"The Phantom Empire!"/ "Go West, Young Gods!"/ "Right Between the Eons"/ "Claws!"/ "Crisis on Other-Earth"/ "20,000 Leagues Under Justice!" (136 pages)

The Avengers: The Serpent Crown
By Hervé St.Louis
Dec 26, 2005, 09:14

(excerpt)

Steve Englehart has always written weird stories for his characters. Always surrounded with action, they were always well characterized and pitchy. By today’s standard, the way Hellcat became a heroine, how Hawkeye with a bow and arrow pursued Kang and how easily the Supreme Squadron the Justice League stands in at Marvels was defeated by the Avengers seems simple, yet it’s still entertaining.

This is early Perez work. The art is more similar to Al Migrom than current Perez. The high-tech gear is not as polished and intricate as in modern Perez’ work. Yet, all the adventuring and sense of lightness in the Avengers’ movements are there. Colletta’s inks are not overbearing and give a rough and edgy look to Perez’s pencils. It’s amazing to see how much George Perez’s name is a mainstay in Avenger’s lore.

AVENGERS: THE SERPENT CROWN TPB (Sep 2005) SERPENT CROWN INTERIOR (1975) SERPENT CROWN INTERIOR (1975) SERPENT CROWN INTERIOR (1975) SERPENT CROWN COVER (1976)

I just received my copy of the Serpent Crown storyline TPB from Avengers 141-149. The artwork is by the then young George Perez and represents some of his first ongoing work for Marvel.

Oh boy is it rough in some areas - you could tell that George was still working out things such as perspective backgrounds. However I noticed that while he was being inked by Sam Grainger and Mike Esposito (two long time Marvel inkers up until the early 80's) he artwork really suffered under Vince Colletta. I seem to remember reading that while Coletta was a fast inker he did so by ignoring much of the detail of the artist's work he was inking. The early issues of this storyline (written by Steve Englehart) are crude to the point of having almost no background. While it is true that George Perez was still perfecting his techniques and craft, the distinct difference between issue 141 and later issues such as 147 are striking! (see attached files)

The storyline was all over the map and is enough to please ay Avengers fan - it has at least a dozen villains and covers not only two time periods on the Avengers earth, but spills over into the Squadron Supreme's earth - this material gave Mark Gruenwald the idea for his famous run of the Squadron Supreme. The most hilarious joke and a harbinger of work yet to come is found in issue 147 and 148 - in 147 Englehart titles the story "Crisis on Other-Earth". Issue 148 open with a splash page reminiscent of the Justice league stories of the 70's and bears the title "20,000 Leagues Under Justice". It is great to know that we did see some pretty fantastic JLA artwork from Mr. Perez through the next 30 years or so.

In all a fun read and a return to the days of fun comics - the storyline may only be 7 issues long but it feels like more. What a contrast to today's decompressed storylines where one has to wait for something to happen for at least 4 issues.

Shipping Next Week: September 8, 2005
Monday, August 29, 2005 11:20:25 AM

The following products are expected to ship to comic book specialty stores next week. Note that this list is tentative and subject to change. Please check with your retailer for availability.

JUL051934 AVENGERS SERPENT CROWN TP $15.99

Avengers Take On Kang and the Crown in Avengers: The Serpent Crown
By M&C News Aug 10, 2005, 23:33 GMT

The Avengers must fight a two-front war across space and time that they can't afford to lose in the classic Perez-drawn Avengers: The Serpent Crown TPB in September.

This classic trade paperback, which features 136 pages, is a must have for any Avengers fan as Avengers: The Serpent Crown TPB features art by one of the most celebrated Avengers pencilers, George Perez, with a classic story by Steven Englehart, and contains the first appearance of Hellcat!

The twin galactic threats of Kang and the Crown make their move simultaneously, forcing the Avengers to split into two teams to protect not only Earth, but all of reality.

Admist the chaos, an all-out brawl consuming multiple Earths occurs when the Set-serving Squadron Supreme take on Earth's Mightiest Heroes in any dimension, the Avengers!

While one team of Avengers battles the Squadron Supreme, another team travels back in time to stop Kang. First, the Avengers find themselves in the nineteenth century trying to keep the West from getting wilder. Then, they must deal with the villianous...President Nelson Rockefeller?!

With the creative and sales renessaince happening with both the New Avengers and Young Avengers, this collection is sure to please both long-time and new Avengers fans alike.

Avengers: The Serpent Crown TPB collects Avengers #141-144 and #147-149. It will retail for $15.99 and hits the comic shelves Sept. 7. Visit Marvel Comics for more information on this and other titles.

Didn't see some of these things on your site from last month's catalog (PREVIEWS vol. XV #6 (June 2005))... might want to list them.

