Avengers #380
Errand of Mercy
After hearing that Bova, the cow-woman who helped birth him has grown sick,[1] Quicksilver travels to her cottage with his wife Crystal to see what he can do to help. The trip is taxing on Pietro Maximoff as he is still recovering from injuries suffered battling Exodus some time ago.[2] They are greeted at Bova’s Transian cottage by her close friend Fydor who welcomes them inside.
Inside, they discover that Bova is incredibly ill and confined to her bed. The reunion is a happy one, with Pietro and Crystal promising to bring their daughter Luna for a visit next time. However, this is a brave face they put on for Bova as they understand that she doesn’t have much long. Quicksilver is able to hold back his tears until he goes back outside. Quicksilver realizes that he doesn’t want Bova to die. That’s when Fydor suggests that they seek the aid of the High Evolutionary. Pietro points out that the geneticist and his new men left Earth some time ago. That’s when Fydor points to the top of Mount Wundagor, showing that it is glowing once more, suggesting that the High Evolutionary might be back after all.[3] With new purpose, Pietro vows to find Bova’s creator and help him cure.
Meanwhile, back in New York City, Hercules tries calling Taylor Madison to ask her out on a date. However, she insists that she cannot see him anymore, but won’t explain why and begs for him to understand. After hanging up the phone, she answers a knock at the door. The visitor is a woman who introduces herself as Augustine Jones and explains that she has come answering Taylor’s ad looking for a new roommate. She invites Augustine just as the phone begins to ring again. She tells Jones to make herself at home while she answers the call, Augustine tells her she plans on doing just that.[4]
Back in Transia, Quicksilver races to the top of Wundagore Mountain with Crystal in his arms. They soon come across a holy cross that wasn’t there the last time Pietro was in the area and they stop to investigate. There they are greeted by Nephoite, a former member of Magneto’s Acolytes.[5] He explains that his people considers this hallowed ground as it is the last time anyone saw Magda, Magneto’s wife and Pietro’s alleged mother, alive. He also tells them that Exodus, the Acolytes leader, did not allow anyone onto the mountain until the High Evolutionary returned. Suddenly there is a flash of light and Neophyte is gone, just as he was about to warn them of some kind of danger. When Pietro and Crystal’s eyes clear they find themselves confronted by two of the High Evolutionary’s newly created Animutants.[6]
While in New York, Captain America finishes a training session and is more winded than usual. This is witnessed by the Black Widow, but when she asks him how he is doing, he tells her that he’s great. As he departs, the Widow is joined by the Vision and both agree that something is wrong with their friend. However, they both know that Cap will tell them when he’s ready, but the Widow figures that whatever it might be, it won’t be good.[7]
Back on Wundagore, Quicksilver and Crystal defend themselves against the Ani-Mutants. Shortly after defeating their foes, Pietro is struck down by an energy blast. This came from the High Evolutionary, who demands to know what they are doing trespassing on his mountain. Downhill, Fydor is watching the lights from the battle above when he is joined by Bova who has mustered enough strength to get out of bed to see what the commotion is all about. Fydor — with a sinister smile on his face — assures Bova that everything is perfectly fine.[8]
Finally, at Avengers Mansion, Marilla goes upstairs and finds Luna playing in front of her mother’s mirror. Since it’s the little girl’s bedtime, Marilla picks Luna up and carries her off ignoring the fact that she was talking to someone in the mirror. Had she looked, she would have seen the image of the Black Knight asking the Avengers for help before the projection suddenly fades away.[9]
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Quicksilver, Hercules, Vision, Black Widow, Crystal), Ani-Mutants, High Evolutionary, Rakkus, Bova, Taylor Madison, “Augustine Jones”, Neophyte, Marilla, Luna Maximoff, Black Knight
Continuity Notes
A lot of the facts regarding Quicksilver’s past that are mentioned in this story are later revealed to be falsehoods or incorrect. The real truth, as it were:
Since Vision and the Scarlet Witch #4, Quicksilver has been convinced that he is the son of Magneto. It was said that Magneto’s wife, Magda, fled to Wundagore Mountain and gave birth to Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. The children were then left in the care of Bova as Magda ran off into the mountains where she seemingly died. From there the Maximoff twins were given to Django and Marya Maximoff who raised them like their own.
In recent years it was revealed that the Maximoff twins are not mutants. As per Uncanny Avengers (vol. 2) #4-5, they were kidnapped as babies by the High Evolutionary and experimented upon. To cover up his work he made it so the pair registered as mutants.
Per Scarlet Witch (vol. 2) #4 and 12, the pair were the children of Natalya Maximoff, while the identity of their father is unknown. It is also revealed here that Django and Marya weren’t just adopted parents, they were Pietro and Wanda’s aunt and uncle.
The only unanswered questions as of this writing (May, 2022) is that what became of Magda? Was she ever actually pregnant? Did she ever visit the High Evolutionary’s citadel to give birth? What happened to her afterwards? I have a theory on what happened here.
Another unanswered question is what Bova’s role was in the deception regarding Pietro and Wanda’s parentage. Was she complicit or just a pawn being used by the High Evolutionary.
Quicksilver was injured battling Exodus during the Bloodties event. See Avengers #368-369, X-Men (vol. 2) #26, Avengers West Coast #101, and Uncanny X-Men #307.
The High Evolutionary left Earth in Thor #408, but his departure proved short lived as he was back on the planet in issue #472 of that series.
