Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Don Heck
Inker: Frank Ray
Letterer: Art Simek
Plot Summary
The Avengers gather to discuss the newly developed secure method for leaving one another messages. Their old method relied on message cartridges which could be found by anyone. Instead they now have a machine that will only display the message once the Avenger has been identified by their voice and they’ve entered a security code. As Cap explains all of this, Hawkeye chooses instead to screw around and not pay attention to what is being said. As a result of his blatant disrespect of Captain America, Quicksilver confronts Hawkeye. The fight escalates to the point at which Hawkeye actually takes a shot at Quicksilver and Cap is forced to step in. With tensions running high the Avengers go their separate ways to calm down.
Meanwhile, somewhere out to sea, Hank Pym and his girlfriend Janet Van Dyne are left aboard a damaged ship after an encounter with Namor, the Sub-Mariner. As Namor makes his way towards New York, Hank and Janet decide that it is time to come out of their short retirement in order to warn the Avengers about the danger that Namor poses. Transforming into the Wasp, Janet slowly makes her way to shore, taking breaks when she is tired by floating along in the ocean currents. During one of those rest periods, Wasp finds herself being drug underwater to the massive submarine of Attuma, a barbarian and foe of Namor. Thankfully for Wasp, she is not in her normal costume and therefore Attuma doesn’t recognize her. Instead he imprisons her so that she can’t inform the world about his Tidal Expander which he is using to flood the world. Once his plan is complete, Attuma will then conqueror the remnants of humanity and enslave them. After being placed in her cell, Wasp is able to escape through a small air vent and make her way to the submarine’s communications equipment and sends off a request for help to the Avengers.
As Cap, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch prepare to mount a rescue for Wasp, Hawkeye is off in Manhattan, living the high life. Although he teammates send him a message, Hawkeye doesn’t realize it due to the fact that he drops his communication device. The remaining Avengers take off and minutes later they are plucked from the sky by Attuma’s submarine. Once they are on board, the Avengers immediately begin to confront Attuma’s guards and despite the fact that the air on board the submarine is difficult for them to breathe, the Avengers take out a number of the guards before Cap and Scarlet Witch succumb. Quicksilver fairs better than his teammates, but once he confronts Attuma, it is only a matter of time before he too is defeated.
In his moment of triumph, Attuma’s followers begin to doubt him. Because he defeated the Avengers while they were in a weakened state some of his commanders start to call Attuma a coward. Blinded by his pride, Attuma agrees to fight the Avengers again, but this time under more equal conditions. The battle is evenly matched until Scarlet Witch destroys the central pillar holding up the fighting chamber and it begins to fill with water. Although the Avengers now have air helmets, the helmet only has a limited amount of air and Attuma can fight equally as well underwater as he can on dry land.
While the Avengers struggle for their lives, Hawkeye returns to Avengers Mansion to find it empty and a secret message waiting for him. Unfortunately for Hawkeye, he wasn’t paying attention when Cap explained how to access the messages, and so he has to make use of the subliminal recall inducer in order to being the memory back. Just as Hawkeye settles into the device, a shadowy figure look in on him from the door.
Avengers
Captain America
Hawkeye
Quicksilver
Scarlet Witch
Wasp
Some Assembly Required 