Avengers Classic #3: Review

Aug 2007

Dwayne McDuffie, Mike Oeming

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::

Story Name:

Crack in the armour

Review & Comments

Rating:

Avengers Classic #3 Review by Rob Johnson (July 22, 2023)

Iron Man donned the red & gold armour in Tales Of Suspense #48 and the issue reprinted here was his 1st Avengers app in it. Ant-Man became Giant-Man in Tales To Astonish #49 between Av#1 and Av#2. Initially his practical limit was 12 feet. I don't believe the claim the writer's given him in the new tale of having recently upped the limit is true. Eg later in TTA#58 it repeats the idea that above 12ft he collapses. But in #59 it clarifies that he becomes weaker the more above 12ft he grows. However in #64 he is able to successfully operate at 50ft.

The Marvel Chronology Project puts this story immediately after the reprinted #3, or more precisely after the 1st bit of #4 which is attached to this issue.

There is another version of Hank Pym discovering Iron Man's secret id given in a flashback in Mighty Avengers #21. There he accidentally sees IM unmask, while ant-size. The MCP puts that immediately after the new tale here, suggesting that Pym deduced the truth then had it confirmed. The other way round would imply he lied to IM here to exaggerate his deductive abilities, which isn't impossible given his later-revealed inferiority complex and other mental problems.

Anyway this story pre-figures Hank's lack of self-confidence and Tony Stark's drinking problem.

From Our Blog:

Gwen Stacy, beauty queen of Standard High School, was Peter Parker's (alias Spider-Man) first great love.

Gwen Stacy: Classic Beauty

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Avengers Classic #3 Synopsis by Rob Johnson

The 1st story reprints Avengers #3 where Hulk and Sub-Mariner teamed up against the team.

Story 2:- Crack in the armour

Giant-Man and Iron Man are sparring in an automobile graveyard. IM's in his 1st slimline red & gold armour and GM claims to have learned how to grow even bigger. GM prepares to throw a car at IM who responds with improved repulsor rays. GM slams down 2 halves of the car but IM speeds out of the way on roller skates in his boots. IM then sets fire to the seat of GM's pants and then knocks him down. GM cries uncle and then shrinks down to human size.

They ride back to Avengers Mansion in Tony Stark's limousine (and the driver's presumably Happy Hogan). En route GM wonders why they keep upgrading their powers. IM went from bulky grey armour to bulky yellow armour to the current 1, and keeps adding facilities. He himself went from Ant-Man to Giant-Man and he figures he might invent another super-id if necessary. But he still thinks he and even IM aren't in the same weight-class as Thor, Hulk and Sub-Mariner. He asks what if it's not enough and 1 day they fail?

IM says they'll rise to whatever challenge comes along. GM snorts that it's easy enough for a billionaire like him to say. IM tries to continue the fiction that he's just Tony Stark's bodyguard, but GM says he can't fool the 2nd smartest man in the world after Reed Richards. IM insists he's wrong and GM agrees to continue pretending.

They arrive at the Mansion in time for a team meeting. GM gets out but IM elects to stay behind for a minute. When he's alone Tony Stark takes off the armour's faceplate and has a drink to fortify himself.

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::