A Fistful of a League of Extraordinary Avengers

Conceived and used with the permission of Matthew Constantine and Brad Gullickson, the original dorks.

Everyone has a “Top 5.”  But Brad and Matt, choosing to walk a different path, amended that to “A Fistful…” over at their blog, In the Mouth of Dorkness.  A film-centric blog where they also discuss comics and books and TV, these two regularly share their top 5, ranging from “Heroic Kids” to “Spies” to “Summer Movies” to “Punches” to all things in between.  Always fun, often insightful, and something I hope to regularly pilfer for Warrior27.  As they say:  If you’re going to steal, steal from those you know relatively well, who will not sue you.

            This latest “Fistful” is in response to the ITMOD guys’ latest podcast, where they came up with their fistful of Avengers (or Revengers) from across the film spectrum that they would bring together to combat Thanos, in a world where the Avengers did not exist.  The guys on the ‘cast came up with a great collection of “toughs.”  Here’s my meager addition to that:

·         “Harmonica”  (Charles Bronson) from Once Upon a Time in the West



He’s all about the long game, and he’s not stopping ‘til you are done with this Earth.

·         Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) in The Searchers



Driven doesn’t properly describe Edwards in this film.  You know he’s going to find and kill whoever wronged him, or die in the attempt.

·         The Bride from Kill Bill



She’s the Bride.  ‘Nuff said.

·         Snake Plissken



Again, what more need be said about Snake Plissken.  Throw him into an impossible situation, it don’t matter, he’s coming out of it.  Though probably a bit worse for wear.

·         “The Wolf” (Harvey Keitel) in Pulp Fiction



The Wolf is the Captain America of this group.  He knows what needs doing, has a plan, and will make damn sure you get it done, and done right.  Because you do not cross the Wolf.

This is why I love George Pérez

Here's a panel from Pérez's return to the Avengers with Kurt Busiek in 1998.



It is from issue 1 and, if you examine the image, Pérez manages to imbue many of the characters with individual body language. We don't have them all sitting in exactly the same position, faces front, arms to the side, repeated silhouettes over and over - each characters is distinct.

It is this attention to detail, along with the precise, stylized figure work he excels at, that grabbed my attention when I was young and kept me appreciating his art through the intervening years.


As a counterpoint, I give you three panels from three successive issues of Fantastic Four by Steve Epting. One could argue that he is just injecting specific body language to Namor, but does the Atlantean monarch ever unclench his fists?

Fantastic Four #584



Fantastic Four #585



Fantastic Four #586