Avengers (Vol. I) #32
The Sign of the Serpent!
Drowning
in rage and self-pity, Goliath is finally convinced to find help in hiring
a lab assistant. So, Bill Foster comes to the rescue for additional lab work.
During that time, a racist group called the Sons of the Serpent begins a plan
of social discord and attack a foreign dignitary. Being African-American, Foster
is himself assaulted and Captain America soon gets kidnapped, resulting in
the team being blackmailed.
Captain America proposes to Goliath that he can become leader now that he's returned. The giant is plagued by self-pity and Cap challenges him to put his mind on a more, upbeat track. So Goliath decides to hire an assistant, a man named Bill Foster, to help him find a cure to his physical condition. Since Foster is African-American, it doesn't look good as the Avengers face the Sons of the Serpent, a new bunch of villains who are no more than racist thugs. This was very brave for Marvel to tackle such a controversial issue in 1966.
Funny to learn that the Black Widow sees Hawkeye for the very first time without
his mask since they've known each other! In fact, Cap, Hawk and Goliath all
look alike unmasked! And how funny/odd it is to see Hawkeye get all mushy about
Cap?
