Synopsis
Avengers, The (1963 series) #181 synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Rating:
Beast and Wonder Man watch an old Errol Flynn movie. Beast likens the escapism of such films to the public's interest in superheroes. And in that spirit he gives a free acrobatic display on the way home. But Simon Williams is still wondering whether superheroing is the life for him.
But when they get to Avengers Mansion the house treats them as intruders and attacks them with metal tentacles. Wondie breaks some of them, and Beast ties others in knots. Fearing the worst Simon breaks the door down. Only to find Stark Industries employee Scott Lang installing a new security system. And Henry Peter Gyrich and Tony Stark none too happy about it being trashed.
Gyrich has called a full Avengers meeting, and Stark exits to 'fetch' Iron Man.
Meanwhile the old man we saw in #166 and #173 arrives at the Mansion by taxi.
The whole roster from #177 is in the meeting room, which Gyrich understandably says is too many. As part of the conditions for getting their Avengers Priority privileges back they must restrict their number to 7 members, chosen by the government (ie him). They can draft in temporary members for special purposes, but they'll need special clearance.
HPG says Iron Man will remain as chairman. Beast, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Vision and Wasp will also carry over from the existing team. And the 7th member will be Falcon.
Hawkeye is incensed that he's been passed over for someone who's never been an Avenger. Iron Man's not happy about having a newbie foisted on him either. Gyrich says it's to satisfy government policy on minority representation - and Black Panther didn't want the job.
Cap tries to calm a storm of protest by vouching for Falcon's qualities. Quicksilver is typically blustering, but his rant is cut short when he suddenly collapses. (We see a quick shot of the mysterious old man delving into his bag.)
Thor takes the body to the medlab, and says he knows a doctor who can help, which of course is his alter ego Don Blake. Gyrich complains that Blake hasn't been security vetted. The doctor won't commit himself to a diagnosis until he's got the results of some tests.
Meanwhile the Guardians of the Galaxy (Charlie-27, Martinex, Nikki, Starhawk and Yondu) prepare to leave. They intend to use the Collector's time machine to get them back to their future. Captain Marvel and Ms Marvel fly off too, and Black Widow and Hercules leave with Black Panther in his flying craft.
Inside the Mansion, Wonder Man says goodbye to his friend Beast and his 'brother' Vision. He intends to try his hand at acting. Yellowjacket wasn't as keen as his wife Wasp on returning to Avenging in #151, so now he can devote more time to his scientific research. Wanda tries to console Hawkeye. Gyrich gives these 3 24 hours to vacate the premises.
But then Wanda suddenly collapses like her brother Pietro. Dr Blake confirms that she is in the same mysterious state. He says their hearts have stopped beating and their whole metabolism has stopped functioning, but their bodies aren't deteriorating. Somehow they're neither alive nor dead.
The old man has returned to his rented room in the Bowery. In his bag he has 2 cages holding puppet images of Pietro and Wanda - puppets that are alive and that he calls his children.