New Order

Following a series a publicity blunders, and seemingly unprovoked attacks on the Triune Understanding, there is now even more public pressure on the Avengers.[1] This has led to Duane Freeman, the Avengers government liaison, to demand that the team undergo a roster change to address the issues the public sees with the team. While the Avengers agree to undergo these changes, Iron Man wonders if they can really trust Duane since he is affiliated with the Triune Understanding, a religious order going out of its way to smear their good names.

This transition is made that much easier with Captain America standing down as leader.[2] That’s when Justice and Firestar announce that they will be leaving as well, so they can spend some time focusing on their relationship.[3] Wonder Man also wants to go, but also doesn’t want to leave the team in a lurch. The Scarlet Witch encourages Simon to take some time off, and he agrees only if they can find someone else with super strength to fill in for him.[4]

This news is already welcome to Duane, who hopes the reduction of mutants on the team will appease the anti-mutant protestors.[5] He realizes that the other Avengers are listening to his mutterings when he comments that the team needs more Black members. This angers them all and Iron Man once again reminds Duane that the Avengers recruit based on merit, not to fill some kind of quota.[6] While Iron Man admits that the team has a white washing issue, he insists that the team needs to include proven members regardless of their race, sex, or religion. Iron Man doesn’t want a repeat of the situation when they were forced to have Falcon on the team. Duane points out that was a decision made by his predacessor, Henry Gyrich, and those days are long over.[7] To smooth this issue over, Duane suggests they get in touch with former Avengers who are from Black and Latino backgrounds and ask if they want to rejoin the team. Iron Man agrees that this is a reasonable solution to the issue.

That’s when Jarvis interrupts the meeting to tell them about how Warbird, Silverclaw, Ant-Man, and Captain Marvel were tricked into attacking the Triune Building the night before. While reports are hazy, the trio claim they were tricked by the Taskmaster, while they were reports that they were led by Captain America. Steve knows it was an impostor since he was at the mansion all night. Duane promises to discuss the matter with the Triune’s leader, Jonathan Tremont, to smooth it over. This concerns Iron Man, as he once again wonders if Duane is somehow involved with the damage being done to the Avengers reputation. That’s when Freeman makes the suggestion that Thor apologize to the press for attacking them earlier. The thunder god, already fed up with the media circus outside, refuses to do any such thing. When Duane refuses to budge on the issue, Thor decides to quit again. He makes a very public exit in front of the gathered media, saying that he’ll come back when the Avengers regain their sanity.[8]

Heading back inside, the team get back to figuring out their new roster. With the departure of two founding members,[9] they call in the Wasp and Goliath, who both agree to rejoin the team full time.[10] Hank’s enthusiasm worries Iron Man who recalls his mental health problems in the past and that this sudden shift in personality came following the destruction of Ultron.[11] That’s when Warbird, Ant-Man, Silverclaw, and Captain Marvel are brought in. They apologize for screwing up so badly, but Captain America forgives them as they were tricked. After conferring with Warbird, Iron Man tells the others that they need to talk in private. Meanwhile, Captain America tries to recruit former Avengers that are part of the Black and Latino community. They strike out with the Falcon who still isn’t interested in being an Avenger, the Living Lightning is swamped with school work,[12] Firebird refuses because she is focusing on working for the Church. They then try to contact Photon, aka Monica Rambeau. However, it is her mother who answers the call and she pleads with the Avengers not to recruit her because Monica just started a business and is bonding with her father. Cap agrees not to call back out of respect to her mother’s wishes.[13] The Avengers have little luck with anyone else either.[14]

At that same moment, Iron Man is petitioning Duane Freeman to let Warbird back on the team. This is because she wants to make up for the mistakes she made while drunk on the job. A judge already signed off on her doing community service via the Avengers.[15] That’s when Freeman informs Iron Man that he already knows and has pre-approved her for membership. This makes Iron Man question if this is the right idea, since he’s not sure if he can trust Freeman. If Duane is secretly working against him, admitting a recovering alcoholic onto the team would be a great way to further ruin their reputations.

Meanwhile, outside, a limo carrying Jonathan Tremont and Triathlon arrives outside Avengers Mansion. There, Tremont greets the crowds and tells them that they have come to make peace with the Avengers, saying that past incidents must be forgiven. That’s when Triathlon notices some anti-mutant protestors mask up and climb over the wall with a bunch of weapons. Leaping after them, Triathlon easily trounces the intruders thanks to his abilities that three times beyond peak human performance. The Avengers thank Triathlon for his help and soon everyone is gathered out front to shake hands and make peace in front of the new media.

