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The Avengers #16

May 1965
Stan Lee, Dick Ayers

The Avengers #16 cover

Story Name:

The Old Order Changeth!


Synopsis

The Avengers #16 synopsis by Rob Johnson
Rating: 4 stars
Image from The Avengers #16
Synopsis by Rob Johnson

The Avengers finish their battle with the Masters of Evil. Thor uses his hammer to transport himself, Iron Man, Giant Man and Wasp with Melter and Black Knight from New York to a barren world where they can capture the villains without endangering civilians. Enchantress and Executioner avoid Thor's vortex, and slip away.

Meanwhile in South America, Captain America and Rick Jones bury Baron Zemo, and start a slow trek back to civilisation.

Back in New York, Thor has left to take part in the Trial of the Gods in his own series, and Giant-Man and Wasp want to take a leave of absence from the Avengers. Iron Man suggests they disband completely. But Hawkeye turns up requesting membership, explaining how his career as a villain was all a mistake. This gives Iron Man the idea of seeking replacement Avengers.

They offer Sub-Mariner a place, but he respectfully declines, preferring to continue trying to take over the surface world instead!

The news that the Avengers are seeking new members gets into the papers. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, now free of the domination of Magneto since the Stranger took him away, send an application letter from Europe.

Cap and Rick reach New York just in time for the official handover. Iron Man, Giant-Man and Wasp announce their leaves of absence to the press, and Cap leads the new line-up.

Enchantress, Executioner, Kang, Mole Man and Immortus promise to continue harrassing the new Avengers.



Synopsis by Kevin Hollander

(Continued from issue #15). The remaining Avengers (Thor, Iron Man, Giant Man, Wasp) continue their battle against the Masters Of Evil (Executioner, Enchantress, Black Knight, Melter) on the ground. The Masters remind the Avengers that they are evenly matched and will cause untold collateral damage if they persist in their attack.

Thor uses his hammer to create a dimensional rift that envelops the Avengers, Black Knight, and Melter taking them away from the city. Enchantress and Executioner are able to escape the pull and remain on Earth. They quickly defeat the Black Knight and Melter and then return to their home dimension. They turn the Black Knight and Melter over to the authorities.

In the Amazonian jungle, Captain America and Rick Jones place the deceased Baron Zemo in a primitive grave. As they leave, they are attacked by Zemo's mercenaries who wish to leave the jungle. In the ensuing fight, a grenade hits the rocket's fuel tank, causing it to explode. With their method of escape destroyed, the mercenaries head into the jungle to escape Captain America.

Back at Avengers' Mansion, Iron Man, Giant Man and the Wasp discuss the fallout from their latest mission. The Executioner and Enchantress are still at large. Thor has requested a temporary leave of absence (due to the events in THOR #116). They are not able to contact Captain America since he left to rescue Rick Jones. The Wasp admits that the stress has become to much and suggests that they all take a temporary leave of absence for some much needed rest.

Before they can agree upon this new direction the mansion is under attack by Hawkeye, who has tied up Stark's butler Jarvis. When the Avengers reach him, he does not attack them. He simply asks if he can join the Avengers. He explains that his career path has took a wrong turn from the beginning and wants to make amends (TALES OF SUSPENSE #57). They agree to give him a chance and Hawkeye unties Jarvis. Iron Man later calls a press conference to announce that Hawkeye has joined the Avengers.

The next day they try to recruit Namor as another replacement Avenger, but he rejects their offer. He will not ally himself with humanity. News of the Avengers' expansion travels quickly and soon reaches Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch in Switzerland. They too want to make up for their previous association with Magneto. They send a letter to Avengers' Mansion in the hopes that they will be accepted.

In the Amazon jungle, Cap and Rick make their way back to civilization. They save a plantation worker from a leopard, who in turns drives them to the nearest seaport. From there they secure transportation to the United States.

Some time later, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch arrive in the United States. They are met by Tony Stark as well as several reporters inquiring if they will be the newest member of the Avengers. Wanda replies that if they are accepted, they will be Avengers. They are taken to Stark's mansion for an evaluation.

