Writer: Fabian Nicieza with Michael Barreiro
Cap gives Citizen V a tour and tells him about the current condition of members of the team such as Jolt's struggles with her atrophied body. Leila Davis and Valeria Barnhardt are doing well and should be able to leave in a couple weeks. Techno is scouring the hard drives for the location of Ogre; technicians are monitoring Scream, while Conrad Josten is out hiking.
Meanwhile outside of Los Angeles Karla is still counselling Graviton. He informs her that’s he can now move small objects just as well as large ones. He lifts a pebble and puts it through someone's head in Australia.
At Mt. Charteris, five of the Redeemers wish Captain America a farewell as he leaves in an Avengers quinjet. Once Citizen V is back inside Mt. Charteris he contemplates how to get information he needs concerning how to reconstruct Baron Von Strucker's plans from what the V-Battalion determined. Techno is suspected to have seen the information before he was deactivated and Citizen V wonders about bringing the Fixer in on his plans. Citizen V decides on not doing that just yet.
The fixer is searching through the systems of Mt.Charteris for the location of Ogre and finally finds his hiding spot. Fixer uncovers Ogre's dimensional tesseract pocket, as soon as that happens Ogre is alerted and starts to worry about Hs-1. If the tesseract is disturbed Hs-1 will awaken.
At Seagate prison Hawkeye is informed on more of Mentallo's plans through their link. Mentallo has brought into play the three inmates that will join Hawkeye when he's transferred to Ryker's prison so that he has best chance to escape.
Outside of Burton Canyon at the foot of another mountain Conrad Josten stands thinking of his brother. He stands in a giant footprint that Atlas created and has questions about his choices in life and what the answers would bring.
Back at Mt. Charteris the Fixer and Ogre square off in a technological race to match the other. Ogre is trying to remain hidden and protect Hs-1 while the Fixer is eager to begin Ogre back to Mt. Charteris. Ogre warns about Hs-1 being released and causing havoc on earth if the Fixer continues what he is doing. The Fixer becomes intrigued and continues onward.
In Flagstaff, Arizona, Dallas Riordan in a wheelchair talks on the phone in the home of Jimmy Riordan. There is a spurt of ionic energy that she doesn't notice in the house but once she is done with her conversation she hears her voice being called. She calls out Erik's name.
The Fixer continues his battle against Ogre at Mt. Charteris and eventually pulls Ogre back to earth from his hiding place as Hs-1 starts to awaken. Reality twists and ripples outward for a moment as Conrad, Charlie, and Abe at the Burton Canyon Police Department wonder what is going on. Melissa wonders the same thing as she convinces a customer to buy a new audio system.
Citizen V and Jolt move into action, as the other Redeemers get ready to see just what the Fixer caused. Ogre is angered at the Fixer now back on Earth and punches him as Hs-1 awakens. Meanwhile in Brazil two people run and then faint in a field.
Citizen V and Jolt arrive at the Fixer's location to see Hs-1 has emerged from his containment chamber.
"So much for tea. Americans…fixer anything you have to say about this?" "Uhm...whoops..?"
Comments: Cap hands over the team to Citizen V, more information on various subplots, and the revelation of the last containment chamber. A better issue than the three previous issues, and even though the last one was an improvement this issue just seemed to come together better. I enjoyed the Latverian adventure after issue fifty but there was a bump in quality that forced the title down a bit. Eventually that's going to happen, it's happened before, it will happen again, and it only helps to make this issue look that much greater.
This issue starts rather nicely with an eye catching first page of Citizen V standing over Captain America with a sword through his chest. A good attention grabber and it set the tone for the issue. Now that Captain America is out of the way Zemo in the guise of Citizen V can take over the team. Having him here for this issue added that little extra excitement to the title. It's in the tradition of the title too with characters hiding behind masks and other identities. I thoroughly enjoyed his comments and thoughts through out the issue. He's scheming and trying to play the role of the hero Citizen V but he can't make himself go all the way and makes little quips. They are harmless now and could apply to John Watkins and not Zemo directly but it's as harmless as the Fixer slipping up in Thunderbolts #2. Shown in a different view it could be devastating, I don't expect to see that for some time, if ever. Zemo's time as Citizen V in the first twelve issues and all the training are sure paying off. It shows a smarter Zemo that acknowledges his time as Citizen V was worthwhile as he did in Thunderbolts #39.
