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Marvel Database

Hawkeye, She-Hulk, I'd like to officially welcome you both. From now on -- you're one of us. We're one of you. And we're all -- THE AVENGERS!

Wasp

Appearing in "...New Blood!"

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Synopsis for "...New Blood!"

The four active members of the Avengers decide to replenish their depleted ranks. The Wasp calls for suggestions for new members to be submitted by their next meeting.

Thor asks Jarvis’s advice on who might make for a good team member. Jarvis opines that most often, the stronger-willed, more independent heroes - those whom most would unlikely to be team players - often ended up being the best assets to the team. Based on his advice (as well as a Time magazine article he is reading) Thor seeks out Spider-Man and asks him to join. The web-spinner is flattered and promises to consider the idea, but doesn’t say yes.

Iron Man and Captain America ask Hawkeye to return to the roster, and he enthusiastically accepts.

The Wasp, wanting to add more female members to the team, hosts a luncheon for several costumed heroines. The guest list is to include the Invisible Girl (of the Fantastic Four), the Black Widow, Spider-Woman, Dazzler and She-Hulk.

Jan’s gathering is crashed by Fabian Stankowicz, the Mechano-Marauder, who is still attempting to gain notoriety by battling an Avenger. But the women defeat him easily (treating the attack so lightly that several of them casually leave in the middle!), while all but one declines Jan's invitation to join the team.

A few days later, Hawkeye is taking a cab to Avengers Mansion, which gets cut off by a pink Cadillac. Angered, Hawkeye fires an electrical impulse arrow at the car, crippling it. He’s extremely surprised however when the driver, a woman, retaliates by upending the cab and resting it vertically against a building. Even more surprising, the woman (only seen from the back) hoists her car on her shoulder and carries it away!

Finally arriving, Hawkeye remarks about his encounter with (in his words) “some Amazon.” He’s stunned to discover that the “Amazon” in question, the sensational She-Hulk, is there as well and is the other new member of the team.

Captain America and Iron-Man wonder how these two heroes will get on, but the Wasp welcomes them both to the team.

Notes

  • This issue has gained some notoriety in hindsight because of its cover. Of the fifteen heroes depicted as possible new members of the Avengers all but Dazzler, Rom, Black Bolt, and The Silver Surfer will become Avengers at some point or another. Aside from Hawkeye and She-Hulk (both of whom actually join in this issue), the cover also depicts Luke Cage, Spider-Woman, Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Wolverine - all of whom did eventually join Captain America's "New Avengers". This cover also depicts the Invisible Girl, Dr. Strange, and Ant-Man - all of whom would also join varying incarnations of the Avengers team.
    • Although they appear on the cover as potential members, Power Man, Wolverine, Rom, Daredevil, Ant-Man, Hulk, Dr. Strange, Black Bolt and Silver Surfer do not appear in the internal story other than as photographs.
    • Despite Marvel Comics losing the license to Rom at some point after the culmination of his solo series in 1986, the cover remained intact in all of its reprints over the years. The exact reason for this is unclear, especially considering that the cover to West Coast Avengers #1, which also included a cameo by Rom, was indeed censored in its later reprints. What is most plausible is that Rom's depiction here was able to unwittingly evade copyright restrictions by being relatively nondescript compared to his standard design.
  • The cover of the issue of TIME magazine that Thor is reading features Spider-Man's mask with the headline "Spiderman, Friend or Menace?" The cover of the issue that Hawkeye is reading later is a miniature recreation of the actual cover of this same issue, featuring photos of all the potential Avengers.
    • By the time this issue was released, the only character who had appeared on the cover of the real-life magazine was Rom, whose original toy was featured in the corner box of the December 10, 1979 edition.
    • The fact that Rom is among the possible candidates indicates that the magazine considers him a hero, however, at this point in the story, all the media that have covered his existence have branded him as a killer robot. His benevolent nature will not be revealed to the public until the Wraith War, an event that will take place sometime after this issue.
  • Based on Thor's invitation in this issue, Spider-Man will return and apply for membership in issue #236.
  • Spider-Man, Invisible Girl, Dazzler, Spider-Woman, and She-Hulk are offered membership in the Avengers. Only She-Hulk accepts.
  • Hawkeye and Black Widow are offered the chance to rejoin. Only Hawkeye accepts.
  • In the scene where Hawkeye meets She-Hulk in Avengers Mansion, She-Hulk is shown smoking a cigarette. This is oddly out of character for her, as she was not portrayed as a smoker in any previous appearances, nor ever again.

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