Sunday, January 2, 2011

Making a Splash: Barry (Windsor-) Smith's Avengers

What it is, Groove-ophiles! We love Barry (Windsor-) Smith here in Groove City, but how many of ya out there remember his three-issue stint as penciler of the mighty Avengers? 'Tis a fact, Jack! Issues 98-100 (January-March 1972), those epoch-making, post-Kree/Skrull War tales involving everyone-who-had-ever-been-an-Avenger battling Ares, the Enchantress, and their lackeys from Olympus were drawn by the dude who helped bring Conan to four-color life (and written by Roy Thomas, who wrote both mags pretty much longer and better than most everyone else!). Feast your eyes, Groove-ophiles!





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5 comments:

  1. Simon B January 2, 2011 at 5:34 AM

    Wonderful artwork! That pic of the Black Knight and Aragorn is just so atmospheric, and the double-page spread of all the Avengers is beautiful. I love the way the Hulk is sitting under the tree, brooding - that says more about his character than any of Roy's words.

    It's interesting to see the different inkers at work here. Sal Buscema is as slick as ever, while Tom Sutton seems a strange fit for Smith's pencils.

    Thanks for sharing this with us, Groove! I really need to save up and buy these issues :-)

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  2. Mike MikulovskyJanuary 2, 2011 at 9:09 AM

    Happy Belated New Year Groovster! This was my favorite Avengers storyline growing up. I always loved BWS & especially Hercules! Inking by Sal Buscema & my good friend "Jolt'in" Joe Sinnott! Avengers #100 is one of my all time favorite comics ever!

    Right up there wiith Amazing Spider-Man #100-#102, #103-#180's, FF #102-#112. That was my Golden age to me. I could still kick myself. I had the chance to buy one of the pages from Avengers #99. Where Hercules is being beaten down by two giants or a two head giant in a flashback sequence.

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  3. The Groovy AgentJanuary 2, 2011 at 10:28 AM

    cerebus660: I agree--the Hulk sitting under the tree in the shadows does an excellent job characterizing him, as does Wanda's stance (and expression) as she watches The Vision speak. That is one smitten and star-crossed lady!

    Oh, if you want to read those stories on the cheap, Avengers Vol. 3, #48 reprints 98-100 in one of those 100 Page Monsters. (Marvel used to do such cool stuff...)

    Mike, as usual, I am in complete agreement with ya, man. The late 90-early 100 issues of Spidey, early 100s of the FF, 80s-early 100s of the Avengers, 130s-150s on Cap--I "cut my comicbook teeth" on those. They'll always be my faves.

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  4. Mike MikulovskyJanuary 2, 2011 at 4:08 PM

    Ya, meant to mention those classic issues of Capt.America & Ironman as well. Conan & Subby as well! I especially loved thatb 50's Cap storyline & the Nomad one. Colan, John Romita SR & Sal Buscema did some fantastic Capt.America issues!

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  5. JimmySlatteryDecember 26, 2012 at 8:39 PM

    dig this - the iron man figure is sublime

    http://www.supermegamonkey.net/chronocomic/entries/avengers_6668.shtml

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Special thanks to Mike's Amazing World of Comics and Grand Comics Database for being such fantastic resources for covers, dates, creator info, etc. Thou art treasures true!


Note to "The Man": All images are presumed copyright by the respective copyright holders and are presented here as fair use under applicable laws, man! If you hold the copyright to a work I've posted and would like me to remove it, just drop me an e-mail and it's gone, baby, gone.


All other commentary and insanity copyright GroovyAge, Ltd.

As for the rest of ya, the purpose of this blog is to (re)introduce you to the great comics of the 1970s. If you like what you see, do what I do--go to a comics shop, bookstore, e-Bay or whatever and BUY YOUR OWN!