When the Widow Calls!

The Black Widow has broken into a secret facility run by Advance Idea Mechanics. Setting off the alarm, she realizes that she is in over her head and makes her way to a communicator to call for outside help. Quickly deciding who to call, the Black Widow gets the message out just moments before she is knocked out.

At Avengers Compound, Clint Barton — aka Hawkeye — is preparing to go on a date with his estranged wife, Bobbi Morse — aka Mockingbird — as a first step in trying to get their marriage back on track.[1] That’s when the Black Widow’s distress call comes through. With nobody else at the Compound, Clint decides to go to aid the Widow even though it means making Bobbi upset for canceling their date. When Bobbi arrives at the mansion, Carlos — the Avengers butler — tells her that Hawkeye has left after receiving a call from the Black Widow. Furious that her husband canceled their date to go hang out with his ex-girlfriend, Bobbi decides to go looking for him to give him a piece of her mind.[2]

Meanwhile, Hawkeye arrives at the shopping mall that Black Widow’s distress call came from. There, his sky-cycle is shot out of the sky by some AIM soldiers. He recovers from the crash and begins taking them out with his archery skills. While down below, an AIM scientist has the Black Widow hooked up to an Attacktoid, a specially made android that can be programmed with the powers and abilities of an individual. The level three scientist that is overseeing the transfer tells her that once her skills have been imprinted on the Attackoid, they won’t have any use for her anymore.

At that same moment, Hawkeye is fighting his way down into the lower levels of the secret AIM facility. Little does he know that his wife, Mockingbird, is following him. She has come to realize that Clint is actually on a mission and not hooking up with an ex. Realizing that she over-reacted she decides to stay in the shadows so he doesn’t figure out that she followed him out of jealousy.

Soon, Hawkeye finds the lab where Natasha is being held, just as her powers are being transferred to the Attackoid. He knocks out the AIM scientists and frees her and learns that she was trying to stop a shipment of strange canisters that the terrorist organization has deemed incredibly vital to their plans. When Clint opens one of them up he finds it contains a human brain and the sight of the organ disgusts him enough to start throwing up.

Before the pair can make sense of what is going on the Attackoid springs to life and begins attacking them. As they fight for their lives, the battle is being observed by the Imperial Council of AIM. They fear that Hawkeye and Black Widow have already learned too much and vow that they will not leave this facility alive.[3]

Recurring Characters

Hawkeye, Black Widow, Mockingbird, AIM

Continuity Notes

1. Hawkeye and Mockingbird had a break-up over a disagreement on when it is justified to kill an opponent. See, in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #17-23, Bobbi was kidnapped by the Phantom Rider and he forced a love potion on her. When she finally got free and went after him, she allowed her rapist to fall to his death. When Clint found out about this in issue #35, he was upset because the Avengers code forbids killing an enemy. The two couldn’t come to terms over this disagreement and they split up in issue #37.

2. Hawkeye had a long running relationship with the Black Widow that started in Tales of Suspense #57. However, she eventually broke up with him so she could focus on her career as an agent of SHIELD in Avengers #76.

3. It’s revealed in Solo Avengers #16 that these harvested brains are part of a project to increase the power of SODAM, the group’s replacement for MODOK.

Topical References

• The shopping mall that operates as a front for AIM has a Louis Vaton and a McDonalds. These should be considered topical references as these are real world businesses.

Court Costs!

Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk, has taken on a case to challenge the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the recently passed Mutant Registration Act.[1] She has taken this job on the behalf of a family with a child who is a mutant. This is a massive case and Jen worries that she might be too rusty to properly defend the case. When the justices are ready to hear her case, Jennifer is brought into the court room by a law clerk named McVicker.

While giving her opening arguments, Jennifer is interrupted by McVicker who tells here that there is an urgent matter that needs her attention outside. Excusing herself, Jen learns that someone is on the rampage outside the courthouse that needs to be dealt with. Needing to change into her costume, she is annoyed to have to fumble around inside a phone booth to change.

When She-Hulk goes outside, she discovers that her old foe Titania is outside looking for a rematch. Having no time for this, She-Hulk hits Titania as hard as she can, sending her opponent flying out of the city. Changing back into her business suit, Jen then returns to the justices to continue pleading her case. Unfortunately, she is interrupted again when Titania comes back to cause more trouble. This time, She-Hulk hits her foe so hard that she is pummeled into the ground. She is interrupted a third time and knocks Titania into parked car.

This time, when she returns to the court she learns that the Justices have called a recess for the day and she will have to reschedule with them, which will take months. Furious, She-Hulk leaves the courthouse where Titania throws a car on her. The villain explains that she wants a rematch and that she will keep coming at Jennifer until she is defeated.[2] At her wits end, She-Hulk gives Titania such a ferocious pounding that she surrenders and promises to go back to jail without further incident.

McVicker offers his condolences and offers She-Hulk a candy. At first she is annoyed with him but then decides to put it behind her and tells McVicker he’s not that bad a guy after all.

Recurring Characters

She-Hulk, Titania

Continuity Notes

1. At the time of this story, the Mutant Registration Act had just recently come into law, as seen in X-Factor #33.

2. She-Hulk really thumped Titania a good one back in Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #8. Titania has been spoiling for a rematch ever since and this will lead to a long rivalry between the two.

Topical References

• McVicker offers She-Hulk a Lifesaver candy. This should be considered topical as this is a real world product. The scene is a play on Livesaver candy advertisements that aired around the time this story was published.