Cap and Rick are able to contact General Curtiss who arranges a plane for them to return to New York. When they arrive at Avengers' Mansion, Cap discovers that Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Hawkeye will be replacing the founding members. Cap is understandably concerned at this news. Iron Man explains that this is only temporary while they take some time off. Iron Man expresses his hope that this new group of Avengers will be able to convince the Hulk to rejoin the team.

With that said, the new Avengers attend the scheduled press conference. The founding members express some regret about their decision but know that this is for the best.


 

Review / Commentaries


The Avengers #16 Review by (February 11, 2012)
The future interaction is similar for Iron Man. Except his early visit will be as Tony Stark during #32. But I don't think he's given any real reason for resigning (or taking a leave of absence). Black Knight will reappear against Iron Man in ToS#73 where he will die. His nephew Dane Whitman will don the armour as a hero and future Avenger in #48. Melter will have a much longer career, starting by menacing Iron Man in ToS#89-90, then returning to these pages in the next incarnation of the Masters of Evil in #54. And one of Zemo's mercenaries here will be transformed in #21 by Enchantress into the 1st Power Man. Who will later become Atlas of the Thunderbolts. From humble beginnings ... In all this future chronology I've not bothered to mention Fantastic Four Annual #3, because the whole Marvel universe turns up for Reed and Sue's wedding.

The only other Avengery appearance within the range of this issue is Iron Man vs Attuma in Tales of Suspense #66. Whilst basically a Sub-Mariner villain, Attuma is having an Avengers-fest in this era. A little while ago he fought Giant-Man & Wasp in TtA#64. And he will officiate over the return of those 2 to the Avengers pages in #26-27. Giant-Man & Wasp say they want time off from the Avengers, but they will last 3 more issues of TtA (#67-69) before Hank Pym retires to concentrate on his scientific career. But that career will land them back in TtA#77-78 in the Sub-Mariner strip that replaced them, and then directly into the aforementioned #26-27. Thor will pop back in to Avengers Mansion in JiM#120, but won't much like the new bunch (Cap being absent). He won't team up with his colleagues again until Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3, and won't start guesting in these pages until Av Annual #1. He will only return full-time during the Kree-Skrull War in #93.

This issue covers many days, while Captain America and Rick Jones are returning from the Amazon. Thor is very busy during the beginning of this issue. After the end of the battle with the Masters of Evil, he has to fight Absorbing Man in Journey into Mystery #114-115. This story sets things up for the Trial of the Gods beginning in JiM#116. Thor briefly returns to Earth during JiM#115, and it is then that he must tell Wasp that he is leaving the Avengers for the Trial, which she reports on p6. The original Avengers appear in JiM#116. It must be near the end of this issue after Cap and Rick get back. This scene also involves Enchantress and Executioner, who just can't seem to keep away. They will start spending more time apart after this, with Amora becoming the more frequent player. Initially she will remain a regular Avengers villain, next in #21, while Skurge pops up in places like the Hulk story in Tales to Astonish #76-77.

Of the villains who make threats at the end of the issue, only 3 of them really make good on it. Mole Man turns up next issue (but doesn't become a regular), Enchantress in #21 and Kang in #23. Executioner stops being an Avengers villain. Immortus disappears until #131, because he's got better things to do.


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Main/1st Story Full Credits

Dick Ayers
Dick Ayers
?
Jack Kirby (Cover Penciler)


Characters

All stories. Listed in alphabetical order.

Captain America
Captain America

(Steven Rogers)
Hawkeye
Hawkeye

(Clinton Barton)
Iron Man
Iron Man

(Anthony Stark)
Quicksilver
Quicksilver

(Pietro Maximoff)
Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch

(Wanda Maximoff)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)
Wasp
Wasp

(Janet Van Dyne)
Black Knight
Black Knight

(Dane Whitman)
Executioner
Executioner

(Skurge)
Kang
Kang

(Nathaniel Richards)
Sub-Mariner
Sub-Mariner

(Namor McKenzie)
Plus: Giant-Man (Scott Lang), Melter (Bruno Horgan).

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