Avengers #172: Review

Jun 1978

Jim Shooter, Klaus Janson

Story Name:

Holocaust in New York Harbor!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Avengers #172 Review by Peter Silvestro (March 20, 2010)

Tyrak’s previous encounter with Earth’s mightiest heroes was in AVENGERS #156. Beast leaves to take part in MARVEL TEAM-UP #69 and Thor for MTU #70.

Avengers #172 Review by Rob Johnson (November 3, 2014)

Black Panther has just finished the #1-13 of his 1st own-named series (the Jack Kirby run finished off by Jim Shooter in #13), and is in New York to investigate a rash of kidnappings of successful black men, which he will do in MTIO#40-41 (with a guest app by Yellowjacket in #40) before joining the Avengers. Tyrak will go away for a long time, until another 1-off appearance in #277 after Under Siege.

Marvel Team-Up #69 tells us that Beast gets a phone call from Polaris to say that Havok has been kidnapped and there's no answer from the X-Mansion. So he takes an illegal quinjet to Westchester where he gets involved with his old gang the X-Men through Uncanny XM #111-114. He doesn't return to this series until #178, after the Korvac Saga is over, preceded by group apps in Thor #271 and Av An#8. Meanwhile Havok is with Spider-Man in MTU#69 fighting the Living Pharoah/Living Monolith, joined by Thor for #70. Thor *will* get back half-way through next issue, but he'll have time to also take in his own An#6 and #267-268. Note that in the Annual he goes to the future and meets the Guardians of the Galaxy and Korvac, which leads to the Saga we're involved in now. The OI's choice to put the Annual here is problematic. It was actually published just before the start of the Saga in #167, so Thor meets GotG for the 1st time in the Annual, and remembers them when they turn up in #165. In 1 respect it's OK moving the Annual later because Thor doesn't remember his 'visit' in #165-168 (and no-ones had time to mention GotG since #170), so he will *think* he's meeting GotG for the 1st time in the Annual. However of course this *doesn't* explain why in #167 he remembered the events of the Annual.

After Gyrich has banned their use of advanced communications, Scarlet Witch naughtily answers a call from Crystal of the Inhumans to tell them that Quicksilver (Wanda's brother and Crystal's husband) disappeared in #171. Wasp and Yellowjacket obey the ban and use ordinary telephones to contact other Avengers. Wonder Man mentions the jets on either side of his belt for the 1st time. He was seen flying with them last issue, and also used them on his previous costume in #162. They will become a regular feature of his safari jacket outfit. Wasp and YJ's contacts are all off-screen except for Black Panther. They also contact Hercules (who'll bring Black Widow with him next issue). And in fact Captain Marvel contacts *them* - his cosmic awareness alerted him to the problem. On the way here he'll run across Carol Danvers for the 1st time as Ms Marvel, in her next issue #19. The villain behind the disappearances is the Collector, and the last panel shows he's also collected Moondragon, who was last seen with CM in Av Annual #7/Marvel Two-In-One An#2.

With George Perez gone, Sal Buscema takes over as penciller for this issue and next. And Klaus Janson punch hits for inker Pablo Marcos just for this issue. This is Jim Shooter's last issue as writer - he'll do the plotting from next issue. It's also the last of his very brief stint as editor - because he'll be editor-in-chief of Marvel next time. Hawkeye's here for help solving the disappearance of Two-Gun Kid in #168, and he's back to stay. (This issue repeats from the end of last issue the Avengers noticing that Captain America and Jocasta have similarly disappeared.) Gyrich is extra-angry 'cos Clint leaves the front door open. The Avengers fought Ultron and a robot nun in a convent last issue. They leave the real nuns to dispose of the remains of Ultron. Which they probably do successfully, because that's not how the villain returns. The Official Index lists Ultron as behind the scenes here. This may be because of his body, but is more likely to be because the robot has left Iron Man with a subliminal suggestion to rebuild him, which he'll do in #201-202, and maybe starts doing here when he insists on working alone.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Avengers #172 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Hawkeye arrives to find Avengers Mansion empty. While he is inside, an angry Henry Peter Gyrich also arrives, disgusted at the lack of security shown by the heroes. When the Avengers return from their confrontation with Ultron, they discover Hawkeye has captured and bound Gyrich. They free the enraged Federal Agent, who reacts by revoking the team’s priority status, which prevents them from using their aircraft, communicators and other necessary factors in their mission against evil. At this point, Jarvis rushes in to report that Tyrak is attacking the harbor. Iron Man issues orders: Wasp and Yellowjacket are to contact all former Avengers to warn them of the disappearances. Beast and Thor are to remain at the Mansion on standby. Vision, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye and Wonder Man, with Ms. Marvel are sent to the harbor to stop Tyrak. Arriving at the harbor, they find the undersea villain on a rampage, hoping to redeem himself from the disgrace of his former defeat at the hands of the Avengers by destroying the team now. None of the heroes are able to overcome their superpowered foe with their special abilities, Wonder Man’s and Ms. Marvel’s strength, Hawkeye’s arrows, Vision’s density, Scarlet Witch’s spells—all fail. Finally, Vision uses his heat beams to dehydrate Tyrak, though to ensure he doesn’t die, Wonder Man hurls him back into the ocean. Ms. Marvel takes her leave, and, as the others head back to base, Vision suddenly vanishes like the earlier heroes. At Avengers Mansion Hank and Jan have managed to contact former members Black Panther, Whizzer and Captain Marvel, and they are on their way. Meanwhile, their mysterious is enemy is watching them…and gloating.