Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
| 1965-07-01 00:27:10 |
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Avengers #18
Issue(s): Avengers #18
Cover Date: Jul 65
Title: "When the Commissar commands!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
Don Heck - Penciler
Dick Ayers - Inker
Review/plot: The Avengers try to respond to a call from an underground freedom movement in the "dictator-ruled puppet state of Sin-Cong", but it turns out to be a trap set by the super-powered dictator known as the Commissar.
After surviving a series of death-traps, the Avengers agree to fight him one-on-one and he defeats them all except the Scarlet Witch, who destroys the computer that was controlling him: he was actually a robot.
All references to "communists" were changed to "dictators" in my Triple Action reprint of this issue, except one where Hawkeye says that he doesn't like "commie" guns pointed at him. Not sure why, in 1973, the editors felt they needed to make that change.
Quality Rating: D
Historical Significance Rating: 2
Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A
References: N/A
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: Marvel Triple Action #12
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Comments
The word "commie" was probably dumped due to lingering effects of anti-Vietnam War protests;the US withdrew early in that year.
The guys get beat up by the robot, and then Wanda beats him. Yay for Wanda!
Glad to see Wanda save the day. Since Sue is often portrayed as the weakest member of the FF and Jan was always pushed aside in the first issues of Avengers, it's good they realize for once that Wanda has more power than the rest of them put together.
Mark, as someone who was involved in that conflict, I can tell that the withdrawal only began in 73 but it lasted until the summer of 75. But I get your point. A lot of people were trying to put it all behind them.
The guys didnt exactly think their battles trough... «i know hes strong, and yet i cover him with something he can use against me».
Really good QS!
The commie thing probably comes from Nixon's moves to thaw out the Cold War, he plays nice with Russia and China.
