Avengers #22
The Road Back
Power Man and the Enchantress have framed the Avengers for a series of blunders that have resulted in the city of New York ordering the group to disband. Suspecting that they are being framed, Captain America tries to get Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch to stay and help him uncover the truth. Unfortunately, the others have decided to give up and want to move on with their lives. This leads to a heated argument until Cap and Quicksilver come to blows. Hawkeye breaks up the fight and tells Captain America to give up, calling him a washed-up old man. As the others leave, Captain America wonders if they are right and adds breaking up the Avengers among his list of failures,[1] including the death of his wartime partner, Bucky.[2]
Later, the other Avengers discover that trying to start a new life is easier said than done. Hawkeye attempts to get on a popular late-night television show only to discover he is not welcome. Quicksilver attempts to get work through a talent agency, with the same results. Even the Scarlet Witch — who tries to become an actress — discovers that nobody in show business wants anything to do with the Avengers.
Learning of the Avengers’ plight, the Circus of Crime — having just been released from prison — decides to hire the former Avengers into their troupe in the hopes of drawing large crowds for the Ringmaster to hypnotize and rob.[3] When they are offered jobs, Hawkeye, Pietro, and Wanda gladly accept them. However, when the Ringmaster reveals his true intentions they refuse to take part in any crimes. This leads to a fight between the three Avengers and the Circus of Crime. However, the battle is ended when the Ringmaster gets the police involved, forcing the Avengers to leave flee before they get arrested again. This latest incident only further sours public opinion of the Avengers and people even begin to wonder why the original team doesn’t come back. Little do they know that the founding Avengers are all busy with other matters.[4]
Hearing this is great news for Power Man and the Enchantress who orchestrated the Avengers downfall. The pair are then visited by a talent agent who wants to make Power Man rich and famous. The Enchantress is not interested at all, but Power Man is interested to learn more. When the man claims to be the one who ruined the Avengers, Power Man is upset that this stranger is taking credit for his work. Ignoring the Enchantress, Power Man then details their entire plot to discredit the Avengers. When Power Man starts getting physical they realize that this man is actually Captain America in disguise and that he recorded Power Man’s confession.
Power Man then attacks Captain America in an effort to get the recording and destroy it. However, the other Avengers soon arrive to lend a hand. With the situation growing rapidly out of control, the Enchantress decides to abandon Power Man and teleports away. Realizing that he was nothing more than a pawn of the Enchantress, Power Man then surrenders. Turning Power Man over to the police, the Avengers also turn over the confession, clearing their names. The mayor and his council allow the Avengers to get back together and declares next Sunday as Avengers Day. While the Avengers are glad to be back together, Captain America shocks them all by announcing that he is quitting the Avengers, having grown tired of keeping the group together.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch), Power Man, Enchantress, Circus of Crime (Ringmaster, Princess Python, Cannonball, Clown, Bruto the Strongman, the Great Gambonnos), Iron Man, Thor, Giant-Man, Awesome Android
Continuity Notes
Captain America was left in charge of the Avengers after the founding members — Iron Man, Thor, Giant-Man, and the Wasp — decided to take a leave of absence in Avengers #16.
At the time of this story, per Avengers #4, Captain America believes that Bucky died in 1945 while trying to disarm a bomb on a drone plane. He’ll learn years later that Bucky survived and was turned into an assassin called the Winter Soldier. See Captain America (vol. 5) #14.
The Circus of Crime has been released from prison following their arrest in Amazing Spider-Man #22.
This scene is used as a plug for the various comics that feature the original Avengers
Iron Man is shown fighting the Awesome Android. This is from Tales of Suspense #72, when the Mad Thinker is hired by one of Tony Stark’s jilted lovers to get revenge.
It states that Thor is returning to Asgard for “his greatest battle”. This is in reference to the events of Journey into Mystery #122, where Thor battles the Absorbing Man in his homeland.
Lastly, it states that Giant-Man’s whereabouts are a mystery. This is due to the fact that Giant-Man and the Wasp’s regular feature in Tales to Astonish was ended with issue #69. It was replaced with a recurring Sub-Mariner story. The pair won’t be seen again briefly in Tales to Astonish #78 before regularly reappearing in the Avengers again starting with issue #26.
Topical References
Captain America is depicted recording Power Man’s confession on a reel-to-reel tape recorder.
Hawkeye tries to get an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.
There is a newspaper boy hawking newspapers on the street.