PAGE 72 JUN05 0359 DC SPECIAL THE RETURN OF DONNA TROY #3 (Of 4) $2.99
PAGE 72 JUN05 0360 DC SPECIAL THE RETURN OF DONNA TROY #4 (Of 4) $2.99

PAGE 173 JUN05 1846 CITY OF HEROES GAME & COMIC MASTER PACK $39.99

PAGE 325 JUN05 3161 STAR TREK COMICS CLASSICS VOL 1 TO BOLDY GO TP $19.95

PAGE 352 JUN05 3276 MODERN MASTERS IN THE STUDIO WITH GEORGE PEREZ DVD $29.95

PAGE 383 JUN05 3483 TEEN TITANS ALIEN POWERHOUSE ACTIVITY BOOK TP $2.99
PAGE 383 JUN05 3484 TEEN TITANS BOY WONDER ACTIVITY BOOK TP $2.99

PAGE 407 JUN05 3650 FANTASTIC FOUR BY GEORGE PEREZ VI T/S SM $17.95
PAGE 407 JUN05 3651 FANTASTIC FOUR BY GEORGE PEREZ VI T/S MED $17.95
PAGE 407 JUN05 3652 FANTASTIC FOUR BY GEORGE PEREZ VI T/S LG $17.95
PAGE 407 JUN05 3653 FANTASTIC FOUR BY GEORGE PEREZ VI T/S XL $17.95
PAGE 407 JUN05 3654 FANTASTIC FOUR BY GEORGE PEREZ VI T/S XXL $20.95

From PREVIEWS vol. XV #7 (July 2005)

PAGE 69 JUL05 0216 CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS ABSOLUTE EDITION HC $99.99
PAGE 86 JUL05 0256 WONDER WOMAN VOL 3 BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS TP $19.99
PAGE 91 JUL05 1934 AVENGERS SERPENT CROWN TP $15.99
PAGE 288 JUL05 2882 BIG BIG OVERSTREET PRICE GD VOL 35 (JAN052787) $37.00
PAGE 378 JUL05 3312 PACESETTER THE GEORGE PEREZ MAGAZINE #6 $6.95
PAGE 388 JUL05 3379 FAERIE LUST VOL 1 TP (FEB042938) (MR) $9.95

MARVEL COMICS SOLICITATIONS FOR PRODUCT SHIPPING SEPTEMBER, 2005
by Jonah Weiland, Executive Producer
Posted: June 24, 2005

Marvel Comics has provided CBR News with covers and solicit information for product shipping September, 2005.

AVENGERS: THE SERPENT CROWN TPB
Written by STEVE ENGLEHART
Pencils & Cover by GEORGE PÉREZ

It's twin threats to time and space as campaigns by Kang and the Crown coincide! The Avengers fight the Set-serving Squadron Supreme in a clash between Earths and head for the nineteenth century to keep the West from getting wilder! Continuity questions continue as Kang and Immortus mix it up! Plus: the menace of...President Nelson Rockefeller?! Collects AVENGERS #141-144 and #147-149.

136 PGS./T+ SUGGESTED FOR TEENS AND UP …$15.99
ISBN: 0-7851-1700-8

Lying In The Gutters
Monday January 10, 2005
written by Rich Johnston

(excerpt)

AMAZON DREAM
Thanks to Millarworld, some more of the dregs and dreams of Marvel Comics, comics that may be, may have been - an insight into publishing plans - abandoned or still in fruition. There's no guarantee that any of these will actually be published. In fact, you can guarantee certain books will never see the light of day.

Spider-Man Vs The Black Cat

Avengers: The Serpent Crown

GLA ...
this was originally Joe Kelly's name for a Great Lakes Avengers book.

Essential Marvel Two-In-One

Astonishing X-Men hardcover

New Avengers/ Well how about... New Captain America?

Power Pack Digest
- even smaller small superheroes!

Gun Theory
Yeah right.

New Warriors!

And yay! Combat Zone: True Tales Of NeoConservatives In Iraq

AVENGERS: THE SERPENT CROWN TPB (Sep 2005)

Avengers: The Serpent Crown Tpb
by Steve Englehart, George Perez

List Price: $15.99
Availability: This item has not yet been released. You may order it now and we will ship it to you when it arrives from Amazon.com
Edition: Paperback

Product Description:
Twin threats to time and space as campaigns by Kang and the Crown coincide! The Avengers fight the Set-serving Squadron Supreme in a clash between Earths and head for the nineteenth century to keep the West from getting wilder! Continuity questions continue as Kang and Immortus mix it up! Plus: the menace of... President Nelson Rockefeller?! Collects Avengers #141-144 and #147-149.

Product Details
* Paperback: 136 pages
* Publisher: Marvel Comics (September 21, 2005)
* ISBN: 0785117008