Okay so today, April 25, is ANZAC Day in New Zealand, similar
to Memorial Day in the USA, and at midnight this morning The Avengers movie premiered
at various New Zealand movie theatres. Here’s Christy Lemire review (minor spoilers
only)
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Monday, 16 April 2012
Members - The Incredible Hulk
HULK [Robert
Bruce Banner]
Founding
Member – Active: Avengers V1 #1
First
Appearance: Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962)
First
Avengers Appearance: Avengers #1 (Sep 1963)
Origin:
Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962)
History
During the experimental detonation of a gamma bomb,
scientist Bruce Banner saved Rick Jones, a teenager who had wandered into the
test area, by shoving him into a trench. Banner however is exposed to the full
force of the blast. Miraculously he survived but at night he transforms into a
lumbering grey behemoth that a soldier calls a "hulk".
The Hulk soon mutated from grey to green in colour
and overtime he underwent many other changes. Initially the change occurred at
nightfall but soon Banner also used a gamma ray device to trigger his
transformation. More commonly the change has been caused by extreme emotional
reaction such as fear, pain, or anger. The Hulk has also exhibited fluctuating
levels of intelligence ranging from savage and unreasoning through slow and dim
witted to highly intelligent and canny. At times Banner’s personality has had
complete control while on other occasions banner has been physically separated
from The Hulk.
Powers &
Abilities
The Hulk possesses an incredible level of
superhuman physical ability including strength, endurance, resistance to
weapons / energy / poison / diseases, and advanced tissue regeneration.
Publication
History
The Hulk’s first title lasted only 6 issues with
Stan Lee scripting this series and Jack Kirby drew the first 5 with Steve Ditko
drawing the final issue. On cancellation the Hulk appeared in Fantastic Four
(#12) and soon became a founding member of The Avengers.
In October 1964 The Hulk was awarded his own 13
page feature in the anthology series Tales to Astonish. He appeared the month
earlier as Giant-man’s adversary and his own series ran from #60 to #101 when
it was re-titled The Incredible Hulk.
In 1998 a second short-lived Rampaging Hulk title
appeared and The Incredible Hulk ceased as of #474 in March 1999 replaced by a
new series simply title Hulk. As of Issue 12, the word Incredible returned to
the series title. The Hulk disappeared from this title as of #112 when it was
renamed The Incredible Hercules featuring his fellow Avenger of the same name.
A new “Hulk” series appeared in March 2008 and
featured not only the Bruce Banner / green Hulk but a new mysterious Red Hulk.
This series continues today focusing on The Red Hulk. Meanwhile, The Incredible
Hulk title was resurrected in September 2009 as of issue #600, changed to The
Incredible Hulks as of #612
and ceased publication again from #635.
A third volume of The Incredible Hulk commenced in
December 2011 and continues today.
Writers
& Artists
Artists on the Hulk’s TTA appearances include,
Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Gill Kane (also as Scott Edwards) Bill Everett, John Buscema,
and Marie Severin. Herb Trimpe’s name became synonymous as The Hulks artist in the
early 1970s and Sal Buscema drew the series for 10 years starting in 1975.
Writers to play significant parts in Hulk’s history
include Roy Thomas, Len Wein, Roger Stern, and Bill Mantlo (5 years). John
Byrne made a brief but notable contribution to The Hulk’s history when he wrote
and pencilled the title. However the writer now most associated with the Hulk
is Peter David who wrote the Hulk for 12 years commencing in #337 (May 1987)
with many acclaimed and celebrated storyline’s linked to Banner’s pre-Hulk
existence.
Membership
Often described as a cross between the Frankenstein
Monster and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde it is surprising that The Hulk became a
founding member of The Avengers and later a core contributor to The Defenders.
Thor’s step-brother Loki used images of The Hulk
causing destruction to lure Thor out into the open. This resulted in other
heroes; Iron Man, Ant-man, and Wasp to also seek out The Hulk. When Loki’s plan
is revealed the heroes, including Thor and Hulk, agree to band together.
Although the Hulk was not often an active Avenger,
the team did have the benefit of another gamma-spawned member - Jennifer Walters,
who became The She-Hulk after a blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce Banner,
also joined the team. The Red Hulk is also a member of Steve Rogers’ current
Avengers team.
Members - Thor
THOR [Thor Odinson]
Founding
Member – Active: Avengers V1 #1
First
Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #83 (Aug 1962)
First
Avengers Appearance: Avengers #1 (Sep 1963)
Origin:
Journey into Mystery #83 (1962), Thor #159 (1968), Thor Annual #11 (1983)
Other storylines
of note: Journey Into Mystery #112, Avengers (1963) #140-151, Stand-off (Avengers
V3 #63, Iron Man V3 #64 and Thor V2 #58), Ragnarok (Thor V2 #80-85), Avengers Prime
#1-5, Siege.
