So who is, has been, can be, or will be a member of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes?

Most writers agree that The Avengers is the “Dream Team” of Marvel’s groups. Membership is special, something to be earned and respected. This is reflected in the pomp and ceremony of many membership announcements or invitations made throughout the series. In the early days these were often associated with public announcements, press conferences, and acceptance speeches.

However at times, members do seem to have been admitted “at the drop of a hat” and this has to some extent lessened the honor and status of Avengers membership. With well over 50 members including constituents of the Fantastic Four, the Inhumans, the Eternals, the Defenders, the X-Men, the Thunderbolts, and the Champions it may seem to casual readers that all the characters in the marvel universe belong to the Avengers. 

The Avengers operate a formal and structured membership process. Within days of deciding to form a team, the group had developed a written charter and a set of by-laws. Section two of the by-laws deals with membership in detail. It was many years before readers actually saw the contents of these by-laws and we should expect that this version is significantly amended from the original drawn up after Issue #1. We can assume however that the original set still contained many basic democratic and human rights provisions. It is also some time since readers last saw a working version of the by-laws and events both on-panel and behind the scenes present clear evidence that changes to the charter must have continued to take place over time.

The development of structure and formal protocols is clearly the result of Tony Stark’s involvement. Initially the team was unaware that Iron Man was also Tony Stark. A successful and experienced corporate businessman, Stark would be the driver behind the team’s need for rules and direction. While Captain America is often regarded as the heart and moral compass of the Avengers it is Iron Man that provided the structure necessary for the Avengers to survive and expand. This view is central to the Joe Casey limited series The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as Stark is repeatedly shown negotiating security protocols with the government.

As time proceeds, the Avengers membership changes with their charter even stating: “membership of the Avengers may be subject to, and, indeed might profit from change”. Accordingly they develop clear rules and procedures to govern Avengers membership and admission.    

Kallusians

KALLUSIANS [Alien race the KALLU]

First Appearance: Avengers V1 #14 (Mar 1965)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #14 (Mar 1965)

The Kallusians are a humanoid race from the planet Kallu in the Kallu-Kan star system of the Andromeda galaxy. A group of Kallusians sought refuge from a Badoon-like warring race of aliens by hiding In Earth’s Arctic. The Avengers discovered the refugees and drove them back into space.

Count Nefaria

COUNT NEFARIA [Count Luchino Nefaria]

First Appearance: Avengers V1 #13 (Feb 1965)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #13 (Feb 1965)

Other Appearances of note: Avengers V1 #164-166, (1977), 

Avengers V3 #32-34 (2000) /Thunderbolts V1 #43-44 (2000)

Count Luchino Nefaria is a descendant of a noble Italian family and inherited great wealth and power. His lust for riches led him to become a powerful figure in the international crime syndicate known as the Maggia. Frustrated by The Avengers’ interventions into the family business, Nefaria launched a plan to trap and destroy the Avengers.

Nefaria, became a frequent enemy of the Avengers and also fought both Iron Man and the X-Men on a number of occasions. Nefaria recruited Professor Sturdy, a former associate of Baron Hienrich Zemo, to assist him in using the technology that Zemo, and later the Enchantress, used to create Wonderman and Powerman respectively.

Nefaria gained impressive superhuman powers based on the Living Lazer, Powerman I, and Whirlwind. These eventually mutated Nefaria into a being of Ionic energy capable of holding his own against the combined might of The Avengers, The Thunderbolts, and his daughter Madame Masque.

Mole Man

MOLE MAN [Harvey Rupert Elder]

First Appearance: Fantastic Four V1 #1 (Nov1961)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #12 (Jan 1965)

As an American scientist and explorer, Rupert Elder was shunned and ridiculed for his appearance, personality and eccentric theories regarding a hollow Earth. While trying to escape society, Elder discovered his subterranean world and when he also discovered a race of intelligent but mute and obedient inhabitants he crowned himself king of the underworld taking on the name Mole Man. Primarily a recurring opponent of the Fantastic Four, Mole Man has crossed paths with anyone who trespasses, invades or threatens his world. In addition to his Moloid servants Mole Man can control a variety of subterranean creatures often huge in size and referred to as monsters by the surface world. Over time Mole Man has found himself in battle with The Avengers, the Avengers West Coast, and The Mighty Avengers. He also provided his Monster Isle as a home base for Adam Warlock and his Infinity Watch team. 

