| Enchantress |  Now, we need an impressive name for you--!  |
| Power Man | I've got a name! It's Erik Josten! |
| Enchantress | Surely you jest! That is hardly calculated to strike terror to the hearts of the Avengers! We must call you something worthy of your new-found power! |
| Power Man | Just as long as it isn't anything as childish as Wonder Man! |
| Enchantress | Of course! That's it! It will be the ideal name! It will make you a worthy successor to Wonder Man! Your name shall be Power Man! |
| Power Man | Aww, so what! It's corny as all get-out, but who cares? All that matters is that I need fear nothing now! |
Appearing in "The Bitter Taste of Defeat!"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Power Man (Erik Josten) ⏵ (First appearance)
- ⏴ Enchantress ⏵ (Main story and recap)
- Monster (Illusion or holographic simulation)
Other Characters:
- Tony Stark (Mentioned)
- Robin Hood (Mentioned)
- Methuselah (Mentioned) (Topical Reference)
- Interpol (Mentioned)
- Masters of Evil (Only in recap)
- Wonder Man (Simon Williams) (Only in recap)
- Baron Zemo (Only in recap)
- Executioner (Only in recap)
- Santa Claus (Mentioned)
- Teen Brigade (Behind the scenes)
- NYPD
- Snow White (Mentioned) (Topical Reference)
- New York City Council
- Carol Channing (Mentioned) (Topical Reference)
Races and Species:
- Humans (Main story and recap)
- Asgardians (Main story and recap)
- Cows (Invoked)
- Ghosts (Mentioned)
- Elephants (Mentioned)
- Fleas (Mentioned)
Locations:
- Earth (Main story and recap)
- North America
- United States
- New York
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Midtown
- Sutton Place (First appearance)
- Manhattan
- Westchester County
- New York City
- New York
- United States
- South America (Main story and recap)
- Amazon Jungle (Main story and recap)
- Baron Zemo's Headquarters (Main story and recap) (Ruins)
- Amazon Jungle (Main story and recap)
- Europe (Mentioned)
- North America
- Asgard (Referenced)
Items:
Synopsis for "The Bitter Taste of Defeat!"
Erik Josten, who worked as an agent for Baron Zemo before his death, returns to the machinery Zemo used to create Wonder Man. There he finds the Enchantress, who tells him she will use the machine to grant him super-strength as well. He agrees and is given the name Power Man.
The Enchantress then creates a number of illusions around the city that make the Avengers seem dangerous when they accidentally destroy property and endanger lives. Captain America tries to subdue Power Man as he attacks men with important documents, only to find out that the men were impostors trying to steal them.
Hawkeye, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are also caught with similar traps. The Avengers believe themselves to be nuisances and are ordered by the authorities to disband.
Notes
- The Avengers last appeared in Fantastic Four Annual #3 where they defended the Reed Richards and Sue Storm wedding from an army of super-villains that were manipulated by Dr. Doom into crashing the reception.
- Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver made a brief cameo appearance in Journey Into Mystery #120, where Thor journeyed to Avengers Mansion seeking aid only to find the new members whom he wasn't familiar with.
- This is the first appearance of Erik Josten, who takes on the mantel of Power Man during this time.
- Although there is a Captain America story in Tales of Suspense #70, It is a flashback tale from World War II.
- The Enchantress was last seen in Fantastic Four Annual #3 where she was manipulated by Dr. Doom into crashing the Richards' wedding, she was defeated by a number of New York's heroes who were attending the wedding.
- Josten's recounts the end of his employment and death of Baron Zemo as well as the destruction of his base in South America at the hands of Captain America, this is from Avengers #15.
- References to Zemo's creation of Wonder Man are from Avengers #9. The device used on Josten to turn him into Power Man is the same device that turned Simon Williams into Wonder Man. There is no mention, however, of how the device made Wonder Man reliant on being administered an antidote every 24 hours. The lack of this antidote was what ultimately led to his "death" in that same issue.
- The Avengers, Power Man and Enchantress are all seen again in Avengers #22.