Why Kurt Busiek is a Great Avengers Writer 

That was pretty crazy how Spider-Man gave Thanos a fruit pie and they became best friends and flew off in the Thanos copter. Was not expecting endgame to end like that.

I love how early RU-vid era your videos seem to be. I don't know what it is, maybe it's the intro or lack lavish editing but it's so relaxing.

*"Stopping Thanos with a Hostess Fruit Pie".* That's your Infinity Weapon right there.

Chris officially confirmed as the strongest man in the universe. Look at him, killed Thanos and took his prize. We're all at mercy of his gauntlet now.

If the Avengers legitimately beat Thanos with a Hostess Fruit Pie, it would make Endgame the greatest movie ever.

Kurt Busiek was always one of my favorite comics writers. More for Thunderbolts and Astro City than for Avengers but I still loved all his stuff. There are so many writers who seem to hate comics and superheroes and want to tear down everything long-time heroes stand for, so it's great that such a talented writer holds the medium, its history and its symbols in such reverence. Best of all, back when I graduated high school and wanted to know how to become a better writer, Busiek replied to a random email I sent by attaching portions of an unpublished interview where he explained his path through university and into comics. It was my first interaction with someone I admired (long before Twitter made that easy) and informed my academic career. Twenty years later I still haven't written a comic book, but I have had 13 novels published :).

6:03 OMG, Geroge Perez's is just awesome!!!!! His choices here, such as, Cap's eyebrows being visiable or the incorporation of Ironmans older helmet design with newer elements, even his use of heavy lines on Tonys armor and Thors cape. I love how clean it is and think Perez easily in the top 5 greatest, then his volume of work is massive and he has created (or his version of characters, recreations if you will) a ridiculous amount of beloved characters.

Kurt Busiek is a great writer overall. His stuff is gold.

When Roger Stern had the Masters of Evil invade Avengers mansion, that was the best Avengers story ever. When Cap found a destroyed photo of his mother in his footlocker in the aftermath, that was the best scene in Avengers history.

A friend of mine recommended me to read Kurt Busiek's Avengers (1998-2002) about two years ago. I remembered it was hard for me to start since it was really... eh... old school (and I've read Peter David's Hulk) but after overcoming that, I found his ideas and narrative really good. I liked how he challenged the strongest team in MU with problems that they can't solve with fists: Racism and media attack (tribune of understanding); megalomania (most of Hank Pym's stories); the famous Captain America's quote "so was Poland"; and of course my favorite part, the relationship between Scarlet-Witch and Vision.

How about a profile on the Legion of Superheroes? They were such an influential series and have featured brilliant art by all time greats like Dave Cockrum and Mike Grell

The Kang Dynasty is one of my favorite comics storylines. I wonder if the MCU might pick it up in a future movie arc.

How about an analysis of The Squadron Supreme 12 issue mini series from the mid eighties? They were Marvel's Justice League and it was very good.

I never understood why people were so connected to the permanent death of a character named “Phoenix.” I always thought the name was intended as foreshadowing.

You didn’t talk about my favorite Avengers Story by him and just my all time favorite avengers story, Kang Dynasty

That Justice League/Avengers book is one of my favorites.

As great as Busiek is, I feel his run wouldn't have been as memorable with Perez on art. He immediately elevated it to a "must buy"!

Thanks for featuring my art!

Those Hostess Twinkies have taken down the most power villains back in the day. You would think they would be standard issue in any hero's utility belt.

_Untold Tales of Spider-Man_ is still my favorite comic series. I'd love it if Kurt was assigned to the ASM series but with how Marvel ignores continuity now, I'd see Kurt facing a lot of editorial changes.

Kurt Busiek pulled me back into comics at a time when I had given them up for what I thought was good. I came upon a comic book shop that was going out of business and picked up Astro City #1 for ten cents. It impressed me so much I went out and found a comic shop that wasn't going out of business and got the rest of the series.

Definitely the greatest Avengers writer imho. That first arc is such a love letter. He wrote the best Kang story ever and gave us the badass Damocles base.

I compare Kurt Busiek and George Perez Run on Avengers to Grant Morrison and Howard Porter Run on Justice League

I'm relatively new to your channel; and it is truly superb. I'm finding life a bit of a slog (at the moment) and watching your back catalogue has really lifted my spirits. Lovely authentic attitude, no hatred, full of love for the medium and a beautiful delivery style. Thank you, I'll be a patron from now on. Keep doing what you are doing and remember you are a bloody marvellous gent.