Immortus

IMMORTUS [Nathaniel Richards]

a.k.a Pharaoh Rama-Tut, Kang, Scarlet Centurion, Iron Lad

First Appearance: Avengers V1 #10 (Nov 1964)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #10 (Nov 1964)

Other Appearances of note: Avengers V1 #131, 132, 141-143; Giant-Sized Avengers #3, 4;  Avengers West Coast V2 #48, 53, 55, 59, 61-62; Avengers Forever limited series.

If Loki is the prince of lies, Immortus must be first in line for the throne. Having wearied of a life of conflict and conquest, Kang accepted the invitation of the Time Keepers to become their guardian of the time stream. In the same way that Richards had become first Rama-Tut, the Scarlet Centurion and later Kang, it is believed that in at least one reality he once again reinvented himself as Immortus, ruler of Limbo.

Where Kang attempted to defeat The Avengers through battle and force, Immortus used cunning, guile, duplicity and deceit combining these traits with the technology to manipulate and travel through time.

In his first encounter with the Avengers as Immortus, he allies himself with Zemo, the Executioner and the Enchantress and attempted the destruction of the Avengers through the use of beings posing as mythological figures.

Immortus is also partially responsible for the creation of the Vision by creating a temporal copy of the original Human Torch that the android Ultron used to create the Vision.

While Immortus appeared benevolent in officiating at the wedding of the Vision to the Scarlet Witch, and Mantis to the Cotati his darker plans have involved using the Scarlet Witch to become the absolute master of time, deleting various alternate time-line universes, and driving Iron Man insane so that he turned on The Avengers murdering a number of Avengers before his own death.

Immortus conflict with his younger self was also the basis for the "Destiny War" detailed in the Avengers Forever limited series.

Wonder Man

WONDER MAN [Simon Williams]

First Appearance: Avengers V1 #9 (Oct 1964)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #9 (Oct 1964)

Williams Innovations, owned by Simon Williams had fallen on hard times. Williams blamed rival industrialist Tony Stark and egged on by his brother Eric, Simon embezzled from the company. Down and out he accepted a proposition from  Baron Zemo, to infiltrate and destroy the Avengers. Zemo uses his technology to transform Williams into an ion-powered super-man. Dubbed Wonder Man he is sent to join the Avengers. Zemo ensures Williams obedience with the threat of needing ongoing treatment to retain his powers and his life.

Williams cannot go through with the plan and Wonder Man saves the Avengers, apparently at the cost of his own life. Iron Man makes a recording of Wonder man’s brain patterns. However Wonder Man's body has simply entered a catatonic state as it adjusts to the effects of the ion treatment. Simon’s brother Eric, vows revenge on the Avengers who he believes is responsible for his brother’s death. Eric becomes the Grim Reaper and battles The Avengers a number of times before he learns firstly that Simon’s brain patterns had been used in the creation of the Vision and later that Simon is still alive.

Wonder Man remains in his inert state for years, and it is during this time that the artificial intelligence known as Ultron, steals the brain patterns recorded by Iron Man for use as a template for his synthezoid creation later called The Vision. When Wonder Man is eventually revived he remains with The Avengers and is finally inducted as a member. 

Refer also to the entry Avengers: Wonder Man

Kang The Conqueror

KANG THE CONQUEROR [Nathaniel Richards]

a.k.a Pharaoh Rama-Tut, Immortus, Scarlet Centurion, Iron Lad

First Appearance: 

(As Rama-Tut) Fantastic Four V1 #19 (1963); 

(as Kang) Avengers V1 #8 (Sep 1964)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #8 (Sep 1964)

Nathaniel Richards was born in the year 3000 of Earth-6311. He discovered his ancestor's time travel technology and travelled to Egypt circa 2950 BC where he became Pharaoh Rama-Tut, and ruled the natives. During this time he encountered the Fantastic Four, Dr. Strange and the Avengers all on their own respective time travel adventures.

