Avengers Classic #1
The Coming of the Avengers
Reprint of Avengers #1
Some Assembly Required
At their new headquarters, the newly formed Avengers — Iron Man (secretly Tony Stark), Thor, the Hulk (secretly Bruce Banner), Ant-Man (Hank Pym), and the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne) — are sitting down for their first meeting in order to draw up a charter.[1] The Hulk’s lack of decorum leads to an argument between he and Thor. However, Ant-Man and the Wasp get in between the pair before they can come to blows.
When everybody settles down and takes their seats, the Hulk starts causing strife again by hitting on the Wasp. Janet takes advantage of this to try and needle Hank into finally asking her out on a date.[2] Instead, Ant-Man takes insult to this and gets in the Hulk’s face and they almost come to blows. Thor stops the fight this time by slamming Mjolnir on their meeting table hard enough to shatter its titanium frame. This is much to the chagrin of Iron Man, but he tells them his boss will pay to replace it.[3]
When they settle down again, Iron Man suggests that they select a chairman to run the team while they draw up a charter. This becomes a pissing contest between the male members of the group. Ant-Man and the Hulk almost get into it again, with Iron Man intervening this time.
They decide to do an arm-wrestling competition to see who will lead them. The first match is between the Hulk and Ant-Man. Pym eats shit right away and loses. Next is Thor and Iron Man, but between the thunder god’s Asgardian might and Iron Man’s they are in a stalemate, at least for however long Iron Man’s batteries hold out. Since this could take forever, the Wasp suggests an alternative. She appeals to them by suggesting they appoint her chainman instead, just for this one meeting, and that they could keep it a secret. This assuages the male egos in the room, and with the Wasp selected as chairman they all sit back down to get to the matters at hand.[4]
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, Wasp)
Continuity Notes
According to Official Index to the Marvel Universe: Avengers, this story takes place between Avengers #1 and Avengers #1.5.
At the time of this story, Hank and Janet had not yet started a formal relationship. This is because Hank is still getting over the death of his first wife Maria Trovaya, as explained in Tales to Astonish #44.
At the time of this story, the true identity of Iron Man is a closely guarded secret, even among his fellow Avengers. Ant-Man will discover it first by accident as told in a flashback in Mighty Avengers #21, but he will keep it a secret for years. Thor will learn the truth in Avengers #112 and also keep it a secret. The Wasp will learn in Avengers #224. From there, it wasn’t a very closely guarded secret among the Avengers. It will become public knowledge for the first time in Iron Man (vol. 3) #55.
From here, the group will write their charter, which readers won’t get a look at until Avengers Annual #11. For more on the charter process, see Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes #1.
The Real Origin of the Avengers
It’s 1963 and comic book writer Stan Lee decides to tell the real story about how the Avengers really formed. What follows is a fourth-wall breaking tale about how Stan invited the Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Ant-Man, and the Wasp to a meeting where he convinced them to form the Avengers. Everyone bickers and trades insults until Lee convinces them to take the job when he offers the Wasp an opportunity to meet Captain America, and the others a cut of the royalties from every future pieces of Avengers media and merchandising. Once he’s finished his story, he tells the readers that next time he’ll tell them how he convinced Loki to join the X-Men.[1]
Continuity Notes
While this is a meta story that tells tries to be funny, it still takes place in the greater Marvel Multiverse. Per the Unofficial Index to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe this story takes place in Reality-70813.
Topical References
As this is a meta-story where Stan Lee breaks the third wall, all references to it being 1963 should be considered factual.