West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #13
The Unified Field Theory
Graviton has defeated the West Coast Avengers with the help of his allies Half-Life and Quantum. From his new floating fortress, he gloats over how his power over gravity and the others — who all represent the particular forces in the universe — that led to this defeat. Graviton reflects back on how he used to simply be Frank Hall, a scientist trying to unlock the secrets to teleportation. An accident caused him to be teleported into the middle of an anti-gravity experiment, giving him his powers. Discovering he could now control gravity, Hall reinvented himself as Graviton. He then used his power to take over the science facility he worked at and fought the east coast Avengers to the standstill. This was all to impress a woman who rejected his love, but he discovered that she wasn’t worth his time after she committed suicide rather than be with him, leading to his defeat.[1]
Following his last defeat at the hands of the West Coast Avengers, he vowed to get revenge.[2] He also developed an unhealthy obsession with Tigra and decided to make her his love slave. To do this, Graviton began investigating the unified field theory and called out to those who also commanded control over the forces of nature. His call was answered by the alien Quantum, Half-Life, and the electrical monster known as Zzzax. Although the Avengers seemingly destroyed Zzzax, Graviton is confident that he and his allies don’t need him.[3] Although Tigra tries to resist Graviton’s affections, when he tries to kiss her, the cat-woman discovers that she can’t help herself.[4] With his victory in hand, Graviton continues pinning down his prisoners and leaves to discuss future plans with Half-Life and Quantum.
Imprisoned in an energy cage, Hawkeye and Mockingbird are the only two Avengers that can freely move. Bobbi tries to use her radio device to call the east coast team for help. Unfortunately, Graviton is able to detect and intercept the transmission and prevent it from reaching its destination.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Hank Pym goes to an occult bookstore to find out if there is a connection between it and the Avengers new foe, Master Pandemonium. The owner denies knowing anything about the sorcerer or the ancient mystical tome called the Darkhold.[5] Seeing that he is getting nowhere, Pym decides to let the Avengers handle it since he doesn’t get involved in the rough stuff anymore.[6] As soon as Pym is gone, a demonic woman emerges from the cellar and fears that Pym might actually be sent by her master, who is searching for her.[7]
Back at his floating headquarters, Graviton reveals that he has been spying on Tigra for a long time and knows how she has been asked to kill Master Pandemonium in exchange for getting her humanity back.[8] However, she continues to resist his advances and tries to jump out the window by a wall of gravity prevents her from doing so. When she instead tries to attack him, she is then pinned to the ground by an increase of the localized gravity. Graviton is certain that he can force Tigra to change and love him and leaves her to stew over her situation.
Tigra is disgusted with herself when she discovers that this is all turning her own. Growing fed up with the constant conflict between her two souls she taps the mystical amulet to change back to her human form of Greer Grant. She is relieved to discover that by doing so has allowed her human soul to become more dominant. When one of Graviton’s guards comes to check on Tigra, he doesn’t recognize the human woman inside the gravity field and enters it to find out who she is. Greer learns that he is able to move freely through the field thanks to a device built into his suit. She attacks the guard and steals his uniform so she can get free.
With this disguise, Greer then finds Half-Life and Quantum individually and convinces them that the other is plotting against them. This causes a fight between the pair, drawing out Graviton who tries to break things up. This gives Greer time to ambush the other guards and steal their anti-gravity devices and help free the other Avengers. Suddenly, the powers of Graviton, Half-Life, and Quantum combine causing their base to begin flying uncontrollably into space. Half-Life and Quantum are sent flying and the Avengers scramble to gather up all the guards and abandon the floating island before they leave Earth’s atmosphere and suffocate. However, when Wonder Man tries to grab Graviton and save him as well, the madman refuses to leave.[9]
After Graviton’s men are turned over to the police, Hawkeye thanks Tigra for her help. She gets upset and insists that — while in human form — they refer to her by her real name. When Mockingbird asks if this is the end of Tigra, Greer admits that she will have to change back to her cat-woman form if she wants to be an effective Avenger but will have to remain vigilant to keep her risky feline behavior in check.
While back at Avengers Compound, Hank Pym is packing up equipment for the upcoming baseball game between both Avengers teams in Kansas City, little knowing that he is being observed by the demon that followed him back from the book store.
This story continues in Avengers Annual #15…
Recurring Characters
West Coast Avengers (Hawkeye, Mockingbird, Iron Man, Wonder Man, Tigra), Hank Pym, Graviton, Halflife, Quantum, Allatou
Continuity Notes
This is a very jaundiced view of the events of Avengers #158-159. The woman in question was Judy Parks. What Graviton neglects to mention was that Judy was saved before she fell to her death or that he continued to pursue her in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #4 and Thor #324. He only stopped chasing after Judy when he discovered that she was pregnant.
Graviton got his ass handed to him by the west coast team in West Coast Avengers #2-4.
Zzzax was defeated last issue by Hawkeye using the same method he used against the monster back in Incredible Hulk #166. Although seemingly destroyed, the monster will return in Incredible Hulk #325-327.
This is because Tigra has been struggling with her dual personalities since West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #1. She discovered last issue that she can’t help herself when a man makes a romantic advance to her.
Pym has been investigating Master Pandimonium since issue #11. He is investigating this occult book store after Firebird visited it back in issue #5.
After a fall from grace that started in Avengers #213 when he struck his then-wife the Wasp, Hank Pym ultimately decided to retire from costumed heroics in issue #230 of that series.
Although she is not identified by name here, this demon is named Allatou and was first seen back in Marvel Spotlight #18.
Tigra was asked to kill Master Pandemonium back in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #6.
As you can probably guess, this is not the end of any of these villains. Graviton is seen again in Fantastic Four #322, while Quantum and Half-Life will appear in Quasar #4 and 10 respectively.
