Issue(s): Power Man & Iron Fist #81, Power Man & Iron Fist #82
Cover Date: May-Jul 82
Title: "The road to Halwan" / "Secret of the Black Tiger"
Credits:
Mary Jo Duffy - Writer
Denys Cowan - Penciler
Ricardo Villamonte / Carl Potts - Inker
Denny O'Neil - Editor

Review/plot:
Abe Brown, of the late Sons of the Tiger, hires Power Man and Iron Fist to help with a problem. It seems that the country of Halwan is trying to extradite him for crimes that Brown can't remember committing. Luke and Danny head to Halwan with Jeryn, where they wind up mixed up with the underground resistance and fleeing arrest from the royal guard.

They run into Boris and Ninotchka, currently working with Halwan as part of an overture with the Soviets, as well.

In the end Jeryn negotiates a peace treaty between Halwan and its neighbors the Murtakesh, who have been funding the rebellion.

It's meant to be a happy ending, i guess, but since the Halwan government was shown to be corrupt and abusive...

...it's a bit odd that seeing the resistance fail is considered a victory.

As for Abe Brown, it turns out that he was indeed guilty of the actions that Halwan accused him of. After the Sons of the Tiger broke up, he traveled to Halwan and became the leader of the resistance known as the Black Tiger. When his skull was grazed by a bullet in a battle, he lost his memory. His former lover Brillalae took up the mantle of the Black Tiger after he left.

The quality of this book seems to have decreased a bit. The dialogue's always been a bit stiff but these issues are a little worse, and the overall plot is a bit confused as well. The art isn't exactly great either (but not terrible).

Issue #82 looks a bit better than #81, so the art problems may be due to the inker.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Luke Cage is still mad at Jeryn for getting them involved in the case from Daredevil #178-181.
  
• Iron Fist has some history with Halwan's Princess Azir, having saved her life twice in Marvel Premiere #24 and Power Man & Iron Fist #60.
  
• Boris and Ninotchka previously appeared in Power Man & Iron Fist #77.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

bad artwork and Jo duffy running out of ideas. she was great up to #75 but after...