Avengers #224
Two from the Heart
A subway train has derailed during rush hour, resulting in a potentially deadly gas leak. The Avengers are called in to rescue the stranded passengers. Taking command of her team, the Wasp has Iron Man rip up the street to get them access to the subway tunnel. From there, Thor uses Mjolnir to create a powerful whirlwind to put out the flames and dissipate the deadly gas. Captain America and Hawkeye then help the passengers get to the surface. Not far away, She-Hulk braces a building that is at risk of toppling due to damage to its foundation. She is assisted by Hawkeye, who uses his archery skills to cut down two lamp posts to brace the building for her.
In the aftermath of the rescue, the Wasp congratulates the entire team, particularly Iron Man. Iron Man remarks to himself that the Wasp has been doing very well as team leader in light of the fact that she recently divorced her husband, Hank Pym, aka Yellowjacket. He also begins to notice how attractive Janet looks and wonders why he didn’t notice sooner.[1] When the press arrives they have a lot of questions for the Wasp, mostly about her love life. She jokes around about who she is dating but when someone asks about her divorce, Janet has no comment and leaves in her limo. Hearing how the press is still going on about Yellowjacket’s arrest, Captain America becomes upset and wishes they would exploit Hank’s misfortune.
That evening, Scott Lang watches the evening news which has another report about Hank Pym. This upsets Scott who owes his becoming Ant-Man to Hank Pym who allowed him to keep using the identity after he stole the Ant-Man costume to save his daughter.[2] Owing Pym everything, Scott changes into Ant-Man and visits him at Ryker’s Island. Unfortunately, when Scott suggests that Hank break out and help find evidence to clear his name, Pym refuses because he is in enough trouble as it is and has faith that he will be able to clear his name in a court of law. Seeing that there is nothing he can do, Scott departs hoping Hank is right about being able to prove his innocents.
The next afternoon, Tony Stark decides to spend some time at his Mid-Town duplex that overlooks the East River. Félix, his butler, tells Tony that he has an invitation to a party at a fancy hotel. Tony isn’t really interested in going until he hears that Janet Van Dyne will be in attendance and changes his mind. At the party, Tony manages to save Janet from some boring conversations and uses his charm to spend the entire evening with her.[3] He even ends up taking her home to her mansion in New Jersey. They end the evening with a kiss and when Tony returns to his waiting helicopter his best friend and personal pilot, Jim Rhodes, admits that he is impressed with Tony’s latest romantic conquest. Although things between he and Janet are going well, Tony wonders if it’s fare to date her while she doesn’t know he’s secretly Iron Man and decides to think about if he should tell her or not. The news about Tony Stark and Janet Van Dyne dating quickly makes the celebrity gossip columns, much to the delight of Egghead who hopes this will further defeat his old rival, Hank Pym.
Not long after their evening together, Tony and Janet go on a trip to Jamaica together. There, Tony is reluctant to tell her the truth about his double identity but the pair are open with each other over their growing feelings. Returning to New York, the couple continue to go out on dates, grabbing headlines wherever they go. After being out all evening with Janet, Tony returns to his apartment to find Captain America waiting for him. Steve is disappointed in Tony for dating Janet. Not only is this cruel to Hank Pym, but he also questions why Tony hasn’t told Janet that he’s Iron Man, saying that she has a right to know. Annoyed by Cap’s intrusion into his private life, Tony tells him to leave. For a moment, Stark considers having a drink but tosses the whiskey bottle across the room instead.
The next afternoon, the Avengers hold another meeting, where She-Hulk laments about not having much to do.[4] Hawkeye states that they should be doing something about Hank being in prison. Captain America suggests that they drop the subject and not do anything that might hurt Hank further. Although his words were to Hawkeye, Cap really meant Iron Man’s situation with Janet. When Iron Man is alone with Thor, the thunder god has the opposite opinion about Tony Stark dating Janet, and gives him his blessing. Still, Iron Man decides to meet with the Wasp and reveals his identity to her. Janet is deeply upset that Tony didn’t tell her the truth sooner. She then tells him that their relationship is over, explaining that while she is looking for new love in her life but not with one of Hank’s old friends.
