Avengers #38

yet another great Gil Kane cover...

"In Our Midst...An Immortal!"

Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: George Bell
Letterer: Artie Simek


we've added inker credits now on the inside.

we open with Hank and Hawk renewing their quarrel about Natasha becoming an Avenger.  Cap and Pietro intervene, and they start their meeting... without the Black Widow being there.  where is she?  well, she gets kidnapped by S.H.I.E.L.D. and asked to become a double agent.  not exactly the way I would have gone about it, but it's an exciting sequence.
naturally she can't tell Hawkeye or the rest of the Avengers, which causes some consternation among the team, especially with Jan and Hawk.  meanwhile, Ares and Hercules are having a bit of a disagreement, when the Enchantress shows up.  she bewitches Herc with the help of Ares.  Herc and Amora depart for Earth, and Ares immediately goes to tattle to Zeus.  naturally, she sends him to battle the Avengers.

of course, this leads to some great battle scenes, and finally Hawk and Jan show up to help out (they didn't think the distress call was real).  Hawk's sulfur arrow snaps Herc out of his spell, and the Enchantress goes away quietly, suddenly wondering if this means she is in love with Hercules. 

Zeus shows up and banishes Hercules to Earth for a year.  the Avenges offer him a room at the mansion.  this gives the Avengers some raw power they lack without Thor or Iron Man being on the team. 

it's a good way to get Hercules introduced to the team, but really, Zeus banishing him for a year for something that wasn't even his fault?  lame.