History:
Thor is one of a race of other
dimensional beings known as Asgardians and worshipped by the norse people of
Earth as gods. In fact Thor is the son of Odin, lord of the Asgardian gods, and
Gaea, the eldest Earth goddess. Thor was raised in Asgard by Odin and his wife
Frigga along with his step-brother Loki. When Thor became headstrong and
arrogant, Odin decided to teach his son a lesson in humility by fusing Thor’s
persona with a mortal body that Odin created in the form of lame physician Dr
Donald Blake. Originally Thor / Blake believed that Blake’s discovery of a cane
in a Norwegian cave had caused the merging of the two identities. As Blake he
lived amongst the mortals of Earth learning of their frailty and their spirit.
Then as Thor he became a protector of Earth and its inhabitants. As time passed
Thor’s memory of his Asgardian heritage returned and began spreading his time
between Earth and Asgard.
Thor eventually discarded the
Donald Blake identity. For a time he used the name Sigurd Jarlson, an identity
arranged by Nick Fury the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Later in two separate acts
of selflessness Thor allowed his body and spirit to be merged with dying
mortals. The first was architect Eric Masterson and later paramedic Jake Olsen.
Powers and Abilities:
Thor’s powers and abilities
include strength, endurance and resistance to injury. He ages slower than a
mortal. He is immune to conventional disease, and highly resistant to injury.
His flesh and bones are several times denser than a human's.
On the death of Odin Thor became
Lord of Asgard and inherited the Odinforce, which enabled him to tap into the
near-infinite resources of cosmic and mystical energy.
Thor is trained in the arts of
war and is a skilled warrior, proficient in hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship,
and hammer throwing. Thor is usually armed with Mjolnir, a hammer forged from
uru metal and virtually unbreakable. Mjolnir allows Thor to command the powers
of the storm, causing rain, thunder and lightning and can channel the storm’s
fury into devastating blasts of energy Mjolnir can absorb other energies into
itself, which Thor can then release. Mjolnir almost seems alive at times and
when his will is strong enough, the hammer can pass through nearly any barrier
to reach. Thor is able to use the hammer to fly and at times has been able to
open portals to other dimensions.
Mjolnir has many enchantments.
One of these included allowing Thor to transform into his civilian guises. At
these times the hammer usually assumed the appearance of an old wooden cane. A
disadvantage of this enchantment was that Thor would also transform into his
mortal form if he was separated from Mjolnir for more than 60 seconds.
Other enchantments control who
may use Mjolnir. To date only Thor, Odin, Tiwaz, Red Norvell, Beta Ray Bill,
and Captain America [Steve Rogers] have been found worthy and there was a time
when even Thor could not lift Mjolnir. In his most recent incarnation Thor once
again shares his existence with Donald Blake – an entity that has evolved from
the original Odinspell that created the Donald Blake persona.
Publication History:
Thor first appeared in a 13 page
feature of Journey into Mystery #83. This series was re-titled The Mighty Thor
as from #126.
When Thor was believed to have
been slain by Onslaught, the series reverted to Journey Into Mystery effective
from #503. This anthology title featured a number of stories arcs the first
being The Lost Gods, an extended epic about a number of Asgardian heroes.
A second volume of Thor launched
in July 1998 ran for 85 issues was written up until #79 by Dan Jurgens and
Included the death of Odin and Thor’s ascension to Lord of Asgard. 
A third series written by J.
Michael Straczynski and pencilled by Olivier Coipel premiered in September
2007. Issue #13 became #600 as the original Journey Into Mystery numbering was
adopted and then as of #622 the title reverted once again to Journey Into
Mystery featuring stories about Loki and other Asgardians while Thor’s
adventures moved to a new series, “The Mighty Thor” debuting in June 2011.
Writers and Artist of Note:
Although Thor’s early adventures
were plotted by Stan Lee they were often scripted by Larry Lieber or Robert
Bernstein (as R Berns). Pencilling was primarily undertaken by Jack Kirby or
Joe Sinnott. Lee and Kirby established a long run on Thor lasting from #101 to
#179. After Kirby’s departure from Marvel, John Buscema and Neal Adams each
drew the title before Buscema assumed the regular pencilling which continued
almost uninterrupted from #182 to #278. During this time scripting was handled
by Gerry Conway, Len Wein, or Roy Thomas. Walt Simonson enjoyed a somewhat
brief but celebrated run handling both the writing and art from #337 to #367.
He continued to write the series until #382.
The other notable creative run on
Thor was by Marvel's editor-in-chief at the time, Tom DeFalco. Working
primarily with artist Ron Frenz, DeFalco stayed on the book until #459 (Feb.
