The Scarlet Witch was too slow! Mantis must not be!
- -- Mantis
Appearing in "Below Us the Battle!"
Featured Characters:
- Avengers
Captain America (Steve Rogers)
- Vision
Iron Man (Tony Stark)
(Main story and recap)
Thor (Odinson)
(Main story and recap)
- Swordsman (Jacques Duquesne)
- Mantis (Brandt)
- Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)
- Black Panther (T'Challa)
Antagonists:
- Troglodytes (Main story and flashback) (First appearance)
- Troglodytes' beast
Other Characters:
- S.H.I.E.L.D. (British Division)
- Elizabeth II (Mentioned)
- Secret Intelligence Service (Mentioned)
- Black Knight (Dane Whitman) (Mentioned)
- Magneto (Magnus) (Recap)
- Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange) (Recap)
- Odin (Invoked)
- National Health Service
Races and Species:
- Humans (Main story and flashback)
- Synthezoids
- Asgardians (Main story and recap)
- Mutants (Recap)
- Bats (Referenced)
- Demons (Mentioned)
- Insects
Locations:
- Earth (Main story and flashback)
- Great Britain (Main story and flashback)
- England (Main story and flashback)
- Garrett Castle (Main story and flashback)
- London (Mentioned)
- England (Main story and flashback)
- United States (Recap)
- New York (Recap)
- Westchester County (Recap)
- North Salem (Recap)
- Salem Center (Recap)
- North Salem (Recap)
- Westchester County (Recap)
- New York (Recap)
- Great Britain (Main story and flashback)
- Sun (Referenced)
Items:
- S.H.I.E.L.D. Uniforms
- Captain America's Uniform and Shield
- Scarlet Witch's Suit
- Iron Man Armor Model 3 (Main story and recap)
- Panther Habit (Main story and recap)
- Mjolnir (Main story and recap)
- Swordsman's Sword
- Magneto's Helmet (Recap)
- Uru (Mentioned)
Vehicles:
- Quinjet
- S.H.I.E.L.D. Aircraft
Synopsis for "Below Us the Battle!"
Travelling to England to search for their missing comrade, the Black Knight, the Avengers are stopped by the British division of S.H.I.E.L.D. because they are carrying the Swordsman and Mantis aboard their Quinjet. Explaining that the Swordsman has reformed, they decide to grant him temporary amnesty while in Britain.
Arriving at the Black Knight's castle, they find that it's protected by an invisible barrier. Their presence near the castle alerts the attention of Skol and his army of Troglodytes, a group of underground dwellers who were forced into living under the castle for centuries. They capture the Avengers and take them prisoner, where they are blamed for the barrier blocking their path as the Troglodytes used an underground entrance into the castle to steal food.
After battling a giant insect, and fighting off the attacking Troglodytes, Skol surrenders to the Avengers. The Avengers, however, decide to help the Troglodytes out by making arrangements with the British government to aid these underground dwellers. With Skol's problems dealt with, and the knowledge that the Black Knight was taken from his castle by costumed beings, the Avengers leave England to continue their search for the Black Knight.
Appearing in "Prologue: Alliance Most Foul!"
Featured Characters:
Other Characters:
- Thor (Odinson) (Referenced)
- Odin Borson (Mentioned)
- Defenders (Mentioned)
- Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange) (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
- Evil Eye (Only in flashback)
Synopsis for "Prologue: Alliance Most Foul!"
Blinded and defeated by Thor (in Thor #207) Loki plunged himself off a cliff to escape battle, however before he could ever hit the bottom he is suddenly transported away. He finds himself transported to the Dark Dimension by Dormammu. Dormammu offers Loki the chance to join forces with him in collecting the six fragments of the Evil Eye, a device that was once thought to be destroyed. Dormammu suggests that they manipulated his long time foe, Dr. Strange, and his companions the Defenders in collecting the fragments of the Evil Eye for them. This story is continued in Defenders #8...
Notes
- The second story, "Alliance Most Foul" is the prologue for the upcoming Avengers/Defenders War which begins taking place in both respective titles.
- This setup references the last appearance of Loki (Thor Vol 1 207), the vow of Dormammu (Strange Tales Vol 1 126-127), and the destruction of the Evil Eye (Fantastic Four Vol 1 54).
- This issue contains a letters page, Avengers Asssemble!. Letters are published from Richard Howell Matthews, Alan Rothman, Duffy Vohland, and Phillip Hair.
- As seen on page one, this issue is Story#1509-Z.
Trivia
- In the letters page, future Marvel staffer Duffy Vohland lets out a major spoiler. Noting that he has "read Galley", he makes mention of the Vision being the the Original Human Torch. The story had been developing in this title with the first subtle clue given in Avengers #102. However, readers will not definitively know of this revelation until Avengers #134.
See Also
Footnotes
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- Comics
- 1973
- 1973, September
- Bronze-Age
- Avengers Vol 1
- Avengers/Defenders War
- Roy Thomas/Editor-in-Chief
- John Romita Sr./Cover Artist
- Mike Esposito/Cover Artist
- John Costanza/Cover Artist
- Steve Englehart/Writer
- Bob Brown/Penciler
- Mike Esposito/Inker
- Stan Goldberg/Colourist
- Jean Simek/Letterer
- Roy Thomas/Editor
- Mantis (Brandt) (Earth-616)/Quotes
- Avengers (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Steven Rogers (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Vision (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Anthony Stark (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Thor Odinson (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Jacques Duquesne (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Mantis (Brandt) (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Wanda Maximoff (Earth-616)/Appearances
- T'Challa (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Troglodytes (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Skol (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Kragg (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (Earth-616)/Mentions
- MI6 (Earth-616)/Mentions
- Dane Whitman (Earth-616)/Mentions
- Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616)/Minor Appearances
- Stephen Strange (Earth-616)/Minor Appearances
- National Health Service (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Homo sapiens/Appearances
- Synthezoids/Appearances
- Asgardians/Appearances
- Homo superior/Minor Appearances
- Bats (Race)/Mentions
- Demons/Mentions
- Insects/Appearances
- Earth/Appearances
- United Kingdom/Appearances
- England/Appearances
- Garrett Castle (England)/Appearances
- London (England)/Mentions
- United States of America/Minor Appearances
- New York (State)/Minor Appearances
- Westchester County/Minor Appearances
- North Salem/Minor Appearances
- Salem Center/Minor Appearances
- Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters/Minor Appearances
- Sun (Star)/Mentions
- S.H.I.E.L.D. Uniforms/Appearances
- Captain America's Uniform/Appearances
- Captain America's Shield/Appearances
- Scarlet Witch's Suit/Appearances
- Iron Man Armor Model 3/Appearances
- Panther Habit/Appearances
- Mjolnir/Appearances
- Swordsman's Sword/Appearances
- Magneto's Helmet/Minor Appearances
- Uru/Mentions
- Quinjet/Appearances
- Loki Laufeyson (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Dormammu (Earth-616)/Appearances
- Thor Odinson (Earth-616)/Mentions
- Odin Borson (Earth-616)/Mentions
- Defenders (Earth-616)/Mentions
- Stephen Strange (Earth-616)/Mentions
- Frost Giants/Appearances
- Faltine/Appearances
- United States of America/Appearances
- Vermont (State)/Appearances
- Dark Dimension/Appearances
- Evil Eye/Appearances