Avengers #262: Review

Dec 1985

Roger Stern, Tom Palmer

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Story Name:

Many Brave Hearts…

Review & Comments

Rating:

Avengers #262 Review by T Vernon (August 11, 2023)

Comments: Title comes from an 1897 song, “Asleep in the Deep,” which is where the many brave hearts i.e. drowned mariners, now rest. Namor abdicated his throne in Atlantis in the PRINCE NAMOR THE SUB-MARINER limited series (1984). Cap initiated his hotline in CAPTAIN AMERICA #312. The Enclave, creators of Him (Adam Warlock) were introduced in FANTASTIC FOUR #66-67. The letters page includes one by future comics writer Kirk Chritton.

Review: Odd issue features a bunch of Avengers at loose ends, without a place to put their Quinjets, and forced to read bales of fan mail to try to find a parking space, as it were. And then a group of villains is introduced, complete with reminder of who they are, and not a hint that their presence is largely irrelevant to this and the next issue. So then we see the Hydrobase, Subby and Herc throw punches, and Subby, not usually a good team player (not even with the Invaders, definitely not with the Defenders), is offered a spot on the Avengers, replacing Starfox. I can’t see this working out and apparently, neither can Namor. He quits the team in issue #272 then returns in #282. But he’s here for now and we’ll see what happens.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Avengers #262 Synopsis by T Vernon

Stingray (Walter Newell) and his wife Diane Arliss are cruising in the Atlantic when Walt spies an article in the Daily Bugle that the Avengers have been forbidden by the FAA to land their Quinjets in New York City. He sees an opportunity….

At Avengers Mansion, Wasp points out to Captain America an article in the Bugle suggesting that Cap is leaving the Avengers; Cap says writer Jake Conover misunderstood his starting a hotline to contact him (Cap) more quickly. Hercules offers to teach Conover a lesson but Jan turns him down. They check on Black Knight and Captain Marvel who are working on a means of tracking the Beyonder by his cosmic emission but it isn’t working. Monica wonders if she should reveal her identity to her teammates, who all know each other’s real names. Jarvis enters, carrying a huge basket of mail which he states is about a tenth of what they have received; it is offers from around the world of a new site for the Avengers to relocate to….

Two days later, the heroes have been saddened by the mail, mostly from depressed cities hoping that having the Avengers quartered there will be an economic benefit. Then Wasp sees the letter from the Newells….

Maris Morlak is sitting in prison when his former partner, Carlo Zota, steps through the wall and takes him back through it via the transfer grid set up by Wladyslav Shinski, just seconds before it burns out. The three members of the Enclave are reunited and they rehearse their history for the benefit of the readers who came in late. Shinski shows off his latest breakthrough, opening a crate that is glowing inside….

The Avengers take the Quinjet to Hydrobase where they meet Walter and Diane Newell. Hydrobase is an artificial island created for Walt’s oceanographic research but with the loss of some grants, he needs another source of income so he’s willing to lease part of the base to the Avengers for their Quinjets. Namor the Sub-Mariner arrives and Wasp warns him not to cause trouble. Namor explains that he is visiting his friends the Newells and departs. The Newells explain that Namor has been forced to abdicate his throne and he has not gotten over his sorrow. The Newells give the Avengers a tour of Hydrobase but Hercules lags behind, eventually tracking down Namor and starting a fight. The battle shakes the entire Hydrobase and brings the Avengers. The team separates the combatants and Hercules confesses that he started the fight to show Namor he was still worthy of battle. Namor finds this hilarious and everything settles. Later, at a clambake, Wasp and Black Knight try to work out a way of transporting Avengers from the Mansion to Hydrobase. Cap and Namor head off alone and Cap offers him a place in the Avengers; Namor is reluctant as World War 2 was a long time ago and many people have stronger memories of his attacks on the surface world. Cap reminds Namor of the time he broke up an Eskimo worship service and tossed their frozen idol into the sea; he then reveals that he was the man in the block of ice and he owes his life to Namor. So Subby agrees to be considered for membership….

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