All right then -- take off -- all of you! I never could stomach a bunch of quitters! 
Appearing in "The Road Back"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Bucky Barnes (Mentioned)
- Ed Sullivan (Mentioned) (Topical Reference)
- NYPD
- Fantastic Four (Photo)
- Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) (Photo)
- Human Torch (Johnny Storm) (Photo)
- Invisible Girl (Susan Storm) (Photo)
- Thing (Ben Grimm) (Photo)
- ⏴ Awesome Android ⏵ (Cameo)
- ⏴ Iron Man (Tony Stark) ⏵ (Cameo)
- ⏴ Thor (Odinson) ⏵ (Cameo)
- ⏴ Giant-Man (Henry Pym) ⏵ (Cameo)
- Beatles (Mentioned)
- Wonder Man (Simon Williams) (Mentioned)
- District Attorney (Mentioned)
- New York City Council
- William Shakespeare (Referenced)
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Canaries (Mentioned)
- Mutants (Referenced)
- Pythons (Mentioned)
- Androids (Cameo)
- Asgardians
- Pigs (Mentioned)
- Monkeys (Mentioned)
Locations:
- Earthspace
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York
- New York City
- Circus of Crime
- Mad Thinker's lair (Cameo)
- New York
- United States of America
- Europe (Mentioned)
- North America
- Earth
- Asgard
Items:
- Hawkeye's Suit, Bow and Trick Arrows
- Cable Arrow
- Sonic Arrow
- Smoke Bomb Arrow
- Sleep Gas Arrow (Mentioned)
- Captain America's Uniform and Shield
- Fantastic Four Uniforms (Photo)
- Iron Man Armor Model 2 (Cameo)
- Mjolnir (Cameo)
- Giant-Man's Suit (Cameo)
Synopsis for "The Road Back"
The Avengers try to find out who framed them and disband for the time being. The Scarlet Witch briefly considers becoming a lounge singer (!) but instead she, Quicksilver and Hawkeye are enticed to join the circus, which turns out to be the superpowered criminals the "Circus of Crime" (then called the "Masters of Menace).
The Circus of Crime poses as a normal circus and then call the police, claiming that the three Avengers were trying to rob them. Again they flee.
Meanwhile, Captain America, posing as a publicity man, catches Power Man admitting the frame-up on tape. He and the rest of the Avengers then battle Power Man and the Enchantress and win. They use the proof to get pardoned by the government.
Afterwards, Captain America decides to leave the Avengers.
Notes
- The Avengers, Power Man and Enchantress were all seen last issue. This story is a continuation of the story that started in Avengers #21.
- Although there is a Captain America story in Tales of Suspense #71, it is a flashback story from World War II.
- The Circus of Crime (a.k.a. the Masters of Menace) were last seen in Amazing Spider-Man #22. In that issue, their art heist (led by the Clown) was foiled by Spider-Man and they were thrown in prison.
- The reference to Iron Man's whereabouts is to his battle against the Mad Thinker and his Awesome Android in Tales of Suspense #72.
- The reference to Thor's whereabouts is to his battle against the Absorbing Man in Journey Into Mystery #122.
- The mention of Giant-Man and Wasp's whereabouts being a mystery is referring to the fact that Giant-Man and Wasp have not regularly appeared in Tales to Astonish because their half of the title has been replaced with stories featuring the Sub-Mariner beginning in Tales to Astonish #70.
- Following their defeat at the hands of Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, the Circus of Crime are next seen in Mighty Thor #145 where they attempt to recruit Thor into their circus.
- Power Man is next seen in Avengers #29 where he, the Black Widow and Swordsman team up against the Avengers.
- Enchantress is next seen in Avengers #38, where she manipulates Hercules into battling the Avengers.
- All the Avengers appear next in Avengers #23 as the events in that issue directly follow the conclusion to this one.
- References: Avengers #21, Amazing Spider-Man #22, Tales of Suspense #72, and Journey Into Mystery #122
