Collecting Avengers #150-163, Avengers Annual #6, Super-Villain Team-Up #9.

Avengers #150 is written by Steve Englehart and illustrated by George Perez. Yellowjacket and the Wasp are out of the hospital an arrive at Avengers Mansion to find a large crowd outside. The Avengers are about to announce their new roster. News coverage recounts important events from the team's past such as the team's formation, the departure of the Hulk and the return of Captain America. When the broadcast reaches the team's first roster change, it leads to speculation how the group was formed. What ensues is a reprint of Avengers #16, written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby.

I always like the issues where the Avengers reveal their new roster, but I can't feel shortchanged as most of this issue is a reprint of Avengers #16. This comic came out in a time before trades were a thing, so maybe there was a need to reprint old issues every now and then so new readers could catch up. It still feels like a rip-off to me though.

Gerry Conway becomes the regular writer starting from Avengers #151. He co-writes with Steve Englehart and Jim Shooter for this issue. The round the clock coverage about the Avengers' roster change continues as the team decides who will stay and who will leave.

This story could have easily been told in one issue instead of stretching it out and padding it up with a reprint of an old issue. There was some sort of behind the scenes drama that I don't entirely understand, so maybe that's why most of the last issue was a reprint. The regular creative teams will be a bit confusing for the next couple of issues, so I guess that's another symptom of behind the scenes drama. I'm sure a more detailed account of the drama can be found somewhere, but I don't have the energy to go into it here.

It is just Gerry Conway and Steve Englehart writing for Avengers #152. John Buscema is on art. Wonder Man gatecrashes the Avengers' press conference to announce their new roster. The Scarlet Witch uses her magic to try and discover why how Wonder Man came back to life and where he came from. Wanda discovers that Wonder Man was in New Orleans, so the Avengers head out to try and find out who brought Wonder Man back to life.

Here we have the return of Wonder Man and an appearance by a very silly villain, Black Talon. I don't know how a guy dressed as a chicken expects to be taken seriously. For those of you that are wondering what the heck Wanda meant by a zuvembie, you can blame the Comics Code Authority. The Comics Code Authority made it possible for Marvel to use supernatural creatures as long as they had a basis in literature (like Dracula). Zombies weren't written about in literature, so Marvel got around it by changing a few letters.

Gerry Conway is writing solo for Avengers #153. In an attempt to get more in tune with the magical nature of her powers, the Scarlet Witch heads to the ruins of the Brand Corporation. Unfortunately, she finds the Living Laser there looking for the Serpent Crown. The Living Laser escapes and uses the Serpent Crown to take control of the Whizzer, making him attack the Avengers.

It was weird to see Wanda flying in this issue. In a future issue this is explained as being Wanda wearing a flying belt or some-such nonsense. You have to feel sorry for poor Simon Williams as well. No sooner has he come back from the dead then he is being mind-controlled by a villain.

George Perez is back on art for Avengers Annual #6. An injured Scarlet Witch transports herself to Avengers to tell them that the Living Laser has stolen the Serpent Crown. The Beast goes after the missing Wonder Man as the Vision takes the Scarlet Witch to seek medical help, leaving Captain America and Iron Man to go after the Living Laser. Unfortunately, it seems the Living Laser isn't alone as he is also holding Nuklo captive.

Yellowjacket and the Wasp sure know their priorities. While the rest of the Avengers are looking for Wonder Man or the Serpent Crown, they're going out to dinner. Sure, the Whizzer might be worn out after being mind-controlled by the Living Laser and need a bit of a sit down, but still. It doesn't seem like the right sort of moment to have a fancy dinner.

In Avengers #154, the Vision disposes of the Serpent Crown in the sea only to be captured by the Atlantean barbarian Attuma and his men. Meanwhile, the rest of the Avengers are visited by somebody that appears to be the Inhuman Triton, but is really one of Attuma's minions named Tyrak.

The Scarlet Witch might be injured in this issue, but she still does a good job against Tyrak. Unfortunately, it doesn't last very long and Tyrak trashes the Avengers. There is one particularly neat moment when Tyrak crushes Iron Man's power pack. I think Tyrak is pretty neat. Maybe I should read more of Namor's solos stories and see if he has any more cool villains. I already know about Attuma and Tiger Shark, so hopefully he has more.

Super-Villain Team-Up #9 is written by Bill Mantlo and illustrated by Jim Shooter. Attuma has captured the Avengers and sends them to attack Namor the Sub-Mariner, only to find Doctor Doom instead. Meanwhile, Beast is the only Avenger to have evaded capture, so he seeks the help of the Whizzer and Wonder Man to rescue the other Avengers.

As happy as I am to see Attuma, I am even happier to see Doctor Doom make an appearance. Well, of course, Super-Villain Team-Up is his book. Well, I suppose I could say that he co-stars with Namor, but we all know that Doom co-stars with no-one. Doom is always the star. All hail Doom!

Gerry Conway and George Perez are back for Avengers #155. The mind-controlled Avengers continue their fight with Doctor Doom. Doom is able to defeat the Avengers and breaks their mind control. Meanwhile, Namor arrives at an oceanic research platform that is being attacked by Attuma only to see the Beast's team fighting him as well. However, Attuma tricks Namor into thinking that the Avengers are working with him, prompting Namor to start fighting them instead.

