In this feature, I ask comic creators that I like a lot to recommend a great comic that they'd like to see spotlighted. They pick the comic and then I write a review of the comic (of course, this runs the risk of them picking a comic that I don't like, but there's so many great comics out there to pick from that I find it hard to believe that that will ever actually happen).
Today's creator is Jay Faerber, writer of Copperhead for Image (plus the upcoming Secret Identities) and Anti-Hero for MonkeyBrain Comics. Faerber has a long history in comics, from Generation X and New Warriors at Marvel to Titans at DC to a bunch of Image series, like Noble Causes, Dynamo 5 and Near Death. Jay has also worked as a television writer for the past few years, as well, working as a staff writer on shows like Ringer and Star-Crossed. Jay picked The Avengers by Bob Harras, Steve Epting and Tom Palmer.
Jay has written about this run a few times in the past, including in my last book, Why Does Batman Carry Shark Repellent? In fact, I think I'll just let Jay explain why this run is so good, from his piece in my book.
So here's Jay on this Avengers run (which officially ran from #343-375, but Harras, Epting and Palmer also worked together on Avengers #335-339)...
There have been a number of classic runs on The Avengers over the years, but one that never gets mentioned (except by me) is the run by Bob Harras and Steve Epting in the mid-90s. This is what's often-derisively referred to as "the leather jacket era," since the Avengers sported team jackets for part of this run.
Maybe it's the fact that I was never a huge Avengers fan in the first place that allowed me to fall so head-over-heels in love with this run, but love it I do. This was back before arcs were so clearly defined, but the general arc I'm talking about is the one involving the Gatherers, a group of mysterious villains led by the even more mysterious Proctor, who seem to be hunting alternate versions of the Avengers on parallel worlds.
The entire story really hangs on a romantic triangle involving three characters: the Black Knight, Sersi, and Crystal.
None of them are exactly A-listers, and this was back in the day when even A-list teams like the Avengers were populated with a good helping of B and C-listers (who weren't starring in their own books), so that the creators could actually, you know, do stuff with them. The result is a super-hero team book that literally has everything: action, drama, cliffhangers, suspense, great set-ups and pay-offs, high stakes, humor, and yes, romance. And while Steve Epting is a well-respected, A-list creator today, he was just finding his groove on Avengers, and it's a real treat to watch him develop.
[Brian here. To speak to Jay's point about Epting, here's Epting from Avengers #336...
And here's Epting from Avengers #360...
Pretty darn big evolution - BC]
This run has never been collected, but it's well worth seeking online or in back-issue bins.
