Avengers #145
The Taking of the Avengers!
Months Ago…[1]
A killer for hire known only as the Assassin has been hired to eliminate the Avengers by a group of their enemies. After watching footage of the team in action, the killer explains that they will need months of preparation to kill such high-profile subjects.[2]
Now[3]
Captain America interrupts a robbery being committed by a gang of crooks wearing Captain America masks. Little does he know that this has all been a trap set up by the Assassin who watches Cap take down the thugs from a nearby rooftop. While Captain America’s guard is down, the Assassin blasts the hero with a specially made ray gun. He then leaves as an elderly woman puts in a call to the police. This was all set up by the Assassin and none of his minions know that they have been poisoned so they cannot talk later.
Iron Man and Thor are the first to arrive at the hospital and they are told that, while Captain America is still alive, whatever he was exposed to is slowly killing him. They head off to investigate who is responsible as Hawkeye arrives at the hospital. Inside, the archer gets lost trying to find Cap’s room and happens upon some of the Assassin’s minions. Hawkeye manages to fend them off but they escape under a smoke-screen and vanish without a trace. When Hawkeye finally finds Cap’s room, he finds the Scarlet Witch, the Vision, and the Beast waiting outside. Seeing how down they all are, he assures them that Steve is going to pull through. Clint then sends Hank and Wanda home while he and the Vision stand guard. It’s here that Hawkeye thinks back to how he always used to clash with Captain America over leadership when he first joined the Avengers and how he soon grew to respect and befriend the Star-Spangled Avenger.[4] The Vision also reflects back on his relationship with Captain America, remembering how Cap was on his side when the android was going through a moral crisis.[5]
Little do either of them know that they are being observed by the Assassin who is pleased that everything is going according to plan. Turning off their monitor, the killer-for-hire has pity for the Avengers because they’ll all be dead before they know what hits them.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, the Vision, the Beast), the Assassin
Continuity Notes
This part of the story takes place shortly after the Avengers battle with the Zodiac in Avengers #120. See below for more details.
On top of the Zodiac battle, the Assassin watches footage of the following
The Avengers battle against the Grim Reaper and Hydra in Avengers #108 and their battle with Magneto from issue #110.
Thor’s battle with the Destroyer from Thor #224.
Captain America’s fight with Moonstone in Captain America #175.
Iron Man’s battle with Doctor Spectrum from Iron Man #63.
And lastly, Hawkeye’s battle with Zzzax in Incredible Hulk #166.
Per Official Index to the Marvel Universe: Avengers, the present-day events of this story take place following Avengers #149, see below.
Reference is made to when both Hawkeye and the Scarlet Witch joined the Avengers. That was back in Avengers #16.
The Vision is referring to the time when the Grim-Reaper offers him humanity by transferring his mind into the body of Captain America. See Avengers #107-108.
Topical References
This story states that the Assassin needed a year to prepare to deal with the Avengers. Based on the footage the hired killer reviews, this part of the story happened shortly after the events of Avengers #120. As such, the measurement of time here should be considered topical as it denotes the length of time between publications. Per the Sliding Timescale, It would have taken the Assassin roughly four months to prepare instead of a full year.
The Story Behind This Filler Issue
At the start of this story, it is stated that a deadline issue prevented the publication of the story that continues from last issue. However, there is a lot more going on behind the scenes here. At the time, the missed deadline was — depending on who you ask — due to miscommunication between writer Steve Englehart and then-editor Gerry Conway. The reason — also depending on who you ask — was due to a power trip or punishment for not following instructions. Given this is not the only time Englehart has clashed with editors (see his Fantastic Four run), I’d like to think that the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.
Avengers #145-146 were originally slated as being a full story that was to be published in Giant-Size Avengers #5. Due to the missed deadline, the story was broken up into two issues and published in the main title instead and Giant-Size Avengers #5 was instead a reprint issue. Giant-Size Avengers was then shelved when regular annuals were brought back into rotation.
At any rate, the story this issue and next are place chronologically after Avengers #149.
(This and the info about Giant-Size Avengers #1 was cribbed from Official Index to the Marvel Universe: The Avengers, while the Steve Englehardt deadline fiasco was gleaned from Internet, I put two-and-two together, you’re welcome)
