This is "From a Different Point of View," a feature where I discuss a comic book series with another writer. In this case, it is Eileen Gonzalez who will be going over the history of the Avengers with me, story by story!

When last we checked in with our heroes in Avengers #62, "The Monarch and the Man-Ape," by Roy Thomas, John Buscema and George Klein, the Avengers (and their friend, Black Knight) were invited by Black Panther to visit his home kingdom of Wakanda after the heroes found themselves in Africa following an earlier battle. The heroes were "welcomed" with an attack by the Wakanda military and it appears as though T'Challa's friend, M'Baku, who T'Challa had left in charge of the country in T'Challa's absence, was not pleased about T'Challa's return.

We continue as the Avengers are treated to a feast...that might turn deadly!

I opened by noting, "By the way, the editor's note to go check out Captain Marvel #12 for Natasha? Do not actually check out Captain Marvel #12! It's a terrible story for Natasha that seems like it ends with a cliffhanger, but in reality, it is never picked up on. So it's a pointless detour." Eileen replied, "Too late, I already checked it out and was VERY disappointed. Also her hair was somehow worse than in the Avengers comic." I continued, "And then Thomas just picks up her story next issue anyways! Ignoring the events of Captain Marvel #12! So, what was the point of that editorial box, if Thomas was just going to use her next issue while ignoring the events of Captain Marvel #12?" Eileen guessed, "Maybe they just really wanted people to buy Captain Marvel."

Eileen wondered, "Sooo I guess Vision isn't immune to poisons?" I joked, "'Think of what poison would be like to me, an android." I continued, "And now...sigh...Man-Ape." Eileen replied, "This character is just bad decision after bad decision, isn't he?"

Black Panther and Man-Ape have a long battle that takes place throughout Wakanda. However, neither Eileen nor I were feeling it. I noted, "I mean, Buscema and Klein actually do a really nice job on the fight sequences. Just in terms of mechanics and stuff like that. But it's all so...so...not good. I mean, listen, I get it. T'Challa is based around an animal. So Thomas thought it'd be interesting to introduce an evil version of T'Challa, who would be based around another animal. I get the idea. It's not even a BAD idea. There's nothing wrong with that idea. Heck, they even basically followed through with the concept in the Black Panther film and it worked there, but here, it ends up with an African guy calling himself Man-Ape and dressed as a gorilla. I find it hard to believe that the racial implications didn't exist in 1969." Eileen replied, "Agreed on all counts. I doubt there was anything malicious intended in this character, but that's really not an excuse. And it wrecks what could otherwise have been a decent story." I added, "And then we learn that he specifically gained his powers by eating gorilla flesh and blood, which is...something."

I expanded on Eileen's comments, "And yeah, the basic set-up is fine. It's a concept that many other writers have done with many other characters, because it's really just THAT sound. It's a tight concept. But the Man-Ape stuff just colors it a bit too much. Also, honestly, beyond my criticisms with the Man-Ape idea, when you boil the issue down to a nutshell, we're really looking at, what, ten pages of T'Challa and M'Baku fighting (well drawn fighting by Buscema and Klein, but still)? T'Challa then wins, but M'Baku ultimately wins after taking advantage of T'Challa's charitable spirit."

I continued, "Then M'Baku does his death trap of 'Pushing a statue on top of T'Challa' And then the Avengers wake up and the statue just collapses on M'Baku, seemingly killing him. The Avengers really do nothing this issue except complain and get captured. The Vision, by the way, acquits himself terribly, because he waits for the others when he can travel through walls! He could have checked to see if Black Panther needed help. I also didn't like how little M'Baku's criticisms of T'Challa were developed. There MIGHT have been a real debate about how T'Challa was handling things in Wakanda, but instead, M'Baku was basically just screaming 'We need to go back to using rocks instead of machines' that isn't remotely defensive." Eileen concurred, "Aside from the unpleasant implication that white people = civilization, yeah, I'm not sure they developed that too much aside from maybe one comment earlier in the issue. I'm not sure that touching on the debate was even needed, either. Why couldn't M'Baku just be a greedy wannabe tyrant?"

I wondered, "Thomas has something to be said for the whole idea of T'Challa being seen as "Selling out" to the outside world. Due to the fact that obviously he ISN'T there with his people. That's an interesting idea, right or wrong. Just like the idea of T'Challa finding New York City more interesting than his own kingdom. That's also SOMEthing. But outside of one or two short references where M'Baku explains that he likes a primitive world because that stresses power more, M'Baku's motives are really all over the place. As you noted, why couldn't this just be a coup? Like a normal coup. You know, 'You were gone, I liked being in charge, now I want to keep the throne.' That's a normal motivation that holds up." Eileen replied, "This particular story didn't need the deeper motivation, but I do agree with what you said about there being potential for discontent in Wakanda with T'Challa away all the time. That could be a good story all on its own. Without a Man-Ape, please." I concurred, "Everything's better without Man-Ape. Next issue must be better than this, if only because there is no Man-Ape in it!" Eileen joked, "It's a low bar to clear, but I'm sure they can manage!" and I countered, "They won't even need a Goliath to clear that low bar...but they might get one anyways."