Avengers #147
Crisis on Other-Earth
This story continues from Avengers #144…
While battling the Squadron Supreme at the Brand Corporation, the Avengers find themselves suddenly transported to the Squadron’s world.[1] This only disorientates both teams for a moment before the battle begins anew. While the Squadron Supreme relies on sheer power, the Avengers use teamwork against their opponents.
However, the fight is quickly interrupted by the military who arrive to contain the intruders from another reality. Hyperion explains to the Avengers that, since their last visit to this reality, the Squadron have become official government agents.[2] That’s when a Presidential helicopter touches down. When the Commander-in-Chief emerges from the chopper the Avengers are shocked to see that the President on this world was the man who lost the last election. More, Captain America recognizes that this president is wearing the Serpent Crown and tells the other Avengers how he recently encountered their world’s version of the Crown while battling the Serpent Squad.[3]
While the tense stand-off continues, the Vision makes himself completely intangible making him almost invisible to the naked eye. This allows him to rush the President and snatch the Serpent Crown from his head. He quickly tosses it to the Scarlet Witch, who threatens to unleash its power unless they are let go. Knowing how powerful the Crown is, the President orders the soldiers to allow the Avengers to leave. This angers the Squadron Supreme, but the President insists that this was necessary. He then uses his mental link with Hugh Jones, the Roxxon CEO on the Avengers’ Earth, what has just happened and to come up with a new plan.
As they wander the streets of Cosmopolis — this world’s version of New York — the Avengers also try to figure out their next move. While the Vision and Iron Man take to the air, the others flee on foot. Wanda is in the middle of telling Captain America and the others how the Serpent Crown is still trying to exert its influence upon her even though she is not wearing it. She soon collapses to the ground but neither Cap, Hellcat, or the Beast notice as they are walking ahead. The Vision does and swoops down from the sky to aid his wife. Not far away, Captain America considers how their own world could have become like this one if he hadn’t exposed the White House of a scandal.[4] That’s when Hellcat notices that Wanda is no longer following behind them.
Meanwhile, on the Avengers world, the remaining Avengers (Thor, Moondragon, and Hawkeye) return to the present day with their new ally the Two-Gun Kid. Hawkeye reiterates that he is leaving the Avengers to help the Kid get accustomed to life in the present day, telling Thor that he’ll be available should the Avengers need his help. With that, the pair race off to round up a pair of wild horses so they can go riding across the Arizona Desert.[5]
Back on the Squadron’s Earth, the Vision revives the Scarlet Witch, but she is starting to fall under the influence of the Serpent Crown. Telling the android to leave her alone, Wanda runs off and ends up bumping into Hyperion, Golden Archer, and Lady Lark.[6] The Vision catches up with her and orders the Squadron to leave his wife alone. While the Vision fights Hyperion and the others alone, Wanda struggles against the influence of the Serpent Crown. While Wanda struggles, the Vision takes down both Hyperion and the Golden Archer on his own. The Scarlet Witch wins her mental battle with the Serpent Crown and knocks out Lady Lark before she can unleash her sonic scream. With the battle over, Wanda suggests that they find the others.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, the Vision, Moondragon, Beast), Two-Gun Kid, Hellcat, Squadron Supreme (Hyperion, Doctor Spectrum, Whizzer, Golden Archer, Lady Lark), Roxxon/Brand Corporation (Hugh Jones, Buzz Baxter)
Continuity Notes
The Squadron’s world is referred to as Other-Earth in this story. It has been designated as Reality-712 per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005.
The Avengers last visited Earth-712 in Avengers #85-86.
Captain America — as Nomad — dealt with the Serpent Squad in Captain America #181.
Captain America discovered that the President of the United States was also the leader of the Secret Empire. Rather than face justice, the President blew his brains out, as seen in Captain America #175.
A footnote here states that Hawkeye and Two-Gun’s exploits will be appearing in an upcoming issue of Marvel Spotlight. However, that story never materialized. He and Two-Gun will next appear in Champions #11.
Golden Archer complains about having to change his name. When he first appeared in Avengers #85 he called himself Hawkeye. This didn’t cause any confusion because at the time the Avengers own Hawkeye — Clint Barton — was in his Goliath identity. The Golden Archer changed his name in Avengers #141. From a story-telling perspective it served two purposes: To play off of the Green Arrow, the character he is based on, as well as avoid confusing readers with two Hawkeyes running around.
Topical References
The President of the United States on the Squadron’s Earth is depicted as Nelson Rockefeller. In 1968 he attempted to get presidential nomination in the 1968 Republican primaries and lost to Richard Nixon, who was later elected as President of the United States. Rockefeller’s appearance here mirrors a common trop of the Squadron’s Earth. Whereas the Avengers reality usually mirrors that of the real world, the Squadron’s world tends to have a leader who lost a given election in the real word. That all said, the appearance of Rockefeller in this story should be considered topical since he is a real-world person. His appearance here should be generalized as simply the President of the United States, and no specific name be given. If you don’t like that, then I guess you could assume that this guy is not the Nelson Rockefeller but someone with the same name if it helps you sleep better at night.
Likewise, references to Richard Nixon being the President of the United States on Earth-616 should also be considered topical. It is implied that Captain America also uncovered the Watergate Scandal, that is also topical.
