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Avengers #7

Aug 1964

Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

Story Name:

Their Darkest Hour!

Synopsis

Avengers #7 synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Rating:

The story begins with Iron Man facing sanctions by his fellow Avengers, accused of dereliction of duty by failing to answer an Avengers alarm. He is found guilty and suspended from the team for one week. The scene then switches to Asgard, where Odin is banishing the Enchantress and the Executioner to exile on Earth for attacking Thor. When the sinister pair arrives on our world, they find it a confusing place and, searching for an ally to guide them, they spot a news headline about Baron Zemo and his battle with the Avengers. On the other side of town, Captain America is enjoying a workout against five wrestlers, whom he defeats easily. Retuning home, he is greeted by Rick Jones wearing Bucky’s costume. Upset, Cap orders Rick never to wear it again, unable to deal with his guilt over his lost partner.

The Asgardian villains contact Zemo in South America and offer to aid him in his scheme of revenge against the Avengers. Shortly after, Captain America is lured to South America by a disguised Executioner and trapped in a pit. Back in New York, Thor is put under the Enchantress’ spell and led to believe his heroic partners are secretly villains; he attacks the helicopter carrying Giant-Man and Wasp, who manage to elude the Thunder God until Iron Man, who had been watching the news, arrives to lend a hand. By means of a crystal ball, the Enchantress sees that Captain America has survived his fall into the pit and casts a spell causing a cave-in to bury the hero. Her plan backfires when Cap uses the pile of fallen rocks to climb out of the pit and battle Zemo’s forces, turning their own vibra-gun on their village and hitching a ride on Zemo’s aircraft as the villain makes his getaway.

Back in New York, the other heroes are barely holding their own against Thor, until a flash of light from Iron Man snaps the Thunder God out of his trance. Zemo, swooping down in his ship, fires a stun gun at the Avengers but Cap smashes the villain’s windshield and forces the craft down. Unfortunately, Zemo manages to steer the craft to a landing where the Enchantress and the Executioner are waiting. The villains overpower Cap and take off in the ship, but Thor creates a space warp, hurling the ship into unknown regions. The Avengers revive Captain America and they vow to hunt down their missing foes.

Review / Commentaries

Avengers #7 Review by Peter Silvestro (February 15, 2010)

The incident referred to at the beginning of the story took place in TALES OF SUSPENSE #56, when Tony Stark was considering quitting as Iron Man because of his health. The attack on Thor by the Enchantress and the Executioner was in JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #103. The cover image of the Enchantress was used for her Marvel Value Stamp.

Avengers #7 Review by Rob Johnson (October 9, 2011)

Iron Man refused to answer the Avengers call (on an unrevealed case) in Tales of Suspense #56 because he had given up being Iron Man (very temporarily). He wears the new helmet from ToS#54. Enchantress and Executioner are exiled to Earth after Journey into Mystery #104 because of their attack on Thor in JiM#103 (prompted by Loki). Rick finds a Bucky costume. Presumably the government had spare Bucky costumes stored away, including ones worn by later 'Buckys'. I guess they handed them over to the revived Captain America along with any of his own stored effects. Probably including spare costumes of his own (Jarvis has to wash Cap's costume some time!). This trio of villains aren't actually called the Masters of Evil here. They will resurface in #9, and then as part of the larger Masters of Evil group in #15-16.

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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

Jack Kirby

Chic Stone

Jack Kirby (Cover Penciler)

Listed in alphabetical order. All stories.

Avengers

Captain America
(Steven Rogers)

Iron Man
(Anthony Stark)

Odin

Thor
(Odinson)

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Avengers #7

Their Darkest Hour!

Synopsis

Review / Commentaries