Forced to flee that time period Rama-tut passes through a time storm leading to a meeting with Dr. Doom. Inspired by Doom’s armour and weaponry Richards adopts the armored identity of the Scarlet Centurion. He travels to Earth-689 and fools the Avengers of that reality into apprehending all other contemporary heroes of that world. The Centurion’s scheme to then use the Earth 616 Avengers to neutralize the Avengers of his adopted reality fails and Richards is escapes into the time-stream

Attempting to return to his native time and reality Richards overshoots and is hurled into the 40th century of Earth 6311. Refining his armour and weaponry Richards becomes Kang and conquers the entire world. Bored, Kang seeks to challenge himself by conquering the more demanding 20th century world of his ancestor and this brings him into regular conflict with The Avengers.

When Kang attempts to kidnap the Celestial Madonna he is thwarted by The Avengers and yet another future version of himself as Rama-tut. As the pair battled they were drawn to Limbo by Immortus who was later revealed as another potential version of Richards / Kang / Rama-Tut.

Kang has repeatedly attempted to engineer an heir worthy of replacing him. Each christened Marcus, at least one of these individuals has also adopted the Scarlet Centurion identity.

Kang also once visited his younger teenage pre-Kang self. Repulsed at the idea of becoming a tyrant this young Richards travelled to the past and invoked an Avengers failsafe program leading to him becoming Iron Lad and the formation of a group that the press and the world called the Young Avengers.

Kang is proficient in armed and unarmed combat, is a master strategist, highly capable with technology and has access to time travel technology, weapons from any age, including humanoid constructs known as stimuloids or Growing Men. He employs an offensively and defensively well equipped suit of armour and is often supported by armies of soldiers or a band of warriors from various times known as the Anachronauts.

The Executioner

THE EXECUTIONER [Skurge]

First Appearance: Journey into Mystery [Thor] #103 (Apr 1964)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #7 (Aug 1964)

Skurge is a native of Thor’s homeland of Asgard where he was a mighty warrior often with his double bladed axe in hand and Amora, the Enchantress by his side. Skurge became a recurring opponent of Thor and The Hulk leading also to confrontations with The Avengers and the Defenders. Having been exiled to Earth by Odin, the Executioner and the Enchantress both became members of Baron Heinrich Zemo's original Masters of Evil.

The Enchantress

THE ENCHANTRESS (Amora)

First Appearance: Journey into Mystery [Thor] #103 (Apr 1964)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #7 (Aug 1964)

While not a true Asgardian goddess, Amora is a powerful sorceress and has been a recurring nemesis of Thor. When she and the Executioner, who she was often associated with, were exiled to Earth by Odin, they encountered Baron Hieinrich Zemo and joined his original Masters of Evil which brought the pair into conflict with The Avengers.

Individually and as a member of the Masters of Evil, Amora battled the Avengers several times. She became especially affronted by the mortal Scarlet Witch's attempts to subvert her divine spells and has been occasionally challenged by Wanda's mutant gifts.

The Enchantress is also credited with orchestrating a number of other Avengers adversaries. Amora used Zemo’s technology to turn Erik Josten into Powerman (later known as Goliath III and Atlas. As Valkyire she assembled the Lady Liberators (Avengers V1 #83), and later used her sorcery to merge Barbara Denton Norris with the Valkyrie identity Defenders V1 #4). Amora was also behind Arkon’s first attack on Earth (Avengers V1 #75-76) and Ares attempt to conquer Olympus, Earth, and Asgard (Avengers V1 #98-100).

The Black Knight II

THE BLACK KNIGHT II [Professor Nathan Garrett]

First Appearance: Tales to Astonish [Giant-man] V1 #52 (Feb. 1964)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1, #6,

Other Appearances of note: Tales of Suspense [Iron Man] V1 #73 (Jan 1966) - mortally wounded.

