Hawkeye is supervising the training
of new Reserve Avengers Firestar and Justice when Jarvis announces a visitor,
Augusta Seger. Ms. Seger mentions that she is a computer programmer and has
accidentally developed a dangerous virus and needs Hawkeye’s help in containing
it. Even though he knows this is beyond his capabilities, he reluctantly
accompanies her back to her lab. But there is no virus, it’s a trap and he is
ambushed by Batroc, Machete, and Zaran; there is a wild brawl and Hawkeye
defeats the mercenary trio in the end. He then looks for Augusta Seger but
finds only the rubber mask she was wearing….
“Assaulted by Oddball!”
Writer: Tom DeFalco. Pencils: Dave
Ross. Inks: Tom Wegrzyn. Colors: Joe Andreani.
Synopsis: Back at Avengers Mansion,
Hawkeye has Firestar do a computer search to try to identify Augusta Seger,
while he and Justice head to the police station to question Batroc and his
pals. But at the station, Seger, revealed to be a villain called the Albino,
releases a gas which knocks out all the cops and she brings in her gang to
impersonate them. She pays off Batroc and his guys and sends them home. Hawkeye
and Justice arrive at the station and suddenly all of the cells spring open and
the gathered “cops” and robbers mob the two heroes. With a combination of
Hawkeye’s fighting skills and Justice’s telekinetic powers, they beat up the
baddies; their leader unmasks as Oddball, who seems to be a match for the
archer—until Justice throws Oddball up where he bangs his head on the ceiling.
Back at their base, the Albino is revealed to be working with Taskmaster….
“Trounced by Taskmaster”
Writer: Tom DeFalco. Pencils: Mark
Bagley. Inks: Al Milgrom. Colors: Joe Andreani.
Synopsis: Firestar tells Hawkeye
and Justice what she discovered about Augusta Seger a/k/a the Albino: she is a
biologist who specializes in mutagenics and is known for dangerous
experimentation. Firestar suggests they consult with the other Avengers but
Clint nixes that idea, wanting to do things himself. The Albino calls to
arrange a meeting with the hero who asks to bring along the two Reserve
Avengers, knowing it’s a trap. The trio shows up at the railyard for the
meeting and they overpower the guards; they are then knocked out by a gas which
also causes them to shrink to insect size. They wake up to discover Taskmaster
has placed them in a maze and they must work their way through to reach the
antidote. They are then attacked by miniature androids in the shapes of the
various Avengers and as the tiny battle rages, Taskmaster is hooked up to a
machine transferring their powers to him. Firestar gets fed up with the
situation and smashes her way out of the maze with the others. They regain
their normal sizes and learn that Taskmaster now has the powers of Justice and
Firestar—though, since the experiment was interrupted they are only temporary.
Hawkeye battles an invisible Albino, finally trapping her with a net-arrow
while the other two take on the powerful mercenary. At first, Taskmaster is
formidable with telekinesis and microwaves but his lack of experience using
them makes him an easy mark for the heroes. The New Warriors (Rage, Nova,
Speedball, Night Thrasher) arrive in answer to Firestar’s earlier call and
Hawkeye is at first mad but commends her for her initiative.