Kurt Busiek is a great writer, my favorite being Conan, also he is such a nice guy. He reviewed my art portfolio 12 years ago and he tried to get me a job in the comic book industry, to which I regretfully never followed up on.

Even better is Steve Englehart's run on West Coast Avengers. He changed the marriges of Hawkeye/Mockingbird and Vision/ Scarlett Witch. Tigress became very flirty. He gave Wonder Man and Hank Pym their confidence back. Pym had new slightly different powers and made good use of his scientific background. There is a great long long time travel storyline. This run is underrated. I think it was up there with Justice League International and Uncanny X-Men. i almost forgot. Scarlet Witch's pregnancy led to the House of M; 20 years later.

God, I love Mr. Busiek's work. His run on the Avengers is one of my favorites. And I am a big fan of Thunderbolts and Astro City.

Did you ever cover Astro City? I thought Busiek did a great job with that.

Kurt Busiek, because of this run on Avengers, PLUS the work on Marvels, PLUS the work on JLA/Avengers (I absolutely LOVE that thing), is definitely one of my all-time top 5 favorite comic book writers for any company. PERIOD. (Plus Chris, you get props for the issue of Badger #10 on the rack back there behind you. Mike Baron---when he was in his right mind----is another one of those top 5. And just because.....it's BADGER.)

Wait, the Hostess Fruit pie comics are part of the MCU now? Who needs the XMen!

I think he just called out every Bob Harras Avengers storyline.

Nice history of Kurt Busiek's work. I LOVE his work over the years.....

I have his 90s Avengers run in a 5 volume hc set, great stuff and another excellent video.

1:10 THANK YOU👏👏 Hickman's New Avengers, Avengers and Time runs out and Secret Wars were what git me into comics, especially Marvel. His world-building, characterization (T'Challa and Namor), and action are fantastic! Sadly, after his run ended and ANAD Marvel began, I dropped out.

Great video. I've always loved his work. His writing in Conan for Dark Horse is easily one of my favorite runs on a comic ever.

"Why Kurt Busiek is a great writer" Just a suggestion for a possible alternate title for this video. Seriously, I love Kurt Busiek's stuff. I don't believe I've ever read a bad story written by Busiek.

Hi Chris, fantastic video as always. I've been meaning to mention the small but interesting comicbook industry here in South Africa, but it looks like they beat me to it! That fan art at the end also mentions Comic Con Africa, which was the first time the event ever came to our continent last year.

Still one of the best comic channels week in and week out! Thank you for the great content.

Great video, I din't read that much of Kurt Busiek, but the little I read of his run is fantastic. However I'm tired of youtube algorithm who any time I watch something comics related suggest me hacks who complain aboot comics that not share their political believe.

Correction: Perez was Avengers artist in the mid-late 70s not the early 70s. Avengers Forever is one of the greatest Avengers stories ever but I've never been much of a fan of Busiek's run on the main title. I don't think it's bad, and I do think it had an important role in re-establishing the series after a very poor preceding era, but it's just a bit meh. I think you missed a trick here as surely the most significant thing here is that the run is very obviously a re-run of the classic Shooter/Michelinie era that even utilised one of the artists from that period (whereas Avengers Forever was obviously far more closely tied to the Engelhart period -and to a lesser extent the Roy Thomas years). The re-establishment of the title's fundamental iconography (Avengers Mansion, Government Liaison, Quinjets, their classic roster of villains, etc), with the occasional twist, is something that should've been key to this video IMO. The period does only ever feel like a re-run to me -putting the house back in order but feeling a bit empty and derivative as if painted by numbers. I would also add that the claim that the Avengers has a poor record with diversity is a terrible slander. Firstly the affirmative action themed storyline with Falcon (which the ham fisted Triathlon one was obviously a tribute to) was a pretty good one that not only approached a topical subject at the time but one that raised questions about and got to the heart of what the Avengers are. There are 2 sides to that in Avengers history -one the dog refuge for wayward superhumans (such as in the original Old Order Changeth story and at its most extreme in Bendis's run) and the other as the elite , 'professional' super team -Earth's Mightiest Heroes (which Busiek clearly subscribes to in his run). Falcon was characterized well in this period and the notion that not all superheroes are suited to being an Avenger was a good theme for the title to deal with (one which many subsequent writers might have done well to heed...). Secondly you are talking about a title which featured the Black Panther as what I'm pretty sure must be the first black character as a regular on the roster of a major superhero team. Not only that but one of their periodic antagonists in the early years were the white supremacist Sons of the Serpent. Avengers 73-74 which features the Panther battling them and has him take off his mask on TV, revealing himself to be black to the public, is a classic syoryline of the civil rights era.

