Writer: Fabian Nicieza
The Thunderbolts and Avengers discuss strategy about Nefaria. Hawkeye and the Black Widow recount what happened to them and the Thunderbolts when they went to Zemo's abandoned Central American base. They also tell that Mach-2 placed a tracer on the Maggia ship that got away. They tracked down the ship. Cyclone escaped but they managed to get one of the scientists that was on the ship that is the one who last experimented on Atlas's ionic energies.
They all try to figure out what Nefaria is trying to do, if he's trying to destroy the world or cover the world in Ionic energy so he can control everyone. Captain America and She-hulk arrive to aid with the coming battle.
Hour's earlier Moonstone fights with the Fantastic Four. Mr. Fantastic offers his help to Moonstone but she's having conflicting thoughts and doesn't know if she can trust him. Eventually she phases right out of one of the Invisible woman's force fields, screams out in Kree and leaves the Fantastic Four's headquarters. Mr. Fantastic consults a computer that analyses her speech and finds out that she said, "I have to look within the life-stones!"
In Washington D.C. Andrea Sterman is still looking into the conspiracy of the killed Roxxon Agent. She meets with Jack Norriss who used to be an agent of shield. Norriss tells about an unattached floating file link that could be traced back to something called Alpha-32 and that it was deleted from the main federal heard drive but the link remained in shield's systems. It was part of a Roxxon research grant that didn't work out and the grant derived from the Commission on Superhuman Activities.
The Ogre reporting from the Thunderbolts headquarters works with Doctor Pym and Iron Man to try to locate where Nefaria is by focusing in on Ionic energy. Ogre suggests that they look for where Ion energy had been present but isn't present anymore since it would be dampened by Nefaria now. They find the location while Madame Masque and the Maggia scientist have created a weapon called the Ionic lock that is the Nefaria Protocols. The Avengers give the Thunderbolts a tour in the mansion while Hawkeye, Captain America, and the Black Widow talk outside.
Back at the Thunderbolts Headquarters Techno looks to the containment chambers now that he is done conversing with the Avengers. Techno likes the multiple tasks he has had at the HQ and is continuing his search for the Missing Zemo and is having a thrill out of recreating life. He's interrupted by the voice of Scourge. According to Techno's scans of Scourge he thinks he detects Pym Particles. He also determines it's Jolt's murderer and mentions to Scourge that if he's killed then the others in the containment chambers will be as well.
Scourge had once considered what to do about the chambers but now with an update in his protocols from his boss the three in the containment chambers are acceptable losses as he goes to attack Techno.
Elsewhere Moonstone pounds her fists into the earth angry that an entire city disappeared. The city that the Inhumans lived in called Attilan. She ponders where else to get information about old Kree history and then gazes up to the moon thinking possibly her answers lie not on earth.
In the Rocky Mountains of Southwestern Alberta, Canada the Thunderbolts and Avengers have arrived tracking down Nefaria. They plan to have one group sneak into Nefaria's castle while the 'big boys' get Nefaria's attention and then hope to draw Nefaria out of the castle. The Avengers and Thunderbolts go about creating a distraction while Iron Man has the Ionic lock. The attack brings Wonder Man and Atlas out of the castle to fight that causes Iron Man to drop the Ionic lock.
The other group sneaks into Nefaria's castle while the ones fighting outside realize they are not drawing Nefaria out into the battle outside so Mach-2 retrieves the Ionic lock and fires it at Wonder Man and Atlas that freezes their ironic energies and takes them out of the battle.
Nefaria throws the group that was inside the castle outside of it in a show of force. The group inside the castle had found the bomb. Nefaria stands high in the air with the bomb behind him as Mach-2 fires the Ionic cannon. The cannon doesn't have any effect.
"Not Quite What you hoped for, is it? I applaud your efforts Avengers -- though I am slightly disappointed by the fact that you deem me unworthy of Thor's attentions. No matter when he returns from wherever it is a dandy self-styled gods go -- he will find the earth awash in ionic radiation -- and the plants entire population under the absolute and total control of Nefaria!"
Comments: The Avengers and Thunderbolts finally meet up and confront Nefaria. It was good that they finally met up but it wasn't all that I expected it to be. Bagley's art this issue didn't seem to be as good as previous issues either.
I particularly didn't like part of the story being told as it had already happened when I didn't see any of it. The part that is already known is shown in flashback and then the scenes that were not shown are said in just a few words like it had been in the last issue. Now that's famous off panel scenes. I would have liked to read them myself instead of feeling like I missed something. I don't know where it could have been fit in but it would have been nice.
Interactions between members like Captain America and Hawkeye, as well as Triathlon and Charcoal is what I had hoped to see but didn't raise the issue to a greater level.
More focus on Moonstone with her fighting the Fantastic Four. I'm not too surprised that she wouldn't accept help from them that might be just too easy. With her trying to find the Inhumans I guess she will head to the Moon now to try to find them or someone that can help her there, I'm not sure what the Inhumans status is if they are resettled back there.
The Andrea Sterman sub plot continues with basically the same amount of information as the last few scenes with her in previous issues as things slowly start to tie into what's happening. Maybe she will find something out if Scourge doesn't get to her.
With Scourge confronting Techno I think Techno has a much better chance than anyone else had against Scourge. Techno has access to the Thunderbolts base while Scourge has his many weapons. Techno could even call on three containment chambers to help him out possibly. With his comment on recreating life things continue to point to Jolt being in the chamber. With her in there with extra power that she never had before Techno could bring her out of the chamber and have her get her revenge on Scourge if Techno is ready to open the containment chamber. Techno mentions Pym Particles confirming a method that the Scourge could use to store his weapons. Scourge makes reference to his boss again whoever that is. Maybe his boss will dispatch another Scourge is this one gets defeated.
Looks to be a good battle coming for Avengers #34, I don't have a clue how they are going to defeat Nefaria though. They could disable the bomb but defeating him seems to be a bit beyond them. The figure creeping away from the desert in the last Avengers issue could factor into this helping the Avengers and Thunderbolts somehow.
Overall a good issue but a little something seemed to be missing. Maybe an extra sub plot needed to be thrown in but nonetheless this was enjoyable.
Thunderbolts and all associated characters are the property of MARVEL COMICS TM&©2003.