Avengers 1959

Last updated
Avengers 1959
Avengers 1959 Vol 1 Issue 2.jpg
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
No. of issues5
Main character(s) The Avengers
Creative team
Written by Howard Chaykin
Penciller(s) Howard Chaykin
Inker(s) Howard Chaykin
Letterer(s) Jared K. Fletcher
Colorist(s) Jesus Aburtov
Editor(s) Tom Brevoort
John Denning
Cory Levine
Nelson Ribeiro
Lauren Sankovitch
Alex Starbuck

Avengers 1959 is a 2011 five issue comic book miniseries written and drawn by Howard Chaykin. The story takes place in 1959 and concerns Nick Fury leading an early incarnation of the Avengers who hunt down Nazi war criminals who escaped justice after World War II. The team consists of Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Sabretooth, Dominic Fortune, Namora, Kraven the Hunter, Ulysses Bloodstone, Silver Sable (father of the more familiar, female character), and the Blonde Phantom. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Contents

Publication history

The series was published in France in 2012. [9]

Plot

In Latveria, the Blonde Phantom is working undercover to discover a supposed secret Nazi plot. She is pretending to date a former Nazi general named Dieter Skul who was believed to have been killed during the war, but is alive and acting as a part of this plot. The general gets suspicious when he finds the Phantom snooping in his bedroom, but she flirts her way out of trouble. Meanwhile, Geoffrey Sydenham is in Wakanda to develop a covert diplomatic relationship between the African nation and the United States, though it becomes apparent that all is not as it seems.

After surviving an attempt on his life, Nick Fury arrives home to find Powell McTeague there wishing to speak with him. McTeague reveals that he was sent by General Hill to give Fury unofficial orders to travel to Hassenstadt in Latveria in order to continue his secret war against surviving Nazi war criminals. In Hassenstadt, he meets his friend Eric Koenig, now an American diplomat to Latveria, and introduces him to the Blonde Phantom. She reveals that she was dating the General as a means of finding out more information about a possible large-scale Nazi plot before she was caught eavesdropping. The Wakandan Ambassador to Latveria also reveals that their prince T'Chaka was kidnapped and he believes it to be the work of the same people that Fury is chasing. In Washington D.C., General Hill and his men investigate a possible Nazi safe-house. The occupants appeared to have been tipped off, however, as the house is booby-trapped, killing Hill's men. Geoffrey Sydenham is unnoticed as he slinks away from the crime scene.

Fury and the Phantom go to check out a hideout that was mentioned in one of Skul's files, finding the Hollow Men, mindless Nazi zombies, inside. Fury manages to blow up the building before he and the Phantom disappear into the shadows. The rest of the Avengers find themselves teleported aboard a ship in the South China Sea by Powell McTeague. The ship is led by the Nazi war criminals Baron Blood and Brain Drain who the Avengers immediately attack. After defeating them, the Nazis are transported away by Geoffrey Sydenham who wants to recruit them into his own army. In Washington D.C., Senator Sanford and Sydenham attempt to sway General Hill to their way of thinking, but the General storms out of the room, calling them insane after Sydenham insinuates that America and the Nazis should have been allies during World War II.

Nick Fury and the Blonde Phantom steal a Latverian fighter plane in order to leave the country without being seen on a commercial flight. Traveling to Wakanda, the pair are given information that should lead them to General Skul, borrowing Howard Stark's hydrofoil to get there as quickly as possible. During their journey, however, they come under attack by the Ubermadchen, but are quickly saved by the rest of the Avengers who happen by just in time thanks to Powell McTeague's magic.

The Avengers interrogate the Ubermadchen before allowing Sabretooth to kill them. The team then travels to the island of Madripoor where they discover a mansion headquarters belonging to their enemies. The Avengers raid the mansion, capturing the strategist known as Innsbruck the Planner. From him the team learns of General Skul's attack on the technologically advanced nation of Wakanda. Utilizing Powell McTeague's teleportation abilities, the group are able to get to Wakanda just in time to battle Skul's men.

Sydenham and Sanford again try to recruit General Hill to their cause, but are rejected outright by the General. That night an assassin is teleported to the General's bedside as he lies asleep. A watching Gorilla-Man (Ken Hale), however, saves the General's life. The two investigate the dead man's body only to discover that he has been dead for several days rather than minutes. The Avengers defeat ICON's forces who are attempting to attack Wakanda, before teleporting to Washington D.C. where they confront ICON's leader, Geoffrey Sydenham and the rest of his operatives. After taking down Brain Drain, Baron Blood, Geist, Spider Queen (Shannon Kane), and the Hollow Men, they take Sydenham into custody.

The Avengers each go their separate ways shortly after defeating the terrorist organization with Nick Fury's thanks. Shortly after his, Fury and McTeague discover that Sydenham has been released in exchange for his cooperation in locating the missing Wakandan prince T'Chaka. Sydenham is later seen in Greenwich Village continuing his use of the dark arts.

Reception

The series holds an average rating of 7.5 by twelve professional critics on the review aggregation website Comic Book Roundup. [10]

Chad Nevett of CBR.com stated that the first issue delivered on everything that a fan of Chaykin could want but that the coloring works against his art. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latveria</span> Fictional country in Marvel Comics

Latveria is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted within the storylines of Marvel's comic titles as a small, isolated European country ruled by the fictional Supreme Lord Doctor Doom, supposedly located in the Banat region. It is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains, and also borders fictional Symkaria to the south. Its capital is Doomstadt.

