The Vision saves Jason Birch from an attack by Red Wolf and his wolf Lobo by knocking out the assailant. The Vision delivers Red Wolf to Avengers Mansion, where the Avengers discuss pursuing Zodiac and fighting organized crime. Red Wolf comes to and tells the heroes his motivation for attacking Birch and his employer, Cornelius Van Lunt. The Vision, Goliath and the Scarlet Witch agree to help Red Wolf while Black Panther decides to act alone to protect his students from crime. The remaining Avengers set out to tackle Zodiac.
Will Talltrees grows up in the desert, grows resentful of white tourists, loses his faith that the Wolf Spirit will deliver his tribe from hardship, and watches Cornelius Van Lunt try to buy his tribe’s land. After serving in Vietnam and working on New York skyscrapers, Talltrees returns home, only to witness Van Lunt’s men kill his parents. In desperation, he ceremonially summons the Wolf Spirit, who grants him the Red Wolf identity (1). After raising a wolf cub, Talltrees moves to New York seeking vengeance on Van Lunt and his man Jason Birch (p).
This issue features two men named Red Wolf; Wildrun is chronologically the 1st to assume that name and Will Talltrees is his modernday successor. Will and Tommy Talltrees’ 1st names are revealed in the next issue. Rebecca Talltrees’ 1st name and the Cheyenne identity of the Talltrees’ tribe are revealed in OHMU #9, ’83.
