These two issues see the return of the Squadron Supreme, the interdimensional analogue of the Justice League of America who debuted in Avengers #85, as well as several very minor characters drawn from Marvel lore. More relevant to us, we see Captain America encounter several leadership challenges, particularly with Carol Danvers, now going under the name Warbird (as of the last issue).
But first, we are treated in some “day in the life” scenes at Avengers Mansion, and when we first see Captain America in issue #5, he is kicking back the only way he can: training, this time with Carol.
Cap has nothing but praise for Carol’s work—and nothing but deflection of her praise of his skill with his new shield—but is surprised when she just as expertly deflects his question about her Binary powers (which she recently lost, prompting the name change).
Privately, Cap gives her the benefit of the doubt…
…unaware of both her declining powers and other members’ suspicion of an alcohol problem (Tony in the last issue, as we saw, and a similar incident with Wanda in the next, not shown here).
Soon Cap summons the team to an emergency meeting, at which their new government liaison, Duane Freeman, tells them about an alien spacecraft sunken off the coast of Maine and a commercial jetliner carrying a team from Project PEGASUS (introduced in Marvel Two-in-One #42) to investigate it, that mysteriously crashed nearby. There’s a hitch that Hawkeye understandably bristles at, but Cap is more focused on saving lives and launches into leader mode (and also manages to assure Vision that his body, destroyed in issue #3, will be up and running soon).
Once in Maine, “this is your Captain speaking” gives orders to the team… and one member is particularly dissatisfied with his assignment.
The press reports on the scene while Clint continues to bitch and moan register a complaint, and Cap shows he has had enough…
…and that’s before the new kids show up to play.
The Squadron Supreme recently went through it in the Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe graphic novel alluded to above, and ended up in the 616, staying at Project PEGASUS and appearing in Quasar’s book for quite a while. But now they seem upset and skeptical that the Avengers are actually who they appear to be, and while Cap pleads for their cooperation with the current crisis, Hawkeye mutters an excellent point…
…and then refocuses on his own personal gripes with Cap as the two teams fight (because of course they end up fighting).
Cap turns his attention instead to Carol, ordering her to activate her Binary powers and then watching her go down after she “refuses” to.
Frustrated that the Avengers are tripping over each other in combat against lesser opponents, Cap decides to use the Squadron members against each other.
After Wanda summons Wonder Man again (as she first did in issue #2), the Avengers finally get the upper hand, leaving Thor and Hyperion to face off, first physically and then verbally, while Doctor Spectrum rescues the sinking plane. Cap is just relieved the passengers are safe, and trusts that the people will appreciate their efforts.
Despite Cap’s naive hopes, the press focuses on the Squadron’s successful rescue operation and their allegations that the Avengers are imposters—especially after the return of Wonder Man, who everyone believes died before the Onslaught event. In light of this, and recent experiences with the Thunderbolts and Skrulls impersonating heroes, Freeman urges the Avengers to resolve things quickly, or he will be forced to revoke their government clearance and possibly arrest them.
Issue #6 opens with the team recovering from all of this in the mansion, watching Hyperion give a news conference announcing his testimony regarding the Avengers—and possibly the Fantastic Four, I guess they look shifty too—in front of Congress later that day. While Thor and Hawkeye lash out (and Tony fears the loss of priceless heirlooms, as in the last issue), Vision calmly explains the validity of the public’s concerns, and even poses a very metaphysical question: If the Avengers were actually replacements with the same memories, how would they know? (Your essays are due on Monday.)
Wanda storms off (and finds Carol drinking in the kitchen, as mentioned above) while the rest of the team put a pin in Vision’s question and return to reacting to the Squadron’s statements, with Clint taking the lead and not backing down when Cap urges calm.
During their sidebar, Cap explains the need for singular leadership at times like these (and when are they not in “times like these”?). He offers to hand the reins over to Clint, assuring his friend that he believes in him while also serving to call his bluff (and ruining his fun).
(Note how differently Pérez’s draws Steve and Clint with the their masks off, unlike many other artists who draw them as indistinguishable.)
Cap continues to demonstrate his faith in Clint, not by pledging to go along with his bad decision, but remaining confident he would have made a better one. But that confidence does not extend in his internal doubts about other members of the team.
Speaking of Carol, once the team is in the air (and Clint admirably admits that Cap made the better choice), Cap turns to his future fellow Cap.
Cap directly confronts Carol about her refusal to use her Binary powers, and after she gets defensive—and abuses a feminist argument that is often valid in other circumstances—sage Tony recommends patience, which Cap accepts.
The Avengers get a bit of attitude from PEGASUS before landing and after, which Cap asks about directly, but receives little cooperation in return (and has to restrain Hawkeye to boot).
Who’s Blue Shield, you may ask? He was introduced in Dazzler #5 before settling into Project PEGASUS in the pages of Quasar (alongside the Squadron Supreme), and will later die fighting Hydra as a member of the Underground during the recent “Secret Empire” event.
If you thought he’s a minor character, wait til you meet Jenkins, last seen in Avengers #183—which was also Carol’s first issue as an Avenger, which brings up an unfortunate interaction.
That serves to verify the Avengers’ identities as far as Jenkins is concerned, which Carol rubs in Cap’s face a little before Blue Cross Blue Shield apologizes and starts the tour.
After looking into possible psychic villains who could be controlling the Squadron Supreme (as well as investigating their quarters), the Avengers are alerted to the return of the other team, who assume the Avengers are there to plant evidence and set them up (which is reasonable under the circumstances). They begin to fight, and while Cap struggles with his second-rate shield against Skylark (an analogue of both Black Canary and Hawkgirl), he notes Carol is a bit off…
…and to make matters worse, she gets upset when Cap helps a teammate (specifically, her).
Eventually, Wanda manages to break through the mental control of the Squadron, which is revealed to be the work of—I am not kidding—the Corruptor, another deep cut (this time from Nova). After all is said is done, Hyperion takes a final jab at the Avengers, and while Cap doesn’t take the bait, he does point out that this does seem to happen to the Squadron a lot (something that will be addressed in the upcoming Avengers/Squadron Supreme annual).
Carol is happy to see Cap’s “darker side,” but he does not relent on the issue about her powers, and she loses it.
Tony offers to go after her, but this time Cap urges patience and understanding, at least for the time being.
Finally, as the Avengers and Squadron Supreme suspected, someone had corrupted the Corruptor, and on the final page of the issue we see exactly who—although, once again, he is ripped from the pages of obscurity.
As the blurb above says, we’ll find out more about Mr. Champion in the upcoming annual—but in the meantime, we’ve got a mini-crossover event, in which the issues with Carol Danvers come to a head.
ISSUE DETAILS
Avengers (vol. 3) #5, June 1998: Kurt Busiek (writer), George Pérez (pencils), Al Vey (inks), Tom Smith (colors), Richards Starkings, Dan Lanphear, and Comicraft (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Avengers (vol. 3) #6, July 1998: Kurt Busiek (writer), George Pérez (pencils), Al Vey, Bob Wiacek, and Bruce Patterson (inks), Tom Smith (colors), Richards Starkings, Dan Lanphear, and Comicraft (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Collected in: Avengers Assemble Volume 1 and Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe.
LAST ISSUE: Avengers #4 (May 1998)
ALSO THESE MONTHS: Captain America #6 and Marvel Team-Up #10 (June 1998), Marvel Universe #1-2 (June-July 1998), and Captain America #7 and Thor #1 (July 1998)
NEXT ISSUE: Avengers #7 and Captain America #8 (August 1998)
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 
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