Avengers Spotlight #25
Forewarned and Disarmed!
Hawkeye has been on the run ever since someone put a bounty on his head. Suffering the effects of poison running through his system, the Avenger finds himself trapped in the sewers surrounded by his old foes the Brother’s Grimm, Mad-Dog, Bobcat, Bullet Biker, the Death Throws, and Razor-Fist.[1] They have all been hired by Crossfire who wanted revenge against Hawkeye for interfering with his plans in the past.[2]
Crossfire explains his masterplan, which included hiring Myron Steinmetz to pose as a marriage councilor in order to lure Hawkeye into a trap.[3] Although he is tempted to shoot Clint in the face, Crossfire instead wants to go through with the plan — amputate Hawkeye’s right arm so he can never draw a bow and arrow again.
When Crossfire orders the villains to attack, Hawkeye is prepared to make his final stand. Luckily, he doesn’t have to fight alone as both Mockingbird and Trickshot have arrived to help him out. As the trio fight off their attackers, Trickshot explains that they were able to find Hawkeye thanks to a tracking device that was planted on him earlier by Steinmetz.
With the battle turning against him, Crossfire tries to make his escape. Seeing this, Hawkeye chases his foe further down the tunnel. The chase leads to to a drain that drops down very fire. There, Crossfire pulls his gun on Hawkeye and is prepared to shoot. Realizing he is out of arrows, Clint instead throws his bow at his would-be killer. This causes Crossfire to lose his footing and he grabs onto the edge of the pipe. With his hands starting to slip, Crossfire pleads with Hawkeye to spare his life. For a moment, Clint briefly considers letting his foe fall to his death. However, he remembers the Avengers code about killing and spares Crossfire’s life.
Later, as the authorities come to arrest all the criminals, Trickshot needs to be taken off in an ambulance to treat his injuries. Before he goes, Trickshot tells Hawkeye that his cancer is in remission and he is expected to live.[4]
Finally alone with his wife, Hawkeye tells her about the moment he had where he could have chose to let Crossfire fall to his death. Realizing he found himself in the same situation that Bobbi was when she allowed the Phantom Rider fall to his death. While he doesn’t know if it was the right thing to do, he can finally understand why she allowed it to happen. Clint then tells his wife that he loves her and the two kiss.
Recurring Characters
Hawkeye, Mockingbird, Trickshot, Crossfire, Bullet Biker, Bobcat, Brothers Grimm, Mad-Dog, Death-Throws (Ringleader, Oddball, Tenpin, Knicknack, Bombshell), Razor-Fist, Myron Steinmetz
Continuity Notes
Hawkeye has been on the run from his foes since Avengers Spotlight #22.
This story cites the times Crossfire and Hawkeye crossed paths in Hawkeye #1-4 and Captain America #317. However, in the Captain America story, he wasn’t so much foiling one of Crossfire’s schemes as he was rescuing the villain from the Death Throws, but why quibble?
Hawkeye’s marriage has trouble since the events of West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #17-23. Bobbi was kidnapped by the Phantom Rider and when she got free she left him to die. When Clint learned the truth in issue #35, he was upset because she violated the Avengers code on killing instead of supporting his wife when she was sexually assualted. The two split up in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #37, but have been trying to work on their relationship since Solo Avengers #14. It should be no surprise to you that Hawkeye survives this and the pair will start making amends in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #46.
Trickshot revealed that he was dying of cancer in Solo Avengers #5. While in remission here, Tricky relapses in Hawkeye: Blindspot #1 and will eventually succumb to his illness.
Best Seller!
Rick Jones has decided to publish his memoirs detailing his years as a sidekick to the Hulk, Captain America, and the Avengers.[1] This is at the insistence of his current romantic interest, Veronica. She also happens to be a literary agent and she is pressuring Rick to sign an exclusive contract with her to get the book published.
Suddenly, the doorbell rings and when Rick’s friend Betty Ross answers it, it turns out to be another publisher looking to buy his book. This man reveals that he is actually a Skrull named Kholdsor, who then threatens Rick with violence when he refuses to work with him.
Rick, Betty, and Veronica soon find themselves being invaded from various alien races who are also seeking to buy Rick’s story. Eventually, the trio are taken aboard an alien ship and discover that representatives of every known race in the universe are all vying for Rick Jones’ story. It’s also revealed that Veronica isn’t even human, but a Kree infiltrator named Major Vron-Ikka. Getting fed up with all of this, Rick decides to sell his story to the highest bidder and hands it over to Beppe III of the R’Mlak’I to caution off.
Once the book has been translated into every language imaginable, the potential bidders then review it to figure out how much they want to bid for. They all conclude that the book is absolutely worthless to them. In yet another shocking revelation, the were only interested in the tale because they wanted to learn how Rick was able to stop the Kree/Skrull War. Deeming Rick’s brief and powerful mental powers as a fluke, they all determine that the story is worthless.[2]
Rick is annoyed by being manipulated by all this but he and Betty are soon returned to Earth. There, they are visited by Mordecai P. Boggs, Rick’s former agent, who has come to help him sell his book.[3] Rick is happy to work with Boggs again and he quickly signs the contract. That’s when the phone rings and when Rick answers it, it transforms into the Impossible Man who asks if it is not too late to buy the film rights.
Recurring Characters
Rick Jones, Betty Ross, Mordecai Boggs, Impossible Man
Continuity Notes
Rick was a sidekick to the Hulk from Incredible Hulk #1-6, the Avengers from Avengers #1-17, the Hulk again in Tales to Astonish #68-100/Incredible Hulk #104-111, Captain America from Captain America #110-116. He was also partners with Captain Marvel from Captain Marvel #62, back with the Hulk again from Incredible Hulk #245-285, partnered up with ROM the Spaceknight from Rom #54-72 before going back to the Hulk again in Incredible Hulk #319-346.
Rick was involved in the Kree/Skrull War in Avengers #89-97. During this conflict, the Supreme Intelligence awoke latent mental powers in Rick that was able to freeze the entire Kree and Skrull armadas for a time. While dismissed as a fluke here, it’s later revealed that Rick was tapping into something called the Destiny Force and it will later be accessed again in Avengers Forever #1-12.
Boggs acted as Rick’s agent when Jones was pursuing a music career. See Captain Marvel #18-60.