Iron Man wonders why Triathlon came out, but figures it out when Duane asks to speak with him in private. Moments later, the three remaining senior Avengers are called in to a private meeting with Duane. When Freeman suggests that they recruit Triathlon onto the team, Iron Man refuses the idea saying that he doesn’t trust the Triunes. Duane points out that the Avengers have no evidence that the Triune Understanding has committed any crimes. He reminds the hero that earlier that the Avengers don’t discriminate based on race, sex, or religion, yet here he is doing that very thing. Freeman gives Iron Man an ultimatum: Recruit Triathlon or else he will recommend the government revoke the Avengers security clearance. Seeing that he has no choice, Iron Man agrees, warning Freeman that if something goes wrong it’ll be on him.

That’s when Triathlon enters the room and reveals he heard the entire discussion thanks to his enhanced hearing. He says that there is just one problem: Nobody asked him if he wanted to join the Avengers. Previously, he would have been honored to join the team. After hearing Iron Man’s accusations, his opinion of the heroes has been tarnished. However, he decides to join the team anyway, just to prove Iron Man wrong about the Triunes so he can rub his face in it later. With Triathlon on board, that leaves one last role to fill. Wanda points out that they’re talking about the Vision’s spot, but Duane notes that the android hasn’t been around for a while.[16] The Wasp has a solution, take on a temporary member to fill in until the Vision comes back, and she has just the right person.

That call goes out to the She-Hulk, who is more than happy to come back onto the team for a brief period of time. With that, everyone tries to decide who will lead the team. Iron Man suggests the Scarlet Witch, but she isn’t ready to be a full time leader. Ultimately, it falls on Jan who is more than happy to lead. She then pulls Iron Man aside and assures him she knows that Tony’s request to keep Triathlon off the team wasn’t racially or religiously motivated, but she hopes he’s wrong about Triathlon. Iron Man thanks her and he admits that he also hopes he is wrong.

With the new team roster finalized, the Avengers head out to make their usual public announcement. However, due to the drama involved in this roster change, the usual pageantry and cry of “Avengers Assemble” are dropped because nobody really feels that into it this time around. Duane Freeman watches the press conference from a TV inside the mansion and realizes that this is the first public roster change that doesn’t feel like a celebration. He believes in the Avengers and has tried his best not to be a hinderance to the team. This time he just didn’t have a choice in the matter and this is one of those times where he really hates his job.

Meanwhile, on the island of Costa Verde in the remote village in the Guiana highlands, Luis Ramirez frantically tries to get a message to the outside world. It takes some time, but the message manages to get out, allowing Luis to feel some relief. Unfortunately, as he heads home a large shadow of a bird appears over him. When he looks up he sees that the massive bird is being piloted by a warrior armed with a spear. The warrior accuses Luis of defying their master and sentences him to death.[17]

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Goliath, Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man, Warbird, She-Hulk, Firestar, Justice, Triathlon), Silverclaw, Ant-Man, Captain Marvel, Duane Freeman, Edwin Jarvis, Jonathan Tremont, Megan McLaren, Falcon, Living Lightning, Firebird

Continuity Notes

1. These protests have evolved from the Triune Understanding’s smear campaign against the Avengers since Avengers (vol. 3) #13. The protests are a new wrinkle after the Avengers got in a fight at the Triune Understanding’s headquarters in Avengers (vol. 3) #15, leading to uncomfortable questions from the press in issue #19. The protests out front the mansion began issue #23. More recently, Thor attacked the press in issue #25 and an unauthorized team of Avengers were tricked into attacking the Triune’s New York headquarters in issue #26. The reason the Triunes have it against the Avengers is because their leader, Jonathan Tremont, believes the Avengers are responsible for a coming doomsday prophecy. This is actually the Triple-Evil as we’ll learn in Avengers (vol. 3) #50.

2. Cap decided to resign as team leader in Avengers (vol. 3) #26 because he felt out of his depth trying to repair the team’s public perception. Cap won’t remain off the team for very long as he’ll be back in Avengers (vol. 3) #36-37.

3. Although they are claiming to be going on a leave of absence, Firestar and Justice have been asked by Iron Man to secretly infiltrate the Triune Understanding and find out what they are really up to. See Avengers (vol. 3) #48.

4. While Wonder Man is away, his antics are chronicled in Avengers Two: Wonder Man & Beast #1-3.

5. The lone mutant being the Scarlet Witch at this point. However, it’s later revealed that she’s not actually a mutant as all. Per Uncanny Avengers (vol. 2) #4-5, she was a guinea pig for the High Evolutionary. To cover up his experiments he made it so future genetic tests had her register as a mutant.

