Cover: John Buscema & George Klein

The Avengers #59

Dec 1968 · Marvel · 0.12 USD

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“The Name Is... Yellowjacket!”

★ 1st appearance — Yellowjacket

About this Issue

Avengers #59 marks the first appearance of Henry Pym as Yellowjacket — his fourth costumed identity — making it the opening chapter of one of Marvel's most psychologically rich character arcs of the Silver Age. Writer Roy Thomas planted the seeds of Pym's recurring mental instability here, framing a superhero's identity crisis not as a straightforward villain origin but as the consequence of obsessive overwork, personal frustration, and accidental chemical exposure — a surprisingly nuanced motivation for 1968. The issue also functions as the third appearance of the Vision, who was still a brand-new addition to the Marvel Universe, deepening the book's thematic interest in what it means to be human or otherwise. That one issue could simultaneously debut a new hero identity and continue developing a synthetic one speaks to the remarkable creative density of the Thomas–Buscema run on the title.

In "The Name Is... Yellowjacket!", the Avengers face a mysterious new foe who strikes with precision and uncanny familiarity—only to vanish as quickly as he appeared. The true identity of this masked vigilante remains a secret, though one clue lies in the fact that he’s not a new hero, but a returning one in a shocking new guise. Written by Roy Thomas and illustrated with dynamic flair by John Buscema, with inks by George Klein and lettering by Sam Rosen, this 1968 issue features a cover by Buscema and Klein that captures the menace and mystery of the moment.

writer Roy Thomas · artist John Buscema · inker George Klein · letterer Sam Rosen · cover John Buscema, George Klein

ComicBooks.com Value

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Raw (VG) $21

CGC 9.8 · 7 in census $4,931

CGC 9.6 · 37 in census $2,253

CGC 9.4 · 56 in census $453

CGC 9.2 · 71 in census $321

CGC 9.0 · 83 in census $218

CGC 8.5 · 100 in census $144

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CGC 8.0 · 94 in census $116

CGC 7.5 · 81 in census $84

CGC 7.0 · 72 in census $80

CGC 6.5 · 73 in census $80

CGC 6.0 · 48 in census $75

CGC 5.5 · 43 in census $52

CGC 5.0 · 35 in census $52

CGC 4.5 · 28 in census $37*

CGC 4.0 · 18 in census $37

CGC 3.5 · 13 in census $33

CGC 3.0 · 2 in census $23*

CGC 2.5 · 2 in census $21*

CGC 2.0 none in existence

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

More listings for this title

VF/NM $2.75 NM $3.49 NM- $3.99 GD $12.5 NM $24 NM $24 VG+ $28 VG $29.99

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History

Roy Thomas and John Buscema were the regular writer–penciler team on The Avengers throughout this period, with Buscema having joined the book as its main artist from issue #41 (June 1967) and Thomas having taken over as writer from Stan Lee in 1966. The Yellowjacket persona grew out of Thomas's interest in exploring Hank Pym's deteriorating psychological state: after a botched lab experiment causes Pym to inhale untested chemicals, he constructs an aggressive new persona who claims to have killed Goliath and demands Avengers membership. The story was inked by George Klein and edited by Stan Lee, who remained editor-in-chief overseeing the line. The issue was on sale in October 1968 with a December 1968 cover date, placing it squarely within the late Silver Age creative peak of the Thomas–Buscema collaboration.

Trivia · 8 facts

First appearance of Yellowjacket — Henry Pym's fourth superhero identity — introduced after Pym accidentally inhales chemicals in his lab that trigger a severe personality crisis, causing him to believe he has murdered his original self.
Third appearance of the Vision, who had debuted just two issues earlier in Avengers #57 (October 1968); the issue develops his early characterization as an android grappling with humanity's fear of him.
Written by Roy Thomas, penciled by John Buscema, inked by George Klein, lettered by Sam Rosen, and edited by Stan Lee; Buscema had been the book's main artist since issue #41 (June 1967).
The story title is 'His Name Is… Yellowjacket!' — Yellowjacket breaks into Avengers Mansion, claims to have killed Goliath, fights the assembled team, and abducts the Wasp, who secretly recognizes him as Pym and agrees to his marriage proposal.
The Wasp's decision to conceal Yellowjacket's true identity and accept his proposal sets up the wedding in Avengers #60, where Pym recovers his true persona during a battle with the Circus of Crime.
This issue is the earliest textual seed of Hank Pym's long-running mental health arc, which would become one of Marvel's most scrutinized character studies across subsequent decades.
Reprinted in Marvel Super Action #20 (June 1980), Essential Avengers Vol. 3 (2001), The Avengers Omnibus Vol. 3, and multiple international editions including UK, German, French, and Spanish publications per the Grand Comics Database.
The cover image of Yellowjacket from this issue was reproduced on a 1975 7-Eleven Slurpee Cup, making it one of the earlier examples of Marvel character art crossing into mass-market promotional merchandise.