The Strong Persuaders: Chronology

Created by Jeff Messina
1. "Meet the Cure!"
In a New York that is exploding with gang violence, a band of vigilantes forms. Peacemaker, Vengeance, Striker, and Manhunter join forces as the Strong Persuaders and adopt the gangs' tactics. They stop a huge shipment of guns at dockside. Peacemaker kills Blowtorch I. Manhunter loses his skycycle and Striker gets pounded by Black Orchid.
2. "The Homicide Squad"
The team battles the super-powered assassins of the same name, employed by the gang to enforce their will. Lots of gunfire, and machismo, but the Persuaders triumph.
3. "King of New York"
The crimelord Petro resurfaces after his apparent death at the hands of the Outsiders. Persuaders kill Firefrost and Slasher.
4 - 5. "New Kid on the Block"
Maverick joins the Persuaders. Together they shut down El Jaguar's gang.
6 - 7. "Road to Rio"
The Persuaders track El Jaguar's influence back to Rio de Janeiro. They encounter Piranha, the Machete, Riplash and the Smuggler. Our gang of macho heroes battle in the streets of Rio, killing Riplash and El Jaguar himself. Manhunter is captured and the team escapes into the jungle.
8. "Escape to New York"
The team makes its way back to New York, battling the whole way by land, sea, and air. Maverick reveals that she is actually Jiill Thorn, Petro's daughter, who has spent her life trying to defeat her father. (She keeps the name Maverick to keep Shadow and Gunslinger out of her life.)
9 - 10. "Hi, Remember Us?"
The Outsiders, who everybody thought were disbanded, join with the Persuaders to fight remnants of the Secret Swords, led by Tarantula. The ninjas have been hired by Petro to crush resistance to his return to leadership of the underworld.
Annual #1. "Hunter Becomes the Hunted"
In a story told with no dialogue, Manhunter effects his escape solo from the South American prison and returns to New York.
11 - 12. "Chances Are..."
The team gets into a huge brawl with Petro's goons: Panther, Constrictor, Vendetta and the Silencer. Peacemaker seriously wounds Panther, Striker kills Constrictor with his own electrical cable, and Manhunter knocks Vendetta out an 80th story window. This battle seriously impairs Petro's operation and he retreats out of town.
13. "Call In the Secret Weapon!"
Phase II is called in to deal with the Persuaders and they assign Rebel to bring them in. With Kodiak's help he confronts them and they fight. Striker confronts his reason for becoming Striker-that Kodiak slew his brother. Rebel takes down the rest of the team, but the Persuaders make their escape by creating a diversion-Striker blows up a school bus! Peacemaker has a falling out with Striker over his terrorist tactics and Striker quits.
14 - 15. "The Asp"
The Asp, a former assassin, joins the team when they work together to stop the Jihad, a Middle Eastern terrorist organization who are even more antisocial than the Strong Persuaders. They discover the Jihad is financed by none other than El Jaguar!
16 - 18. "Downfall"
The team travels back to Rio when they hear that El Jaguar is still alive. They scout the area and learn that the original is truly dead, but his son has taken over the South American underworld. Manhunter begins acting strangely, as if he is under some compulsion. El Jaguar blows up the villa the team is staying in. They survive, and make their way to El Jaguar's stronghold. After a hail of gunfire they confront the new El Jaguar. Manhunter follows a hypnotic suggestion implanted in him in issue #5 and attacks the Asp when they are alone. When Vengeance arrives on the scene, Manhunter sets him up to kill him, but before he can the Asp shoots Manhunter, possibly killing him. Vengeance, unaware of Manhunter's betrayal, attacks the Asp. Striker reappears to rescue his teammates and stops Vengeance from killing her. Peacemaker duels with El Jaguar, a skilled martial artist. Maverick plants explosives around the stronghold, and as Striker reveals what he's learned, the place goes up! The entire Cliffside collapses into the sea. Only Striker, Maverick and Vengeance make it out of the rubble. The three return to America to pursue their destinies. The fate of the others is still unknown.
Category:Histories