"Vengeance!" Cries... Red Wolf!

Only recently having faced not only the threat of Arkon and, soon after, the brutish Man-Ape, which then led to a battle with the Lethal Legion, the mighty Avengers were overdue for some down time--though for our stalwart heroes, that could mean anything from catching up on internal Avengers business or conferring in their Fifth Avenue mansion on a new potential threat. Yet for the Avengers reader, it also means spending quality time observing the Avengers interacting with each other and supplementing their adventures with the character development which the swing of that famous gavel paves the way for.

Only this time, the Avengers are down a man, or, in this case, an android--and therein lies the heart of the situation. The Vision has abruptly departed their ranks, having become disillusioned by a reminder that he is not nor can he hope to be human. Meanwhile, a new character prepares to make his debut--but, as was the question when the Vision made his first appearance, is he friend... or foe? As we can see from the remarkably similar layouts of their respective splash pages, artist John Buscema may be hoping that lightning strikes twice with his 1970 creation, Red Wolf!

The encounter between Red Wolf and the man running for his life, Jason Birch, is fated to make the Vision's solo career the briefest on record, though that's not yet apparent. We don't know anything about either the attacker or his intended victim; in fact, for all we know, Birch might even be the aggressor in this altercation, judging by his worries about the police and the fact that he's armed. If so, then the tables have indeed turned, since his wolf-garbed pursuer is closing in for the kill.

But Birch's desperate attempt to flee will perhaps inadvertently save his life, depending on the curiosity of what appears to be an ordinary passer-by--though looks, especially in this case, are indeed deceiving.

It's clear the Vision still has his status as an android on his mind, though he seems less morose about it than when he left his comrades. In a skirmish against an unknown attacker, of course, he likely realizes the advantages his powers give him against an assailant, and so his present state of mind has quickly given way to the struggle itself. As for the man who identifies himself as Red Wolf, he's not at all happy about the Vision's interference, though the point soon becomes moot.

While inside the Vision's intended destination, the Avengers have moved on to their next order of business--putting together a plan to deal with the threat of the criminal cartel known as Zodiac. But there's a level of dissension simmering in this meeting that will call into question just what sets their priorities, and why others are given less gravity--an important discussion that, with the Vision's arrival, will have to be tabled.

Red Wolf is understandably still seething at the interruption of the "business" he had with Birch--details which he explains at the Avengers' behest. Yet in writer Roy Thomas's rush to set the stage for the tragedy and injustice that drive Red Wolf, he expects the reader to fill in the blanks along the way as to why the character seems already hard-wired as a dissatisfied, restless youth who wishes to embrace the warrior's path.

As a boy living in the desert and idolizing the return of the supernatural warrior known as Red Wolf, it's clear that this character spends his youth frustrated at being part of his tribe's way of life--spending the days interacting with Anglo tourists, while observing the war dances of his people by night where Red Wolf is recalled in story and song. What isn't clear is the root of that frustration--why this boy longs and feels the need for Red Wolf to return and lead his people... why he despairs at Red Wolf not answering their prayers. Answer in what way, exactly? The answer of a fierce warrior called forth in fiery war dances would already seem to be implied--the question is, why does this young man wish for war, or, at the very least, aggression?

For the sake of expediency, the story doesn't really dig any more deeply than it has on the subject--and we're left with only bits and pieces to build on. As the young man grows into an adult, he laments that he lives in "a white man's world," though he recognizes and acknowledges the good in them as well as the evil; he also chooses to be an active part of that world, as first a soldier and then as a construction worker in New York. Yet his experiences haven't tempered him by the time he decides to return home, still preoccupied with the dance of the Red Wolf burning in his mind. If Red Wolf suddenly materialized for this man, one wonders what the one who seeks him so strongly would ask of him. Does he even know, in so many words? Perhaps the reason Red Wolf isn't appearing is that this man hasn't explained his wishes very well, even in thought.

Eventually, Red Wolf's story comes to Cornelius Van Lunt, whom the Avengers have had prior dealings with. It's Van Lunt who ignites the true thirst for vengeance in this man (whom Thomas insists remains nameless throughout this tale)--first, by strong-arming his father into deeding his land over to him and then, having failed, implying that his man Birch might retaliate when Van Lunt isn't around to stop him. And the next night, that's exactly what happens.

Now, at last, our character finds his voice and a bona fide reason for his conviction, and we at last can grasp why he would need a force like Red Wolf to take action. And when he finally dances "the dance of the Red Wolf" in earnest, it's Red Wolf who indeed does act--though not in the way our friend was expecting.

Soon afterward, the new personification of Red Wolf awakens, with acceptance and affirmation (if curiously worded):

Strange that, after spending his life grappling with the legend of Red Wolf, this man would now decline to fully accept that what happened to him was real. Regardless, he begins his destiny, and with bloodshed--forced to kill a she-wolf in self-defense, and then adopting her cub as his own, a living sign of his mission. At last, it's clear to both the new Red Wolf and the reader what his mission is, if only in the short term--the murder of Jason Birch, and likely moving on to Van Lunt from there.

But Red Wolf's explanation to the Avengers hasn't dimmed his anger toward the one who interfered with his vengeance; in fact, he may be wondering if these "Avengers" truly understand the meaning of the name they've taken for themselves.

The dispute leads to a thought-provoking discussion among the Avengers present as to prioritizing those in need of their services. Which causes rate the power of the Avengers--and which to put on the back burner, or refer to more conventional law enforcement? Do the Avengers answer the call to justice for all, equally--or does "the greater good" take on deeper meaning here?

The end result here is that, as Cap speculated earlier, the team splits into factions, depending on which cause they espouse. The Panther, at least, eases the decision for the others, preferring to tackle organized crime on his own.* As for the others, we can likely guess what the choice of "the big three" will be, as well as the Vision, but the remaining Avengers have also firmly made their decision--including Goliath, who should be careful about showing his enthusiasm toward a man whose four-legged companion might perceive it as a threat.

*More like a sliver of organized crime, as it pertains to one of his students--basically, the Panther and Daredevil team up against a local gang that's pulling jobs and has conscripted one of the students that the Panther teaches in his civilian identity.

The Vision is admittedly being over-dramatic with his open question--this is one mission we're talking about, not dire tidings for the Avengers. If the acting Chairman (whoever that is in this instance) had instead decided to split the team into groups to tackle each threat, what would have been the difference? Maybe the greater worry is whether or not the Avengers have decided to discontinue their Chairmanship post--I can't remember the last time the Avengers voted on which menace to go into action against.

At any rate, the conclusion of Red Wolf's mission with the Avengers can be found in a separate post, if you're curious--followed by the team's confrontation with Zodiac (or at least one-twelfth of it).

The Avengers #80 Script: Roy Thomas Pencils: John Buscema Inks: Tom Palmer Letterer: Sam Rosen