The 1980s were a booming period for Earth's Mightiest Heroes, leading to one of the most beloved spinoff series of all time with the new West Coast team of Avengers!
In the 1980s, Earth's Mightiest Heroes expanded their ranks and their range, founding the West Coast Avengers. The roster of Hawkeye, Iron Man, Wonder Man, Mockingbird and Tigra meant that the team was stocked with powerhouses and fan-favorites alike. Marvel welcomed back one of the greatest Avengers writers of all-time to steer their adventures: Steve Englehart. Along with Al Milgrom and Joe Sinnott on art, he wove a massive series debut that brought in arguably his signature characters -- Vision and the Scarlet Witch -- in a crossover story that plumbs the origins of Wonder Man and the Vision. Ultron also returns, but this new iteration of the iconic villain has a distinctly different disposition. Also featuring a double-sized Wonder Man solo adventure!
COLLECTING: WEST COAST AVENGERS (1985) #1-7, VISION AND THE SCARLET WITCH (1985) #1-2, MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL (1982) #27 - EMPEROR DOOM and WONDER MAN (1986) #1
Steve Englehart's history-making contributions to the Marvel Universe began with the Beast's solo feature in Amazing Adventures, in which the eloquent X-Man first assumed furry form. As Avengers writer, he masterminded such major events as "The Avengers/Defenders War" (in both teams' titles) and "The Celestial Madonna Saga." In Captain America, he identified and solved the "mystery" of the 1950s Captain America (later revived by Ed Brubaker), and gave the true Cap the alternate identity of Nomad. Englehart's Dr. Strange storyline in Marvel Premiere established the character as Sorcerer Supreme and covered the creation of the universe itself. At DC, he helped revamp Batman, Green Lantern, Superman and other major heroes for the 1970s. Back at Marvel, he wrote the first few years of West Coast Avengers and Silver Surfer. His published novels include Countdown to Flight, Hellstorm (part of the TALON Force series), Majorca, The Point Man and, with wife Terry Beach, books in the DNAgers young-adult series. Englehart has also written TV episodes and designed video games.
Al Milgrom, A.K.A. "Editori-Al," is renowned as writer, editor, penciler and inker -- and held most of those positions on Spectacular Spider-Man. He also contributed to SSM's sibling Amazing Spider-Man. He penciled West Coast Avengers for four years and inked X-Factor for eight. His artwork has also appeared in Avengers, Captain America, Thor and most X-titles, including the classic Kitty Pryde and Wolverine. As editor, he oversaw Marvel's Epic imprint and the sixty-issue run of Marvel Fanfare, where his satirical self-portraits made his face as recognizable as any super hero's mask. At DC, he co-created Firestorm the Nuclear Man with Gerry Conway.
West Coast Avengers artist
Bob Hall also penciled Avengers, Champions, Defenders, Marvel Team-Up, Super-Villain Team-Up and other Marvel titles. He was a major art contributor to Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition. At Valiant Comics, he worked on Shadowman and Timewalker.
Richard Howell began his Marvel work on such tie-ins as Dark Crystal and The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones. He collaborated with Steve Englehart on the 12-issue Vision and the Scarlet Witch miniseries. At DC, he drew wartime stories for All-Star Squadron and Blackhawk. With Tony Isabella, he co-created the Shadow War of Hawkman miniseries, which extended into the Winged Wonder's 1986 monthly. At Claypool Comics, he provided art for and co-plotted with Peter David the fan-favorite Soulsearchers and Company, wrote and penciled Deadbeats and served as colorist and editor on various titles.