Deconstruction isn’t a synonym of “grim and gritty”. It just means looking at meanings and consequences of established working principles. Deconstruction doesn’t have to be grim or pessimistic any more than criticism has to be negative or disparaging. By that same token, the grim gritty boom that followed watchman wasn’t deconstruction, and didn’t bother to understand what Moore was actually doing, it was just the same old unexamined good-and-evil-solved-by-violence with sex and extravagant death added as a pretension to maturity. Astro City is *absolutely* a deconstruction of comics, entirely because it looks seriously at how good people as real human beings would have to organize their lives around the reality of living with (or being) super heroes. The concept behind spider man being a teenage kid with teenage problems is deconstruction of the lantern-jawed cowboy-hero trope. Being optimistic and having heart doesn’t change that. Watchman has tons of heart, that’s why it actually hurts when things go wrong and good doesn’t win and villains don’t realize what they are.

Woah! I had no idea Kurt wrote for Marvel. I was introduced to him via his AMAZING😍😍😍😍😍 Conan the Barbarian comics. Seriously, he single handedly made that character relevant in our modern day!

Another great episode! Thanks again for all of your work!

Man, feels like every time I go on RU-vid you have a new video up! Great stuff!

Busiek is awesome. I love continuity in comics in general and was a big fan of the Thunderbolts. I know Bendis is more popular but I like Busiek better.

Just discovered your channel a couple of weeks ago and have already watched almost every episode. Great stuff. You should do a Daniel Clowes episode.

You're channel is so enjoyable. I love it so much

Kurt Busiek's Thunderbolts is my favorite marvel related story arc of all time.

I remember Marvel printed an alternate version of vol. 3, issue 1 with just George Perez's pencils (and letters), which blew me away. I learned more about comic book pencilling/storytelling from reading through that issue (giant sized with like every Avenger ever, by the way) than any class could have hoped to provide (unless maybe it were taught by Perez himself). These "unwrapped" editions have become far more popular since but it was a big deal at the time. On top of that, it was a fun and very Avengersy story after the whole Onslaught/Heroes Reborn thing ran its course.

Keep up the great work. Love this show brother!

Great video(as always) Love Kurt Busiek!!almost everything he did,especially Avengers Forever!cheers from Greece!🇬🇷

Great breakdown of Busiek run, and love that spinner rack! Had that issue of Badger.

This was great! I hope you get to an episode about Astro City someday - it's one of my favorite stories that uses a lot of super hero tropes to great effect to tell compelling human stories.

A wonderful episode about Kurt Busiek’s Avengers run which I did not know about. And, touché with incorporating Thanos Gauntlet into your arm!

Great show once again, and on Kurt Busiek, didn’t actually check his Avengers run, will be on the lookout now...keep up the stellar work. Peace. Wayne. London

Its been years since I've seen Kurt Busiek or Scott McCloud. I lived in N. Reading mass., I published a fanzine The X-Maniacs. It was 2 maybe 3 issues with their work which I sent copies of to Marvel. When I saw Stan Lee, he remembered it cause they had it posted around the Marvel bullpen. Kurt's writing was great then too.

Love this! The first comic I ever bought was by Busiek, JLofA 231, the last pre Crisis teamup with the JSA.

The Busiek/Perez run is what got me into comics. I love the run and it along with the original young Avengers run are still my favorite

I really enjoy your videos, great work!

I love this run on Avengers. I would love for you to do a video on Claremont's F4 run which was also around this time!

Dang Chris you always cheer me up

8:13 that was Mockingbird/Bobbi Morse/Hawkeye's wife, not Scarlet witch.

Roger Stern’s “Kang the Conqueror” and “Masters of Evil” stories were my favourite Avengers issues.

This was awesome, Busiek’s run got me into comics and is a classic

I've just watched your Alan Moore vision before this one, and now I want to see something like that includes both deconstruction and reconstruction. Like, let us dial Marvel back some years, before literally everyone has been an Avenger and sliding timescale, soft rebooted universes and when magic still felt more magical, no "where I come from they're one and the same" stuff. You have Wolverine, an amnesiac guy who has seen some of the worst of humanity, has no connections and is hated by most for being a mutant. That would certainly lead to the down path. Then you have (a humbled) Thor and Hercules, literal god heroes and living legends, not just supposed to be able endure more than most physically and mentally and be held to higher standards, but they actually can because they're not mere mortals. Would be nice to see what sort of mechanics would develop with that approach.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving Kurt Busiek his due! I evangelize his series Astro City on a regular basis and he doesn't get enough credit for his turn of the century Marvel work. He's also the writer I credit for taking Carol Danvers out of mothballs (though she didn't hit her stride until the 2010s). James Robinson rightly called him "the Martin Scorsese of comics."

