Avengers vol. 3 #71Avengers vol. 3 #71
Title: "Whirlwinds”
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Steve Sadowski
Inker: Andrew Currie
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Editor: Tom Brevoort
In a Las Vegas hotel room, Wasp shouts for Hank to stop. She clutches the sheets and moans in pleasure. Wasp lifts the covers. A tiny Hank Pym crawls up from between her breasts. Hank says that it is her turn now.
Sometime later, Hank says that he really needed this vacation. Wasp says that she thinks this is a record and asks Hank how many days it has been since he checked his e-mail. Hank says that it has been 73 hours. Hank says that he can’t even remember the last vacation he took. Wasp says that neither of them has ever had a vacation. Hank turns and sits up in bed. He says, “Not even for our honeymoon.” Wasp calls after him, but Hank goes on, “It would’ve been our anniversary today, Jan.” Wasp says that she knows.
In another hotel room. Whirlwind punches a prostitute in the face. Her Wasp wig falls off. She says that she wore the stupid costume he wanted, and that he didn’t pay her enough for this. Whirlwind says, “I’m not finished, Wasp. I thought I couldn’t do this. Couldn’t go through with it. But I can.” The prostitute calls him crazy. Whirlwind says that he isn’t crazy. He says that he is just a man in love, and that sometimes love doesn’t just hurt… it kills. Whirlwind blows the woman out the window and sends her falling to her death below. Whirlwind dons his helmet.
Hank and Wasp walk together on the strip. Wasp is talking about the “Star Trek Experience”, but Hank says that light shows don’t do much for you when you’ve been on a Kree battleship. Wasp says, “Or seen the Collector’s living quarters.” Hank says that Collector’s breath is an experience all its own. They laugh. Hank says that he knows Wasp is the one that asked him there, but that this is Vegas and that he has to take a gamble. Hank drops to one knee, shows Janet the ring, and asks her if she will marry him. Wasp waits, but eventually she says that she is sorry. Hank puts the ring back in his pocket. He starts to walk away dejected. Wasp says that they are having a great time. Hank says that it is going to end, and that something will screw it up. He walks back to her and says, “I wasn’t a very good husband, was I?” Wasp agrees that he wasn’t. Pym says that when he discovered the particles that allow them to change their sizes that he thought that he had succeeded in life. He says that he thought he would be a hero, but that his ego wouldn’t let him. Hank says, “I called those particles… “Pym Particles”. I named them after myself. Could that be any more ridiculous?” Wasp says that he was just proud. Hank says that he was lost in a fantasy of self-importance. He says that when they founded the Avengers that he felt overshadowed by Iron Man, Thor, and even Wasp. He says that is why he kept changing identities… he says that he was never good enough.
Whirlwind stands on top of the MGM Grand. He says that he doesn’t need to practice on any more call girls. Whirlwind says that the money is being transferred into the Maggia’s account and to thank Plant Man for the lead and the ladies.
Hank goes on to tell Wasp that the only time
he felt like his life meant anything was when he was with her. He
holds her hand for a moment. He asks what she did with the first
ring he gave her. He says that she didn’t keep it. Wasp
admits that she didn’t. She says that she was angry and
wanted to forget. She says that she donated the money to her
father’s scholarship fund. Hank says that he was a brilliant
scientist and that he would hate to think of what he would say if
he knew about him today. Hank says that Wasp has every reason to
say no. Wasp holds Hank’s face and says that it doesn’t
mean that she doesn’t love him. She asks if he can
understand that. Whirlwind swoops down and blows both Hank and
Wasp off their feet. Whirlwind says that there aren’t any
Avengers around. He slams into Hank and says that there
isn’t any Thor, Iron Man, or Captain America to save them.
He says that there are just the “beautiful bugs”. Wasp
shrinks down out of her dress and into her costume. Whirlwind
flies at her and says that her ex is taking a nap. He adds that
he is a little sleepy himself. Wasp blasts Whirlwind with a zap
and asks if he is looking for revenge for getting thrown in jail.
Whirlwind rams Wasp against the top of the pyramid. He says that
he doesn’t want revenge. Wasp is knocked out and lying on
the ground. Whirlwind says that he has been watching her for
years. He says that he tried to get her attention anyway that he
could. He says that he dressed up in a costume, joined that
Masters of Evil, got beaten up by the Avengers ten times over. He
says that love made him a criminal. Whirlwind says, “Now
I’m tired of seeing that weak-willed Ant-Boy get a taste of
your honey. After all I’ve sacrificed for you… you owe
me, Wasp. You owe me a little taste.” Whirlwind leans over
and licks Wasp’s cheek. Hank shouts, “Don’t you
dare!” He blasts Whirlwind and repeats, “Don’t you
dare touch her!” Hank is gigantic and naked standing before
the pyramid. He says, “Go ahead, try and fly away, Cannon.
I’ll crush you like a big.” Whirlwind stammers out
asking if Hank is trying to intimidate him. 
Hank just glares
at Whirlwind. Wasp gets up. She tells Whirlwind that she
doesn’t belong to anyone but herself. She hits him in the
face and says that she doesn’t owe him anything. She says
that he was given a mutant gift to become a human whirlwind. She
says that he chose his path and has to assume responsibility for
it. Wasp says that is what makes him a criminal. Wasp kicks him
off the pyramid and Whirlwind hits the ground. Hank picks him up
between his thumb and finger and says, “Thor, Iron Man, and
Captain America? You wish you had it that easy.”
Later, the fire department is finishing up. Wasp asks Hank if he is going to be okay. Hank says that his cut isn’t that bad. Wasp says that she meant with them. Hank says that he is. He says that she is an amazing woman, and that he is lucky to have her in his life at all. He tells her that her father would have been proud of her. Wasp says that he would have been proud of him as well. She says that he used to say there was one force to live by. She says that he said that most scientists disregard it, but that Hank embraces it. She says that she sees it in his eyes and that is the reason she is with him. Wasp and Hank kiss.
Avengers Files rating: 7 out of 10
The whole time I’m reading this issue I’m remembering Tales to Astonish #69. Whirlwind was known as the Human Top. He cracks Wasp one and Stan feels it necessary to insert from the Bullpen that “If the Human Top had any admirers at all, he has certainly lost them by this ungallant behavior.” Geoff’s understanding of the Wasp/Hank dynamic and continuity make this issue really good, though I will admit that his seeming lack of continuity-knowledge that Plant Man is now a reformed “Blackheath” annoyed me. Despite this covers standard “PSR” rating, buyers were warned that this issue was for mature readers. In accordance with my statements that I wanted to keep this site a “PG” themed website I didn’t do some of the things that I wanted with this review, but I have to say that while I wouldn’t let one of my children read this book that I don’t see what would be so wrong in an Avengers (or any other mainstream Marvel character) mature themed book. Marvel has been pretty clear, as of late, that they couldn’t care less about continuity or even characters’ behavior from book to book. I don’t see why we can’t reap some of the benefits from this stance. Alias was cancelled because Jessica Jones couldn’t interact with Marvel characters because she cursed and had sex. Why? It couldn’t have been because of Marvel wanting to maintain the dignity of their characters. 4 out of 5 for the writing. Sadowski, while technically proficient, lacks a natural feel to the characters leaving them feeling somewhat static.
Review and picture by The Leader