Avengers #305
Avengers Assemble!
Captain America has returned to Avengers Mansion on Hydrobase and calls in nearly every Avenger, past and present, for a meeting. Answering the call are Tigra, the Sub-Mariner, Starfox, Thor, Firebird, Hellcat, Falcon, the Beast, Ben Grimm, Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, Quasar, the Vision, Mockingbird, Hank Pym, the Black Widow, Gilgamesh, the Scarlet Witch, the Black Panther, Monica Rambeau, the Wasp, She-Hulk, Hawkeye, Wonder Man, and Moondragon.[1]
Captain America explains that he has called them all together to announce a massive change to the Avengers as an organization. After the incident with Super-Nova, he has decided that the every member of the team should be considered active and be able to be called upon at any given time. Instead of separate teams and groups, everyone would be considered a member of greater Avengers organization.[2] Captain America then asks the assembled heroes who would like to become part of the core East Coast roster.
Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman decline as they have rejoined the Fantastic Four. Ben Grimm also turns down the offer now that he no longer has his powers. The Beast also declines because he is a part of X-Factor, but offers to come calling if they ever need his help.[3] Hellcat also offers to act in reserves and almost gets into a fight with Tigra, who takes issue with Patsy Walker wearing her old costume.[4] Once the pair are broken up, Monica speaks up, telling Cap that she is still recovering from her injuries but wants to come back once she is back in full health. Hawkeye expresses disinterest because he just quit the West Coast Avengers to start up his own team, but is told off by his wife Mockingbird who reminds him that they will always be Avengers. Everyone is unanimous about the new motion and agree with Cap’s proposed changes.
Meanwhile, deep below the Earth’s surface, the last surviving Lava Men have gathered to consider their fate. Jinku — the witchdoctor — blames the Avengers for their current situation and begins using his magic to create a new breed of Lava Men.[5]
By this time, the Avengers meeting has concluded and most everyone departs leaving behind Captain America, the Black Panther, She-Hulk, Quasar, Gilgamesh, and Thor. The team decides to do some training unaware that the newly created Lava Men are emerging from the waters outside Hydrobase. Their training is interrupted by Jarvis, who has come to bring the Avenges some snacks when suddenly, Hydrobase begins to shake.[6] Rushing outside to discover the source they discover an army of Lava Men creating a massive column of rock that has lifted Hydrobase out of the water and high into the air. The team is then swarmed by the invaders and they notice that these Lava Men look different than the ones they have faced before.[7] They are more crude and incapable of speech and appear to be mindless.
Despite all this, the Avengers find themselves overwhelmed and eventually a group of Lava Men imprison the heroes in a massive sphere made of molten rock. It then rolls over the edge of Hydrobase sending the Avengers plummeting into the ocean below.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Wasp, Black Panther, She-Hulk, Sub-Mariner, Gilgamesh, Quasar, Beast, Black Widow, Falcon, Firebird, Thing, Hawkeye, Hellcat, Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Mockingbird, Moondragon, Henry Pym, Monica Rambeau, Scarlet Witch, Starfox, Tigra, Vision, Wonder Man), Lava Men (Jinku), Edwin Jarvis
Continuity Notes
It’s time for another run down of individual Avengers roster history. I live for these things, and so should you:
Captain America: A long standing member he first joined in Avengers #4. He had various stints on the team from issue #4-38, 40-60, 69-126, 141-279. After the team disbanded in issue #297 he began reforming the team in Avengers #300.
Tigra: Tigra had a brief stint with the East Coast team from Avengers #211 through 216 and quit because it was just too much. At the time of this story, she is a part of the West Coast team having joined in West Coast Avengers #1 and will remain a mainstay on that team until West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #47
The Sub-Mariner joined the Avengers in issue #262 . He had recently left the team in issue #293 to mourn the loss of his wife, Marrina.
Starfox: Was a member on the team from Avengers #232 through 261. He left in order to pursue Nebula, a space pirate who claimed to be the granddaughter of his his brother Thanos. He will not rejoin the team here, but will rejoin the team briefly from Avengers #314-318.
Thor: A founding member of the Avengers, he has had various stints on the team from issue #1-16, 66-146, 159-182, 199-243, 276-297. He recently rejoined in issue #300.
Firebird has been associated with the West Coast branch from West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #4 through 25.
Hellcat: Was never given official Avengers status. She palled around with the team from Avengers #144 through 151. When offered membership, Moondragon convinced her to turn it down.
The Falcon: Sam Wilson reluctantly joined the Avengers in issue #181 when Henry Gyrich forced the team to fill a employment equity quota. When this requirement was lifted in issue #191 he quit in issue #194. He briefly returned to service in Avengers Annual #16.
