Issue(s): Avengers #163
Cover Date: Sep 77
Title: "The demi-god must die!"
Credits:
Jim Shooter - Writer
George Tuska - Penciler
Pablo Marcos - Inker

Review/plot:
Iron Man has summoned Hercules to New York, and the Black Widow and Iceman accompany him. As soon as they arrive, however, Iron Man attacks.

It turns out that Hercules' old foe Typhon returned, captured the Beast (who once again is feeling like a second stringer), and forced Iron Man to attack Hercules to soften him up so that Typhon can finish him off.

Eventually the Champions figure out what's going on, and the Beast escapes, and it's just a big fight against the titan. It was nice to see Beast and Iceman meet up again.

Once Typhon realizes he's not going to win, he teleports off. Basically this book was just a big fight scene. Possibly a fill-in issue since it's by George Tuska, although Shooter does keep the character development of the Beast going. Typhon is depicted as a bully who is a little scared to face Hercules again after his defeat last time, which is an interesting twist.

Not sure what made me think it, but this issue would have looked a lot nicer drawn by John Buscema. I guess because that's who drew Typhon's previous appearance.

Before Typhon attacks, Iron Man tells the Beast that he heard from the Wasp today and she said that the treatments that Iron Man devised to help restore Henry Pym's memories (after Ultron wiped them out) are working.

This issue is clearly a fill-in for Perez. It was apparently an inventory story that Shooter worked into currently continuity with a few lines of dialogue. As the issue #167 letters page says, it could have just as easily fit in an issue of Iron Man or the Champions (and the printed letters are unhappy with it). It probably was never intended to come so quickly on the heels of the Champion's guest appearance in the Iron Man annual. Pym's off-panel mental recovery and the physical recovery of the other Avengers after the recent fight with Ultron are by-products of that. Despite all that, there's nothing really wrong with this issue.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The Champions appear here in between Champions #15-16, and after their appearance in Iron Man annual #4 (same with Iron Man). There is enough time between the Iron Man annual and this issue for IM to return to the East Coast, work in the lab with the Beast, get approached by Typhon, and call the Champions.

References:

• Iron Man fought alongside the Champions in Iron Man annual #4.
  
• Per a footnote, Typhon previously fought Hercules in Avengers #50, but as Matthew notes in the comments, Typhon and Herc subsequently appeared in Marvel Premiere #26.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Actually, it was Tuska himself who drew Typhon's previous appearance, which was in MARVEL PREMIERE #26, a fact that Archie's careless footnote overlooks as well.

I've made a note in the References. Thanks Matthew.

I had the exact thoughts about Buscema.