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Avengers #13

Feb 1965

Stan Lee, Don Heck

Story Name:

The Castle of Count Nefaria!

Synopsis

Avengers #13 synopsis by Kevin Hollander

Rating:

The criminal organization known as the Maggia learn of another operation's failure due to the Avengers. The eccentric nobleman/Maggia leader Count Nefaria decides to eliminate the Avengers once and for all.

His first step is to move his European castle brick-by-brick to the New Jersey Palisades. He then extends a special invitation to the Avengers to visit his castle. He states that he will arrange a charity event at his castle with the proceeds going to charity. Their involvement will ensure the success of the event. The team agrees to attend.

When the day arrives, Nefaria arranges a private tour of his castle for the Avengers. This is a front that allows him to sedate the Avengers and create duplicates of them that are under his control. He then sends his copies out into the world. Their first act is to declare war on the United States. The military responds by making the Avengers Public Enemy #1. The duplicates return to Nefaria, who releases the real Avengers, unaware of what has transpired.

The Avengers are soon attacked by the military. They retreat to their alternate headquarters where they discover that they are accused of treason. Thinking back they realize that something must have happened to them while they were guests at Castle Nefaria. They return to the castle with the military close behind and confront Nefaria, forcing a confession out of him. When the Federal government learns of this, they deport Nefaria.

Unfortunately the Wasp was hit by a stray bullet during the battle. Her life now hangs by the proverbial thread.

Review / Commentaries

Avengers #13 Review by Kevin Hollander (February 15, 2010)

1st appearance of Count Nefaria

Avengers #13 Review by Rob Johnson (February 11, 2012)

Some little details Kevin left out:- Nefaria traps the Avengers by slowing down time for them, and the duplicates he sends out are holographic images. Rick Jones and the Teen Brigade try to find the real Avengers, but get captured. Rick tries to radio for help but can't get through. Nefaria threatens them with closing walls that will paralyse at a touch. The Avengers return to Nefaria's castle anyway, and all but Captain America get caught in stasis-traps. Cap evades the traps and frees the Teen Brigade. Rick grabs the antidote to the stasis-traps (villains can't help revealing their plans by gloating) and they free the other Avengers while Cap himself gets captured. While the rest of the Avengers tackle Nefaria and the mob, Wasp gets wounded protecting Rick and the Teen Brigade. Now some other points:- I don't know if the Avengers' emergency HQ in a cave is ever mentioned again, but it reminds me of the Justice League of America's original cave HQ. Nefaria and the Maggia will both have long careers in the Marvel universe, later separate but next seen together in the Iron Man story in Tales of Suspense #67-68. And Nefaria is also significant as the father of Madame Masque.

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This comic is in the following collection:

Collecting AVENGERS (1963) #1-30.

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Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Stan Lee

Don Heck

Dick Ayers

Jack Kirby (Cover Penciler)

Listed in alphabetical order. All stories.

Avengers

Captain America
(Steven Rogers)

Count Nefaria
(Luchino Nefaria)

Giant-Man
(Hank Pym)

Iron Man
(Anthony Stark)

Rick Jones

Teen Brigade

Thor
(Odinson)

Wasp
(Janet Van Dyne)

Plus: Maggia.

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Avengers #13

The Castle of Count Nefaria!

Synopsis

Review / Commentaries