Avengers #151
At Last: The Decision!
As the Avengers continue to be sequestered in their headquarters, an eager audience waits outside for news about their new roster. Among them is reporter Sam Ruether who is reporting live and has been going through Avengers history with his viewers. He speculates if Thor will remain on the team.[1] Among those watching from home is Ben Grimm, who mocks the Avengers for always changing their roster until he remembers that the Fantastic Four have also had their own roster changes in the past.[2][3]
Ruether’s report continues, changing focus o when the Avengers underwent an official roster change. At the time, Thor, Iron Man, Giant-Man, and the Wasp left the group. Taking their place were Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch, under the leadership of Captain America.[4]
While inside Avengers Mansion, Iron Man has just asked Captain America if he plans on remaining on the team. Captain America admits that he had wanted to be a loner for a while, but decides that it is time to stay with the team.[5] Iron Man is pleased to hear it and is about to move onto the next member on the roster when he is interrupted by the Scarlet Witch. She demands to know if Hawkeye will be in or out of the team.
While at a run-down apartment building, an elderly man returns to his home exhausted after finding out what happened to his son. He turns on the news while freshening up in the bathroom. Catching the report on the Avengers new roster, this man becomes deeply concerned over speculation on if the Scarlet Witch will remain on the Avengers or not.[6] Reuters continues his recap unabated, recounting how Captain America’s new team found cohesion while fighting against foes like Doctor Doom, and the Swordsman.[7]
Back at Avengers Mansion, Thor informs the rest of the team that Hawkeye is taking a leave of absence from the team in order to assist the Two-Gun Kid to acclimatize in the present day. However, the archer will come if they summon him.[8] Wanda is satisfied with this, for now. That’s when the Wasp blurts out that she will be staying on the team. Yellowjacket, however, is still making up his mind.
This comes just as Reuters is detailing the varied career of Hank Pym on the Avengers. He details how Pym went from being Ant-Man to Giant-Man. Then, after some time away from the Avengers, returned to the group and changed his name to Goliath during a period of time when he was trapped at giant height. He later resumed control over his size, changed his costume before reinventing himself as Yellowjacket. Sam then digresses by mentioning how Hawkeye briefly took on the Goliath identity and size-changing powers for a time before returning to being a simple archer again.[9][10]
This is watched by a rogue general and his men who are under the employ of a mysterious benefactor. Seeing the Wasp angers the general’s employer. The general warns him that such outbursts will affect their plans. However, this benefactor assures the general that they will succeed and disappears in a flash of light.[11] Back at the mansion, Yellowjacket decides to decline continuing his membership with the Avengers. He tells them that he wants to focus on his research and walks out, much to Janet’s disappointment.
The reporting continues, with Sam detailing those who have been unsuccessful in being recruited into the Avengers, including Spider-Man, the Sub-Mariner, and Daredevil. He also mentions others who did become Avengers for a time such as Hercules, the Black Knight, the Black Panther, Black Widow, and the Vision.[12] Watching this portion of the broadcast are the newly formed Champions. While Hercules and Black Widow reminisce on their membership in the Avengers, Angel and Iceman get nostalgic over their time with the X-Men upon hearing that their former teammate the Beast is now on the Avengers.[13]
Meanwhile, the Avengers continue to deliberate over their roster. Moondragon announces that she will not remain on the team. This is because she views herself as a god and has decided against full membership for similar reasons to Thor, but tells them that she will be available should they need her. The Beast, on the other hand, gladly accepts a spot on the team. This worries Jan who thinks that the team might not have room left should her Hank change his mind about rejoining. Hellcat is also about to accept membership on the team when Moondragon objects. She has sensed some latent mental powers in Hellcat and wishes to take the novice heroine under her wing to train her in the use of these powers.[14] That’s when Yellowjacket comes in and tells them that he has changed his mind and will remain on his team.
With the new roster finally decided, the Avengers say their farewells to Thor, Moondragon, and Hellcat. The trio then go up to the roof where Thor uses Mjolnir to teleport them all away. The new team then goes out to announce themselves with the team’s rallying cry “Avengers Assemble”. The new Avengers then do a meet and greet with people in the crowd, ignorant to the massive wooden crate that has been shipped to their front door during the deliberations. However, they quickly pay attention to it when they hear something moving around inside. The crate suddenly shatters revealing that Wonder Man was inside. In a dazed state, the previously deceased hero accuses the Vision of stealing his mind.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Yellowjacket, Wasp, Scarlet Witch, the Vision, Moondragon, the Beast), Hellcat, Edwin Jarvis, Living Laser (unidentified), the Thing, the Whizzer, the Champions (Black Widow, Hercules, Angel, Iceman, Ghost Rider), Wonder Man, Jacob Pollock
Continuity Notes
The footage shown in the news broadcast is the Avengers battle against the Lava Men from Avengers #5.
Ben Grimm is depicted here in human form and wearing a Thing exoskeleton. This story takes place during the period when Ben Grimm lost his powers and required the exo-skeleton in battle. This lasted from Fantastic Four #169 through 175.
