Issue(s): Avengers #243
Cover Date: May 84
Title: "Chain of command!"
Credits:
Roger Stern - Writer
Al Milgrom - Penciler
Joe Sinnott - Inker

Review/plot:
With some of the Avengers and other heroes missing, the Vision holds a press conference. His goal is to reassure the public that the Avengers are still operational. "I have personally assumed control". The conference seems to do more harm than good, and not just because a reporter asks about the reports about the Dire Wraith invasion to which the Vision has no good answer.

With so many heroes missing, the Vision has the remaining team dealing with more street level crime. Starfox, promoted from trainee to full Avengers status, deals with a bank robbery. We see for the first time his Pleasure Power. In issue #237 Starfox thought to himself about a "special power" that the other Avengers didn't know about, but this is the first time we see it in action.

Similarly, Scarlet Witch helps put out a fire.

Meanwhile, after a conversation with Titan's super-computer ISAAC, the Vision realizes that he only needs to influence a few key people in order to gain the power he seems to think he needs. Next, we see him talking with Henry Gyrich and Raymond Sikorsky while wearing a strange device.

After the other Avengers return...

...he also talks with the Wasp privately, and she soon nominates him the new Avengers chairperson.

Sikorsky describes the creation of a West Coast team of Avengers, at the Vision's suggestion. In agreeing with the Vision, he uses the word "logical", similar to the Scarlet Witch in issue #242 after she challenged the Vision's odd behavior.

Hawkeye is nominated the leader of the proposed West Coast team.

Obviously we've moved beyond "Hey, is the Vision acting a little funny?" to "The Vision is clearly up to something sinister", but no one has time to react because the Avengers have an immediate problem for next issue: the Dire Wraiths.

Great writing by Stern, and i like the tight coordination between this book and FF.

Quality Rating: B+

Historical Significance Rating: 3 - Starfox becomes a full member of the team. She-Hulk and Thor are put on "detached membership" status. Developments in the Vision plot.

Chronological Placement Considerations: The Avengers return from Secret Wars in this issue. The speech the Vision gives is referenced in Fantastic Four #265 as happening "one hour" before the heroes return. Later, She-Hulk appears in this issue after the events there. Before the heroes return, the Vision has Scarlet Witch keeping contact with reserve and inactive Avengers. Black Panther, Wonder Man, Falcon, and the Black Knight are said to be standing by, but Hercules and the Black Widow haven't responded.

References:

• Events in this issue happen concurrently with Fantastic Four #265, including the Vision's speech, Mockingbird's conversation with Sue Storm, and Sue's pregnancy problem.
  
• Starfox connected the Vision with ISAAC in Avengers #238.
  
• In an interlude on the Moon, Crystal says to Quicksilver that she's glade that "we finally agreed" not to expose Luna to the Terrigen Mists, with a reference to Thing #3. Now they need a nanny, and Quicksilver has someone in mind...

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Stern is a good writer but there is no way Hawkeye is qualified to lead any group of Avengers if we are to believe his characterization over the years.

A little surprised you didn't bump up the Historical Significance Rating due to the announcement of the West Coast Avengers. After all, this is the first time there will be two Avengers teams. Even if they don't form this issue, that's a pretty big deal.