Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Hawkeye is mountain climbing recalling his time leading the West Coast Avengers and what has happened to the Thunderbolts in recent issues. Moonstone surprises him phasing through the rock and kissing him that causes Hawkeye to lose his grip on the rock. He quickly saves himself from falling from the mountain and has a picnic with Moonstone higher up on the mountain.
Meanwhile in the Thunderbolts Headquarters Techno is still working on the containment chamber content that revived itself. On various screens around his lab are faces of other energy beings such as Havok, Radioactive man, Binary, Sunfire, Jolt, Living lighting, Zzzax, and others.
Atlas walks into Ogre's room above and Techno assumes his Ogre form to meet Atlas. Atlas talks to Techno about Jolt's death, and the women he has loved. Almost commenting on Man-killer and saying that Dallas Riordan was the only woman he ever really loved.
At Denver International Airport Dallas Riordan shows up hires a car and leaves for Burton Canyon. The whole time Dallas is being watched by a man who says surveillance of her father and former associates can be lifted since he knows where she is heading.
While in the jungles of a small Central American Country a man is being led to where Baron Zemo's hideout is. He comments on how a satellite network has bathed the area with enough jamming equipment that Zemo's hideout now is no longer hidden and in open view.
Back in Burton Canyon, Hawkeye and Moonstone talk about recent events at their picnic. They try to piece everything they know together but nothing seems to fit. Who shot Jolt and why did the police seal the autopsy and why was a bullet not discovered? Abe stole Omega-32 from Roxxon and Hammer was interested in it, but what is it? An employee at Roxxon who was into Omega-32 was killed by Samuel Higgins her boss who was also attending a dinner with the chief of police and the mayor of Boulder at the time. Gayle Rogers was killed; her Thunder watch news van had been fried by a severe electrical charge before it crashed. They decide to get some answers on the situation as Moonstone struggles with her impulses to act decent. Before they can attempt to answer any of their questions Citizen V with a slightly torn costume riding on a miniature V-wing in the air asks the Thunderbolts for their help.
At Burton Canyon High school Charcoal runs into Mick who is a racist and is threatened by him. While in town Abe and Melissa deal with Abe's change. Abe goes into a shop to pick up something to improve his Mach-2 armor and confronts a shopkeeper who acts racist to him. Abe runs out of the store while Melissa follows and they decide they the change is something they are both going to have to get used too.
Back near the Thunderbolts HQ Citizen V is being attacked by the V-battalion. They have a helicarrier in the air and many other people on V-wings and other similar contraptions. Moonstone and Hawkeye help Citizen V fend off her attackers until the other Thunderbolts arrive to help out as well.
A visual representation of faces from the penance council appears saying that Citizen V is property of the V-battalion. Citizen V disobeyed a direct order so she has to do what they said or give up the responsibilities of the costume so someone worthy can be Citizen V.
The Thunderbolts are not exactly sure they should be helping Citizen V. She screams out "You owe me." Atlas gives a small speech to Citizen V while she takes off her mask saying, "You owe me most of all Erik!" Citizen V is revealed as Dallas Riordan.Its because of Atlas, Dallas became Citizen V.
 |
In Central America someone stalks Baron Zemo's hideout. Having spent days learning about the security systems and mapping the place out. He enters the hideout and blows up several things with his staff while Baron Zemo confronts the mysterious intruder as he makes himself fully visible with the words...
"Call me the man responsible for killing you. Helmut Zemo! Or call me...Scourge!" |
Comments: Five issues into Nicieza's run and things have never been this exciting since the beginning of the series. Dallas is Citizen V? Ugh, beaten over the head with that revelation but that's about the only thing it could have logically been. Just a random villain would have come out of nowhere and not made much sense. It doesn't help matters though that in issue #15 a scene with Dallas takes place beside a scene with Citizen V on the next page. There is nothing stated that indicates how much time after the Citizen V scene takes place but it bothers me, this should have been better orchestrated. Now just what happened with the Crimson Cowl and all that business? Maybe the identity of the real Crimson Cowl isn't that important anymore or the real one isn't even someone that the readers would know.
The scenes with Techno and the V-battalion were some of the best in the issue. Always nice to see a scene anywhere like in Techno's lab where there's a bunch of faces and you try to guess who everyone is. Just don't let that be Jolt in the containment chamber unless it turns out to be a very good story.
Moonstone and Hawkeye try to piece together the truth but they don't get ever far, they seem to be having the same trouble as myself trying to fit everything together, I wonder if everything will tie together, hopefully more information will be available next issue.
Charcoal encounters Mick again I wonder where this is going its the second time he's shown up so I assume this will be headed somewhere. Its also good to see that Abe and Melissa still appear to be together although they will have to work through Abe's change.
Finally see the Scourge, this should be interesting, great look too. The Scourge should be a great match for Zemo as it appears the scourge is patient and plans just as well as Zemo does. For the scourge to have a satellite network that baths the area with jamming equipment means he either had one send up there or took over one to do this which means he certainly has some great resources.
One final comment on Abe's civilian name of Matthew Davis. It's quite odd that the Scourge apparently used the name 'Davis' in last issue. Coincidence or maybe something will come of this.
Thunderbolts and all associated characters are the property of MARVEL COMICS TM&©2003.