The Thing recalls how Medusa, Thundra, and Power Man were all involved in the Fantastic Four at one time. The facts:
Medusa took the place of the Invisible Girl on the team when Sue and Reed were having marital problems from Fantastic Four #132 through 159.
Thundra was never officially a member of the Fantastic Four but had been an ally of the team since Fantastic Four #133.
Luke Cage was briefly a member of the Fantastic Four after Ben lost his powers until Reed Richards finished building the aforementioned exoskeleton. See Fantastic Four #168-170.
“Cap’s Kooky Quartet” was formed in Avengers #16.
Captain America’s “rough time” is a reference to the events of Captain America #169 through 183. Which saw Captain America framed for murder, uncovering that the Secret Empire was run by the President of the United States, abandoning his identity to become Nomad, then coming back after his successor, Roscoe Simmons, was killed in action.
This mystery man is revealed to be the Whizzer in Avengers #153. The son he is speaking of is Nuklo who hasn’t been seen since he and the Avengers took him down in Giant-Size Avengers #1. Also in that same story, he was led to believe that he was the father of the Scarlet Witch as well. This proves to be false. Wanda’s parentage has been the subject of speculation and falsehoods for years until Scarlet Witch (vol. 2) #4 & 12 which reveals that she is the daughter of Natalya Maximoff and an unidentified Scarlet Warlock.
The Avengers fought Doctor Doom in Avengers #25, while they fought the Swordsman earlier in Avengers #19-20.
Thor and Hawkeye encountered the Two-Gun Kid during their trip back to the year 1873. After this adventure, Two-Gun Kid insisted on going to the present with them. See Avengers #141-144.
Lots of Henry Pym drama dropped here the details:
When he first joined the Avengers in issue #1, Hank Pym was Ant-Man. He later became Giant-Man in the 2nd issue.
He left the team in Avengers #16, but returned again as Goliath in Avengers #28.
He was trapped at giant-size until he found a cure and resumed his size-changing powers in issue #46 and changed his costume in issue #49.
Lastly, he became Yellowjacket in issue #59 and married the Wasp in issue #60.
Then we’ve got Hawkeye, who took on the Goliath identity in Avengers #63. He later returned to his Hawkeye identity in issue #98.
This is the Living Laser, as we’ll learn in Avengers #153. His hatred of the Wasp stems back to Avengers #34-35, when he tried to force Janet to be his girlfriend. It didn’t go very well, obviously. The general he is speaking with is Jacob Pollock, as detailed in Avengers Annual #6. His first name was revealed in the Nuklo entry of Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition #9.
This is a veritable who’s who of Avengers past and present. The details:
Spider-Man was offered membership on the team provided he capture the Hulk. The web-slinger failed this test by letting the Hulk go after feeling sorry for Bruce Banner. See Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3.
The Avengers tried recruiting Namor in Avengers #16. He flatly refuses. Reuters mentions Namor’s then-recent alliance with Doctor Doom. It is slightly more complicated with that, as the Sub-Mariner needed a cure for his and for himself that only Doom could provide. See Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up #1-2 and Super-Villain Team-Up #1-6.
Daredevil was offered membership in Avengers #111, the same time as the Black Widow. While Natasha accepted the offer, Daredevil did not. However, the Widow only lasted a single mission before leaving in issue #112.
Hercules was with the Avengers from Avengers #38, given official membership in issue #45. However, he soon left in issue #50. He would return briefly in Avengers Annual #1 and issue #98-100.
The Black Knight began his association with the Avengers during their battle with Magneto in Avengers #47-48. He assisted the team intermittently in issues #54-55, and 60-61. He was offered membership on the team during the Game of Galaxies in Avengers #69-70. However, being in England, he was seldom involved in Avengers duties, only returning briefly in issues #98-100. At the time of this story, he has been in the 12th Century, see Defenders #11.
Lastly, the Vision, who joined the team in issues #57-58. It is stated here that the Vision’s brain patterns were based on Wonder Man, who is believed to be deceased. Wonder Man seemingly died in Avengers #9. He was actually in a death-like state he is revealed to be alive at the end of this issue.
Angel, Iceman, and the Beast were all founding members of the X-Men dating back to X-Men #1. Hank left the team in Amazing Adventures (vol. 2) #10 to pursue a career at the Brand Corporation. More recently, Hank has been trying out for the Avengers since Avengers #137. Warren and Bobby left the X-Men following the formation of a new team in Giant-Size X-Men #1/X-Men #94. They helped form the Champions in Champions #1.
Hellcat’s training under Moondragon proves short-lived when she ends up joining the Defenders. See Defenders #44-46.
Topical References
The Thing is depicted watching the news coverage of the Avengers new roster on an old CRT television.
Captain America states here that he had a rough “couple of years”, this should be considered a topical reference as it denotes the passage of time between publications. Per the Sliding Timescale, it has only been a number of months.
Captain America also states that since it is he bicentennial, he should be on the team. This is in reference to the United States Bicentennial. It was a celebration of 200 years of the Declaration of Independence in 1976. This is a topical reference because it dates the story. One could assume that Captain America is remaining on the team because of some other, unspecified, celebration of American history.