Solo Avengers #12
When the Abomination Comes Calling!
At the Vault ultra-max prison, the Abomination breaks free from his shackles and escapes. Possessed by the mind of Tyrannus,[1] the gamma-spawned monster heads for the west coast to seek out the Avenger known as Wonder Man and get his revenge.[2]
Meanwhile, at Avengers Compound, the only member of the West Coast Avengers present is Hawkeye. The archer has shut himself in as he tries to sort out his feelings after his wife, Mockingbird, left him. It was a happy marriage until the moment she allowed a foe to die. This was against the Avengers code and Clint’s disagreement over how this was handled led to her leaving him.[3]
That’s when the Abomination comes crashing in through the front door seeking out Wonder Man. Going to see who is attacking the compound, Hawkeye realizes that he is out of his depth against such a powerful foe. Quick thinking, he uses his trick arrows to keep Tyrannus angry enough to follow after him. He lures the Abomination into the sub-basement where Clint keeps his supply of trick arrows. There he finds an arrow tipped with adamantium and threatens to shoot the Abomination in the heart and kill him.
However, Tyrannus is telepathic and he knows that the archer is bluffing as he has a code against killing. Hawkeye fires the arrow at his foe’s feet. Tyrannus is deeply amused and decides to use the same weapon to kill Hawkeye. However, this plays right into the archer’s hand as the adamantium tipped arrow was also rigged with a powerful electrical charge that jolts the Abomination with enough electricity to knock him out cold. The entire battle reaffirms to Clint that killing is never the answer, even if it seems like the easier way to deal with a more powerful foe. Tempering the impulse to kill is what makes an Avenger and he hopes that one day Mockingbird will be able to accept that truth.
Recurring Characters
Hawkeye, Abomination (possessed by Tyrannus)
Continuity Notes
Tyrannus ended up with his mind trapped in the body of the Abomination in Incredible Hulk Annual #15. This will remain the status quo until he is restored to his original body in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #23.
Tyrannus/The Abomination previously fought Wonder Man in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #25.
Hawkeye goes over a number of details about himself and his marriage:
He states that as a kid, he was orphaned and ran off to join the carnival. This was all detailed in Solo Avengers #2.
He mentions his recent marriage to Mockingbird, this happened in Hawkeye #4.
Their split happened as a result of an incident that happened during a trip through time that took place in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #17-23. Mockingbird ended up trapped in the American Frontier and was forced to drink a love potion by the Phantom Rider. When Bobbi broke free from its spell, she let the Phantom Rider fall off a cliff to his death.
When Clint learned the truth in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #35, he was against what she had done. The two were unable to reconcile their differences leading them to split up in issue #37.
Love Stings
The Fixer has broken Yellowjacket out of a federal prison and hands her her size-changing equipment so they can both escape.[1] He takes Yellowjacket back to his hideout where he admits that he is smitten with her and hopes that they can form a romantic partnership on top of committing crimes together. Yellowjacket is flattered, but she tells the Fixer she isn’t interested. Thanking him for breaking her out of jail, she then shrinks down to wasp size and flies away. The Fixer, however, isn’t ready to take no for an answer.
Yellowjacket then goes to the New Jersey mansion of Janet Van Dyne, aka the Wasp. She has come to get revenge for the humiliating defeat she suffered at the hands of the Wasp shortly after she stole her Yellowjacket equipment.[2] Concealed in the bushes, Yellowjacket changes into her costume once more just as a car pulls up in front of the house. It is Dane Whitman, aka the Black Knight. He has gone on a few dates with the Wasp and is hoping that she will be interested in officially dating. He has brought Janet some flowers and when he asks her if they can start seeing each other more seriously, she turns him down, saying that he reminds her too much of her ex-husband, Hank Pym.[3] Although hurt by this rejection, Dane accepts it with grace and soon leaves.
Watching all of this, Yellowjacket admits that she things Whitman is kind of cute and decides to follow after him. Dane then goes for a walk where to process this rejection unaware that the smitten Yellowjacket is watching his every move. However, she is soon found by the Fixer who tries to force her to come back with him. Seeing how she is clearly interested in Whitman, the Fixer decides to kill him. Yellowjacket comes to his aid but when the Fixer tries shooting at her, he also endangers his a mother and her daughter. She saves their lives, but the Fixer then shoots the ground, making a rock fly up and hit her in the head.
While she is dazed, Fixer tries to take off with Yellowjacket but Dane pulls out his Ebony Blade and tries to confront him. While the Fixer is distracted by the Black Knight, Yellowjacket snaps out of her stupor and knocks out the Fixer with a single punch. Knocked out, the Fixer’s techno-pack activates and carries him away. Dane was really impressed with their teamwork and when he suggests they go for a drink sometime, Yellowjacket kisses him and then flies off, reminding him that she is a wanted woman and that she’ll look him up sometime.
Recurring Characters
Yellowjacket, Black Knight, Fixer, Wasp
Continuity Notes
Yellowjacket and Fixer worked together on the Masters of Evil and were part of the siege on Avengers Mansion in Avengers #273-277. Yellowjacket was one of the Masters who was arrested.
Rita DeMara stole Hank Pym’s Yellowjacket gear to use as her own in Avengers #264. This led to a battle with the Wasp that ended in her humiliating defeat.
The Wasp married Hank Pym — aka Ant-Man, Giant-Man, Goliath, and Yellowjacket — in Avengers #60. The two got divorced in issue #213 after Hank had struck her.
