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The story takes place in earliest days of the Avengers, when the Hulk
departs the team. In normal Marvel continuity, this lead to the Avengers
becoming a close-knit team. However, in an alternate reality, this initial
fracture effectively ends the team, leaving a desperate Iron Man to face the
collective wrath of the Sub-Mariner and the Hulk alone. And this is all
communicated to the reader on the cover. When was the last time that
a comic book cover actually told you useful information about the plot? The
issue devotes itself to a frustrated and weary Tony Stark who fails in plan after
plan to find a way to triumph. His final solution, and its ultimate cost,
is creative and moving.
Jim Shooter’s script work on this issue is wonderfully over the top, full of the high
drama (and occasional melodrama) that worked so well for the characters when
Stan Lee created them. Even though the very nature of an alternate reality
story implies that the story is non-essential, Shooter’s story is full
of enthusiasm. While he does indulge in his habit for plot deus ex
machina, these can be largely forgiven for the energy he delivers,
and his rock solid ability to bring these outlandish characters down to
earth. Shooter manages to make me sympathize with Iron Man (a character I
genuinely dislike) by highlighting the key paradox in his original creation:
that his human heart was his greatest, not weakest, character trait.
Gil Kane and Klaus Janson complement each other nicely in this story,
creating a sense of power and majesty even in throwaway panels, such as a
generic shot of Thor fighting a troll. One simple panel on page 7, showing
a devastated Iron Man, communicates this emotion through some simple shading
and body language to compensate for the lack of any expression on the
featureless metal mask. Kane and Janson also have a lot of fun, whether it
is depicting the light comedy of Stark’s initial “solution”, or bringing the
energy, chaos, and devastation to the climatic final showdown. The final
page, showing the price of victory, conveys a sense of loss and heroic
nobility that the well-intentioned but wrong-headed Avengers Finale
could not hope to duplicate. Even though this story “doesn’t count,” the
images on that page are simply unforgettable.
This is an Avengers comic worth your time and effort. ‘Nuff said. Grade: 4.5/5
-- Michael Paciocco
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What If (Vol. 1) #3 
I find it slightly odd that one of my favourite Avengers story (available in both the recent What If trade paperback and the Marvel Visionaries: Gil Kane volume) is not in
continuity. Draw what conclusions you will. But make no mistake; this is
how superhero comics are supposed to be made. All of the creators
involved show a passion for their craft and display the real secret of
superhero comics; if you do it right, you never have to acknowledge how
silly it is. It’s just a good story, and you can enjoy it for that.