apologizes to the Winter Guard and the Avengers. Elsewhere, Crimson Dynamo is approached in his hideout by Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil.

While "integral" might be too strong a word to use, this story is an important bit of continuity for the animated series, showing the Dynamo's recruitment. I mean, I don't remember wondering where the heck he came from when I first watched the show a decade back, but at the same time, there were episodes (or at least scenes) showing Zemo recruit all the other Masters onscreen, so Dynamo was a bit of a question mark -- thus it's nice to see that addressed here.

There's also a weird continuity glitch in this story, too. Early on, Ant-Man explains the Dynamo's backstory to Captain America, describing how Iron Man defeated him in their first encounter. The art depicting this flashback shows the Dynamo trapped between Iron Man and War Machine as they take him out. Thing is, I don't think War Machine exists yet in this universe. I could be misremembering, but I'm pretty sure Rhodey takes up the identity later on in season 2. I suspect this scene was intended as an homage to IRON MAN 2, where Iron Man and War Machine defeated the villain of the piece, Ivan Vanko (same name as the Crimson Dynamo here) in a similar fashion. And it's possible Yost just didn't have a concrete idea at this point whether War Machine existed or not in the EMH continuity.

"MUTUAL RESPECT"
Artist: Patrick Scherberger | Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu | Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Issue 2's backup story sees Ant-Man and the Hulk fighting the Mad Thinker, Quasimodo, and the Thinker's Awesome Android on the Avengers' Mansion lawn. The heroes win, but the Thinker turns out to be a robot, and his reason for attacking was merely to study Ant-Man's growth power in the interest if imbuing his own androids with the ability. It's inessential filler, the sort of thing that might have appeared as the cold open to a TV episode.

"SAVAGE"
Artist: Scott Wegener | Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu | Letterer: VC's Joe Sabino

As noted in the continuity paragraph above, issue 3's lead story is set during the Hulk's break from the Avengers, between "Some Assembly Required" and "Gamma World" (but after Black Panther joined the team in "Panther's Quest". In it, the Elders of the Universe known as the Collector and the Grandmaster decided to put the Hulk against Thor for a little fun. The Avengers happen to be searching for Hulk in Canada when the Elders take control of Thor and point him at the Jade Goliath, and a fight erupts. Eventually Thor overcomes the mind control and the Elders depart, but Hulk gets away. In space, the Elders meet up with the rest of their kind, stating that Earth has now caught their attention.

I'm not sure why we needed this one. I don't mind getting the Elders set up in the EMH universe, but the idea of the Avengers having a run-in with the Hulk between "Some Assembly Required" and "Gamma World" just feels off to me -- especially since this story can only fit between "Panther's Quest" and "Gamma World", which means it takes place right between the last Hulk-free episode and the episode where Hulk rejoins the team. It kind of -- I dunno, steals some thunder from the Hulk's return in the TV series.

"COURAGE"
Artist: Patrick Scherberger | Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu | Letterer: VC's Joe Sabino

Our final backup story finds Captain America and the Wasp somewhere in snowy Canada, fighting Wendigo. Well, sort of. Cap is at death's door and Wasp is forced to battle the beast on her own, after Cap gives her a pep talk and then passes out. Wasp eventually knocks out Wendigo and a Quinjet arrives to pick her and Cap up.

I won't exactly say I dislike this one, but I will say that, as with the other two backups, it feels inconsequential and pointless. In part that's due to all of these backup stories being character studies. I've realized in recent years that some of my least-favorite fictional stories are those that are totally character-driven. It turns out that what I like are plot-driven stories with charaacter development sprinkled throughout, not character-driven stories with a plot built around the character moments. I'd much rather know how Cap and Wasp wound up in this predicament and see the aftermath, than learn that Wasp doesn't consider herself brave until Cap convinces her that she is.

(Hmm, did I just stumble onto the premise for a rambling Sunday post at some point in the future? Stand by to find out!)

"TEAM"
Artists: Scott Wegener & Patrick Scherberger | Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Letterer: Dave Sharpe

The final issue of EARTH'S MIGHTIEST HEROES is a full-length epic, with artists Scott Wegener and Patrick Scherberger splitting chores between pages. Wegener, whose style resembles the animated series much more than Scherberger, draws the story proper, while Scherberger intersperses full-page "photographs" taken by the Wasp, in an effort to get a nice team portrait of the Avengers. This one builds on a throwaway scene from the very first episode of EMH, "Iron Man is Born". That episode featured a cold open where the Golden Avenger stopped a rampage by the gigantic Ultimo robot in California. Now, six months later, Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil reanimate Ultimo and set him on the Avengers.

But as you might expect, not even Zemo can control Ultimo, and the robot soon begins attacking Masters and Avengers alike. Enchantress is knocked out, leaving the Masters unable to teleport away, and thus forced to team up with the Avenges against Ultimo. The two groups triumph over the robot, the Masters escape, and Wasp finally gets her team photo when she hands her camera to a young bystander named Peter Parker to take the pic.

This is probably my favorite of the four EMH issues. For one thing, I prefer the issue-length story over a the lead story/backup of previous installments. For another, something about this one just feels better written than the others. The story feels more fleshed out, like it could've been an actual episode, and the dialogue is a lot more entertaining, with some great banter and zingers from Wasp and Hawkeye. I'm not saying I disliked the previous issues, but I do wish that they had been more in line with this one in terms of plot and script.

And that's it, folks! Next week, we return to the TV series proper, with episode 15: "459".

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*The "you" mentioned here is, of course, me.