1993).
J Michael Stracynski’s run first
with Olivier Coipel and the Marko Djurdjevic was also significant and involved
the return of Asgard but in this instance above Oklahoma.
Avengers Membership:
It was the long-standing feud
between Thor and his step-brother Loki that led to formation of The Avengers.
Loki used images of the Hulk to lure Thor into battle with the green-skinned
giant. When the Hulk’s young ally Rick Jones tried to clear the Hulk from being
implicated by Loki’s illusions, Iron Man, Ant-man and the Wasp also became
involved.
Agreeing to meet formally from
time to time and battle foes that individual heroes might struggle against Thor
became one of the founding Avengers. Originally considering himself a little
above his team mates Thor gradually came to enjoy the friendship and
camaraderie of his fellow Avengers. Along with Captain America and Iron Man
Thor was referred to as one of the “Big Three” and there were few Avengers
adventures that did not involve at least one of these three heroes.
Often regarded as one of, if not
the, most powerful Avenger, Thor took his first extended leave of absence in
#16 to attend the Trial of The Gods as depicted in his own series appearing in
Journey Into Mystery. Thor returned to the ranks of the Avengers and repeatedly
took extended leave of the Avengers as he became involved in epic adventures in
space or Asgard. During one of these absences the role of Thor was assumed by
Eric Masterson (whose identity had since been split from Thor. Masterson
confided in Captain America who allowed Masterson to also fill Thor’s roster in
The Avengers (and referred to in official
documents as Thor II). On Thor’s return Odin granted Masterson an enchanted
weapon of his own and he adopted the name Thunderstrike, retaining his Avengers
membership and standing.
Eventually the demands of his role
as the Lord of Asgard brought Thor into conflict with his team-mates and in a
story-arc that crossed through Avengers V3 #63, Iron Man V3 #64 and Thor V2 #58
involving a battle against both Iron Man and Captain America Thor renounced his
Avengers membership.
The cycle of Ragnarok resulted in
the destruction of Asgard and the death of all Asgardians. After a long absence
Thor returned to this plane of existence and recreated Asgard in Oklahoma.
Following the super-hero registration act Civil War, Iron Man attempted to
recruit Thor as a registered hero but Thor wished nothing to do with the
outside world. However the Skrull Secret Invasion once again brought Thor
alongside the Avengers … old and new.
While moving through the wreckage
of Asgard, Thor, iron Man and Steve Rogers were transported to a realm of limbo
where that battled beside each other and reformed their friendship.
When Steve Rogers was appointed
America’s “Top Cop” following Norman Osborn’s Dark Reign and Siege he insisted
that Thor was a core member of his new Avengers team.
Post Script:
In Avengers #3 the team confront The Hulk and The Sub-Mariner. JIM #112 takes Thor's battle with the Hulk and shows it in greater detail.
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Avengers vs. X-Men Infinite Comic
2012 is a special year for
Avengers fans and no more so than April and May with the release of Avengers vs. X-Men 0# and 1# in April and the Marvel’s Avengers motion picture in May.
However April 2012 will also be remembered
for the release of Avengers vs. X-Men
Infinite Comic and the Marvel AR app
for tablets. My copy of AvX#1 is still a few days away so I can’t yet comment
on the AR app however I have seen the Infinite Comic which features Nova and
doubles as a lead in to the Avengers vs. X-Men event.
Created by Mark Waid and Stuart
Immonen the “issue” is crafted in landscape mode for the tablet (iPad or
Android) and utilises digital technology for the transitions.
It’s quite unique
- it’s not a comic (printed or digital), not an animated cartoon and not a
motion comic.
The Infinite Comic is available
in a number of ways. It can be purchased from the Marvel or ComiXology digital
stores for 99 cents or for free with a redemption code supplied with the print
copy of Avengers vs. X-Men #1.
A digital comic version also
comes free with the digital version of Avengers vs. X-Men #1 making it a 99
page title which can be purchased for $3.99 or for free with the printed
version.
And for those without a tablet or
smart-phone the Avengers vs. X-Men Infinite Comic can also be purchased and
viewed on the either the Marvel.com website digital store:
(a subscription may be required) or
the Comixology equivalent:
although I suspect that this is the digital comic version as opposed to the version
intended for the portable devices.
Many forum contributors have sought a printed
version. To date this does not appear to exist and in fairness to Marvel would
defeat the intent. I would not be surprised however if a printed version
appears in the collected trade version which I’m sure will eventuate.
I was very impressed with Marvel’s
initial undertaking into a fully digital experience and I would read more
providing the art and story matched this. I would however also hope that prices
remain reasonable and that they not be used for critical events that are part
of significant storylines primarily presented in print.
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