Color Him… The Red Guardian!

During a training session in their headquarters, Quicksilver is excited to show off that he has just learned how to fly short distances using his super-speed. This angers Hercules, but Captain America breaks things up before they come to blows. However, when he orders everyone into the meeting room, Hercules questions Cap’s authority and challenges him to a sparring match. Even though the Olympian god is much stronger than he is, the Star-Spangled Avenger accepts the challenge. He easily defeats Hercules in hand-to-hand combat thanks to his superior fighting skills. This earns him the respect of Hercules, who agrees to follow his orders from now on.

However, before the meeting can start, a lawyer named Ebenezer Wallaby has come to see Janet Van Dyne, aka the Wasp. He has come to tell the Wasp that since has reached the age of 23, she now has full access to her father’s fortune, according to his will. This is great news to Janet who intends to live it up and her sudden size change frightens off the lawyer.[1] While Janet is busy celebrating, nobody notices that Hawkeye slipped away while nobody was looking. Captain America figures Hawkeye has gone off to find a lead on the Black Widow’s whereabouts on his own.

Captain America is not wrong, as Hawkeye has changed out of his costume to meet with a local hood named Bruiser who is hanging out at a diver bar. The crook has information on the Black Widow but when he gets a good look at Hawkeye he smells a narc. This leads to a bar-brawl that Hawkeye easily wins thanks to all the training he received from Captain America. Bruser easily gives up the Black Widow’s exact location in China after Hawkeye trounces everyone in the bar. It’s late in the evening by the time Hawkeye gets back and the only one still awake is Hercules, who agrees to accompany Hawkeye on his rescue mission.

Meanwhile, in China, Colonel Ling welcomes his Russian counterpart General Brushov to his base and tells him all about their new Psychotron weapon.[2] He has also brought Brushov to show off his latest creation: The Red Guardian, communism’s answer to Captain America. Although Brushov is skeptical of the Red Guardian’s abilities when the costumed operative takes down four heavily armed soldiers on his own, the Russian general is thoroughly impressed.

Not long after this, Hawkeye and Hercules attack the base. While they make short work of the soldiers on sight, Hawkeye is knocked out by a blow to the head from the Red Guardian’s discus. He then attempts to battle Hercules in one-on-one combat. However, the Red Guardian quickly realizes that Hercules is much stronger than him and tricks the Olympian into entering the Psychotron room. There, Herc is exposed to the device and is led to believe he is being attacked by the legendary Hydra.[3]

By this time, Hawkeye has recovered from the Red Guardian’s attack but is quickly subdued yet again. When Hawkeye wakes up this time, he finds himself contained in a glass cylinder next to the Black Widow. Hawkeye is happy to be reunited with the Widow until the Red Guardian removes his mask and reveals that he is the Black Widow’s husband. Natasha tries to explain the situation to him, but Hawkeye’s feelings are hurt upon hearing that the Widow is married.[4]

Meanwhile, back in America, Captain America has discovered that both Hawkeye and Hercules are missing and figures they went into China to try and rescue the Black Widow. Although it may cause an international incident, he assembles the Avengers so they can rescue their friends.

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Captain America, Goliath, Wasp, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch), Hercules, Black Widow, Red Guardian, Wai Ling, Yuri Brushov

Continuity Notes

1. Janet’s father, Werner Van Dyne was killed by the Creature from Kosmos in Tales to Astonish #44. Per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616, about a year has passed between the death of Werner and this story. This story states that Janet is 23 in this story, making her about 22 years old when her father died.

2. Colonel Ling and General Brushov’s full names are not given in this story. Colonel Ling’s full name is revealed to be Wai Ling in the China entry in Marvel Atlas #1. General Brushov’s first name is revealed to be Yuri in Black Widow: The Coldest War #1.

3. The battle between Hercules and the Lernean Hydra is part of the legendary twelve labors of Hercules. An accounting of how the battle played out in the Marvel Universe is depicted in Incredible Hercules #113.

4. The Red Guardian’s real name is Alexi Shostakov. His first name is revealed next issue but his full name is not revealed until Black Widow: The Coldest War #1. Per Black Widow: Deadly Origins #3, Alexi and Natasha’s relationship dates back to 1957 during a period that Natasha was brainwashed on the regular and was made to believe she was a ballerina. We’ll get into this in more detail next issue.

Topical References

• Prior to inheriting her father’s full fortune, Janet states that she has been living off $25,000 a year. Wallaby states that her father’s fortune is worth 3 million dollars. 3 million dollars today is not that wealthy and $25k a year would just barely put the Wasp above the poverty line today. Her yearly living allowance would be worth $195,794.91 in 2021 money. That 3 million dollar fortune would be worth about 23 million today.

• Dated Cold War references: Reds, Iron Curtain, Bamboo Curtain

• According to the Red Guardian, World War II ended about 25 years ago. This should be considered topical because the Sliding Timescale pushes the Modern Age forward in time. Thus the length of time between the end of World War II and the Modern Age continues to grow larger. For the math on that go here.