As Cap shows Zemo around Mt. Charteris, it’s a little checklist to tell a little more about the characters. Beetle's identity is revealed and it’s who was suspected. To have Leila and Valerie leaving in a few weeks, others must be confident that they will do fine. They seem the least screwed up of the team members though, I didn't think there would any confirmation that they would be leaving soon. Who knows how long that couple weeks will turn out to be? If they do leave that could open two spots for the team, maybe a couple villains with some serious problems. With Citizen V leading it would be closer to a full-fledged villain team again, although the Baron seems to taking a more subtle approach to his endeavours now. Lastly, there is Scream, and a little more revealed on it. It looks like at some point Zemo captured something interesting.
With Citizen V's comment "I'd rather be leading the original Thunderbolts team." It brought back thoughts that this might happen sometime in the future. Techno's been replaced by the Fixer, Atlas is coming back, and all the other Thunderbolts need to do is suit up. It would be a much-changed team and a very strange reunion. There's so many possibilities and if Citizen V's secret is revealed to anyone else by the team. It could even arc into V-Battalion's plans for world domination.
Karla continues her counselling of Graviton, which has this looking like a worse decision for her as time goes on. The title of the issue Cat and mouse even comes into play here. This situation is going to become particularly challenging if Karla wants to stay reformed. Graviton has the power to get rid of her at a moments notice and if he becomes stable without needing approval, he doesn't really need anyone. The scene where he kills someone in Australia with a pebble was a little disturbing. He's so far away yet he can kill someone on another continent. Lets see how good he will do on his third run in the Thunderbolts title; he's becoming a villain to associate with the title.
Mentallo reveals further plans to Hawkeye. I'm curious to see how this will turn out, unless Clint is in on this with S.H.I.E.L.D or ends up doing something heroic he's going to be in worse shape than he was in before. Mentallo planted three inmates? Planted? That sounds like a hint, the Plant Man? Couldn't Mentallo have hooked him up with a better inmate? Maybe it won't be him though, there's quite a few possibilities thinking back to the first Thunderbolts annual if those villains that were in prison then are still in prison and depending upon where, plenty of choices. Who's going to want to help, they may need some telepathic coaxing.
It was fun to see two technological geniuses facing off with Ogre and the Fixer. Even though it's not Techno, Ogre must feel some grudge against the Fixer, more than just the punch he gave him about releasing Hs-1. The poor guy, Ogre just can't be left again, ever since he came out of hiding its been nothing but trouble.
I'm really warming up to Fixer's character, probably because of knowing what Techno became and now the Fixer was one of the original T-bolts. It's great to have him figuring things out, using his technological knowledge, and getting into trouble. I already saw what Techno could do, and now its fun to see if the Fixer can match him and grow to be like him or turn out differently. This Fixer also has some different twists to him. Upon releasing Hs-1, "Uhm…Whoops..?" indeed, what a character.
Looks like it was more than just a dream about Atlas, as Dallas seems to be centred around his return. Many more teasing bits about Atlas' return to go and once he does return he will have to have a talk with Conrad.
Charlie, Abe, and Melissa get a little appearance near the end. Charlie is barely seen this issue, but after a big focus last issue I didn't really notice it and the focus on other characters was good. Abe keeps repeating the line about not having his equipment, he always wants to get out their and help, especially when its coming from Mt. Charteris. Was Melissa using her non-existent powers to sell stereo equipment? Hmm.
I don't quite know what the Brazil panel was when I read it, that was confusing. Just assumed it was from Hs-1's awakening and the ripple in reality caused the fainting.
Hs-1 is Humus Sapien. That was just too obscure for me, and the history that is detailed in the three letters pages was great reading. I always like when they throw in these extra things in the back. Never knew there was a character like that out there, nice to see the character finally made an appearance.
Just what will Humus Sapien do next issue, the next cover looks intriguing. Finally why do Hawkeye and Moonstone get the cover circle? Not that I have anything against that, its curious, maybe it will rotate, but that's a bit of work.
Thunderbolts and all associated characters are the property of MARVEL COMICS TM&©2003.