While the remaining Avengers quarrel over Captain America’s resignation, Cap gets a new job as Steve Rogers by becoming a sparring partner for a champion boxer. Steve enjoys polishing the champ’s fighting skills, but still misses the Avengers. The team’s far-future foe Kang decides to attack the Avengers while Cap’s absence has left them vulnerable. Kang sends an automated time machine back to the Avengers’ era, where it captures the team and whisks them away to Kang’s headquarters. Kang then turns his attention to courting Princess Ravonna, whose tiny kingdom remains unconquered by Kang only because of his affection for her. Despite this, Ravonna continues to reject his advances. Back in the present, Cap hears of the Avengers’ disappearance and quits his job to investigate. In the future, the Avengers escape but are soon recaptured, though Quicksilver breaks free. Having discovered Kang’s involvement and challenged him to combat, Cap is brought to the future, where Kang soon subdues him and Quicksilver. Ravonna fears she may have to accept Kang’s proposal for the good of her kingdom, but her hopes rise when an escaped Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch appear and all four Avengers reunite. Enraged, Kang orders his legions to conquer Ravonna’s kingdom.
This story’s title is one half of what became a recurring saying or slogan for the team over the years: “Once an Avenger, always an Avenger.” This sentiment has had relatively few exceptions over time, since even long-estranged members such as Hulk and Swordsman often return to the team eventually. This issue includes ads for the Avengers T-Shirt (being promoted by a wrongly colored Power Man), Marvel stationery, and a life-size Spider-Man pin-up. Carelius is named in OHMU #6, ’83.