A direct descendant of Sir Percy of Scandia, the first Black Knight, Garrett discovers Sir Percy’s tomb and ebony blade however his evil nature makes him unworthy of the sword or Sir Percy’s other gifts. A biologist by profession Garret designs an arsenal of medieval weapons based on technology and genetics. This includes a winged horse who he names Aragorn. As the Black Knight, Garrett commences a life of crime and he battles both Giant-Man and Iron Man. Baron Heinrich Zemo recruits The Black Knight for his original Masters of Evil. Garrett was succeeded by his nephew Dane Whitman as Black Knight III who became an Avengers mainstay.

Radioactive Man

THE RADIOACTIVE MAN (Chen Lu)

First Appearance: Journey into Mystery [Thor] V1 #93 (Jun 1963)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #6 (Jul 1964)

Charged with finding a way to defeat Thor, Chen Lu, a nuclear physicist in the People's Republic of China, exposed himself to increasing levels of radiation until he became Radioactive Man. Lu is later enlisted in Baron Zemo’s original Masters of Evil in a bid to destroy the Avengers. Like The Melter, Lu later joins another version of the group led by Ultron, and later still joins Eggheads version of the group. He is also a member of the short-lived Titanic Three and most recently, The Thunderbolts.

Apart from being a brilliant scientist, as the Radioactive Man he can absorb, control and emit radiation. This may take the form of concentrated blasts or physical strength and force-fields.

The Melter

THE MELTER (Bruno Horgan)

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense (Iron Man) #47 (Nov 1963)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #6 (July 1964)

A recurring enemy of Iron Man, a competitor of Tony Stark discovers a device capable of melting almost any iron based metal. Horgan adopts the identity of the Melter to wreak havoc on Stark Industries. This brings him into conflict with Iron Man. Baron Hienrich Zemo recruits him to the Masters of Evil where he battles The Avengers. The Melter is also recruited into a later version of the Masters of Evil operated by Ultron.

Baron Zemo I

BARON ZEMO I [Baron Heinrich Zemo]

First Appearance: Avengers V1 #6 (Jul 1964)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #6 (Jul 1964)

A Nazi scientist who performed many acts of Infamy during World War II bringing him into conflict with Captain America and Nick Fury’s war time unit, the Howling Commandos. Zemo hid in South America for many years until he was outraged to find his arch foe Captain America still alive and part of the modern hero group The Avengers.

Obsessed with the need to destroy Cap and the Avengers, Zemo created the Masters of Evil consisting firstly of the Melter, the Radioactive Man and the Black Knight Later it was the Enchantress and The Executioner. This obsession resulted in Zemo being a recurring opponent in the early days (Avengers V1 #6, 7, 9, and 10) before being killed while battling Captain America (Avengers V1 #15).

 Note: Don’t expect to find any stories published in the 1940s involving Zemo. He was created in the early 1960s and retroactively written into Captain America’s history including being responsible for Cap and Bucky's apparent death towards the end of the war.

Masters of Evil I

 

MASTERS OF EVIL I

First Appearance: Avengers V1 #6 (Jul 1964)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #6 (Jul 1964)

Roster: Baron Zemo I, Melter, Radioactive Man, Black Knight II, Enchantress, Executioner.

If there’s an evil mirror-version of The Avengers, it’s The Masters of Evil. Baron Heinrich Zemo first assembled this group when he learnt that Cap had survived the war and was now part of The Avengers. Like the Avengers this team’s roster changed many times over the years. The first incarnation of this group had two faces. The Baron first recruited The Melter, Radioactive Man, and the villainous Black Knight. Almost immediately after this group was defeated Zemo allied himself with The Enchantress and The Executioner, and, both briefly and reluctantly, Wonderman. The Black Knight and the Melter later returned to this original version of the Masters of Evil. 

Refer also to other incarnations of the Masters of Evil and the individual members.

