Issue Description

Hawkeye and Hercules get information about Black Widow's whereabouts and set out to rescue her, but to their surprise they are ambushed by the Red Guardian, Colonel Ying's secret weapon. Plus, Quicksilver discovers a shocking new ability!

Color Him… The Red Guardian

Captain America and Hawkeye return to Avengers Mansion to be greeted by a flying Quicksilver. The ecstatic mutant explains he has learned to fly by vibrating his legs at super speed and starts showing off his new abilities much to the annoyance of Hercules. Not wanting the Olympian to hurt his teammate, Cap calls an Avengers meeting. Hercules responds by stating he takes orders from no mortal and Captain America tells him he wasn’t addressing Hercules as he isn’t an Avenger. This infuriates the Lion of Olympus who decides to teach Cap a lesson. Hawkeye prepares to help his buddy however it’s unnecessary as Captain America uses his skills to easily evade Hercules’ attacks. This impresses the Son of Zeus and he declares Captain America a friend. Shortly Ebeneezer Wallaby, Attorney at Law, enters and tells Janet Van Dyne that now that she’s turned 23 she has gained her father’s full inheritance. Janet is delighted and turns into The Wasp which shocks Wallaby so much he leaves. Meanwhile the other Avengers realise Hawkeye has also left and guess he’s gone to follow a lead on the Black Widow.

Later outside a seedy bar in New York’s underbelly, Clint Barton leaves his bow and arrow outside and enters in disguise to meet a contact with information about Natasha. However Bruiser Bates decides Barton is a cop and lashes out knocking off his coat and revealing his Hawkeye costume. The other thugs in the bar recognise the Avenger and decide to get in on the action. A bar brawl follows and the marksman holds his own until he’s knocked through a window. Hawkeye gathers his weapons and resumes the fight, this time easily defeating his multiple opponents and getting the information out of Bates. Back at Avengers HQ Hawkeye finds Hercules who longs for action and invites him along on his mission to find Natasha. The pair head for Asia in an Avengers jet. Meanwhile in Asia, the Oriental Colonel Ling unveils their new defender, The Red Guardian, to Soviet General Brushov. As Ling explains although Red Guardian is of Soviet origin, he is representing the People’s Republic, the costumed villain gives a display of his powers. Brushov then decides Red Guardian’s powers surpass Captain America’s and he must destroy the star spangled Avenger.

Minutes later, Hawkeye and Hercules arrive at the Reds base having tracked Black Widow’s homing beacon. Hawkeye battles a group of Red Soldiers while Hercules breaks through a wall to find Natasha. The Prince of Power is met by The Red Guardian who eludes the Olympian’s attacks and escapes through a secret door. Hercules follows and is trapped inside the Psychotron as Red Guardian locks him in. Suddenly the many headed Hydra of Greek mythology appears and Hercules is shocked, having killed the beast in the past. Realising he is fighting an apparition does the Olympian no good as his blows are ineffective against the images within the Psychotron. Outside Red Guardian approaches an unconscious Hawkeye who was playing possum and ambushes his foe. However Red Guardian manages to trick the archer into losing his temper and easily defeats him in battle. Minutes later Hawkeye wakes up trapped inside a glass tube next to The Black Widow who recognises The Red Guardian as her husband! Finally back at Avengers HQ, Cap tracks down Hawkeye’s location and the Avengers assemble for a rescue mission.

The Avengers (1963)

Publisher

Marvel

Volume Description

The First Avengers ongoing series, the one that started the Earths Mightiest Heroes campaign for justice and freedom. They will save the world, and if they can't, they will avenge it.

And there came a day, a day unlike any other when Earth's mightiest heroes joined forces to face the threats no single superhero could withstand! The Avengers where born! The first volume of the Avengers lasted from 1963 right up until 1996 and ran for 402 issues. This ended during the Onslaught storyline and was continued in Avengers Volume 2.

Collected Editions

Marvel Masterworks: Avengers

Vol. 1 (#1-10)Vol. 2 (#11-20)Vol. 3 (#21-30)Vol. 4 (#31-40)Vol. 5 (#41-50, King-Size Special #1)Vol. 6 (#51-58, King-Size Special #2)Vol. 7 (#59-68)Vol. 8 (#69-79)Vol. 9 (#80-88)Vol. 10 (#89-100)Vol. 11 (#101-111)Vol. 12 (#112-119)Vol. 13 (#120-128, Giant-Size #1)Vol. 14 (#129-135, Giant-Size #2-4)Avengers: The Vibranium Collection (#1, 4, 16, 57-58, 164-166, 273-277)Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (#1-20)Avengers Omnibus Volume 2 (#31-58)Avengers Epic Collection: Behold... The Vision (#57-76)Squadron Sinister: Warzones! (#69-70)S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Complete Collection (#72)Marvel 1872: Warzones! (#80)Kree/Skrull War (#89-97)The Sentinels Strike (#102-112)Avengers/Defenders War (#115-118)Avengers vs. Thanos (#125)Celestial Madonna (#129-135)The Coming of the Beast (#137-140, #145-146)The Serpent Crown (#141-144, #147-149)The Private War of Doom (#151-156)Super Villains Unite: The Complete Super-Villain Team-Up (#154-156)The Bride Of Ultron (#157-166)Marvel Masterworks: The Champions Volume 1 (#163)Marvel Universe by John Byrne Omnibus (#164-166 & 181-191)The Korvac Saga (#167-168, #170-177)Nights of Wundagore (#181-187)Hawkeye (#189)Ant-Man: Scott Lang (#195-196 & 223)The Trial Of Yellowjacket (#212-230)Guardians of the Galaxy Solo Classic Omnibus (#219-220)Avengers: Absolute Vision (#231-241)Assemble (#239, #243-244, #250)Avengers: The Legacy of Thanos (#255-261)Secret Wars II Omnibus (#260-261, #265-266)Phoenix Rising (#263)Time and Time Again (#267-269)Under Siege (#270-277)Assault on Olympus (#278-285)The Avengers Epic Collection: Judgment Day (#278-285)Heavy Metal (#286-293)Inferno (#298-300)Acts of Vengeance (#311-313)Am I An Avenger? (#314-318, #329)New Warriors Classic Vol. 3 (#340-341)Galactic Storm Vol. 1 (#345-346)Galactic Storm Vol. 2 (#347)Bloodties (#368-369)Captain America Epic Collection: Man Without A Country (#396)Onslaught Vol. 1 (#400-401)Onslaught Vol. 3 (#402)

Marvel Pocketbook

The Bride Of Ultron (#158-167)The Korvac Saga (#168-177)Nights Of Wundagore (#178-187)

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