The infamous mercenary Swordsman breaks into Avengers Mansion intent on joining the group, thinking Avengers membership will make him untouchable by most authorities. Discovered by Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, Swordsman defeats the former but is felled by the latter. An arriving Captain America is amazed that anyone with Swordsman’s extensive criminal record would seek Avengers membership. Swordsman revives and escapes, pursued by Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch while Cap stays behind on duty, still brooding about getting no response from Nick Fury to his job application. Hawkeye arrives and tells Cap how the Swordsman had been his mentor years ago until the villain betrayed him. Meanwhile, Hydra agents hunting Nick Fury find Cap’s unread letter to Fury, examine it for clues and discard it, but a cheap crook finds it and sells it to the Swordsman, who sends Cap a fake job offer in reply. Responding, Cap walks into a warehouse ambush where Swordsman captures him. After Hawkeye apprehends two safecrackers, one of whom admits to selling Cap’s letter, the Avengers search for Cap and find him held hostage by Swordsman atop an unfinished skyscraper. Swordsman demands the Avengers declare him their leader or he will kill his hostage, but Cap defies him by jumping before he can be pushed.
A young Clint Barton joins a carnival as apprentice to the Swordsman, but specializes in archery instead of blades. The youth idolizes his mentor and hopes to match his skill, but Swordsman urges him not to forget who is the master and warns him against trying to become his equal. Later, when Clint discovers Swordsman has robbed the carnival paymaster, the elder performer says Clint will be his partner in crime now, and that he planned this all along. A disillusioned Clint rejects this and tries to flee, but Swordsman chases him onto the high wire and cuts it out from under him before departing, leaving Clint for dead.
Hawkeye’s history (including his real name Clint Barton) will be fleshed out extensively in later stories (such as SAv #2, ’88, Av #65, ’69 and Hawk #1-5, ’03-’04). Swordsman’s name & own origin will not be revealed until AvS #22/2, ’89. Future Avengers member Hercules appears in a house ad for JIM Ann #1, ’65, his first modern Marvel appearance. Items for sale on this month’s Marvel Bullpen page include the Avengers T-shirt & official Marvel stationery. The then-controversial roster revamp of Av #16, ’65 starts being discussed in the Avengers letters column as of this month.