Later that evening, news about Tony Stark being out on a date with another woman makes the newspapers and one of the prison guards tosses the paper at Hank Pym in his cell, making a joke about how Tony Stark must have chewed up his ex-wife and spat her out. Pym doesn’t have a reply.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Wasp, Hawkeye, She-Hulk), Hank Pym, Egghead, Ant-Man, Jim Rhodes
Continuity Notes
Yellowjacket was suspended form the team for misconduct and hitting his wife. Janet divorced him soon after. Hank was later framed for the theft of government Adamantium by Egghead. See Avengers #212-213 and 217.
Lang first became the new Ant-Man back in Marvel Premiere #47.
Tony’s battle with alcoholism is mentioned here. Tony had gone sober back in Iron Man #128 after struggling with alcohol abuse. He’ll remain on the wagon until Iron Man #167.
She-Hulk wonders what the Beast, Scarlet Witch, and the Vision did with their time when they weren’t fighting super-villains. The three former Avengers were members of the team who lived in the mansion for quite some time. The trio had just recently left the team in Avengers #211.
Topical References
This story mentions a lot of celebrities who were in their heyday at the time this story was published:
Warren Beatty: An actor and producer best known for the films Heaven Can Wait, Dick Tracy, Shampoo, Bonnie and Clyde, and Bugsy. At the time of this writing Beatty is 84 years old, making his name drop here topical since it was about the Wasp dating Beatty.
Andy Gibb: When asked if she was dating Warren Beatty, Janet quips that she is actually seeing Gibb. Andy Gibb was a popular musician around the time this story was published. He died in 1988. So yeah, topical reference.
There is a news report about Pope John Paul the 1st and that he is the subject of a upcoming comic book biography of his life. This is a typo since they were actually referring to John Paul the 2nd, as this was a weird plug for The Life of John Paul II a one-shot comic that Marvel published in 1982. It coved the life of Pope John Paul the 2nd from his birth until his botched assassination in 1981. References to Pope John Paul should be considered topical since John Paul II died in 2005. The 1st John Paul died in 1978.
Alexander Haig is one of the guests attending Lady Churchill’s party that Tony has been invited to. Haig was decorated soldier who held a number of important roles in government, most notably as the Secretary of State under Ronald Reagan in 1981-82. He’s been dead since 2010. So topical reference.
Another guest is actress Elizabeth Taylor, best known for her role playing the title role in 1963’s Cleopatra. The American Film Institute ranks her as the 7th best actress of all time and her name was synonymous with Hollywood glamour and riches. She’s been dead since 2011. So another topical reference.
Singer Elton John is also at this party, the famous musician has been performing music since 1962. Although he is still alive at the time of this writing he’s in his early 70s. As such the name drop here is also topical since he’s probably going to be around only for a few more decades.
Speaking of fleeting mortality, Princess Diana is also on the guest list. She died in 1997 in a car accident at age 36. A lesson how a topical reference can become really dated over something as trivial as not doing up your seat belt.
Janet Van Dyne compares Tony Stark’s mustache to the ones worn by celebrities like Clark Gable, David, Niven, and Burt Reynolds. Tony then quips that he has styled his facial hair after comedian Groucho Marx. This actually wouldn’t be considered a topical reference since they aren’t mentioning any of these celebrities in the present tense, but rather they are being named dropped for their iconic facial hair. Particularly Groucho Marx, whose name is synonymous with massive mustaches.
Scott Lang is depicted watching television on a CRT television with an antenna to pick up reception. On top of that, he is using an early model remote control which had massive buttons that literally clicked when you pressed them. This obselete technology should be considered topical.
The party being held by Lady Churchill is stated as happening at the Pierre, a famous historical hotel in New York City. This should be considered a topical reference as well as it is a real world hotel. Despite the building’s classification as a historic building, it is entirely possible it could change its name or be converted into some other type of building, such as luxury condos — which is totally something that could happen in New York.
Tony and Janet’s affair becomes a cover story in People Magazine. This should be considered topical because People is a real-world publication.
The weekly stipend that members of the Avengers get is stated as being $1000 a week. This should be considered a topical reference due to inflation. $1000 in 1981 money would be about $2800 in 2021 dollars.