6. The Avengers told Duane that they recruit based on merit and not to fill some kind of quota in Avengers (vol. 3) #23.

7. Henry Gyrich was the Avengers appointed liaison from Avengers #165 through 221. He was then shuffled over the Commission on Superhuman Activities starting in New Mutants #1. Before his departure he pressured the team to admit Falcon onto the team in Avengers #181. Falcon wasn’t interested in joining and only agreed to become a member as a favor to Captain America. He remained on the team until Avengers #194, when the quota was lifted.

8. Thor’s departure from the team proves to be short lived as he will join up with the so-called “Infinity Team” in Avengers: Infinity #1-4.

9. The founding members of the team in Avengers #1 included Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and the Hulk. As the Hulk has been disassociated from the team since Avengers #2, it was later decided that Captain America be given founder status retroactively even though he didn’t join the team until Avengers #4. See Avengers (vol. 3) #4 for that bit of administrative duty.

10. Hank and Janet have been on reserve status since Avengers (vol. 3) #4. Hank comments that he is wearing an old costume he never wore. Hawkeye decided to take over the Goliath identity after Hank gave it up, using an unused costume created by the Wasp at the time. See Avengers #63.

11. At this point in his life, Hank has suffered four major mental breakdowns. The first led to the creation of his Yellowjacket identity, as seen in Avengers #59-60. The second time he struck the Wasp in Avengers #213 leading to her divorcing him. The last time was in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #17 where he contemplated suicide after getting dumped by Tigra.

12. The Living Lightning went on reserve status back in Avengers West Coast #92 to pursue a post-secondary education.

13. Since leaving the Avengers in Avengers #294, she was only a hero occasional. More recently, Monica went on to start up her own shipping company in Captain Marvel (vol. 2) #1. Monica’s mother fears that she would get stuck on the other side of the galaxy for months again. She is referring to Monica’s involvement in Operation Galactic Storm (Avengers #345, 347, Thor #445-446, Quasar #33, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #9) and Starblast (Starblast #1-4 and Quasar #55-56).

14. The rest of the minority Avengers are all mentioned by name or small graphics here. Those mentioned are:

    • The Black Panther: Who declines but a reason isn’t given here. The team already tried to recruit him again in Avengers (vol. 3) #23. He turned the offer down as he was focusing on his home land of Wakanda. See Black Panther (vol. 3) #1-35.

    • War Machine: is retired at the time of this story. Jim lost his original armor and gained alien Warwear in War Machine #17-18. He went into retirement after sacrificing the Warwear to erase Tony Stark’s secrets after his company was bought by the Fujikawa Corporation in Tales of the Marvel Universe #1. He has been running a salvage company since Iron Man (vol. 3) #1. He won’t become War Machine until Avengers: The Initiative #1.

    • Rage: Is stated as being underage. Although he managed to convince the team to let him join in Avengers #329, it was discovered that he was only about 13 years old in issues #341-342 and he was bumped off the team. Per the Sliding Timescale, Elvin would be about 15 at the time of this story.

    • Mantis: Is said to be in space at the time of this story. Mantis was last on Earth in Fantastic Four #325 when she left her physical body to join the Cotati collective mind. She was born into anew body in Galactus: Devourer #4. The Avengers will interact with her again in Avengers: Celestial Quest #1-8.

15. Carol had developed a drinking problem which started in Avengers (vol. 3) #4. This was to cope with losing her Binary powers. Her drunken behavior led to her rage quitting the team in Avengers (vol. 3) #6. Since then, Iron Man has been trying to get her to go sober, leading to their fight in Iron Man (vol. 3) #24. Carol threw herself at the mercies of the court last issue.

16. The Vision took off in Avengers (vol. 3) #23 when he discovered that all his interests were the exact same as Wonder Man, whose brain engrams were used to create his personality (as explained in Avengers #9, and 57-58). He’ll come back to the team in Avengers (vol. 3) #31.

17. The master in question is the sorcerer known as Kulan Gath, as we’ll learn in Avengers (vol. 3) #28-30.

Topical References

• The computer monitors in this story are all depicted as CRT models. This should be considered topical as this is an obsolete technology.

• The only means of sending communications out of the Guiana highlands of Costa Verde is via telegraph. While this technology is more or less obsolete, it is still commonly used in a lot of places where other, more modern, services are not available. As such, the use of a telegraph here wouldn’t necessarily be considered topical. The only comparable modern technology that would be usable in a remote location like that would be a satellite phone or internet connection.

Publication Notes

This issue also includes reprints of older Avengers stories including Avengers 150, 151, and “Day the Stranger Came” from Annual #19. These choices were made because issues #150-151 were drawn by George Pérez and deal with a roster change (two actually, since part of issue #150 is a partial reprint of Avengers #4), while “Day the Stranger Came” was the first Avengers story written by Kurt Busiek.