:From Avenger Jurmoon@aol.com:
THE TEN GREATEST MOMENTS IN AVENGERS HISTORY
by JURMOON


In the spirit of Wizard's 25 Greatest Moments in Comics, I present Jurmoon's
10 Greatest Moments in the Avengers.  Following Wizard's format, I'm selecting
moments that had visceral impact at the time I read them, not necessarily
those of historical importance.  So, without further delay....


10. Mockingbird lets the Phantom Rider fall:  

At that moment, it became clear that things would never be the same for
Mockingbird and Hawkeye, or for the Avengers.  It  re-sparked the question of
whether Avengers should ever kill.  Mockingbird's rape and psychological
torture at the hands of the Rider presented circumstances that made it
difficult for any fan to answer.  


9. Hank hits Jan:   

Effectively the end of a relationship that had existed throughout Avengers
history.  I remember reading this as a youngster and suddenly hating Hank,
hating him for failing as a hero.  An chilling moment in a wonderful story.


8. Quicksilver accidentally kills the Scarlet Witch:

>From "The Last Avengers Story".  The image of Quicksilver crushing Wanda to
death as she was caught between he and the diamond-hard Vision is not one I
quickly forgot.  One of the best conceived comic deaths ever, even if it was
an Alternaverse book.


7. Wonder Man tosses the Beast into the stratosphere:

This relationship represents all that is great in the Avengers to me.  I loved
this duo in their heyday, and the panels of Simon tossing the Beast into orbit
for stealing his shades....well, it makes me smile every time.  


6. Ms. Marvel scolds the Avengers:

Avengers Annual Ten, Carol brings it down hard on her fellow assemblers for
abandoning her in the Marcus Immortus story.  The Avengers are occasionally
very thick-headed and insensitive to their fellow members, this epitomized
that phenomenon.  If anything, it makes them all seem a little more human.


5. "Avengers Assemble"!

In Vol. 3, No. 4, at the podium, as the new roster of the Avengers giggles and
murmurs around Captain America, wondering and hoping for Cap's famous cry.  I
was so excited to see the Avengers home again, back where they belonged, and
with the fun spirit they never should have lost.  


4. Captain Marvel dies:

Tears.  'Nuff said.


3. Hawkeye Cheats

Hawkeye cheats the Grandmaster in his cosmic game to destroy the universe with
lifebombs.  One of the Avengers most desperate moments, the most perfect
Cap/Hawkeye moment I've ever seen, and some words to live by.  "In this life,
you gotta make your own luck."


2. Korvac kills the Avengers

The Avengers could fail.  And here it was.  Not just that they'd lost the
battle with Korvac, but that they'd made a mistake in attacking him.  There
are so many things I like about this battle I'd have to go on about it for
hours to get it all down.  Without a doubt the greatest moment in Avengers
history....with one exception.......


1. Cap breaks down

The sight of Captain America breaking down into tears at the end of the
"Mansion Siege" story is easily the most powerful moment the Avengers has had.
The baseball.  Cap's mom.  Knowing that Jarvis was crippled and Hercules near
death.  Cap is a figure of larger than life courage, he IS the Avengers, to
see him in such a state was both shocking and touching.  I doubt I will ever
see anything like this again.