Lo! The Lethal Legion!

Thor and Iron Man have answered a summons back to Avengers Mansion. There they are greeted by Captain America, Goliath, Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, and the Vision. Cap informs them how the Man-Ape has kidnapped their comrade, the Black Panther, and that he may be working with others to try and take down the Avengers. Unaware of how long T’Challa will remain missing, the Scarlet Witch points out that his capture puts his cover as Luke Charles, a school teacher, in jeopardy. The Vision offers to handle the situation so he can try out a new synthetic mask that allows him to pass for human. With his disguise on, the Vision heads for Harlem while the other Avengers begin planning.

Meanwhile, the Lethal Legion is growing restless and begins questioning their leader’s next move. The Grim Reaper takes offense to this and reminds them all that he was the one who gathered them all together. Within earshot of their prisoners, the Black Panther and Monica Lynne, the Grim Reaper orders the Swordsman and Power Man to go to the water main under Avengers Mansion while Man-Ape and the Living Laser to a nearby power station. While his allies are setting traps for their foes, the Grim Reaper intends to go to Greenwich Village. When the villains depart, the force field that is keeping T’Challa and Monica prisoner goes out. Breaking free of his bonds, the Black Panther uses the equipment to contact his fellow Avengers. Calling it a Prometheus Priority call, he warns his teammates about the various traps, the group then agrees to split up and face their foes.

That’s when the feed cuts out and the Black Panther is attacked by the Grim Reaper. As it turns out, he allowed the Black Panther to get free and warn his teammates as part of his plan. The Black Panther knows that the Reaper is trying to destroy the Avengers as he blames them for his brother’s death.[1] When T’Challa tries to get him to see reason, the Reaper won’t listen and continues fighting.

While in Harlem, the Vision — still in disguise — arrives at Andrew Jackson High School. There he informs the secretary that Luke Charles will not be reporting for classes that day. The secretary accepts this excuse without further explanation as the Vision’s cold emotionless voice and the waxy complexion of his synthetic mask frighten her.

While below the Avengers Mansion, Goliath and the Scarlet Witch search for their foes.[2] Waiting for them are Power Man and the Swordsman. The pair use a massive spotlight to blind their foes in the darkened tunnels. Flailing around Goliath accidentally knocks out the Scarlet Witch and the Swordsman uses knock-out gas against Clint. While at the power station, Captain America and Quicksilver are ambushed by Man-Ape and the Living Laser. In the ensuing battle, the Laser knocks out Pietro by causing a wall to collapse in front of him. Captain America falls next when M’Baku rips open a hydraulic generator causing a torrent of water to knock out the Star-Spangled Avenger.

The captured Avengers are then taken back to the Lethal Legion’s hideout where they are placed in a massive hourglass that is slowly filling with toxic gas. The Grim Reaper watches and takes pleasure in the slow death of his enemies. That’s when Power Man returns from his solo mission to capture the Vision. After depositing the android into the hourglass with his allies he hands over a dossier on each of the Avengers. The Grim Reaper gleefully looks over them until he reads about how the Vision’s mind was created with brain patterns taken from his late brother.[3] Now seeing the Vision as his own flesh-and-blood, the Grim Reaper smashes open the hourglass to save him. That’s when the Lethal Legion learns that the Vision swapped costumes with Power Man to manipulate the Reaper into freeing his allies.

This time, the Avengers are in fighting form and quickly defeat the members of the Lethal Legion. With their foes all tied up, the Avengers reveal that they allowed themselves to be captured having been forewarned of the trap by the Black Panther who used Prometheus Priority code. The Black Panther remarks that they could not have succeeded had it not been for the Vision’s connection to the Grim Reaper. However, the Vision points out that the Grim Reaper is not his brother, since he is a synthetic man. This recent battle has convinced the Vision that he is not truly a living being and announces that he is quitting the Avengers. Before anyone can stop him, the Vision takes off into the night.

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Goliath, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, the Vision), Lethal Legion (Grim Reaper, Man-Ape, Living Laser, Power Man, Swordsman), Monica Lynne

Continuity Notes

1. The Grim Reaper’s brother was Simon Williams who was transformed into Wonder Man by Baron Zemo in Avengers #9. The process was apparently fatal and Williams died shortly after gaining his powers. The Reaper blamed the Avengers and first attacked them in Avengers #52. However, Simon is not really dead but in a death-like trance brought on by his transformation. He will turn up alive again in Avengers #151.

2. Wanda notes that Clint is still upset about his break-up with the Black Widow. That happened in Avengers #76.

3. This detail about the Vision’s creation was revealed in Avengers #58.

Topical References

• Real-world businesses: Avon

• Dated pop-culture references: Road Runner