Lava Men

LAVA MEN [Subterranean race]

First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery [Thor] #97 (Oct 1963)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #5 (May 1964)

The Lave Men are one of many subterranean races living beneath the earth’s crust. This race was mutated by the demon Cha'sa'dra in inorganic matter with high density, strength and resistance to heat. Some Lava Men have evolved from the red molten rock appearance to a golden colour. The Avengers first encountered the Lava Men while trailing the Hulk who they believed responsible for upheavals in the area. Once enemies, the Lava Men have also assisted the Avengers.  

D'bari

D’BARI [Alien race]

First Appearance: Avengers #4 (Mar 1964)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers #4 (Mar 1964)

Other Appearances of note: Uncanny X-Men V1 #135

A humanoid alien race originating from the fourth planet of the D'Bari system, formerly located in the Shi'ar Empire. A D'Bari space craft crashed on Earth thousands of years ago. Amongst the weapons that the surviving pilot had, was a gun that paralysed any opponent. In ancient Greece this activity added to the legend of Medusa. Over the centuries the alien moved around the globe eventually reaching America where he used the gun on the founding Avengers. The newly revived Captain America tracked the alien down and negotiated the release of the team in return for helping him retrieve and repair his craft. Years later most of the D’Bari race died when Dark Phoenix replenished itself by destroying their sun. Approximately five billion D'Bari died when their star went nova.

A small number of D'Bari not in the galaxy at the time survived. 

Hulk

HULK [Robert Bruce Banner]

First Appearance: The Hulk V1 #1 (May 1962)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #1 (Sep 1963)

Although Iron man, Ant-man, and the Wasp first banded together to track and capture the Hulk this was quickly resolved and Hulk joined them in defeating Loki and along with Thor, formed The Avengers. However during the battle with the Space Phantom it became clear to Hulk that the others did not trust him and perhaps even feared or hated him. Hulk left The Avengers and was almost immediately approached by Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner who convinced him that the two should become allies. Meanwhile The Avengers were convinced that Hulk was too powerful and unpredictable to be allowed to roam free and decided he had to be either captured or re-enlisted where they could keep an eye on him. This led to a number of conflicts.

Although The Hulk was eventually readmitted to the team roster, he also continued to battle The Avengers and many other heroes on a regular basis.

Refer also to entry Avenger: Hulk

Sub-Mariner

SUB-MARINER [Namor McKenzie]

First Appearance: Marvel Comic #1 (Oct 1939)

First Modern Appearance: Fantastic Four V1 #4 (May 1962)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #3 (Jan 1964)

Other Appearances of note: Avengers V1 #262 (Dec 1985)

The Sub-Mariner is the pink-skinned, hybrid, often called “mutant”, son of Captain Leonard McKenzie and Princess Fen from the underwater nation of Atlantis. Namor’s powers include flight, the ability to breathe both above and below the sea, super-strength, super-speed, and super-stamina. Created in 1939 by writer / artist Bill Everett, Namor, Prince of Atlantis has often filled the role of the hot-blooded anti-hero. His fiery temper brought Namor into conflict with heroes as often as villains. During his golden age appearances he battled the Nazi’s either alone or alongside his war-time buddies in The Invaders and The All Winners Squad.

In later years Namor loses his memory and it is Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four that recognises him amongst some homeless derelicts. With his memory restored Namor’s many attempts to conquer the surface world brings him into opposition with many heroes most notably the Fantastic Four.

Namor first encounters The Avengers when he convinces their former team-mate The Hulk to become his ally. The Avengers come in search of The Hulk and battle the pair. While this pairing is short-lived, Namor and The Hulk have teamed-up many times in the years ahead including alongside Dr Strange as founding members of The Defenders. 

In Avengers #4 (March 1964), it is revealed that Namor had discovered a frozen figure in a block of ice and hurled it into the ocean where it was found by The Avengers. This of course turned out to be Captain America.

Recognising that he was not a true villain or criminal, The Avengers offered Namor Avengers membership (Avengers V1 #16 – May 1965). He was honoured but declined. Many years later (Avengers V1 #262 - Dec 1985), Namor finally accepts Cap’s membership offer.


Oceanographer Caleb Alexander helped Namor gain better control of his temper by monitoring and controlling his blood chemistry. This even tempered Namor went into business through a corporation known as Oracle, Inc. which, amongst other things funded the new Heroes for Hire managed by his old Invaders pal Jim Hammond – The Original Human Torch.