Hercules first met Taylor back in Avengers #349 when he visited a hospital for sick children. They saw each other for a bit until she told him that she couldn’t date him anymore in issue #367. See, Taylor believes that she is terminally ill and her whole romance with Hercules is being manipulated by his step-mother, Hera, in an effort to break his heart. In fact, “Augustine Jones” is Hera in disguise. All this and the fact that Madison is a construct created by Zeus to catch Hera in the act of disobeying his law in Avengers #384.
Neophyte was excommunicated by Exodus in Uncanny X-Men #315. This issue misattributes that incident to issue #316 of that series.
Here, Pietro misidentifies them as New Men, the first race of evolved animals that the High Evolutionary had created back in Thor #133. These are the Ani-Mutants who were abandoned in favor of his Godpack. See Thor #472-475.
Captain America’s fatigue here is a symptom of a larger health issue. In Captain America #373 he was caught in a meth lab explosion that reacted dangerously with the Super Soldier Serum in his veins forcing him to eventually purge it from his body in issue #384. By issue #425 of that series, Cap’s health begins to go into decline. Cap will eventually be cured of this condition in issue #445 of Captain America.
Next issue it is revealed the Fydor has been possessed by the Acolyte known as Rakkus, hence his evil grin here.
Dane’s distress call is an attempt to get the Avengers help in stopping Loki, who had been running amok in the Ultraverse, as seen in Ultraforce #10. This is a prelude to the the Avengers/Ultraforce crossover that is chronicled in Ultraforce/Avengers: Prelude #1, Avengers/Ultraforce #1, and Ultraforce/Avengers #1.
The Incredible Shrinking Giant-Man!
While trying to stop a trio of giant-size insects, Giant-Man has put himself at odds with the United States Airforce. Seeing his friend in danger, Bill Foster puts on a suit of battle armor and is about to join his friend when his blasted unconscious by someone intruding the Project B.I.G. headquarters.
In New Mexico, Giant-Man is fighting a giant preying mantis, grasshopper, and spider. While he is struggling with these creatures, Colonel Manning gives his fighter planes the order to continue attacking the monstrosities with their missiles. This does nothing but anger the massive bugs and they destroy one of the fighter plans. Deciding that he made a horrific mistake, Manning allows Pym to do his job. Although he kills the giant insects, Giant-Man wears himself. As he passes out, he tries to send out a distress call to Bill Foster for help.
Unfortunately, Bill can’t hear him because his attacker has shrunk Foster down in size and stuck him on a spiders web. When Bill wakes up he is surprised to see that he is now wearing his old Black Goliath costume. Before the spiders can eat him, he is rescued by Ant-Man who also helps Bill escape from his would be captors the Kree warriors Doctor Minerva and Captain Atlas. Spotting their quarry getting fleeing back to the lab, Minerva and Atlas order the two Shi’ar warriors to go after them. However, one of the Shi’ar suddenly grows to massive size and suddenly explodes. Safely inside, Ant-Man explains to Bill that he understood the Kree talking about a master plan involving Project B.I.G. and how he came after receiving a warning from his ants that something bad was going down at the project, prompting him to investigate. Bill decides to show Ant-Man what they were working on, and the sight amazes him. What they have been working on was a garden that grows massive fruits and vegetables, an effort to solve world hunger by using Pym Particles to create massive sources of food. He then tells Ant-Man that the only other person who knew about this project prior to today was Giant-Man’s ex-wife, Janet Van Dyne, aka the Wasp.[1] When they get to the main lab to try and figure out what aliens want from Project B.I.G., Bill begins shrinking again.
By this time, Giant-Man has woken up in a government facility raving about his friend Bill Foster. Concerned that Pym has gone mad again, Colonel Manning’s orders him sedated and moved to a more secure room. When the attending doctor protests this, Manning cites Pym’s past mental breakdowns, one of which led to the creation of the homicidal robot known as Ultron.[2] When it the doctor asks if they should contact Hank’s next of kin, Manning dismisses the idea, saying that this has nothing to do with his ex-wife.
Manning would be wrong as, at that moment, Janet’s psychiatrist Vincent Rossin is trying to reach Hank by phone once again. When he gets no answer, he and Janet’s agent Spencer Beck try to figure out what to do about Janet, who has grown to massive size, forcing them to put her in Beck’s outdoor inground pool.[3]
Recurring Characters
Giant-Man, Bill Foster, Ant-Man, Wasp, Captain Atlas, Doctor Minerva, Vincent Rossin, Spencer Beck, Glenn Manning
Continuity Notes
Hank and Janet got married back in Avengers #60. However, she divorced him after he struck her in issue #213. Since then they have reconciled and have had an on-again-off-again relationship that started up in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42 and ended in Avengers West Coast Annual #8, and started up again last issue.
Hank Pym created Ultron who later became a menace to the world. See Avengers #58 for all the deets.
Janet suddenly increased in size last issue. This, the size changing insects, and Bill Foster’s shrinking are all being caused by the Kosmosians, who are attempting to invade the Earth, as we’ll learn next issue.
Publication Notes
This issue was printed in two formats. The standard edition that only included the story The Legends and the Lost. However at the time Marvel was also trying out two special Marvel Double Feature books for a dollar more. The first one featured that month’s Avengers title with a second story starring Giant-Man. The other book featured that month’s Thunderstrike story with a back-up story starring Code: Blue. These double feature books only lasted for four issues.
