Everything about these two issues is great, starting with the covers.
When I first got this issue I thought those trash bags Beast is holding looked like watermelons.
I love this story, and a few others like it, because they’re all about Avengers being “regular” people. But #183 and 184 are also two of my favorite issues for another reason: They fight Crusher Creel, The Absorbing Man.
One of my absolute favorite Marvel villains.
Early in the issue, we see him finally re-forming–at a garbage dump. And deciding to go to Europe and lay low.
Meanwhile, Hawkeye sees Scarlet Witch off at the docks (she’s traveling by ship across the Atlantic?!?), because she is off to Wundagore to investigate her own past.
Afterwards, he goes to a local diner to drown his sorrows because, you know, he’s got the hots for Wanda, and a fight breaks out.
Clint gets involved but quickly realizes that it’s Absorbing Man.
Yeah. Absorbing Man was also planning on boating across the ocean.
The other Avengers come to help–but they aren’t familiar with Crusher Creel’s power set.
I note, though, that Hawkeye seemed to know who he was so…Why don’t Beast and Captain America? Hank and Steve are much more likely to have read Avengers files than Hawkeye.
I’m tagging that as an error.
Back to the story: Absorbing Man is able to get the better of them.
And we’re into #184…
Again, great covers!
Absorbing Man is a Thor foe, and so it makes sense that he’s tough enough to take on the full team. He’s also a lot like Hulk in this story, in that he just wants to be left alone.
This is the first adventure during Falcon’s brief stint on the team.
The alarm was sounded while Cap was recruiting Falcon for the team.
Of course Hawkeye hazes him. The team already has a guy with basically no powers, and it’s him! At least Falcon can fly and talk to a bird.
Also in this tale, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver set sail on a steamer across the Atlantic with their adoptive father Django Maximoff. They are going to learn about their future.
Creel allows himself to absorb into the ocean and dissipate. Thor tricked him into doing this same thing in Thor #206.
I love this comic. It’s the first time Absorbing Man really got his due as a major villain.