Namor was also one of the Illuminati, six leaders who secretly undertook to shape and direct the super-hero community.

Space Phantom

SPACE PHANTOM

First Appearance: Avengers V1 #2 (Nov 1963)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #2 (Nov 1963)

Other Appearances of note: Avengers V1 #106-108, Avengers Forever V1 #8

The first Space Phantom was believed to be an advance scout of an alien race planning to invade Earth. Years later in the “Destiny Wars” (Avengers Forever 12 issue limited series) the Space Phantoms are revealed to be individuals who have become trapped in Immortus’ home dimension of Limbo. These individuals have gradually forgotten their previous lives and morphed into a misshapen appearance. Immortus uses these creatures as his servants and envoys. While the first appearance was in Avengers #2, the earliest reported Earth 616 appearance of a Space Phantom is 1873 when a group of time travelling Avengers discovered a trio of phantoms impersonating The Gunhawks and the Black Rider.

The Space Phantom’s attack in Avengers #2 involved him adopting the appearance of one Avenger after another and setting the team-mates against each other. While the Phantom takes another’s form, that individual is dispatched to Limbo. They return when the Phantom mimics another’s appearance. During the battle the other Avengers make comments to, or about, the Hulk and this results in his leaving he team when the battle is over. 

Dr Doom

DR DOOM [Victor von Doom]

First Appearance: Fantastic Four V1 #5 (Jul 1962)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #1 1/2 (Dec 1999) / Avengers V1 #25 (1966)

Other Avengers conflicts of note: Emperor Doom Graphic Novel, Acts of Vengeance, Secret Wars.

Originally it was believed that Dr Doom, better known as a frequently recurring enemy of the Fantastic Four, first fought The Avengers in issue #25 published in 1966. However in 1999, an earlier battle was revealed as occurring between issues 1 and 2 involving the original team. This conflict was published in The Avengers 1½. Doom has confronted The Avengers on a handful of occasions including during the “Acts of Vengeance” arc and The Marvel Super Heroes Secret War 12 issue limited series

Doom, the ruler of the European country of Latveria is a scientific genius and is also well versed in the mystic arts. He is a master strategist who always has at least one back-up plan. Disfigured in an experiment Doom wears a metal face plate and armour that contains a wide array of offensive and defensive weapons. He is also often supported by an army of robotic creations.

Loki

LOKI

First Modern appearance: Journey into Mystery [Thor] V1 #85 (Oct 1962).

First Avengers appearance: Avengers V1 #1 (Sept 1963)

Other appearances of note: Avengers V1 #115-118 and Defenders V1 #8-11, Avengers # 311-313 (Dec 1989-Jan 1990) / Avengers West Coast # 53-55 (Dec 1989-Feb 1990), Siege (2010)

A being from the other dimensional world of Asgard, Loki is the foster son of Odin the ruler of Asgard and half-brother to Odin’s true son Thor. Known as the god of mischief, lies and evil, Loki's powers include sorcery and control of great magical forces. He has been a recurring antagonist of Thor in the thunder god’s own titles and it was Loki’s efforts to use the Hulk in his plans to destroy Thor that led to the formation of The Avengers.

Loki harbours great animosity for his half-brother’s comrades and has menaced The Avengers on several occasions. Loki allied himself with Dormammu in an adventure referred to as “The Avengers / Defenders War”. Later in “Acts of Vengeance” Loki orchestrated a series of attacks by a collection of super-villains before confronting the combined forces of the Avengers and the Avengers West Coast himself. Loki was also the architect behind the Domination Factor mini-series’ involving both The Avengers and the Fantastic Four. Universal boundaries are no barriers the Loki’s wrath.  When Loki obtained the six Infinity Gems he and the Grandmaster played the Avengers against Ultraforce in a crossover with the Malibu Ultraverse. In volume 2 Loki was the behind the scenes protagonist while they were trapped in the Heroes Reborn pocket-verse and in the M2 alternative-future universe series Loki was behind “Last Hero Standing” involving the Avengers. 

