Avengers #175: Review

Sep 1978

David Michelinie, Dave Wenzel

Story Name:

The End...And the Beginning!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Avengers #175 Review by Peter Silvestro (March 20, 2010)

Thor’s Odin-Quest took place in THOR #225-263.

Avengers #175 Review by Rob Johnson (November 11, 2014)

We already knew that Carina was Collector's daughter, but we see her story played out here for the 1st time. Korvac escaped from the Guardians of the Galaxy in the future in Thor Annual #6, but now we learn what happened to him next. He went back through time, found Galactus' base and gained godlike powers as told here, and then as Michael met Carina in earlier issues. Ms Marvel rejoins the assembled Avengers and friends here. She, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, Jocasta and Moondragon will use their various special senses to hunt for the Enemy. And they will be joined in that by Starhawk (and Yellowjacket's ants).

Thor's forgotten fights against Ultron (#162) and Count Nefaria (#165-166) are mentioned, but (as Wonder Man commented last issue) Graviton (#159-160) also counts as 1 of the times Thor mysteriously appeared (while he was in space on the Odin Quest) and now has no memory of. He also hung around after #166 until just before #170 when he returned from space under his own steam. Iron Man reports that Collector's records say he used his time (and space) machine to transport Thor to Earth at these times to ensure that the Avengers survived long enough for him to collect them. And he erased Thor's memory each time he took him back (so as not to confuse him). Two-Gun Kid's adventures in this time are considered to occur after those in his earlier Western titles. So what happens to him next is related in modern Marvel stories, mainly tales of modern heroes travelling back to his time or new stories of Western characters. The 1st such will be West Coast Avengers #18-23 where that team travels back in time. But he'll also come back to the present time in the She-Hulk (2005) series. But he will eventually return to his own time, to die at the beginning of the Marvels Project limited series.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Avengers #175 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

The Avengers stand stunned in the wake of the sudden disintegration of the Collector. They search the craft and discover a time machine. Consulting the playback tapes, they solve one mystery: while Thor was absent on his Odin Quest, the Collector periodically brought him back to aid the Avengers, wiping his mind after each adventure, thus explaining the gaps in the Thunder God’s memory. The Two-Gun Kid asks to be returned to his own time and the Avengers comply. Vision discovers the Collector’s teleporter and they all go home—with some difficulty, as Wonder Man materializes in front of a moving bus, Scarlet Witch in mid-air, etc. Back in Forest Hills, Michael and Carina make love, opening up their minds and bodies to one another. Michael sees Carina being sent by her father the Collector to spy on him but falling in love with him and betraying her father. Carina in turn learns about Michael: he is Korvac the Machine Man, sentient computer from the future, who, fleeing the Guardians of the Galaxy, came upon Galactus’ deserted space station. Attempting to absorb the data in Galactus’ computer he gained the Power Cosmic and was transformed into a godlike being, determined to take control of the universe and remake it into something perfect. Returning to the Mansion, the Avengers try to plot their next move to find the identity of their unknown enemy but nearly dissolve into bickering. With Gyrich having removed their databanks, Iron Man turns to the Guardians for help in identifying their unknown enemy. Starhawk is sent to their aid, unaware that his memory of Michael/Korvac has been erased. Michael watches all this, thinking it a pity if he would have to destroy the Avengers.