Avengers #34: Review

Nov 1966

Stan Lee, Don Heck

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Story Name:

The Living Laser

Review & Comments

Rating:

Avengers #34 Review by Rob Johnson (June 23, 2011)

This is Living Laser's first appearance. He has a future as a 2nd-string villain, usually working in groups or for someone else. But eventually he will live up to his name, getting transformed into a being of laser energy. Captain America mentions that Stark recommended the shield-coating alloy before leaving for Washington. This is a reference to Stark going to Senator Byrd's committee in Tales of Suspense #83. The Avengers have had variously-named modes of transport up to now. But from this issue they settle on the aero-car, which will eventually evolve into the quinjet.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Avengers #34 Synopsis by Rob Johnson

The Living Laser tries out his supervillain equipment by robbing a bank and then leaving the money. In his civilian identity as inventor Arthur Parks he watches as the Avengers examine the result of his lasers. Wasp runs across an old friend Lucy Barton. Her fiancé's father is president of the bank, and Parks is her embittered ex-boyfriend. But unstable Arthur now transfers his affections to Jan.

Back at Hank's lab, Goliath and Wasp find that Bill Foster has returned to work, after learning that the Avengers' siding with the Sons of the Serpent last issue was only a ruse. Jan leaves them to continue trying to find a way of releasing Hank from being stuck at 10 feet high (since #28). They think they have a solution, but it will need testing.

The Laser attacks the lab, with the idea that defeating Goliath will be a way to win the Wasp. After a long fight Goliath beats the Laser. Captain America and Hawkeye turn up by chance and take the villain away. But he escapes, leaving them to struggle with a damaged aero-car.

Back at his own lab Parks improves his lasers and goes on a rampage (but only destroys things that were scheduled for demolition anyway). Cap and Hawkeye scour the city for him on jet-scooters, while Wasp flies under her own power. Cap has coated his shield with a laser-resistant alloy recommended by Tony Stark. The Avengers spot the Living Laser and follow him to his basement lab. The villain traps the men in a laser cage, and vacuum sucks Wasp into a jar full of knock-out gas. He causes the laser cage to start contracting, and leaves with his 'love' the Wasp.

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