Avengers #221

Avengers #221 (1982)
written Jim Shooter (plot) & David Michelinie (script)
pencils by Bob Hall
cover by Ed Harrigan

This is one of the regular “who will join the Avengers” issues, with a cover that has been homaged and parodied a few times. And Dazzler is among them, so I kind of have to talk about it.

As you probably know, Hawkeye and She-Hulk will be the characters joining the team this issue.
Hilariously, most of the other characters on the cover (Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Invisible Girl, Daredevil, the Scott Lang Ant-Man, Doctor Strange and Spider-Woman) will eventually join the Avengers at some time. I’m not dismissing the possibility of Black Bolt and Silver Surfer joining in the future, but I’m not holding my breath with Rom.

Also, apparently the cover is actually the in-universe cover of Time Magazine™, which is… questionable at best. The general public doesn’t know Dazzler has superpowers, plus I’m fairly sure at this point the public thinks Rom is a villain.

The reason for involving Dazzler is that Wasp thinks the team needs more women.

Tony Stark approves, because of course.

At this time there weren’t all that many superhero women around. Wasp’s invitation doesn’t reach the X-Men, though. It’s not because they’re already in a team, because Invisible Girl is invited.

Leave it to Dazzler to make the worst impression.
Also interesting to see Black Widow shown to be so close to Susan, I don’t think they’ve spent much time together so far.

This is the first appearance of Dazzler I ever read. So I imagined her first adventure together with Spider-Woman must’ve been a big deal! It definitely wasn’t.

I am enjoying the continuation of Dazzler and Spider-Woman despising each other, though.

Of course Dazzler is the one to get kidnapped when the girls are attacked.

Dazzler is so unimpressive, in fact, that she manages to be helpless against Fabian Stankowicz, who at the time was the joke villain “Mechano-Marauder”. He will later reform, join the supporting cast and be an all-around great character, but at this moment he’s just pathetic.

Okay I’m being quite harsh with Dazzler, but she’s not COMPLETELY helpless.

Still, she really doesn’t fit this kind of story.

This is obviously a more light-hearted issue than usual. The most amusing part is the fact that none of the girls is taking Fabian seriously, to the point of leaving the place in the middle of the fight.

Once the idiot is defeated, we end with Hawkeye and She-Hulk joining the team. I’ve always liked the final panels with the very tall She-Hulk needing to crouch just for the much shorter Wasp to be able to kiss her even when she’s on her tippy toes… nice little touch.

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Dazzler significance: 0/10
Why do people keep inviting her to these things? Obviously this has a HUGE historical significance for She-Hulk, because joining the Avengers is the big thing that put her on the map.

 Silver Age-ness: 4/10
The Mechano-Marauder feels at least a little bit like a deliberate Silver Age throwback.

Does it stand the test of time?
I’m not giving it a score since I didn’t review the whole story. It’s a rather good breather, so I recommend checking it out if you’re into early 80s Avengers.