Issue(s): Avengers #280
Cover Date: Jun 87
Title: "Faithful servant"
Credits:
Bob Harras - Writer
Bob Hall - Breakdowns
Kyle Baker - Finishes
Gregory Wright - Assistant Editor
Mark Gruenwald - Editor

Review/plot:
This is a nice fill-in that takes a Marvels style (before there was such a thing) look at Jarvis, after he gets the bad news that he's going to be 90% blind in one eye, require a cane for a long time, and possibly has brain damage thanks to Mr. Hyde's abuse. Tony Stark stops by for a visit, and to apologize for getting Jarvis involved in a career that put him in such danger. He reminds Jarvis that he can retire at any time with full salary and benefits.

Jarvis thinks through his history with the Avengers...

...struggles with the trauma of Hyde's torture...

...and ultimately decides not to resign.

It's a nice issue that lets us see various Avengers events through the eyes of their butler...

...and also takes the occasion to rationalize some of the behavior of the characters in those early issues, like the Wasp's early flirting...

...or Jarvis' own concerns about getting someone to pay for his mother's medical bills during the Ultron debut.

And also show some behind-the-scenes development, like Hawkeye now putting Cap on a pedestal after earlier giving him nothing but grief...

...and seeing Jarvis and Vision bonding.

Quality Rating: B+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Mr. Hyde tortured Jarvis in Avengers #275.
  
• Of the flashback scenes that depict specific events:
  • The first meeting of the Avengers at the Mansion, soon after Avengers #1 (and possibly concurrent with Avengers #1.5).
    
  • The trial and resignation of Henry Pym, circa Avengers #213.
    
  • The first line-up change in Avengers #16.
    
  • The formation of the West Coast Avengers in West Coast Avengers #1 (although the art shows the current look of the team).
    
  • The birth of the Vision and Scarlet Witch's twins in Vision and the Scarlet Witch #12.
    
  • Quicksilver's going mad and into exile after West Coast Avengers annual #1.
    
  • Ultron hypnotizing Jarvis and forcing him to betray the Avengers in Avengers #54-55.
    
  • The first appearance of the Vision in Avengers #57.
    
  • The arrival of Mantis and the Swordsman in Avengers #114 and the subsequent strife that Mantis' attraction to the Vision put on his relationship with the Scarlet Witch.
    
  • The Swordsman's death in Giant-Size Avengers #2.
    
  • Henry Gyrich's invasion of the Mansion and tying up Jarvis in Avengers #168.
    
  • Ringmaster and his Circus tying up Jarvis in Avengers #60.
    
  • Jarvis quitting in Iron Man #127 in protest of Tony Stark's drinking.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Note that Jarvis feels sympathy for Pietro and notes that the others BELIEVE Pietro to be a traitor,like they once believed the same of Jarvis- this is more evidence that the "Pietro was mind-controlled" retcon was Harras's idea.
The "Jarvis betrayed the team when he was mind-controlled" idea was first suggested in an issue of FOOM- I'm sure Mark Drummond could supply us with more details.
This issue is the start of the idea that Jarvis knew Tony since Tony was a kid. That's not clear from this issue alone but it's clarified in the Crossing. Several readers, including myself, had problems with that since Tony and Jarvis were never that close.

Excellent issue. A great fill-in that does what is necessary for Jarvis. Not an ideal issue for new readers since there is no action, but great for those who have been with the title for a while.

My FOOMs are currently filed away, but I believe that was addressed in the 2-part Jarvis interview(#8-9, if I recall correctly).

Sir Philip Sidney wasn't a poet; he busted up Spanish dirty book rings.

Again, I love the Kyle Baker inks... a nice contrast to the usual (top class!) art for this series at the time - along with a nice, much-needed (with regard to pacing) fill-in story.
I don't know much about Baker, but his inking always felt so different and sophisticated for comics at the time. (Maybe it was just me!)

Kyle Baker has had a few excellent comics, but from outside of Marvel.
He's a great artist, but can write a really fine story also.

You Are Here is his best work, in my opinion. I loved that graphic novel.
Why I Hate Saturn and I Die At Midnight were both fun too.

Thanks, ChrisKafka - I'll be looking out for those!

A great fill-in that was also rather poignant. A great quiet moment between the storyline of Under Siege and Assault on Olympus.

Baker's inks really classes up Hall's pencils here.

Harras also does some great character moments- one wonders if this wasn't what gave Busiek the idea for Marvels, as Fnord mentions.

That image of Hyde pummeling Jarvis was haunting. Think about how strong Hyde is, and consider that he didn't turn Jarvis into a pudding. It's possible that his ire was for Spider-Man and/or the Cobra, after the events of ASM #231-2.

Terrific fill-in and a reminder of Jarvis' importance to the team's ongoing story.