Most recently Loki has plagued The Avengers in the industry wide cross-over arcs Dark Reign and Siege.

Vince Colletta

VINCE COLLETTA Vincent Joseph Colletta 15 October 1923 – 7 October 1991 (Italy)

Avengers Cover Inks: #6

Colletta had to work overtime to ink 

"the new kid on the block" 

George Perez Avengers #142 Dec 1975 

Vince Colletta entered the comic scene in 1952 inking his own pencils for Better Comics. Within months he joined Marvel (then Atlas) as an inker and over the years worked on nearly every Marvel title published. Colletta is regarded as one of the finest artists of the romance genre but he is probably best known as one of the core group of inkers to work with Jack Kirby over the years. Colletta enjoyed a 6 year run with Kirby on The Mighty Thor and also worked at Charlton, Dell, and Skywald. At DC he rose to the position of DC’s art director a position he held from 1976 to 1979. A lot of media coverage has been given to Colletta’s style and there are polarised opinions on the impact his inking style had on various artists especially Jack Kirby.

Sol Brodsky

SOL BRODSKY 22 April 1923 – 04 June 1984

Avengers Cover Inks: #2, 16

Sol Brodsky began his on / off association with the Marvel in 1942 and at one point in the 1950s the Atlas office staff consisted of only Brodsky and Stan Lee. Brodsky left to form a short lived comic company with Mike Esposito. He began freelancing again for Marvel in the early 60s and like many other artists of the day often inked Jack Kirby’s pencils. By 1964 Brodsky was Production Manager at Marvel however he once again tried his hand outside of Marvel co-founding Skywald Productions. Brodsky returned to Marvel once more and in the late 1970s he had become Vice President, Operations and as VP Special Projects he oversaw Marvel UK, Marvel Books, and other activities with Lee often describing Brodsky as “…my right hand man for years”.

 

Brodsky’s work was often not credited to him or incorrectly credited. For example Brodsky’s inking credits on the landmark Fantastic Four issues 3 and 4 were only publicly recorded many years later. Brodsky created many Marvel logos including perhaps the most recognisable Amazing Spider-man logo which was co-created with Marvel letterer Artie Simek. Brodsky, together with Steve Ditko came to the rescue by inking various backgrounds and secondary characters in Daredevil #1 when Bill Everett was late in delivering the pages. They also produced a cover from Jack Kirby’s sketches. Conversely some work credited to Brodsky is not his. Archie Comics were not happy to have their artists working on similar titles while also working at Archie so while Stan Goldberg was working for Archie, he often used Brodsky’s name at Marvel for his Millie The Model.

Bonus - Avengers #14

Splash page from Laiken & Lieber’s only Avengers tale ever

Avengers #14 Mar 1964

It remains one of the most off-beat and unusual issues

Paul Laiken

PAUL LAIKEN (Larry Ivie) 1936 -

Avengers Writing: #14

Larry Ivie is perhaps better known for his involvement with horror or monster titles. Under the pen name Paul Laiken (not to be confused with Paul Laikin), he shared the writing credits for The Avengers #14 with Stan Lee and Larry Lieber. Ivie also wrote, pencilled or inked for Dell, DC, Archie, Charlton, Harvey and Tower.  

 Another rare Larry Ivie story for Marvel

The Human Torch & The Thing

Strange Tales #132 May 1965

Larry Lieber

LARRY D LIEBER 26 October 1931 -

Avengers Writing: #14

Larry Lieber will probably be forever known as the younger brother of Marvel mastermind Stan Lee but Lieber is also well known as having scripted the first appearances of Avengers’ stars Thor and Iron Man.

He also enjoyed a long run writing and drawing The Rawhide Kid and also illustrated the Spider-man newspaper strip for many years. Avengers #14 remains one of the most unusual issues in the entire run and is Lieber’s only Avengers outing. He shares the writing credits with his brother Stan and PJ (Paul) Laiken.

Rawhide Kid #100

Jun 1972

Script & Art by 

Larry Lieber