The Beast: Was a long standing member of the Avengers from issue #137 until he departed from the group in issue #211. He also answered the call to rejoin in Avengers Annual #16, but left right after.
Ben Grimm: As the Thing, Ben was briefly a member of the West Coast team from West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #4 through 10. At the time of this story, Ben Grimm just lost his powers in Fantastic Four #326. This will remain the status quo until issue #350 of that series.
Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman joined Captain America’s new Avengers team in Avengers #300. However, they just recently decided to return to the Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four #326.
Quasar was just recently invited to join the Avengers. Although this story will not be told until Avengers Annual #18.
Mockingbird: Became an official Avenger in Avengers #242-243. She later helped her husband Hawkeye found the west coast team in West Coast Avengers #1. At the time of this story, she and Hawkeye had just branched off to form the Great Lakes Avengers in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #46.
Hank Pym: Was a founding Avenger as Ant-Man and had prolonged stints on the team from Avengers #1-16, 28-91, 137-182, 192-201, and 211-213. Although he retired from costumed heroics in issue #230, he has been a member of the western team since West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #1.
The Black Widow: Has been associated with the Avengers since issue #30 but wasn’t granted official membership until issue #111. She briefly returned from Avengers #173-181. She won’t rejoin the team until Avengers #329.
Gilgamesh: Joined the Avengers in issue #300. His tenure will come to an abrupt end in issue 310 because Gilgamesh sucks.
The Scarlet Witch: A long standing Avenger dating back to issue #16. Wanda would have length tenures on the team from issue #16-49, 75-211, 233-254. At the time of this story she has been a long standing member of the west coast team since West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #30 but wouldn’t officially join until issue #37 of that series.
The Vision: Like his wife, he too was a long standing member of the Avengers. Joining in issue #58 he would have long runs on the team from issue #58-211 and 233-254. Like Wanda, he joined the west coast team in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #37.
The Black Panther also had long running stints on the team from Avengers #51-181. He declined to rejoin in issue #211. He rejoins the team in this issue.
Monica Rambeau, aka Captain Marvel, joined the team in Avengers #227. She was a mainstay on the team until issue #294 due to losing much of her body mass battling Leviathan in issue #293. She will remain out of commission until Avengers Annual #18 and maintain reserve status from this point onward.
She-Hulk was also a long running member of the team, joining in Avengers #221 through 243. She then joined the Fantastic Four from Fantastic Four #265 until rejoining the Avengers in issue #278. She remained with the group until it disbanded in issue #297. She rejoins this issue.
Hawkeye: Another long running member with stints running from Avengers #16-109, Giant-Size Avengers #2 through Avengers #181, 198-204, 221-243. He founded the west coast team in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #1 and like Mockingbird just left that group to form the GLA in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #46.
The Wasp: Another founding Avenger with a long history. She was on the team from Avengers #1-16, 28-75, 137-279. She has been on the west coast team since West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #32.
Wonder Man: First joined the Avengers as a double agent in Avengers #9. After a brush with death he returned in issue #150 and remained with the group until he was bumped out in issue #181. He was brought back into the fold in issue #187 but left again by issue #211. He has been on the west coast team since its inception.
Lastly we got Moondragon, who was on the team from Avengers #137 through 151. She returned briefly from issue #172-177. She later tried to interfere with team membership in issue #211. She will retain reserve status on the team from ehre on out.
Super-Nova threatened the Earth in Avengers #301-303 and it proved quite the challenge between both teams of Avengers who were stretched thin during the battle.
At the time of this story, Hank has been a long standing member of X-Factor since X-Factor #1, and will remain on that team until issue #70 of that series.
Greer Grant original wore Hellcat’s costume as the Cat in The Cat #1-4. She was later transformed into Tigra in Giant-Size Creatures #1. Patsy Walker found the costume and used it to become Hellcat in Avengers #144.
As explained in Avengers #307, the Lava Men started to die off because the Avengers killed off a demon named Cha’sha’dra in Avengers #300. Without Cha’sha’dra’s magic to sustain them, the Lava Men began to die off.
Jarvis is depicted wearing an eyepatch here. He suffered damage to an optic nerve after being tortured by Mister Hyde in Avengers #275. He will continue to wear an eyepatch until his eye is fully healed circa Avengers #318.
That Avengers have clashed with the Lava Men on two occasions in Avengers #5 and again in issue #236.
Topical References
She-Hulk states that she is quoting her cousin, the Hulk, when she says “I pity the fool who tries to mess with us!” This is a joke as she is actually quoting a common catch phrase by Lawrence Tureaud, aka Mr. T. This should be considered a topical reference since, you know, nobody except old people (like myself) can quote Mr. T.