Namor is pretty gullible if Attuma is able to convince him that the Avengers are his enemies. Why would he even believe the word of his enemy? Then again, I don't think Namor has ever met the Beast, the Whizzer or Wonder Man? Unless Namor met the Beast back when he was still part of the X-Men. Even then, back in those days the Beast still looked human. The Beast Namor encounters here is blue and furry. Thankfully, Namor soon comes to his senses when he recognises the Whizzer as an old wartime ally.

Avengers #156 is written by Jim Shooter and illustrated by Sal Buscema. The Vision is captured by Doctor Doom, but manages to convince him to let the rest of the Avengers free in order to fight Attuma, whose bid for world domination will endanger Latveria as well.

Say what you will about Doctor Doom, but he does care for Latveria. Well, that's what I believe any way. You could also say that Doom believes that nobody is worthy enough to rule than himself, especially not some upstart barbarian from under the sea. I believe it is later believed that Doom was given a vision of various alternate realities and the only ones that were peaceful were the ones where he ruled. No you know why Doctor Doom is so determined to rule the world, he is the only one that will ever make a good job of it. If he just happened to humiliate that blasted Reed Richards, then that is a pleasant bonus.

Gerry Conway is writing again for Avengers #157 and Don Heck is on art. The Avengers are attacked by the stone statue of the Black Knight, believing them to be the ones behind his present condition.

It is later revealed that Ultron is the one who awakened the Black Knight stayue. I'm not exactly sure how Ultron possesses the power to reanimate stone, but that's comics for you. Things go a bit Monty Python when the Black Knight statue tries attacking the Vision and ends up shattering its arm against the Vision's diamond-hard body. 'Tis but a scratch indeed!

Jim Shooter becomes the regular writer starting from Avengers #158 and Sal Buscema is back on art. Vision is starting to have doubts as to whether his feelings for the Scarlet Witch are real after finding out that his mind is based on Wonder Man's brain patterns. This leads to a fight between the pair as the other Avengers try to break it up. Meanwhile, a villain by the name of Graviton has taken over a research community in the Canadian Rockies. However, one of the managers manages to get out a warning to the Avengers.

Another issue, another excuse for drama between the Vision and Wonder Man. I thought that the Vision had gotten over his identity problem. I guess Wonder Man coming back to life re-opened old wounds. Also, it is a miracle that there is anything left of Avengers mansion. It seems like it gets smashed up in every other issue.

Avengers #159, Graviton has defeated the Avengers and uses his powers to levitate Research City into the air and takes it towards the United Nations where he intends to demand that the world be handed over to him.

Graviton is another one of those villains I don't like. I don't know what it is that makes me like these all-powerful villains so much. Maybe it's because I like stories where the heroes have a chance to win and don't want to see them get beaten over and over again. I feel the same way about Thanos. It doesn't help that Thanos is everywhere now thank to Avengers: Infinity War.

George Perez is back on art for Avengers #160. The Grim Reaper takes over Avengers Mansion and puts the Vision and Wonder Man on trial to see which is his real brother.

Thankfully, we get to a villain that I do actually like. Although, that does mean we get more drama about the whole Vision and Wonder Man situation. However, the idea of the Grim Reaper using his scythe as a rotor to fly does seem rather silly. The constant repeats of the Vision's history is getting a little tiresome, but I suppose I will have to let that go as each comic is somebody's first. Maybe new readers aren't familiar with the Vision and how he came to be.

In Avengers #161, the Avengers are attacked by Hank Pym, once again in his guise as Ant-Man. It is revealed that he is being controlled by Ultron. Ultron attacks the Avengers and re-captured Hank Pym.

First the Grim Reaper, now Ultron. I am really getting spoiled with my favourite villains in this collection. Wonder Man gets a new outfit in this issue and it is pretty bad. I may be in the minority here, but I liked his turtle neck and safari jacket outfit. I think it is some time until Simon gets that outfit, so I suppose I will just have to be patient.

In Avengers #162, Ultron reveals that he plans to create a mate for himself by draining the Wasp's life-force and placing it into a robot body. The rest of the Avengers eventually learn where Ultron is hiding and head out to rescue their teammates.

This issue marks the first appearance of future Avenger Jocasta. Is it still considered a spoiler to say that she will end up betraying Ultron? Ultron never seems to have much luck with creating a family. First came the Vision, now Jocasta. We still have Ultron's second failed bride, Alkhema, to come. Maybe it isn't accurate to call Jocasta a full Avenger as I don't think she ever officially joins the team. She's just there in the background. I'm not complaining though, I like Jocasta so I'm happy to see her here, even if she doesn’t actually do anything.

George Tuska is on art for Avengers #163. Iron Man summons Hercules, Black Widow and Iceman of the Champions to new York, only to attack them. Iron Man is actually Hercules's old enemy Typhon in disguise. Typhon's plan is to have Iron Man soften up Hercules so that he can finish him off.

I don't generally like issues where heroes are manipulated into fighting each other, but I am always happy to see Hercules. Maybe I should start reading the original Champions book as well. Ghost Rider is a member too. I might know Danny Ketch as Ghost Rider the best, but I should make an effort to get to know Johnny Blaze, the original Ghost Rider.

Once again, this has been an enjoyable collection of Avengers stories. Obviously, the crossover with Super-Villain Team-Up with Doctor Doom and Namor fighting Attuma was a highlight for me. Doctor Doom acquitted himself well, so there's no need for us to dismiss the story as it involving a Doombot as apposed to the real deal. Doom's reputation remains intact. I just wish that the creative teams stayed constant instead of chopping and changing all the time. Let's hope the creative team is more stable in the next Avengers Masterworks on my read list.

My rating: 3 stars.

Next time: Batman Legacy Vol. 2