Avengers Vol 1 18

	Published
	July, 1965
"When The Commissar Commands!"
	Writer Stan Lee; Penciler Don Heck; Inker Dick Ayers; Colorist Stan Goldberg; Letterer Artie Simek; Editor Stan Lee;

I thought our purpose was to battle crime! Why need we concern ourselves with international affairs?

-- Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff)

Appearing in "When The Commissar Commands!"

Featured Characters:

Avengers

Supporting Characters:

Edwin Jarvis (Unnamed)

Antagonists:

Commissar (First appearance) (Apparent death)
Major Hoy (First appearance)
Sin-Cong Army (First appearance)

Other Characters:

Iron Man (Tony Stark) (Referenced)
Thor (Odinson) (Referenced)
Giant-Man (Hank Pym) (Referenced)
Numerous unnamed New Yorkers
Mario (Circus Acrobat) (First appearance)
Numerous unnamed Sin-Cong citizens
Nick Fury (Vision) (Cameo)
S.H.I.E.L.D. (Referenced)
Reed Richards (Mentioned)
X-Men (Mentioned)

Races and Species:

Androids
Humans
Asgardians (Mentioned)
Mutants (Mentioned)
Horses (Mentioned)

Locations:

Earth
- Asia
  - The State of Sin-Cong (First appearance)
    - Sin-Cong Airdome (First appearance)
  - Peking, China (Referenced)
- North America
  - United States
    - New York
      - New York City
        Manhattan
        Midtown
        Fifth Avenue
        Avengers Mansion
        
        Theater
        
        Circus

Items:

Vehicles:

Jet-Stream Cruiser

Synopsis for "When The Commissar Commands!"

The Avengers receive a distress call from the communist state of Sin-Cong, which is being ruled by the cruel Commissar. They leave to help but are attacked by the Commissar's troops on arrival. The troops are defeated but the Scarlet Witch falls into a trap and is taken captive.

The other Avengers have to fight one on one with the Commissar to save her. Captain America, Hawkeye and Quicksilver are all bested. The Scarlet Witch then insists that the Avengers aren't defeated as she hasn't fought him yet. Using her hex power, she reveals that the Commissar is a robot and short-circuits him. Sin-Cong is then liberated.

Notes

All the Avengers were previously seen in Avengers #17 where their search for the Hulk led them into a trap set by the Mole Man.
Although there is a Captain America story in Tales of Suspense #67, it is a flashback story from World War II.
This is the first appearance of the Commissar.
The Avengers are seen again in Avengers #19 where they meet the Swordsman.
This cover is subtly signed by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers. You probably can't see it in this scan. Its on the vase by Captain America's left shoulder.
Major Hoy's name is Spanish for "today", which is ironic considering he's Chinese.

Avengers Vol 1 18

Appearing in "When The Commissar Commands!"

Synopsis for "When The Commissar Commands!"

Notes

See Also

Footnotes

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