Minor Complications

Awesome Andy wakes up in his apartment at the Excelsior building and goes about his daily routine. Walking to work he is greeted by the people of the neighborhood who regard Andy warmly. He arrives at Timely Plaza where he is treated just as warmly as his coworkers. Andy expresses his excitement for the New York Yankees game that is this evening. However, later on Mallory Book asks Andy if he can stay late to help out. Andy tries to explain the baseball game, but she doesn't understand the team logo and puts him to work, much to his dismay.

Meanwhile, a helicopter carrying GLK&H head Holden Holliway and She-Hulk are on their way back to Timely Plaza with the shrunken-down form of his granddaughter, Southpaw who has just been released into their custody from the Big House prison. She tries to convince Holden that his granddaughter is a supervillain, but he isn't willing to listen. As they exit the helicopter, She-Hulk itches at her skin, unaware that she is secretly carrying out the microscopic forms of a group of supervillains who stages a breakout from the Big House. Inside, Yellowjacket is balking at Mallory Book's demands to use Pym Particles to return Southpaw to her normal size. Pym refuses, but Holliway warns that he will use every legal power to have the Big House shutdown if he doesn't comply. As Yellowjacket is being forced to comply, Southpaw tries to make an escape, per the Mad Thinker's plans. When She-Hulk subdues her, this allows the villains hiding on her hand to run free. When Yellowjacket sprays her, it also causes the villains to increase in size. Still diminutive, the villains all scramble to try and getaway. Although Yellowjacket is upset at this recent development, Holden activates the security systems, sealing off the offices to prevent the villains from escaping.

Taking charge of the situation, She-Hulk goes looking for the villains along with Yellowjacket and Awesome Andy. She-Hulk manages to find and easily incapacitate the Absorbing Man, Tiger Shark, and Electro, taking advantage of their tiny sizes. Elsewhere, Andy sucks up the Sandman in a vacuum. He is then confronted by the Mad Thinker, who orders his creation to join him so he can complete the next phase of his plan. While in another part of the office, Yellowjacket incapacitates Vermin. At that moment, Southpaw breaks free from her grandfather's hold and tries to break out when suddenly the U-Foes return to normal size and try to take hostages, asking the girl to help them escape. As She-Hulk begins to see the other villains returning to normal size, she uses 8-Ball's body to knock out Dragon Man and the Rhino. Meanwhile, Andy thinks about the time he spent as the Mad Thinker's Awesome Android, and thinks about his time at GLK&H and decides not to side with his former master. Striking the Mad Thinker, Andy discovers that this isn't the real Mad Thinker, but a robot duplicate. Elsewhere, Southpaw decides to turn against the U-Foes and defeats them with the help of Yellowjacket. While, She-Hulk finishes off her foes, taking down the Rhino by throwing Powder Keg at him.

With the battle over, Damage Control is called in to make repairs to the office. Meanwhile, She-Hulk has decided to remain with the firm after seeing Holden and Southpaw reconnecting. The following morning, Pug learns that Mallory gave Awesome Andy the day off after the late hours he put in the night before. At that moment, Andy returns home and instead of watching the recorded baseball game goes right to bed, taking the severed head of the Mad Thinker robot with him. Still active, the Thinker robot insists that Andy is malfunctioning but his protests go unanswered.

Recurring Characters

She-Hulk, Holden Halloway, Mallory Book, Augustus Pugliese, Ditto, Awesome Andy, Yellowjacket, Southpaw, Mad Thinker robot, Vermin, Tiger Shark, Sandman, Rhino, Grey Gargoyle, Scarecrow, Wrecking Crew (Wrecker, Thunderball, Piledriver, Bulldozer), U-Foes (Vector, Vapor, X-Ray, Ironclad), Absorbing Man, Electro, 8-Ball, Dragon Man, Powderkeg, Damage Control (Albert Cleary)

Continuity Notes

• Mallory Book makes some dubious claims about the effects on Pym Particles have on individuals:

  • "multiple personalities" is a reference to how Pym himself originally developed another personality when he first became Yellowjacket in Avengers #59

  • "violent mood swings" is a reference to the time that Pym struck his then-wife Wasp in Avengers #213.

  • "Causes cancer" is a dubious claim to the fact that Goliath contracted cancer at one point after being exposed to radiation in Black Goliath #2-3. He was ultimately cured in Marvel Two-In-One #85, the very comic Mallory Book is holding in her hands in this story.

• Awesome Andy recalls some of his earliest battles as the Awesome Android:

  • His first clash with the Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four #15.

  • When he battled the original X-Men in Fantastic Four #28.

  • He recalls a battle wherein he fought Hawkeye, Vision and the Scarlet Witch of the Avengers. However, none of his previously recorded encounters with the Avengers featured a roster that included these three members at the time.