Appearing in "When Giants Walk the Earth!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- ⏴ Avengers West Coast ⏵
- ⏴ Hawkeye (Clint Barton) (Main story and recap)
- ⏴ Mockingbird (Bobbi Barton)
- ⏴ Tigra (Greer Nelson)
- ⏴ Wonder Man (Simon Williams)
- ⏴ Morley Erwin ⏵
- ⏴ Tony Stark ⏵
- ⏴ Vision ⏵
Antagonists:
- Goliath (Erik Josten) (Main story and flashback)
- Karl Malus (Main story and flashback)
Other Characters:
- U.S. Coast Guard
- LAPD
- LAFD
- oil rig workers
- driver that hits Erik Josten
- Woody Allen (Topical Reference)
- Thor (Mentioned)
- Red Skull (Johann Schmidt) (Mentioned)
- Fly (Richard Deacon) (Mentioned)
- Beast (Hank McCoy) (Mentioned)
- Baron Zemo (Only in recap)
- Count Nefaria (Only in recap)
- Daddy Long Legs (Ramsey Kole) (Only in recap)
- Enchantress (Only in recap)
- Power Man (Luke Cage) (Only in recap)
- Mandarin (Only in recap)
- Spider-Man (Peter Parker) (Only in recap)
- Lethal Legion (Only in recap)
- Grim Reaper (Eric Williams) (Only in recap)
- Living Laser (Arthur Parks) (Only in recap)
- Swordsman (Jacques DuQuesne) (Only in recap)
- Avengers (Only in recap)
- Captain America (Steve Rogers) (Only in recap)
- Iron Man (Tony Stark) (Only in recap)
- Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff) (Only in recap)
- Yellowjacket/Goliath (Henry Pym) (Only in recap)
Locations:
- Sol
- Earth
- Pacific Ocean
- Off-shore oil rig
- North America
- United States
- California
- New York (Only in flashback)
- New York City (Only in flashback)
- Ryker's Island (Only in flashback)
- New York City (Only in flashback)
- United States
- Asia (Mentioned)
- Sri Lanka (Mentioned)
- South America (Only in flashback)
- Pacific Ocean
- Earth
Items:
- Iron Man Armor MK V
- Hawkeye's Bow
- Pym Particles
- Captain America's Shield (Only in recap)
- Captain America's Uniform (Only in recap)
- Iron Man Armor MK III (Only in recap)
- Spider-Man's Suit (Only in recap)
- Yellowjacket's Suit (Only in recap)
- Grim Reaper's Scythe (Only in recap)
- Swordsman's Sword (Only in recap)
- Global Radar Module (First appearance)
Vehicles:
- Hawkeye's Sky-Cycle
- U.S. Coast Guard helicopters
- U.S. Coast Guard cutters
Synopsis for "When Giants Walk the Earth!"
Jim Rhodes spends some time with his new teammates the West Coast Avengers. He is bothered however by the fact that his colleagues think that he is the original Iron Man. After helping to install a heavy scanner, Iron Man flies back to Circuits Maximus. He gets into an argument with Tony Stark, then flies off to rescue some workers from an oil rig platform that is collapsing into the ocean.
Elsewhere, down-and-out small-time criminal Erik Josten seeks out the Power Broker, Karl Malus. He wants Malus to give him better super-powers so he can make it in the big leagues. In exchange for his services, Josten agrees to work as Malus' hired muscle. Malus performs the experiment, transforming Josten into the size-changing Goliath. Josten reneges on his vow however, and destroys the laboratory.
Goliath then begins terrorizing the streets of Los Angeles. Iron Man arrives and begins fighting him, but he underestimates Josten's newfound powers. He laughs at Iron Man's feeble attempts to bring him down with repulsor blasts, and hurls him far away from the city. Frustrated, Iron Man returns to the West Coast Avengers compound to marshal a new strategy.
The West Coat Avengers want to help him tackle Goliath, but Iron Man wants to go it alone. They convince him to let them help out, and they fly out to face Goliath once again. The Avengers use sound bound strategies and teamwork to keep Goliath off his feet. Iron Man amplifies the ultrasonics in his armor and eventually defeats Goliath. Unconscious, Goliath reduces in size to a mere twenty-feet tall (which is still several times larger than his normal size).
Notes
- The events from this issue take place between Iron Man #186-187.
- The West Coast Avengers appear next in West Coast Avengers #2.
- Takes place during the events of the first West Coast Avengers series.
- First Erik Josten as Goliath.
- Includes a comprehensive series of flashbacks detailing the career of Erik Josten. Erik Josten's first transformation into Power Man took place in Avengers #21-22. His second battle with the Avengers took place in Avengers #78-79. He fought Luke Cage for the right to call himself Power Man in Power Man #21. He first encountered Spider-Man in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #49-50.
- Includes a flashback of Daddy Long Legs from Spider-Woman #47.
- Also includes flashbacks from Avengers Annual #1, Tales of Suspense #88, Avengers #64 and Spider-Woman #30-31.
Trivia
- This issue contains a letters page "Printed Circuits". This contains a Special Announcement Section from editor Mark Gruenwald who details previous appearances of Erik Josten.