Avengers #213
Court-Marital
After Yellowjacket’s incompetence prolonged the Avengers’ battle with the Elfqueen, Hank Pym finds himself brought before a court martial. Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor tell Hank that they are going to spend the next three days deciding if Hank should be disciplined and how he could face expulsion from the Avengers. Yellowjacket admits to himself that he was driven by inadequacy to prove himself as a member of the team, but offers no explanation for his actions.
Outside, the Wasp paces the room wondering how she can get through to her husband. She is joined by Tigra who tries to cheer Jan up. When Hank emerges from the meeting, Janet tries to talk to him but he tells her to leave him alone and storms off. Realizing that he’s hurting his wife, Hank apologizes and the two hug.
Meanwhile, Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor depart to mull over how they are going to deal with Yellowjacket. Captain America knows that Iron Man and Thor just want to drop the issue. Cap himself knows the cost of making an accident, thinking back to his time back in World War II. One time, while a PCF in the miltiary, he and his found themselves clashing with Nazi forces. His entire unit was wiped out and Steve changed into Captain America to deal with them. After defeating the Nazi troops he was startled by a sound and reflexively tossed his shield at the source of the noise. He was horrified to discover that he tossed his weapon at a war orphan who was picking up shell casings from the battle field. Luckily, the little girl was bending down to pick up some of these shells and his shield narrowly missed her. As he concludes his recollection he knows how easy it is to make a tragic mistake and wonders if he should judge Hank so harshly.
Back at Avengers Mansion, Iron Man has gone down to the record room where he reviews Hank Pym’s career with the Avengers. Hank was one of the founding members of the team along with Iron Man, Thor, the Wasp, and the Hulk. He goes over how Hank had changed his identity over the years from Ant-Man, to Giant-Man, to Goliath, until he finally settled on his Yellowjacket identity. Iron Man contemplates how Hank frequently left the team to focus on his scientific career. One of these absences led to the creation of one of the Avengers’ greatest foes, the killer robot named Ultron. Iron Man theorizes that Hank kept bouncing back and forth to try and prove himself as both a scientist and a super-hero. He recounts how the creation of Ultron caused Hank to suffer a mental breakdown that birthed his Yellowjacket identity. However, Hank eventually returned to normal after he married the Wasp. Still, the specter of Ultron loomed over Hank for years, particularly in one of their most recent encounter when Ultron attempted to turn the Wasp into his robotic bride, luckily the Avengers were there to stop him.[1].
By this time, Hank and Janet have returned home. However, when Jan tries to get her husband to talk and get romantic, Hank isn’t in the mood. He tells her that he needs to work in his lab. When Hank leaves, Janet begins to cry because Hank continues to neglect her. Alone in his lab, Hank thinks he needs a breakthrough to restore his honor. He has decided to build a brand new robot to make up for his creation of Ultron. He hopes this robot, named Salvation-1, will help him achieve his goals.
The following morning, Tigra is woken by a knock at her bedroom door. It is Jarvis, the Avengers butler, who has come to deliver a cheque that Tony Stark issues to Avengers who don’t have any source of income outside of being an Avenger. Seeing the amount, Tigra finds the payment incredibly generous. Later that day, as the hour of Yellowjacket’s court-martial approaches Tony Stark and Donald Blake excuse themselves from their work to attend the meeting as Iron Man and Thor. Captain America is already there. He has already decided that he is going to run a tough prosecution but hopes Iron Man and Thor ultimately decides to acquit.
A few hours earlier, Janet has woken up and discovered that Hank didn’t come to bed the night before. Hoping nothing is wrong, she sneaks into Hank’s lab to see what he’s been working on. There she sees him working on Salvation-1, which he has programmed to attack the Avengers during his court martial hearing. Made out of Adamantium, the robot is nearly indestructible except for a single weak-spot that Hank hopes to exploit in the battle to redeem himself in front of his teammates. Overhearing this mad scheme, Janet makes her presence known and tries to convince her husband to see reason. Yellowjacket, however, is sticking with the plan and demonstrates Salvation-1’s capabilities and weak spot by making it attack the Wasp. Seeing this as sheer insanity, Janet continues to try to talk sense into Hank but he loses his temper and belts her across the face. Furious at his wife, Hank tells her to keep her mouth shut about his plan.
Later, when Yellowjacket and the Wasp arrive at the court martial, the Avengers are bothered to see Janet out of costume and wearing sunglasses even though she is indoor. Without asking about it, the team then begins the court martial proceedings. They give Hank the chance to explain himself. He tries to justify attacking Elfqueen when the battle was over and admits that he made a mistake. However, his explanation quickly becomes an unhinged rant that begins disturbing his teammates. When he asks Janet to back him up, she tearfully tells him to stop and then removes her sunglasses revealing to everyone that she has a black eye. With the situation quickly turning against him, Hank decides to activate his Salvation-1 robot.
Unfortunately, Hank’s plan backfires when Salvation incapacitates everyone and grabs Yellowjacket before he can shut the robot down. The Wasp, the last Avenger standing, has to shut down Salvation-1 before Hank gets hurt. Yellowjacket can’t believe that Janet had to bail him out yet again. Utterly defeated, Yellowjacket decides to go and leaves. When Iron Man asks Janet what they can do for her. Janet tells him that there is nothing they can do as all she feels like doing is crying, except that she has no more tears to shed.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Yellowjacket, Wasp, Tigra), Salvation-1, Edwin Jarvis, Nazis (flashback)
Continuity Notes
Iron Man goes over a lot of Hank’s career as an Avenger and a super hero:
He recounts Hank’s different identities starting with Ant-Man: Hank first became Ant-Man in Tales to Astonish #35 until he changed his identity in Tales of Suspense #49. At the time of this story, he has reprised the Ant-Man role in Avengers #93, 99-100, Iron Man #44, Incredible Hulk #154-155, Marvel Feature #4-10, and Captain Marvel #35 & 37.
Giant-Man: Hank’s second identity adopted in Tales to Astonish #49. He retired this role prior to Avengers #28, when he discovered that the process of increasing his size was having a negative impact on his health.
Goliath: However he came out of retirement and rejoined the Avengers in issue #28 as Goliath, an identity he held until Avengers #58.
Yellowjacket: Suffering a nervous breakdown, Hank invented the Yellowjacket persona next in Avengers #60. Other than his brief returns to becoming Ant-Man, Hank has consistently maintained the Yellowjacket identity at the time of this story.
Hank was a founding member of the Avengers in Avengers #1.
On the video playback there is a scene showing Goliath fighting the Grim Reaper. This is from Avengers #52.
A scene of Ant-Man venturing into the Vision’s mouth to make repairs is from Avengers #93.
Hank’s creation of Ultron was detailed in Avengers #58.
Ultron tried to create his own bride in Avengers #162
Topical References
This story states that the stipend that Tony Stark pays Avengers is $1000 a week. Which was a lot of money when this story was published in 1981 but not so much now. Adjusting for inflation $1000 of 1981 money would be worth $3003.33 in 2021 money.
Captain America compares the Avengers to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Dodgers operated in New York from 1884 until 1957 when they moved to California. This would not be considered a topical reference when you consider the fact that Captain America spent decades in suspended animation until being revived in the modern age. As such, Cap making a dated reference is understandable.
