Issue(s): Avengers #221
Cover Date: Jul 82
Title: "...New blood!"
Credits:
Jim Shooter & David Michelinie - Co-Plot
David Michelinie - Script
Bob Hall - Penciler
Brett Breeding - Inker
Lance Tooks - Assistant Editor
Jim Salicrup - Editor

Review/plot:
Shooter is credited for "Plot/Big Boss" and Michelinie is credited as "Writer".

This issue has an awesome cover.

Frankly, considering all the options shown, it's a little disappointing that Hawkeye is chosen as one of the two. She-Hulk, on the other hand, will turn out to be an inspired choice.

But yes, this is another membership drive issue. Having been manipulated by Moondragon in the previous few issues, the Avengers start to wonder if they've been subtlety controlled by her since she previously helped create the team's lineup, so they decide to recruit new members to balance things out.

Thor tries to recruit Spider-Man...

...but Spidey's not sure if he can handle being on a team.

Iron Man and Cap use the opportunity to invite Hawkeye back.

Meanwhile, the Wasp decides the team needs "more girls", so she invites Spider-Woman, Dazzler, the Invisible Girl, the Black Widow, and She-Hulk over for a tea party.

Fabian Stankowicz chooses this time to attack the Avengers Mansion again. Despite the fact that he's got a cool mecha suit...

...he's treated like a joke again, with all of the heroines except She-Hulk and the Wasp deciding that they don't want to be Avengers and leaving mid-battle.

Still, much better than the last time a group of female super-heroes got together in an Avengers book. Marvel's come a long way, baby.

A rivalry between Hawkeye and She-Hulk is established due to a bit of road rage.

This issue is definitely silly, but it's still enjoyable.

Quality Rating: B-

Historical Significance Rating: 4 - She-Hulk joins the Avengers. Hawkeye returns.

Chronological Placement Considerations: Avengers #226 has to take place before Contest of Champions. So a number of Avengers issues are pushed backwards in publication time. All of the guest appearances in this issue are context free.

References:

• The previous Avengers Membership drive, in Avengers #211, was mentally manipulated by Moondragon.
  
• Spider-Man was previously considered for Avengers membership in Amazing Spider-Man annual #3.
  
• Dazzler and Spider-Woman met previously in Dazzler #15, and didn't really get along.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

This is a step in the right direction. This team is better than the one created ten issues ago.

Anti-Hawkeye-ism is an ugly thing. Look into your heart, fnord. Look into your heart.

Eric Beck's commentsn with 217 made me realize something with this issue: with this issue's addition of Shulkie (and Hawkeye more or less from the "Kooky Quartet"), we're pretty much back to the "original lineup"...or as close as we're getting in 1982. I think this is probably one of the most important moments for Jen in her evolution and development with the furthering of her character from Kraft and ultimately to Stern and Byrne. Plus with pretty much "the original team" back together (sort of), it does ultimately lead to the more extreme new members who do join once Stern is on board such as Monica and Eros/Starfox.

I agree with fnord, that the cover is awesome, but I always found the use of it in the book problematic. I thought ROM wasn't well known at this time. Also, would TIME know about Black Bolt? Would they consider the Hulk or Wolverine as possible members? Why would they consider Invisible Girl unless they knew about the meeting at Jan's, and if they did, why not Black Widow, who was actually there and had been a member of the Avengers? It's a cool cover for our world (it was one of the first issues of Avengers I ever bought specifically for that reason), but in universe I don't think it works at all.

I was never much of a fan of She-Hulk while on the Avengers, but her dynamic with Hawkeye was always very fun and this is definitely the right direction for her, looking back at it now.

I really dislike the way the fight is written. The super-heroines just leaving mid-battle doesn't reflect well on them. I get that Fabian is a joke, but it just doesn't read nicely at all.

First ever comic I bought and read!

Hawkeye is the greatest. Literally the Greatest Thing Ever.

When Bendis was deciding who to have in the Avengers besides Cap and Iron Man did he just tape this issue to the wall and throw darts at it?

Since when does She-Hulk smoke?

Gamma radiation must make Jen immune to tar and nicotine damage. (j/k)

She was probably trying it because Jennifer Walters wasn't one of the "bad girls" who smoked at school and She-Hulk is her inner "bad girl."

Ah! I look at these scans and I see that Shulkie was awesome even back in the 1980s!

I love her :)