Avengers Unplugged #3
Ladies Night!
Deciding to take the night off, the Black Widow and Crystal decide to have a ladies night. Their outing takes them to a male strip club on a lark.[1] The two women didn’t know what to expect but have a a lot of laughs, especially when one of the male dancers comes out dressed like Crystal’s husband, Quicksilver.
At that same moment, along the shores of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the Mad Thinker’s Super-Android finally reforms itself. Recalling how it was defeated by the Thing weeks earlier, the android takes on his form and goes on the rampage.[2] This rampage ends up trashing the club that Natasha and Crystal are attending.
The engage who they, at first, think is the Thing. However, as they fight the rampaging creature they quickly begin suspecting that this is an impostor. Their hunches are confirmed when Natasha catapults a trashed car into the “Thing”, sending it crashing through a shop window and into a display of perfume. The alcohol in the perfume begins eating through the android’s body causing it to revert back to its true form.
Meanwhile, at a small after hours jewelery store, the Absorbing Man convinces himself to man up and do what needs to be done. However, rather than robbing the place, he goes in and buys a ring. He is annoyed that it cost him two months salary, but eats the cost because he is so in love with Titania.[3]
At the same time, Laura Green arrives at the Four Freedoms Plaza for her date with Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch. When the FF’s robotic secretary, Roberta, recognizes her as Lyja, Johnny’s Skrull ex-wife, she tries to get the robot to hush up because she doesn’t want Johnny to know that she is deceiving him again.[4] When Johnny comes down to meet “Laura”, the pair quickly head out before Roberta can ruin her disguise.
Back at the scene of the battle, Natasha and Crystal are knocked off their feet, allowing the Super Android to escape. Quickly changing into costume, the pair stop a passing police car to figure out which was the android went.[5]
Not far away, the Super Android has resumed the shape of the Thing. He ends up crossing paths with Johnny and Laura on their date. Thinking that this is his teammate, Johnny asks what “Ben” is up to and is ignored. He dismisses this as Ben Grimm being in another one of his trademark grumpy moods and so he and Laura resume their date thinking nothing of it.[6]
Moments later, the Black Widow and Crystal catch up with the Super Android. This time, Crystal uses her elemental powers to reform part of tarmac making up the road into a replica of the Thing to fight the android on her behalf. This only holds off the Super Android for so long, as the machine is becoming smarter with each passing moment. It quickly shatters the faux Thing, causing feedback that stuns Crystal. However, before the Super Android can attack her, the Black Widow taunts him into a charge. Leaping out of the way at the last moment, Natasha tricks the Super Android into crashing into the sign of a nearby fast food restaurant. This subjects the android to thousands of volts of electricity. Having recovered, Crystal uses her elemental powers to boost the voltage frying the Super Android so badly that it is reduced to ash.
Soon, NYPD’s Code: Blue arrives on the scene to clean things up. After giving Lieutenant Marcus Stone their report, the two Avengers head back home. Along the way, Natasha suggests that they keep it low key on their next ladies night, otherwise it might just kill them.
Recurring Characters
Black Widow, Crystal, Absorbing Man, Human Torch, Laura Green, Marcus Stone, Roberta
Continuity Notes
A footnote here tells readers that this story occurs prior to the events of The Crossing, a major storyline happening in most other Avengers related titles at the time of publication. See Avengers #390, Iron Man #319, Avengers: The Crossing #1, Force Works #16, Iron Man #320, Avengers #391, Iron Man #321, Force Works #17, Avengers #392, War Machine #20, Iron Man #322, Force Works #18, War Machine #21, Iron Man #323, Avengers #393, Force Works #19, War Machine #22, Iron Man #324, Force Works #20, War Machine #23, Avengers #394, Avengers: Timeslide #1, Iron Man #325, Avengers #395, Age of Innocence: The Rebirth of Iron Man #1.
The Thing defeated the Super Android by dousing it in alcohol, which was apparently it’s Kryptonite. See Fantastic Four Unplugged #1.
The Absorbing Man and Titania have been in a long term relationship at the time of this story. The two first met in Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #3 and grew close to one another very quickly. The then started a relationship in Thor #436 and were convinced by Thor to go straight. The Absorbing Man is purchasing a ring here because he and Titania will be getting married next issue.
The relationship between Johnny and Lyja is overly complicated, so let’s break down the details:
Lyja used to pose as Ben's now former girlfriend Alicia Masters. As revealed in Fantastic Four #358 she did so during the events of Fantastic Four #265.
She pursued a romance with Johnny and they were eventually married in Fantastic Four #300 but Ben eventually exposed her as a Skrull in Fantastic Four #357. She seemingly perished when assisting the Fantastic Four rescue the real Alicia in the following issue.
As seen revealed in Fantastic Four #390, Lyja survived and sought revenge against Johnny for abandoning her during the rescue mission that she allowed her fellow Skrull Paibok implant a Sha'Barri egg in her body. Since Fantastic Four #371 she led Johnny to believe she was pregnant with their child.
