AVENGERS ANNUAL #9 (1979)

This annual begins with some of the usual “I’m not good enough” self-talk from Hawkeye.

I’d say he should grow up and stop worrying about all this, but…His insecurity is firmly based in reality. Especially with this Avengers lineup that includes Thor, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch and Wonder Man. Clint is completely out of his weight class.

Plus, he’s got a hair trigger.

Get it? He shot an arrow at Beast? Hair trigger?

The main story is continued from Iron Man #114, where Arsenal broke into Avengers Mansion. The team are trying to figure out what to do to track him down (and playing with an action figure), as well as his mysterious handler “Mistress.”

Beast and Hawkeye find the route Arsenal used to get in.

And of course it doesn’t go well when the team’s two least-powerful members track down a robot that trashed the entire team.

They are captured.

Iron Man figures out that Arsenal was designed by his own Daddy.

He tracks down Mistress’ hidden base.

Aaaaaaand it’s his mommy. Oof. Not sure I like that.

He frees his teammates and tells Hawkeye to run.

Arsenal, meanwhile, is back fighting Avengers.

Iron Man hacks the system, destroying both the source computer and Arsenal.

Leave a Comment