How to Make a Hero into a Villain

 

cover art by John Buscema

Avengers #49 (Feb. 1968), was written by Roy Thomas. After an issue drawn by George Tuska, John Buscema has returned. Tuska is an excellent artist, but Buscema has always been in my Top Five list, so I see this as an art upgrade.

The issue effectively jumps back and forth between two plot lines and has a little character-driven drama, so I'm gonna simplify my review by covering each aspect of the story one at a time.

First, Goliath reveals to us (via a thought baloon, so no one else in-story knows) that his body can't take the strain of growing larger any longer, so he might be stuck with just being Ant Man. Hawkeye, in the meantime, wonders if the Avengers can survive with just three active members.

On Olympus, Hercules is confronted by the Titan named Typhon, who was banished by Zeus millennia ago. Typhon has returned and, by smashing the Fire of Prometheus, exiled all the denizens of Olympus to a shadow dimension. Buscema's art shines as Hercules and Typhon fight. Herc beats a monster that Typhon summons, but the Titan manages to zap the demi-god into the shadow dimension.

Meanwhile, Magneto has brought Pietro and Wanda to a remote island fortress, where he begins a plan to convince the twins to rejoin him. It's really a pretty clever plan, depending on a keen understanding of Pietro's personality.

He claims that he's given up fighting humanity. Taking the twins to the United Nations, he bursts into the General Assembly and proposes that a nation be created just for mutants. This is all being broadcast on live TV, so the Avengers see and come running.

Thomas' writing here is top notch. Magneto is still arrogant, which ironically makes his change of heart seem more likely to be legitimate. After all, if he suddenly become Mr. Nice Guy, Pietro would have to suspect something.

At the right moment, he uses his powers to pull the pistols of two security guards around to point at Wanda, then pulls the triggers. Wanda takes a grazing blow to the head, which predictably sets off Pietro's Berserk Button. The Avengers have shown up to rescue the twins, but end up fighting Pietro.

Magneto and the twins escape, with Wanda suffering from short-term memory loss from her injury and Pietro mad at humanity again. 

Hercules' story arc is getting interesting, but Thomas handles the Magneto arc brilliantly. The villain's plan really is clever and Pietro is manipulated in a way that fits his character to a tee.

I mentioned when I reviewed issue 47 that the Magneto story arc eventually becomes one of those annoying crossovers with another title. But, as I said, there's no sense in whining about that nearly 6 decades later. Next time, we'll look at X-Men #43 to see what happens to Magneto and his new superspeed ally.