Cover: George Pérez

Avengers #8

Sep 1998 · Marvel · 1.99 USD; 2.80 CAD

📊 ~82,691 copies sold its debut month

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“Turbulence!”

About this Issue

Avengers vol. 3 #8 (September 1998) is the debut issue for two original characters introduced by Kurt Busiek and George Pérez: Silverclaw (Maria de Guadalupe Santiago), a Latina shapeshifter with divine parentage rooted in Costa Verde mythology, and Triathlon (Delroy Garrett Jr.), a disgraced Olympic athlete turned superhero whose Triune Understanding affiliation seeded one of the run's longest narrative threads. Both characters were part of a deliberate push for greater diversity on the team's roster during the celebrated Heroes Return era. The issue also plants the seeds for the Triune Understanding subplot — a slow-burn arc about institutional racism, religious manipulation, and public perception that would run for years — while delivering a tense, character-rich action story that perfectly encapsulates Busiek's tone for the entire run.

writer Kurt Busiek · artist George Pérez · inker Al Vey · colorist Tom Smith · letterer RS · letterer Comicraft/Dave Lanphear · cover George Pérez

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (NM) $3

CGC 9.8 $28

CGC 9.6 $20*

CGC 9.4 $20*

CGC 9.2 $20*

CGC 9.0 $20*

CGC 8.5 $20*

Show all 18 grades ▾

CGC 8.0 $20*

CGC 7.5 $20*

CGC 7.0 $20*

CGC 6.5 $20*

CGC 6.0 $20*

CGC 5.5 $20*

CGC 5.0 $20*

CGC 4.5 $20*

CGC 4.0 $20*

CGC 3.5 $20*

CGC 3.0 $20*

CGC 2.5 $20*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

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History

Avengers vol. 3 launched in February 1998 as part of Marvel's 'Heroes Return' initiative, which restored the core Avengers to the main Marvel Universe following the divisive Heroes Reborn event. Editor-in-chief Bob Harras challenged the Busiek-Pérez creative team to introduce brand-new characters, continuing an Avengers tradition of expanding the roster with original faces; Busiek's response was to debut both Silverclaw and Triathlon simultaneously in issue #8, keeping readers uncertain about which — if either — would join the team full-time. Busiek has noted that Silverclaw's concept grew from a desire to tie a new hero to Jarvis through a charitable sponsorship, while Triathlon's backstory drew on themes of steroid scandal, spiritual exploitation, and racial tension in a way that Busiek would develop critically over subsequent years.

Trivia · 8 facts

First full appearance of Silverclaw (Maria de Guadalupe 'Lupe' Santiago), created by Kurt Busiek and George Pérez — a shapeshifter who can transform into animals native to the fictional South American nation of Costa Verde, and daughter of the volcano goddess Peliali.
First full appearance of Triathlon (Delroy Garrett Jr.), also created by Busiek and Pérez — a disgraced Olympic sprinter gifted with triple-peak-human physical abilities by the Triune Understanding's leader, Jonathan Tremont, who secretly channeled powers derived from the original 3-D Man.
Written by Kurt Busiek with art by George Pérez; the issue is part of the acclaimed Busiek–Pérez run on Avengers vol. 3 (1998–2002), one of the defining creative partnerships of the Heroes Return era.
The story, titled 'Turbulence!', pits the Avengers against arms dealer Moses Magnum at a major airport terminal; Silverclaw is revealed to have been coerced into helping Magnum's forces, while Triathlon intervenes independently to help free the team.
The issue includes a subplot in which Wonder Man kisses the Scarlet Witch while the Vision watches — an emotionally charged moment that foreshadows ongoing tension in the Vision–Wanda relationship.
Features a gatefold cover by George Pérez summarizing story continuity, a recurring format device used throughout the Busiek–Pérez run.
The two-part 'Turbulence!' story was reprinted in 2001 in the trade paperback Avengers: Clear and Present Dangers (collecting issues #8–15).
Issue #8 is also included in the Avengers by Kurt Busiek & George Pérez Omnibus Vol. 1, which collects Avengers (1998) #0–23 alongside related tie-in issues.