Avengers (1963) #43

1st appearance of Red Guardian (Alexsi Shostakov)


"Color Him… the Red Guardian!"

Quicksilver shows everyone his new ability to fly and Captain America has to prove himself to Hercules before he will take orders from him. Hawkeye gets information about the Black Widow's whereabouts, and Hercules and himself travel to rescue her. Meanwhile, behind the bamboo curtain, Colonel Ling shows a general his newest asset: The Red Guardian. He is to be the equal of Captain America in every way but is to stand for communism. Hercules and Hawkeye attack the complex, but Hercules is lured into the Psychotron and Hawkeye is captured by the Red Guardian. Red Guardian is revealed to be the Black Widow's husband who she thought was dead. The Avengers leave to rescue Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Hercules.


NOTE: George Roussos is credited as George Bell.

NOTE: Jerry Feldmann is credited as Jerry Mann.

NOTE: In the second panel of page 5, there is a Lord of the Rings references on a fight poster behind Hawkeye, where the combatants are Slammer Sauron and Freddy Frodo.