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THE AVENGERS Volume 1, Number 115 (September 1973) Below Us The Battle
Avengers Roster: THOR (Donald Blake, MD), IRON MAN (Tony Stark), CAPTAIN AMERICA (Steve Rogers), THE SCARLET WITCH (Wanda * last name unknown at the time of this story * ), THE BLACK PANTHER (Prince T’Challa), THE VISION (not applicable), MANTIS (* unknown at the time of this story *) and THE SWORDSMAN (Jacques Duquesne).
BELOW US THE BATTLE
Synopsis: All of the Avengers listed above are in an Avengers Quin-Jet flying over the Atlantic Ocean bound for England. The Black Knight (Dane Whitman), in 1973 the only British member of the Avengers, has been out of contact for an alarming amount of time. Anticipating trouble the team has decided to check out the Black Knight’s castle for signs of their friend and colleague.
In keeping with the usual levels of verisimilitude for 1970s Marvel Comics, the story presents the British branch of S.H.I.E.L.D. intercepting the Quin-Jet because of the presence on board of the recently reformed former supervillain the Swordsman.
Despite the Swordsman’s pardon and his status as an Avenger the Brits do not want the formerly wanted man allowed in the country. Thor – more worldly in the comic books than he is in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – negotiates with the British and the Swordsman is allowed in England but the Avengers are responsible for his actions.
Captain America is the only Avenger still suspicious about the Swordsman and his lady love Mantis, the enigmatic woman who will assume more and more importance as the issues go by, enroute to the Celestial Madonna Saga. Continue reading
DAY THREE, GAME ONE: The 4 seeds – the NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS (Shipbuilders) – played the 2nd seeded Defending National Champions of USCAA Baseball, the COLLEGE OF SAINT JOSEPH’S (sic) FIGHTING SAINTS. After 2 scoreless Innings the Fighting Saints took a 1-0 lead in the 3rd, but the Builders went on top 3-1 in the 4th. 
DAY THREE, GAME TWO: The 5th seeded CLEARY UNIVERSITY PROWLING COUGARS squared off against the 6 seeds – the PENN STATE AT DUBOIS NITTANY LIONS. It was all Cleary University in this game as the Prowling Cougars put on a clinic on both sides of the ball. 
DAY TWO, GAME ONE: The 3 seeds – the WRIGHT STATE AT THE LAKE CAMPUS LAKERS – played an elimination game against the 7th seeded PENN STATE AT MONT ALTO LIONS. A 2-0 1st Inning lead for the Lakers became a 6-2 advantage in the 3rd.
DAY ONE – GAME ONE: The 10 seeds – the MARYGROVE COLLEGE MUSTANGS – faced the 7th seeded PENN STATE AT MONT ALTO LIONS. The Mustangs surprised the Lions by seizing a quick 3-0 lead in the 1st Inning, then making it a 5-0 score in the 3rd and 6-0 in the 4th. 
DAY ONE, GAME TWO: In this game the 8th seeded BLUEFIELD STATE BIG BLUES took the diamond against the 9 seeds – the CENTRAL PENN COLLEGE SILVER KNIGHTS. The Big Blues got off to a 1-0 edge in the 1st Inning but the Silver Knights put up 2 runs each in the 2nd and 3rd to take a 4-1 advantage. 
PSI CASSIOPEIA, or STAR: A MARVELOUS HISTORY OF WORLDS IN OUTER SPACE (1854) – Written by Dr Charlemagne Ischer Defontenay, a French M.D. and author. Long before J.R.R. Tolkien churned out obsessive amounts of fine detail about his fictional Middle Earth, Defontenay produced this volume of history, poetry and drama from his fictional planets in the star system Psi Cassiopeia. 
The system where that planet is located is a three-star system. Ruliel is the large, white star at the center, around which orbit the two lesser stars Altether (green) and Erragror (blue). The planet called Star is orbited by large planetoids/ moons named Tassul, Lessur, Rudar and Elier. Throwing all science to the winds the planet is also orbited by a small red star called Urrias. 
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THE AVENGERS Volume 1, Number 114 (August 1973) Night of the Swordsman 
MANTIS: When researching these old stories I’ve come to really “marvel” at Marvel Comics’ writers’ knack for handling long-term episodic storylines. In my opinion they handled it better than many writers of serialized science fiction and horror television series’ of today. Maintaining multiple threads of a long-running narrative is a specialized type of pulp fiction writing and 1970s Marvel Comics are excellent examples of the craft. 
THE SWORDSMAN: Hawkeye’s trainer and mentor when they both traveled the circus and carnival circuit in their pre-supervillain turned hero days. Unlike Hawkeye, however, the Swordsman was an actual villain, not merely misunderstood like his protégé. 