Lyja realized that she still had feelings for Johnny betrayed Paibok to be by his side in Fantastic Four #374. She eventually gave birth to the Sha'Barri egg in Fantastic Four #385. However she was forced to admit that it wasn't their child in Fantastic Four #390. Horrified by this deception, Johnny rejected her in Fantastic Four #392.
Since then, Lyja has been posing as Laura Green since Fantastic Four #393 in order to keep close to her ex-husband after he ended their relationship. Johnny learns the truth in Fantastic Four #414.
The officer wonders if the Super Android is the Super Adaptoid who has fought Captain America and the Avengers on occasion. They are not the same being, the Super Adaptoid was created by AIM in Tales of Suspense #82, while the Super Android was created by the Mad Thinker in Fantastic Four #395.
A footnote here tells readers that they can see the rest of Johnny and Lyja’s date in Fantastic Four Unplugged #4.
Topical References
The perfume in this story is labeled as Chanel. Chanel is a high end manufacturer of cosmetics. Its use here should be considered topical as it is a real world brand.
The Black Widow tricks the Super Android into punching a McDonalds sign. This should also be considered topical for the same reasons as Chanel.
The Crossing: Timeslide
This issue also includes a two page feature identifying the characters and locations involved in the Crossing event that was occurring in Avengers related titles at the time of publication. This time focusing specifically on the Avengers: Timeslide one-shot. Many of the details are incomplete and are fleshed out later either during the event itself, or after the fact. I’ll address the references made in this feature by character/location:
Iron Man: It is stated here that he has turned against both the Avengers and Force Works, but the reasons are unknown at the time this feature was published.
One of the plot revelations in The Crossing was the fact that Tony Stark was apparently a sleeper agent of Kang the Conqueror since the early days of the Avengers. This “revelation” was made in Iron Man #323.
This was later revealed to be false in Avengers Forever #8, Iron Man’s mind was altered by Immortus and the entire Crossing event was merely a distraction as part of the time master’s efforts to manipulate the Avengers destiny. Immortus had been influencing Iron Man’s mind since Iron Man #278.
Janet Van Dyne: This blerb explains how she is got to be seriously injured by Iron Man in Avengers #393. In order to restore her to health, Hank Pym will put her through a process that’ll turn her into an insectile form in Avengers #394. As much as this story says this will be irrevocable, she’ll be restored to her more human form in Avengers (vol. 2) #1.
Tuc: Is stated here as being the future son of Quicksilver and Crystal who is not yet born. Tuc first appeared in Avengers #390. However, as revealed in Avengers Forever #8, Tuc is actually a Space Phantom in disguise in order to help Immortus sell his big lie.
Luna Maximoff: It states here that Luna is the only one that knows the truth about Iron Man’s betrayal. This is in reference to the fact that Luna witnessed Tony Stark murder Yellowjacket and her nanny Marilla in Avengers: The Crossing #1. The Avengers won’t learn the truth until Iron Man #323.
Adult Luna: This mystery woman later is identified as a future version of Luna in Avengers #394. However, this is another falsehood per Avengers Forever #8. This is yet another Space Phantom in disguise.
Hercules: Mentions the recent loss of his girlfriend Taylor Madison and half of his godly strength an immortality. Also states that he unknowingly holds secrets behind what’s going on. Hercules was told the “truth” about Tuc’s “origins” in Avengers #390, but was made to forget them. He’ll suddenly remember what he was told in Avengers #394.
Scarlet Witch: Is stated as being the field leader of Force Works and has been struggling with leadership with Iron Man. In Force Works #1, Iron Man appointed Wanda the leader of the team. However, Tony had been clashing with her leadership and overstepping her since Force Works #5.
Captain America: Mentions how he recently returned after a prolonged illness. At the time of this story, the Super Soldier Serum in Steve’s body was wearing out, starting in Captain America #425. It eventually left him incapacitated in issue #443 and then he mysteriously vanished. He was captured by the Red Skull, who gave him a restorative blood transfusion in Captain America #445.
Thor: States that Thor’s loss of power and the fact that he was dying was caused by the mysterious WorldEngine in Thor #491-494. Although Thor destroys the device he will be stripped of most of his godly powers until they are restored in Avengers (vol. 2) #10.
Jarvis: The Avengers dutiful butler is said to be the most important person on the Timeslide mission. This is because the Avengers are going back in time to recruit a teenaged Tony Stark from the past to help them stop his future self, as seen in Avengers: Timeslide #1. This trip into the past creates a divergent reality which is identified as Reality-96020 in Marvel Legacy: The 1990s Handbook #1.
Avengers Datafile: Captain America
A profile of Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. It details his origins (Captain America Comics #1), who he was frozen in suspended animation for decades before he was thawed out and joined the Avengers (Avengers #4). This is followed by a brief overview of his membership on the group.
