Avengers Vol 1 33

Avengers Vol 1 #33 Published October, 1966 Editor-in-Chief Stan Lee Cover Artist Don Heck "To Smash a Serpent" Writer Stan Lee Penciler Don Heck Jack Kirby Inker Don Heck Colourist Stan Goldberg Letterer Art Simek Previous Issue Next Issue Avengers #32 Avengers #34

Appearing in "To Smash a Serpent"

Featured Characters:

• Avengers
  •  Captain America (Steve Rogers) 
  •  Goliath 
  •  Wasp 
  •  Hawkeye 

Supporting Characters:

•  Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) 

Antagonists:

•  Sons of the Serpent 
  •  General Chen/Supreme Serpent
  • Captain America impersonator (Only appearance)^[1]
• Adolf Hitler (Mentioned)

Other Characters:

• The District Attorney
•  Bill Foster 
•  Senator Byrd 

Locations:

• New York City
  • Manhattan
    • Avengers Mansion
    • United Nations Headquarters
  • Sons of the Serpent's Flying Headquarters

Items:

• Captain America's Shield
• Captain America's Uniform
• Hawkeye's Bow
  • Trick Arrows
• Serpent Staff

Vehicles:

Synopsis for "To Smash a Serpent"

With Captain America being held hostage, the Avengers can't attack the the Sons of the Serpents. Because of this, Bill Foster storms out of Goliath's lab.

Captain America seems to have been brainwashed by the Sons, turning him into a fascist. The Avengers attend a Sons of the Serpent meeting while Hawkeye and the Black Widow attempt a rescue mission to save Captain America. During the meeting, Goliath argues with the Sons of the Serpent, but is attacked by a brainwashed Captain America.

After a brief battle, Goliath follows the escaping Serpents to their ship. The Black Widow finds the real Captain America captive and rescues him. They capture the Sons of the Serpent and their leader turns out to be General Chen.

Notes

• Although the Scarlet Witch appears on the cover of this issue, she does not appear in the story. She and her brother Quicksilver are on a leave of absence from the Avengers, attempting to replenish their waning powers in their homeland. Her inclusion in the cover depicting the Avengers fighting the Sons of the Serpent is more than likely an error on the artist's part.
• Captain America, Hawkeye, Goliath, and Wasp were all seen last issue in Avengers #32 and appear again in Avengers #34 where they meet the Living Laser.
• The Sons of the Serpent continue their scheme from last issue and will appear again in Avengers #73.
• This is the first time the Black Widow aids the Avengers. She appeared last time in the previous issue and appears again in Avengers #35.
• Jack Kirby is uncredited for his alterations.
• This issue is reprinted in Marvel Triple Action #25 as well as Essential Avengers Vol 2.
• The plot twist at the end of this story is in extremely poor taste. Having a foreigner who had been a victim of racist violence be revealed to the mastermind behind it all undercuts the presumed message of racial tolerance and quite literally blames the victim of racist violence for what happens to him. Hawkeye's final comment ("Boy, if ever there was an undesirable alien, it's him.) actually SUPPORTS the Sons of the Serpent's racist attitudes. Even more unforunately, it's a plot twist that seems to get repeated whenever the Sons of the Serpent appear.
  

Trivia

The credits read:

• Dept. of personal glorification...

• Stan (The Man) Lee, writer

• Dazzlin' Don Heck, artist

• Adorable Artie Simek, Letterer

• And leave us not forget--Invincible Irving Forbush, Snake Charmer

See Also

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• Images from Avengers Vol 1 33

Footnotes