Review- THE AVENGERS: ASSAULT ON OLYMPUS

THE AVENGERS: ASSAULT ON OLYMPUS (Marvel, 2011; Hardcover)

Collects Avengers Nos. 278-285 (cover dates April- November, 1987)

Writer: Roger Stern except for issue 280- Bob Haras

Artist: John Buscema (Breakdowns) and Tom Palmer (Finished Art) except for issue 280- Bob Hall (Penciler) and Kyle Baker (Inker)

This is another great Stern/Buscema/Palmer era collected edition. This picks up right after the Avengers: Under Siege Premiere Classic Hardcover, so I would recommend reading that one first. While it is not necessary to read it in order to understand what is going on in this book, it will greatly enhance your reading experience. This is possibly the most powerful line-up the Avengers ever had: Captain America, The Wasp, Captain Marvel (II- Monica Rambeau), the Black Knight, Thor, the Sub-Mariner, the She-Hulk...and Dr. Druid. Okay, they were not all heavy hitters. 

Issue 280 is a fill in issue and not a fill in issue. It does not have the book's regular creative team, but it is a well written story about Jarvis. Jarvis reminisces on his tenure as the team's butler while convalescing in the hospital after the beating he received at the hands of Mr. Hyde during the Under Siege story arc. Fill in issues in the '80s were typically self contained one shots, but this ties into the events in the current events of the series.

This book has been out for a while, and there has been no word on future Roger Stern era Avengers collected editions. Hopefully the Marvel Masterworks program survives long enough to reach his run on the title. If not, the Essentials should be there in a few more volumes.

The OCD zone- Like nearly all Marvel Premiere Classic hardcovers from the last few years, this boasts sewn binding, nice paper stock and decent restoration. This is a good package at a decent price.