We all love the show and glad it's still going!

This is a great overview. Now I have to get back to my reread of Astro City! The corgi storyline is my favorite.

Ultron is my Waifu

Astro city is wonderful. Absolutely one of my favorite comics.

I gotta say I'm a Hickman Stan, love his marvel work, great long-form storytelling.

Love you videos should do one on road to perdition and all the comics in the series.

Probably biased because I started reading Avengers in the early 90s, but the Bob Harras/Steve Epting run was by no means floundering or going through the motions. Not with the long running Gatherers arc or the intrigue with the Kree, Hera's plans for Hercules and more. It's a shame that era is mostly remembered for the matching leather jackets, but those were solid stories steeped in continuity. Once we get to the Crossing/Avengers TimeSlide days, things went from bad to worse, I'll grant you that. And the Busiek/Perez run was gold, no argument there.

Loved it at 15:37 when you realized you still had the gauntlet on, lol!

Damn. I keep catching you at the weirdest times

Busiek's run was the one I begin with. Amazing.

What about Jim Shooter! His run on Avengers is among the best, especially his Korvac Saga, which I consider to be among the best comic stories of all time!

Should have mentioned Busieks awesome 13 issue run on Thor post Civil War.

Love the Thanos glove Great work as always

Great writer in general. Love his Conan run at Dark Horse

Been trying to find this run

Yes!! My favorite era of Avengers ever!

Gonna give this run a try

I really want you to discuss about Avengers disassembled event in the next video

Keep podcasting comics Chris.

Wouldn't mind if you did something on the Stern run.

Love Kurt’s great work.

Concerning the drawings for the prizes for the art at the end, I'd recommend perhaps doing one or two drawings a month for all artists. If you do one for every episode, while also increasing your release rate, you're going to go crazy with all the shipping and keeping everything straight.

I Loved his work

Great stuff.

Kurt busick is one of my all time favorite writers I love his thunderbolts and avengers stories as well as astro city the atumnlands and marvels

Excellent video! This makes me realize Kurt molded a lot my Early Marvel Experience. I started with the Onslaught Saga and I loved Kurt’s run! I love starting off deciding a new roster after the ultimate super roster! It’s sad to hear he had mercury Poisoning. Also sad the Kang War was unfortunate enough to happen during 9/11. Forever War is great I need to get the TPB. I was really was spoiled by his love of continuity. It’s missing in the last couple decades. His Avengers vs Justice League was Brilliant. He knew how to make Thor epic, and give interesting personality to Carol Danvers. Kurt is my Quintessential Avengers writer, and I only like Hickmans Avenger writing as much. And Triatholon and Silverclaw are underrated. Silverclaw has a cool power and I love her being Family with Jarvis. And it’s funny how he was decades ahead of predicting the SJW trend with Triathlon. But he had interesting powers, more finesse then raw might. Really Kurt was the best Jarvis Writer. And I forgot Sokovia was a different country then Slornia because I haven’t read it in a while and thought hey did just pluck out that awesome comic arch. Love the Ultron and Count Nefaria terrifying might. We need him back he really understood and loved the characters and history! I didn’t realize Marvels and Avengers Forever were his Babies! Love his stuff!

The Busiek\ Perez run on the Avengers was nothing short of excellent!

Speaking of new additions made by KB, what's your opinion on Silverclaw?

Spidey and The Not Ready For Prime Time Players. I loved that one!

Busiek gets these characters in a way most writers just don't. One of my favorite super hero writers, thanks for the video. Galactic Storm is pretty good if given a chance, some chapters are way better than others but it's overall a fun space adventure with a meaningful conclusion especially for Tony and Cap. The Gatherers storyline was great too. The Crossing, of course, is an unmitigated disaster.

Any thoughts on the Avengers storyline of Ultron becoming a very attractive woman with art by Frank Cho? Personally- I loved it!!!

I have the entire run on my shelf right now

I haven’t seen one of those 3D cardboard standees at my theatre in such a long time

Off topic, have you reviewed 'The 'Nam'?