Hawkeye follows the Hulk to Doctor Strange’s mansion. The green giant gets angry and menaces to smash him. Valkyrie and the Sub-Mariner, after a violent introduction, explain to Hawkeye that they are the Defenders. Since he just left the Avengers (explained using flashbacks), Hawkeye likes the idea of joining their team.
Wong welcomes them to the mansion. Suddenly, an Atlantean informs Namor that Attuma is planning an attack on Atlantic City. Valkyrie, Hulk and Hawkeye join the Sub-Mariner in stopping Attuma.
The underwater villain landlord arrives with his men on a giant crab-looking underwater transport which comes out on a public beach, causing a panic. As the Defenders battle Attuma’s men and giant sea creatures, Namor goes against the villain, but a porpoises attack stuns him, ending up in shackles that sap his strength. Attuma threatens to slaughter Namor, so the other heroes give up the fight.
Meanwhile, Attuma’s henchmen capture an old man and his wife, and take them inside the ship along with the Defenders. Hulk leaps away (he refuses to live through another underwater experience as he recently did in Incredible Hulk #164 and #165).
The villain takes his prisoners to his new underwater city - sealed within a capsule, with an atmosphere like Earth’s surface. The Red Ghost is there. He mentally controlled the sea beasts. The kidnapped old man is Dr. Jennings, the world’s foremost marine biologist. Red Ghost plans to use him to augment his controlling capabilities and create an army of sea creatures to conquer Atlantis and the surface world.
Val and Hawkeye, imprisoned, ingeniously break free. After making their way through henchmen, they rescue Dr. Jennings. The Red Ghost, controlling the Sub-Mariner, sends him to battle them!
In flashbacks (in order of appearance): Scarlet Witch, Vision, Champion, Daredevil, Black Widow, Thor, Black Panther, Zzzax.
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