West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #46
Franchise
A bank robbery in Milwaukee is interrupted by the arrival of a brand new team of super-heroes. Their leader, Mister Immortal, throws himself at the crooks and is mowed down. However, this creates a distraction for his teammates — the literally named Flatman, the obese Big Birtha, the living portal Doorman, and the reptilian Dinah Saur — to come charging in. Watching his friends getting taken down the leader of the bank robbers is ambushed by Mister Immortal — who has the power of resurrection. Immortal almost beats the crook to death, forcing his teammates to pull him off the robber. Heading outside and addressing the crowd that has gathered outside, Mister Immortal introduces his team, which they have called the Great Lakes Avengers.
The news about the GLA (get it?) is picked up by Hawkeye, who has rented out a motel room after quitting the West Coast Avengers.[1] Running out of the shower to find out more about this new team of so-called Avengers and wonders if the other members of his former team know anything about this new group and then decides he doesn’t care. That’s when Mockingbird — Clint’s estranged wife — comes knocking at the door. While they have had their differences over how Bobbi led the Phantom Rider die, she wants to try and make their marriage work and asks to come inside to straighten things out.[2]
Back at Avengers Compound, US Agent is sitting down for a meal cooked by the facility cook, Mrs. Heyges. As they make small talk Tigra comes racing by chasing a mouse.[3] When US Agent grabs her off the floor, Tigra attempts to claw him and he slaps her across the face. As Tigra slinks off in shame, Heyges tells the Agent that Tigra has been a great help by hunting the mice that keep getting into the pantry. The idea of a grown woman acting like an animal disgusts the Agent who decides to do something about this.
Later that day, Clint and Bobbi are taking a flight out east on a kind of couples-therapy to see if they can whip the Great Lakes Avengers into shape to be just as great a team as the other Avengers.
Later that evening, in Milwaukee, Hawkeye goes to the top of the Germania Building and sets off fireworks to draw out the GLA. Flatman uses Doorman to get into the building so he can get to the roof from inside. While he’s doing so, Dinah Saur flies up and gets caught in a net and uses her whistle to call for help. Big Bertha and Mister Immortal come running up after her, but Bertha is knocked back down to the street. While Mister Immortal is a capable fighter and acrobat, Hawkeye is assisted by Mockingbird. However, rather than be captured, Immortal leaps off the side of the building to his death — much to the horror of the two senior Avengers. That’s when Flatman suggests they stop fighting and learn that Hawkeye and Mockingbird and invites them to their headquarters.
This turns out to be Big Bertha’s apartment, who turns out to be Ashley Crawford, the famous supermodel. As it turns out that she has been using her wealth to finance the new team. They learn that this group decided to call themselves the Great Lakes Avengers, adapting the theme of each Avengers team being associated with the nearest body of water. Seeing potential in this group of newcomers, Hawkeye and Mockingbird then offer to help train them into becoming an efficient team of superheroes.
Meanwhile, back in California, the Scarlet Witch receives a letter from Jeramiah Random, the Dean of Robotics at Absolon College. He writes to tell Wanda that his team might be able to restore the Vision to his normal self and are offering their services to her.[4]
Recurring Characters
Great Lakes Avengers (Hawkeye, Mockingbird, Mister Immortal, Big Betha, Flatman, Dinah Saur, Doorman), West Coast Avengers (Scarlet Witch, Tigra, US Agent)
Continuity Notes
Hawkeye quit the WCA last issue after the team was forced by the government to admit US Agent onto the team.
During a trip through time, Mockingbird was kidnapped by the Phantom Rider who forced her to drink a love potion. When she broke free of its spell, she left the Rider to fall off a cliff to his death. When Clint found out he was deeply upset due to the Avengers code against killing and it caused a rift in their marriage. See West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #17-23, 35, and 37. Here, Bobbi states that she was assaulted by the Rider, which is Comics Code speak for rape, as confirmed in Hawkeye & Mockingbird #1.
Tigra has been regressing into a more feline personality since West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42. She will ultimately be cured of this condition in Avengers Spotlight #38.
Recently, the Vision was kidnapped by an organization called Vigilance who disassembled him and wiped his memory. Although the Avengers rebuilt their comrade and restored his memory, he has none of his emotional attachments or personality. See West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42-45.
Topical References
The bank robbers in this story are all wearing Milwaukee Brewers sports jackets. This should be considered topical as this is a real world sports team.
The TVs in this story are depicted as CRT style monitors. This should be considered topical as these types of televisions are obsolete.
