Issue(s): Avengers #206
Published Date: Apr 81
Title: "Fire in the streets!"
Credits:
Bill Mantlo - Writer
Gene Colan - Penciler
Dan Green - Inker

Review/plot:
This is a fill-in by Bill Mantlo that has the Avengers having way too much trouble going up against a guy with fire powers.

The Human Torch is the first on the scene, and when the Beast, watching the news report on television, sees him get into trouble, the Avengers head in to support him.

It's said that Captain America's shield is melting in the heat...

...which is of course impossible, so we'll have to write that off as heat-induced delirium.

Mantlo's story is serviceable, but there's very little in the way of characterization or humor or plot twists or anything to make it more than a by-the-numbers super-hero story. It's also not the best setting for Gene Colan's art.

The one thing i did like is Jocasta's dialogue.

And also, Mantlo has the Wasp, initially left behind because they didn't have a heat suit in her size, save the day, which is nice.

Bill Mantlo announces in the lettercol for this issue that he'll be the regular writer of this series beginning with issue 211. Ummm.... oh no you aren't!

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References: N/A

Cross-over: N/A

Continuity Implant? N

Reprinted In: N/A

Mantlo and Colan were indeed announced in fanzines as the permanent creative team, but that was not to be.