Which is the best Hulk versus Thing fight?

It is one of the all time classic confrontations, in one corner the gamma spawned goliath in green that is the incredible Hulk and in the other the everlovin' blue eyed idol o' millions Ben Grimm alias the Thing.  What we need to know is which fight was your favourite?  Here are some suggestions:

Fantastic Four #12

Fantastic Four #12 (March 1963)
Pencil Art by Jack Kirby, inks: Dick Ayers

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby bring us the very first encounter shortly after the Hulk's own title had been cancelled and before the foundation of the Avengers.  This is real primordial Marvel Age creativity here but is it the best?

Hulk versus Thing from Fantastic Four #12 (March 1963)
Pencil Art by Jack Kirby, inks: Dick Ayers
script by Stan Lee

Happy Birthday Stan Lee!

Stan Lee is celebrating his ninetieth birthday today!  A milestone that must be acknowledged.

Stan Lee

Stan Lee is the most famous comics creator of all time.  To the general public Stan = comics = superheroes. We comics fans regularly discuss the most minute contributions made by creators to the comics mythos and often ignore the vast influence of Stan.  For a period of years every time I surfed the comics related web invariably the words "Stan Lee" would launch a bitter tirade from die hard Kirby fans. This may be some sort of justice for the distorted public perception that Stan created everything but to my mind did not address  the following:

They Made The Avengers: John Buscema

The late, great John Buscema for this fan is the definitive Avengers artist.  Jack Kirby may have launched the series and co-created many of the characters but Buscema's tenures on the title left an indelible impression on me.  John made his debut with Avengers #41 (June 1967) and continued on the title as the main artist until #85 (February 1971).  He made guest appearances on the title between 1971 and 1976, his last issue before his second long term commitment to the title was #153 (November 1976).  Fans had to wait nine years before our prayers were answered and John returned with #255 in May 1985.  We then experienced his greatness through to #300 (February 1989).  John's contribution to the Marvel style is often overlooked these days but after Kirby, Ditko and possibly John Romita, Snr, he was probably the most important artist Marvel had in the Silver and Bronze Ages.

Avengers: Greatest Stories Ever Told

Here it is Avengers fans, the greatest stories ever told about Earth's Mightiest Heroes as selected by yours truly.  Dig them out and read them again or track them down and read them for the first time. Thirty tales listed in chronological order:

The Coming of the Avengers, #1, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, September 1963

Hulk and Sub-Mariner ,#3, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, January 1964

Captain America Lives Again, #4, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, March 1964

Vision or Red Tornado?

The Avengers had the Vision and the Justice League had Red Tornado, who is your favourite?  Readers of  my previous post, Avengers Assembled, will be in no doubt that I favour Marvel's synthetic being but I am interested in what you think?

Justice League of America #64
Pencil Art by Dick Dillin, inks: George Roussos (August 1968)

Avengers #57
Pencil Art by John Buscems, inks: George Klein (October 1968)

Avengers Assembled

If you had to pick six Avengers to be on the team who would you pick?  The Avengers Assemble movie has gone with Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye.  Mostly obvious choices for the movie audience, Hawkeye being the exception.  Hardcore comics fans will always have a favourite line-up but I am betting most would not favour this six.  Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's Ultimates updated and re-booted the Avengers in an alternate ultimate Marvel universe in 2002 and the movie takes its tone from their re-imagining.  Samuel L. Jackson may be fanboy heaven as Nick Fury but for this Silver and Bronze Age fan this is not really the Avengers.

The Avengers Pencil Art by Jack Kirby, Inks: George Roussos
Avengers #4 (March 1964)