Ms. Marvel has run into a security snafu becoming a temporary member of the Avengers while Wanda takes a leave of absence. Gyrich wants her fingerprints, but she's a little protective because, as a former NASA employee, her prints are already on file and this could compromise her secret identity! Tony Stark suggests a retinal scan, and Gyrich reluctantly agrees.

Later, Stark glances out his window and notices a dump truck is having trouble lifting the trash, so he flies down as Iron Man to assist. We follow the garbage truck to the dump, and as the men leave, Absorbing Man[1] pieces himself back together again!

Back at Avengers Mansion, Captain America and Falcon are having a heart to heart talk - apparently Falcon is no more thrilled to be on the Avengers than the Avengers were to have him! Finally, he agrees as a personal favor to Rogers.

Absorbing Man breaks into a store as an employee is closing up, steals some clothes, the money, and takes the girl (Sandy) hostage! He's headed to South America, so he won't get thrashed by superheroes all the time!

Hawkeye sees Wanda off at the docks, and then realizes he is in desperate need of gainful employment. He goes to get a coffee for the meantime, where the Absorbing Man literally bumps into him! Not knowing who he is, but having received a knuckle sandwich for demanding some kind of reimbursement for the spilled coffee, hot-headed Hawkeye swings at him only to hurt his fist as Absorbing Man turns into Formica! The local sailors identify him and decide to save Thor some trouble, only to get schooled themselves! Hawkeye phones the Avengers and then hops into costume to hold the fort.

The Avengers show after Absorbing Man has neatly countered Hawkeye's tricks, and Creel 'bounces' onto the ship nearby in the harbor. The Avengers follow and are about to start searching the ship when a giant metallic Absorbing Man crashes up out of the decks - he's absorbed the turbines and he's out for Avenger blood!

---