Vibranium is a fictional metal appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, noted for its extraordinary abilities to absorb, store and release large amounts of kinetic energy. Mined only in Wakanda, the metal is associated with Black Panther, who wears a suit of vibranium and Captain America, who bears a vibranium/steel alloy shield. An alternate isomer of the material known as Antarctic Vibranium or Anti-Metal has appeared in the Savage Land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Fury</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1, a World War II combat series that portrayed the cigar-chomping man as leader of an elite U.S. Army Ranger unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Panther (character)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Black Panther is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist-plotter Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 in the Silver Age of Comic Books. Black Panther's real name is T'Challa, and he is depicted as the king and protector of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. Along with possessing enhanced abilities achieved through ancient Wakandan rituals of drinking the essence of the heart-shaped herb, T'Challa also relies on his proficiency in science, expertise in his nation's traditions, rigorous physical training, hand-to-hand combat skills, and access to wealth and advanced Wakandan technology to combat his enemies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howard Chaykin</span> American comic book artist and writer

Howard Victor Chaykin is an American comic book artist and writer. Chaykin's influences include his one-time employer and mentor, Gil Kane, and the mid-20th century illustrators Robert Fawcett and Al Parker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wakanda</span> Fictional country from Marvel Comics

Wakanda is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the country first appeared in Fantastic Four #52. Wakanda has been depicted as being in East Africa. It is located in sub-Saharan Africa and is home to the superhero Black Panther.

<i>Secret War</i> (comics)

Secret War is a 2004–2005 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a central, five-issue miniseries written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Gabriele Dell'Otto, and a number of tie-in books. It is loosely based on classified operations told to Bendis by an anonymous high-ranking officer in the United States Intelligence Community during Bendis' childhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Man-Ape</span> Comics character

Man-Ape (M'Baku) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema, the character first appeared in The Avengers #62. Man-Ape is depicted as a frequent adversary of the superhero Black Panther.

Bast is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as idol in Fantastic Four #52, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and is based on the Egyptian cat goddess Bastet. Bast is a member of the Heliopolitan and Wakandan pantheons. and the patron of the superhero Black Panther.

T'Chaka is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the father of T'Challa and Shuri. He was the king of Wakanda and Black Panther before T'Challa; he inherited both titles following the death of his father, T'Chanda aka Azzuri the Wise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabe Jones</span> Fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics

Gabriel "Gabe" Jones is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, he made his first appearance in World War II war comics series Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erik Killmonger</span> Fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics

Erik Killmonger is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Don McGregor and Rich Buckler, he first appeared in Jungle Action #6. The character is commonly depicted as a skilled hunter and mercenary born in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, who holds a grudge against the country and its people after his biological parents were killed when he was young. Raised outside of Wakanda, he eventually returns as a revolutionary leader and terrorist to exact his revenge, and repeatedly challenges the nation's king and protector, Black Panther, who becomes his most prominent adversary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominic Fortune</span> Comic book character

Dominic Fortune is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<i>War Is Hell</i> (comics) Comic series

War Is Hell was a horror/war comic book series from Marvel Comics in 1973–1975. For its first six issues, it featured reprints of old war comics, followed by two issues of reprints of Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos. Beginning in issue #9, the series featured new material; the star of the series became Death, who forced a dishonorable Polish-American man named John Kowalski, killed in the invasion of Poland, to die countless deaths from other lives. A War Is Hell limited series featuring Phantom Eagle appeared in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shuri (character)</span> Fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics

Shuri is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Reginald Hudlin and artist John Romita Jr., the character first appeared in Black Panther vol. 4 #2. Shuri is the princess of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. She is the daughter of T'Chaka and younger sister of T'Challa, who is the king of Wakanda and the Black Panther, an earned title and rank given to the paramount chief of the nation.

Okoye is a fictional character and the General of the Dora Milaje in Marvel Comics. The character, created by Christopher Priest and Mark Texeira, first appeared in Black Panther #1 within the comics.

References

  1. "TEAM 3-View: AVENGERS 1959, SI: HEROES FOR HIRE, X-MEN".
  2. mycomicshop. "Avengers 1959 (2011) comic books". www.mycomicshop.com.
  3. ""Oh, Come ON." Comics! Sometimes They Are Set in 1959! - Savage Critics". www.savagecritic.com.
  4. "Marvel Announces "Avengers: 1959" - CraveOnline". 22 June 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Avengers 1959 #1". 9 October 2011.
  6. http://comicsalliance.com/link-ink-howard-chaykin-avengers-1959-captain-america-cologne-carl-winslow-cyclops/ https://web.archive.org/web/20170404101020/http://comicsalliance.com/link-ink-howard-chaykin-avengers-1959-captain-america-cologne-carl-winslow-cyclops/
  7. "Comic Related - Avengers Previews". Archived from the original on 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2017-01-08.
  8. Royal, Derek Parker (30 June 2016). Visualizing Jewish Narrative: Jewish Comics and Graphic Novels. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   9781474248808 via Google Books.
  9. "GCD :: Issue :: Avengers 1959".
  10. "AVENGERS 1959". Comic Book Roundup . Retrieved 2017-07-08.