Story #2Media Watch: A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney...
Writer:
Dwayne McDuffie. Penciler:
Jim Reddington. Inker:
Andy Mushynsky. Colorist:
Ed Lazarelli.
Synopsis
60 Minutes’ curmudgeonly commenter
Andy Rooney offers some rambling opinions about superheroes.
Story #3Acts of Vengeance! Epilog
Writer:
Mark Gruenwald. Penciler:
Vince Mielcarek. Inker:
Bob Downs. Colorist:
Dave Sampson.
Synopsis
In the wake of the "
Acts of Vengeance,"
Captain America,
Vision, and
Thor meet in the basement of
Avengers Mansion to review the events of that confrontation with a cadre of villains. They sort out the tangled threads of the adventure and determine to learn from the experience, to improve their weaknesses and continue to cooperate.
Story #4The Day the Strangers Came
Writer:
Kurt Busiek. Penciler/Inker:
Richard Howell. Colorist:
Richard Howell.
Synopsis
Six-year-old
Hubie Green is a major fan of the
Avengers, it’s all he can talk about—to the disgust of this older brother
Luke. One day, several strangers show up to take rooms at his parents’
Iowa hotel. He soon discovers that the strangers are five
Avengers—
Captain America,
Hawkeye,
Quicksilver,
Sersi, and
Wasp—there to stop the
Sons of the Serpent domestic terrorist group. Hubie delightedly follows the action on radio and TV—until he discovers that his brother Luke is a leader of the villainous gang, and he’s planning to launch bombs toward New York and LA. With a heavy heart, Hubie enters the strangers’ room and tells them what his brother is planning. The plot is halted and Hubie puts away all his Avengers memorabilia. He still likes them and wants to do the right thing—but no longer looks forward to it.
Story #5Clowning Around
Writer:
Gary Barnum. Penciler:
Steve Buccelatto. Inker:
Mickey Ritter. Colorist:
Steve Buccelatto.
Synopsis
A group of
Avengers (
Captain America,
Falcon,
Quasar,
Sersi,
She-Hulk) stop by
Avengers Mansion to see how the repairs are going. As a nervous foreman shows them around, a couple of workers are concerned that the heroes’ presence could attract villains, leading to some mayhem and thus jeopardizing all their hard work. Sure enough, the
Plantman shows up and the guys tackle him, managing to keep him out of sight of the Avengers. He’s followed by the
Water Wizard,
Stilt-Man, and the
Wrecker, and the crew must resort to increasingly awkward actions to stop the threats. As the Avengers—totally unaware of any trouble—depart, Cap suggests that the workers would accomplish more if they stopped clowning around.