Issue(s): Giant-Size Defenders #4
Cover Date: Apr 75
Title: "Too cold a night for dying! / Flight of the Yellowjacket! / Hearts in darkness!"
Credits:
Steve Gerber - Writer
Don Heck - Penciler
Vincent Colletta - Inker

Review/plot:
Kyle Richmond is on a date with Trish Starr when their car explodes. Dr. Strange helps save Kyle's life by directing the surgery, at the request of the surgeon.

Due to the stress of the surgery, Strange accidentally summons the Hulk to the hospital (and the Hulk brings Val along).

The Defenders try to deduce who would have set the car bomb by figuring out who has it out for Kyle, and they come up with the Squadron Sinister. They go to hunt them down even though they are supposed to be dead (and it's worth noting that in Giant-Size Defenders #3, it's implied that the Grandmaster had initially tried recruiting the Squadron Sinister for his contest but couldn't because they were dead).

But Henry Pym, watching on TV, assumes that the bomber would actually be Trish's uncle, Egghead. He leaves the Wasp behind and dusts off his old Yellowjacket outfit.

He hunts down Egghead and beats a confession out of him, and then beats him some more.

Then he heads to the hospital to see Trish to find that her arm had to be amputated. He talks to Kyle and Kyle tells him to go and stop the Defenders. But the Defenders have already been captured by the Squadron Sinister, who are indeed still alive and just back on Earth after some time away with Nebulon, who's gone back to his home planet. Yellowjacket frees the Defenders and they're able to defeat the Squadron. During the fight, the Hulk claps his hands together, creating a sonic wave so powerful that it knocks out Hyperion and shatters Doctor Spectrum's power prism.

Later, Trish decides to head out on her own. She can't continue her relationship with Kyle because she can't deal with the pity she senses (or imagines she senses) from him.

It's mentioned in the lettercol that Namor, despite the cancellation of his series, will soon be starring in two new books. The lettercol just says to watch for ads and future Bullpen Bulletins for the details, but a reprint of a Golden Age Sub-Mariner story in this issue ruins the surprise by directing readers to the two new series: the Invaders and Super-Villain Team-Up.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - Trish Starr loses an arm

Chronological Placement Considerations: Takes place between Defenders #21-22. Hulk #184-193 take place before Giant-Size #3-4.

References:

• Pym met Trish Starr in Marvel Feature #5.
  
• It's been "four years" since Henry Pym wore his Yellowjacket costume, in Avengers #74.
  
• The Squadron Sinister was presumed dead as of Defenders #14.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

The 2nd part's title refers to the old 1950s tune "Flight of the Bumblebee".

One of the great Hank Pym moments there. Gerber may have had problems on Daredevil and MTIO, but his Defenders run is first-class almost from the start.

Pym's confrontation with Egghead is powerfully handled. Great dialogue (the third panel is especially fine), and the Don Heck/Vince Colletta art doesn't disappoint.

I don't always love Gerber, but his Defenders is top class stuff. (As is his Foolkiller series, in a totally different way.) I was stunned reading this and seeing Trish losing her arm, it seemed to be a level of grit and realism that just didn't happen in superhero comics (and that still didn't usually happen when comics in general started trying to be a bad version of gritty well over a decade later).

The footnote about Pym last wearing the Yellowjacket suit in Avengers #74 is incorrect. He wore that costume in #90 and what was left of it in #91. I always assumed the costume being destroyed, as much as wanting to answer the call for the "original Avengers," is why he showed up as Ant-Man in #93.

I'm guessing the editor just forgot about that quick Yellowjacket appearance prior to Ant-Man making his crazy and memorable trip through the Vision's innards.