Shadow of the Claw!

After their encounter with Yellow Claw, the Avengers return home where Iron Man assists in recharging the Vision’s solar batteries. The process, for some reason, takes longer then usual but they can’t figure out why. Meanwhile, upstairs, Captain America debriefs the Wasp who spent more time in Yellow Claw’s lair than the rest of them and hopes she might have seen something that will explain what the Claw’s current schemes are. All Janet can remember was the hideout was sealed air tight and that there were these cylinders filled with a strange sparkling mist. Unfortunately, she doesn’t know what any of it was for. This stymies the Avengers efforts to stop Yellow Claw, as his hideout is in disputed waters and any further involvement by the Avengers could trigger an international incident unless they have proof of any wrong doing.

That’s when they are visited by Yellow Claw’s lead scientist Doctor William Liu. William had fled Yellow Claw’s hideout to warn them that his master is plotting some sceme against the entire world. Unfortunately, before he can detail the Claw’s plot, an explosive inside the scientist goes off. As he dies, he is able to give the Avengers the location of another one of Yellow Claw’s bases, this one located in Australia. After Liu’s body is taken away, the Avengers prepare to go to Australia. However, the Vision opts to stay behind, telling the team that he had not yet fully recuperated since their last outing. However, once the rest of the team is gone, the Vision departs on a mission of his own.

When the Avengers arrive in the Australian Outback, they discover the Yellow Claw’s lair in a mountain. Inside, they see that the sparkling mist being pumped into three missiles. Before they can attack, the team is then ambushed from beind.

Meanwhile, the Vision has arrived at Yellow Claw’s pacific hideout to confront the terrorist. He knows that Yellow Claw tampered with his circuits while he was a prisoner so the Claw could spy on the Avengers. Yellow Claw is impressed with the Vision and traps the android in an energy sphere that is immune to his phasing powers. He then reveals that he lured the Avengers into a trap and that they are now being attacked by his cyborg warriors: Bludgeoner, Transformer, and Compressor.

As his teammates fight for their life, the Vision learns Yellow Claw’s master plan. Indeed, he has gathered a number of brides to try and sire an heir to continue the Claw’s lineage and become ruler of the world. When the Vision points out that the world won’t readily bow to his son, Yellow Claw explains the missiles in Australia are carrying a chemical mist that will make the entire population sterile, except for Yellow Claw and his harem of brides. This will cause any dissidents to die out within a few generations, allowing Yellow Claw to create a brand new society of subjects for his son to rule. With that, Yellow Claw’s base — actually a highly advanced craft — takes off. Simultaneously, the three rockets containing the sterilization gas launch as well. They then meet up with Yellow Claw’s ship and connect to the front of it forming a massive claw that will rain down sterility on the planet.

Meanwhile, the Avengers have managed to turn the tide of battle against the Yellow Claw’s cyborgs. Deciding to stop playing around with the heroes, Yellow Claw sets his minions to self destruct, hoping to kill the Avengers in the process. Luckily, the team was saved thanks to the Scarlet Witch shielding them with a hex sphere. Iron Man and Wonder Man then fly up to Yellow Claws ship to try and knock it out of the sky, only to discover that it is protected by a force field.

However, the Vision manages to win the day by increasing his density more than ever before causing himself to get so heavy that it causes Yellow Claw’s ship to burn more fuel. With his ship about to crash, the Claw tries to destroy the Vision. As the two struggle with one another, the Yellow Claw’s ship crashes into the ocean. When the Avengers arrive to look for survivors, the Scarlet Witch fears that her husband died in the crash. That’s when the Vision arrives from the air, revealing that he was able to phase out of the ship moments before it crashed. Although he believes Yellow Claw has perished, he reminds the Avengers that there are others just as evil out there that need to be stopped.[1]

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Beast, Jocasta), Yellow Claw, Edwin Jarvis

Continuity Notes

1. Yellow Claw doesn’t die here like the Vision assumes. He will resurface again in Hulk Comic #18-19.