Thunderbolts #2

Kurt Busiek // Mark Bagley
May 1997
****

Baron Zemo’s clever plan to insinuate his two-faced team into the Avengers’ vacant slot is already working; his deputy wonders if they’ll prefer honest celebrity to criminal success. Busiek fills out the personalities a bit (& starts adding soap), which’ll help sustain this premise in the medium term.

last issue: Thunderbolts #1
next issue: Thunderbolts #3

Avengers/JLA #4 of 4

Kurt Busiek // George Pérez
December 2003
***

The crossover ends as it must: in an enormous brawl of punching & zapping. Still, the mag’s creative duo amazingly avoid even a whiff of the corporate avarice that must underpin this mini. The grand scope & casual confidence prove a good capstone to the super-teamwork dynamic that defines the Avengers run of Busiek & Pérez et al. Think of it as a victory lap AWA an impressive work of fan-service.

last issue: JLA/Avengers #3 of 4

also indexed for Dec. ’03
Alias #27
New X-Men #148

The Fantastic Four #15

Stan Lee // Jack Kirby
June 1963
****

When the Four take five for individual hobbies, they leave their HQ vulnerable to attack. A criminal mastermind nearly outwits them using their own Kirbytech weaponry & a blockheaded golem. Lee can’t quite make the villain’s super-IQ convincing, leaving Kirby’s creativity to carry the book again.

last issue: The Fantastic Four #14
next issue: The Fantastic Four #16

also indexed for Jun. ’63
Journey into Mystery #93: Thor
Tales of Suspense #42: Iron Man