Writer: Kurt Busiek
The Thunderbolts are in Cimarron County a few miles north of Griggs Oklahoma in civilian clothing going to attend an anti-government rally held by the Imperial Forces of America to do some undercover work.
While Hawkeye gets into a scuffle with some of the people at the rally we find out what happened after last issue's ending. After the scene with songbird walking in on a naked Moonstone in front of Hawkeye, he calls a meeting about what to do about the captured Charcoal that Songbird came to tell Moonstone and him about. After a comment by Jolt if that was lipstick on Hawkeye's face, he decides that the Thunderbolts will attend an anti-government rally held by the Imperial Forces of America.
Hawkeye's scuffle with few people in the crowd leads the Imperial Forces to round everyone up for Health inspections. Songbird questions Moonstone about using sex to get Hawkeye under her thumb during this time, and songbird is not pleased with Moonstone's answer of what was it that was really bothering her? That Moonstone might be seducing Hawkeye or that it didn't work for Songbird. Songbird is not at all pleased with the response as they go through their health inspections which is really only a cover for the imperial forces to categorize everyone at the rally into group according to there bio-scans taken of their DNA.
Through the scans the Imperial forces discover the Thunderbolts and report the information to William Taurey. He recites a past battle with captain America and The Falcon and his plan to use the "Mad Bomb" and that his plan ultimately failed.
Everyone at the rally including the Thunderbolts boards a ship to be taken to their new homes, while Citizen V hitches a ride on the ship. Citizen V is pursuing the fugitive Crimson Cowl this is where the trail led although this recruitment at the rally is not the cowl's doing. Citizen V just wants to find out what's wrong with the recruitment.
 | The Thunderbolts arrive along with everyone else at Cornwallis base where they will now all live until necessary changes have been made to how the country is run. The Thunderbolts are taken aside and shown Cornwallis base by Cheer Chadwick part of the Elite the runs the place. The Thunderbolts are shown the living quarters, where the Imperial Forces soldiers are trained, genetics labs and where experiments are carried out.
Finally the Thunderbolts arrive to where Charcoal is being held and are shown the sonic barrage that keeps shattering him while he screams. The Thunderbolts having enough get into costume ready to free Charcoal only to learn they have been lead here for a reason as a group of genetic successes in the experiments carried out at the base called the Brute force are ready to subdue the Thunderbolts. |
The Thunderbolts fight the Brute force, and Jolt frees Charcoal from his containment area. The Thunderbolts on the offensive are all knocked unconscious by a large laser type device that fires from the ceiling. A door opens and three people walk out of it to gloat. They are the Royalist Forces of America who want to reinstall the Aristocracy and have the Elite as the true ruling power over those unworthy of governing.
"No, the new Secret Empire will settle for nothing less than the entire world!"
Comments: After last issue I guess there had to be some sort of downturn in the title eventually. This was an enjoyable issue, but not as much as the last. Much fewer subplots are touched on in his issue as well. As for the Imperial forces, just how many people are they recruiting for their cause? This isn't the first time they have recruited and there must be an awful lot of people missing. You think someone would notice when a lot of people go missing even if they do live in rural areas.
Now for the name of the Imperial forces just what are they supposed to call them? You have them first as the Imperial Forces of America, then as the Elite, as well as the Royalist Forces of America and the new Secret Empires, too many names.
I'm glad that Moonstone being naked in front of Hawkeye wasn't carried out to an extreme but I did expect the issue the start with that scene or something like that.
Not as many subplots to be explored as the Thunderbolts face another enemy until they have time to themselves again seems to be the trend.
Liked seeing Citizen V again and Moonstone's "I'm with stupid" T-shirt was kind of silly.
The Elite woman leading the Thunderbolts around the base was a bit much but the team of Brute Force the villains for the Thunderbolts was not good at all. Just some genetically altered throw away villains never to be seen again. One of the Brute Forces does look similar to how Charcoal is though which could be Charcoal's father or maybe its just showing how people run out of ideas when creating a group of villains. I do hope things get better with next issue and back up to there very high standard and more on Charcoal since I thought this was supposed to be spotlighting him a bit.
Thunderbolts and all associated characters are the property of MARVEL COMICS TM&©2003.