Inactive Status: Quicksilver • Scarlet Witch

Villain: The Living Laser, Carlos, Valdez

First Appearance: Carlos, Valdez

Cameo: Bill Foster, Lucy Barton, Natasha Romanoff

Innovation: Costa Verde

Gadgets & Technology: Directi-Finder

Cool Hawkeye Arrow: Boomerang Banshee Arrow

Letters Page: Page One • Page Two

House Ad: Page One

Hawkeye and Captain America wait for the inevitable, as the laser beams track closer and closer towards killing them. Goliath checks in on his emergency signal, which helps him track Jan to the Living Laser's hideout. As he arrives, the signal gets weaker (since the Laser flies off to his second HQ, with Jan in tow), but he busts inside to check things out and saves the day with Cap and Hawkeye.

As the trio races to find Jan, the wonderful Wasp herself is stuck inside a small jar, held captive by laser lights. She watches as the Living Laser meets with two men from the tiny Latin American country of Costa Verde, Valdez and Carlos. They have gotten the Laser to agree to help them overthrow the current dictator's regime so they can install their own. As they leave, they discuss a plan to kill the Living Laser and take his weaponry from him once he has done the job. The Laser turns his attentions to the Wasp, telling her how in love he is with her, and how he plans to destroy the Avengers so they will never be apart.

Later, down in Costa Verde, the Living Laser uses his formidable weaponry to destroy the dictator's forces. The news of the Laser's victory reaches the Avengers, and they know where to go next. They fly down to Latin America, but as they reach the perimiter of the Laser's stronghold, they are shot down by a beam of light into a large lake. The Laser commands that divers go down to make sure they are dead, which is a good idea, because the Avengers have swum out of their amphibious craft and launch a stealth attack on the fortress.

But the Laser is ready for them, and fires several shots at them. They return fire, knocking around some of the Latin American guerilla forces which fight by his side, but when the Laser breaks out his huge laser cannon, the blast knocks the trio off a cliff and they fall hundreds of feet to the water below. Goliath's mighty frame breaks their fall, but the guerrillas fire from above, trying to shoot them in the water. The Laser tells the Wasp that he's killed her teammates, but she doesn't believe it. He tells her his name- Arthur Parks- which triggers her memory of her friend Lucy Barton complaining about a crazy stalker! It is the same man!

As the villain waxes over the idea of the Wasp as his wife, he decides he will take over Costa Verde for himself, keeping the throne he was supposed to turn over to Carlos and Valdez. But Hawkeye and Cap surprise him with an attack- they have survived the fall! But the return fire from the Laser and his armed men are too much, and they are subdued. Goliath finds the Wasp and is about to release her when he is stunned by a laser beam from the Living Laser. He is stored in a silo, along with Cap and Hawkeye.

Bound in chains, he decides to test his shrinking power, which he tried to trigger back on after performing an experiment on himself before they left. Sure enough, he's able to shrink to ant size again! He makes his way to the Wasp, releases her, and then finds out where Cap and Hawkeye are held captive. When the Living Laser returns, he finds the Wasp is free. He decides to fire his laser beam aimed at the silo where the thinks the Avengers are still prisoner, but when he pulls the lever control, the machine blows up in his face! The guerrillas see their leader lying near death in the rubble and they run away. Goliath catches up with Carlos and Valdez, while an armed group of rebels who promise free elections and a democratic republic take over the compound.

The Avengers hand over the reins to the rebels and head back home. Goliath explains to the rest how he's got his shrinking powers back and is no longer stuck at ten feet tall. Janet tells her friend Lucy Barton all about Arthur Parks and how it is quite likely he's mentally ill. Bill Foster returns to help Goliath with his research, and the Black Widow throws an ashtray at her boyfriend Hawkeye, for not taking her to the "holiday spot" Costa Verde.

Finally, as Captain America wanders around alone, pining about how he has no life outside his star-spangled Avenging, he turns around and sees someone quite unexpected, and- in astonished shock- can only utter the word "You!"

--synopsis and panel images by Gormuu