Avengers Vol 1 21

Avengers Vol 1 #21 Published October, 1965 Editor-in-Chief Stan Lee Cover Artist Jack Kirby Wally Wood "The Bitter Taste of Defeat!" Writer Stan Lee Penciler Don Heck Inker Wally Wood Colourist Stan Goldberg Letterer Artie Simek Editor Stan Lee Previous Issue Next Issue Avengers #20 Avengers #22

Enchantress	Now, we need an impressive name for you--!
Power Man	I've got a name! It's Erik Josten!
Enchantress	Surely you jest! That is hardly calculated to strike terror to the hearts of the Avengers! We must call you something worthy of your new-found power!
Power Man	Just as long as it isn't anything as childish as Wonder Man!
Enchantress	Of course! That's it! It will be the ideal name! It will make you a worthy successor to Wonder Man! Your name shall be Power Man!
Power Man	Aww, so what! It's corny as all get-out, but who cares? All that matters is that I need fear nothing now!

Appearing in "The Bitter Taste of Defeat!"

Featured Characters:

• Avengers
  •  Captain America (Steve Rogers) 
  •  Hawkeye 
  •  Quicksilver 
  •  Scarlet Witch 
  • Anthony Stark (Mentioned)

Supporting Characters:

• Teen Brigade

Antagonists:

•  Enchantress 
• Power Man (Erik Josten)  (First appearance)

Other Characters:

• New York policemen
• Baron Zemo (Heinrich Zemo) (Only in flashback)
• Executioner (Only in flashback)
• Wonder Man (Only in flashback)
• Interpol
• Santa Claus (Mentioned)
• The mayor of New York City (Topical reference)
• Carol Channing (Mentioned)

Races and Species:

• Humans
• Asgardians

Locations:

• South America
  • Amazon Jungle
• North America
  • United States of America
    • New York
      • New York City
        • Manhattan
          • Avengers Mansion
          • Sutton Place (First appearance)
      • Westchester County
• Europe

Items:

• Captain America's Shield
• Captain America's Uniform
• Hawkeye's Bow
  • Trick Arrows
• Pym Particles / Ionic Energy
  
  

Synopsis for "The Bitter Taste of Defeat!"

Erik Josten, who worked as an agent for Baron Zemo before his death, returns to the machinery Zemo used to create Wonder Man. There he finds the Enchantress, who tells him she will use the machine to grant him super-strength as well. He agrees and is given the name Power Man.

The Enchantress then creates a number of illusions around the city that make the Avengers seem dangerous when they accidentally destroy property and endanger lives. Captain America tries to subdue Power Man as he attacks men with important documents, only to find out that the men were imposters trying to steal them.

Hawkeye, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are also caught with similar traps. The Avengers believe themselves to be nuisances and are ordered by the authorities to disband.

Notes

• The Avengers last appeared in Fantastic Four Annual #3 where they defended the Richards wedding from an army of super-villains that were manipulated by Dr. Doom into crashing the reception.
• Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and Scarlet Witch made a brief cameo apperance in Journey Into Mystery #120, where Thor journeyed to Avengers Mansion seeking aid only to find the new members whom he wasn't familiar with.
• This is the first appearance of Erik Josten, who took on the mantel of Power Man at this time.
• Although there is a Captain America story in Tales of Suspense #70. It is a flashback tale from World War II.
• The Enchantress was last seen in Fantastic Four Annual #3 where she was manipulated by Dr. Doom into crashing the Richards wedding, she was defeated by a number of New York's heroes who were attending the wedding.
• Josten's recounting the end of his employment with Baron Zemo refers to Zemo's death (and the destruction of his base in South America) at the hand of Captain America in Avengers #15.
• References to Zemo's creation of Wonder Man are a reference to Avengers #9. The device used on Josten to turn him into Power Man is the same device that turn Simon Williams into Wonder Man. There is no mention, however, of how the device made Wonder Man reliant on being administered an antidote every 24 hours and ultimately led to his "death" (as it was believed at the time.)
• The Avengers, Power Man and Enchantress are all seen again in Avengers #22.

• Credits:
  • Written with the Usual Stan Lee Madness!
  • Drawn with the Usual Don Heck Magnificence!
  • Inked with the Usual Wally Wood Magic!
  • Lettered with the Usual Artie Simek Mistakes!

• references: Avengers #9 (x2)

See Also

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• Images from Avengers Vol 1 21

Footnotes