So What happens?

Despite Pietro's medical help Hank is still unconcious. A call to Don Blake goes unanswered so the Avengers turn to Cap's old army Doctor. His examination of the ten foot tall Hank Pym shows that he can never again change size without instantly endangering his life. He is stuck a giant.

Cap and Jan try to console Hank when he returns to conciousness but he slips off to angst about it alone.

In the far east the brainwashed Black Widow is given a new assignment by her communist masters and returns to the USA to recruit the Swordsman and Power Man.

When Hawkeye learns that she is alive and in the country he goes to find her prompting the concerned Cap to send the Wasp to spy on him.

When Clint sees who Natasha is with he assumes she is being held captive and attacks the two villains. He is soon knocked out and the Wasp (who forgot to pack her stingers) leaves to get the others. Narrowly avoiding getting eaten by a sparrow she knocks herself out falling out of a tree.

Power Man and the Swordsman invade the mansion and take Cap prisoner. Luckily they dont know about the Avengers communicator devices and he signals to Wanda and Pietro for help. Meanwhile Jan has recovered and sends out a message for Hank whereever he may be.

Wanda and Pietro make it to the Widow's base only to get beaten. It is left to Hank and Jan to save the day. Hank tangles with the two villains while Jan frees the others and stings Natasha. Faced by the whole team the villains decide to retreat, Hawkeye has a clear shot at them but can't bring himself to harm Natasha. Expecting a lecture from Cap he is surprised to find him understanding his decision. As Clint gains a new respect for Cap Hank sulks about being stuck at ten feet tall.

So it is any good?:

Yes, it isn't an issue that I would think of as a favourite but I found myself enjoying it a lot, more than some issues that have lodged themselves in my brain. Hank and Jan really add a lot to the team and Hank is particularly effective in this story. On a team stacked with Thunder gods and Ionic Wonder Men a tend foot tall strong guy doesn't sound impressive but Lee gets the most out of him and Heck makes his size impressive. I think this last bit is the key to large characters they can either look dopey or effective and here Hank works artistically.

The art is excellent on this issue, really confident pencils and inks and some excellent figures. It is the first issue that Frank Giacoia inked under his own name so possibly he had a little more time to give to the book than he had in the past.

Hawkeye gets a much needed chance to mature in this story, his affair with the Black Widow shows another side of him than had previously been shown and he gains a new respect for Captain America when Cap doesn't blame him for letting her go.

Jan's fight with a hungry bird is was an ok scene, an attempt to highlight her own special powers but it can't help but fade next to the perils of the other Avengers, avoiding getting eaten by a sparrow just isn't as heroic as beating up Power Man and the Swordsman.

This one surprised me by how much I enjoyed it, one of the bonuses of reading the run in order.

Avengers Facts:

All three villains in this issue would end up as heroes, two of them as Avengers and one as a Thunderbolt. It is the first teaming of Power Man and the Swordsman who would become somewhat of a double act.

The Avengers try and get Dr Don Blake to tend to Hank Pym but he is busy in Olympus saving Hercules from Pluto (Thor 129)

Hawkeye's relationship with the Black Widow was a hold over from his days as an Iron Man villain, until this issue he believed she had been killed by the communists for betraying them.

Quicksilver as the team medic surprised me, I guess they just wanted something for him to do apart from running into traps.

Are there any goofy moments?

Jan breaking a tree branch with her weight and knocking herself out as she fell probably isn't her finest hour.

Is it a landmark?

I suppose Hank getting stuck at ten feet is another little landmark in his checkered career but it is far from the most important.

Where can I read it?

In the masterworks volume or Marvel Triple Action 23