Writer: Fabian Nicieza
In Atlanta Diamondback steals a voice modulation program from a building and encounters a few of the V-battalion's men and Citizen V. Instead of saving his friends that were with him, Citizen V chases after Diamondback. The V-battalion listening in on Citizen V's adventure become annoyed at him when he turns off his comm link, as they note that he has been acting more strange since he was recovered. The V-battalion goes about their business until finally receiving further communication from Citizen V. He has followed Diamondback all the to Brooklyn and cuts off communication again quickly.
In Andrea Sterman's thoughts recent events in Thunderbolts is recapped and an overview of the history of the V-battalion is revealed.
Citizen V has since tracked down Diamondback to a building where she is going to give the voice modulation program to Adrea and Andeas Strucker. Citizen V crashes in through the window and fights Diamondback and discovers she is being controlled by nano-probes as the Strucker children flee. Citizen V puts a tracer on them before they leave and continues to fight Diamondback until he overwhelms her. He finds out that nannities are different the ones he has encountered before, and says this isn't part of the CSA conspiracy.
Diamondback was ordered to retrieve the voice modulation program so someone can program and control nano-probe dispersion with the sound of their voice. To obtain information about who is behind everything from Diamondback through the nannites Citizen V causes a neural feedback through her body.
The V-battalion track down Adrea and Andreas Strucker to a ship on the Atlantic Ocean. Modok is aboard the AIM ship and says that it is too late for anyone to alter the testing of the voice modulation program.
The V-battalion's mobile air carries decloaks and demands the voice modulation program or they will destroy the AIM ship. Modok responds and eventually gives into the V-battalion's demands about where the voice modulation program is being tested. It's being tested in an enclosed area, Atlantis.
Comments: The first issue of this three issue Citizen V and the V-battalion mini series is a good one and it's nice to have something Thunderbolts related to read between the wait for the next issue.
The issue starts with a sequence that seems designed to showcase the power of the V-battalion and their mobile air carrier. I wonder if anything here will be touched on again or if the pages were just for set up to and not relevant for the next two issues.
I haven't read much about Diamondback but she seems like a fine character. A former friend of Captain America I can see how she could bring a different view to things being a reformed thief. These types of characters seem to be teamed with Cap to see how he would react and provide interesting conflicts, which makes me think of the character of Sharon Carter as well. I'm sure Diamondback will make a recovery by the time a writer wants to use her again and what she suffers here isn't permanent.
It would have been nice to see more of Dallas Riordan as Citizen V but the current one has his unique qualities that make him interesting. He's certainly different than the others; arrogant and very sure of himself and even lets his friends die. I was wondering what his decision would be on saving his friends of chasing after Diamondback. Since the V-battalion has had problems previously with Dallas as Citizen V and not following orders, it seems to be reoccurring again to them. Although he did go after his goal that is Diamondback. I fully expected the V-battalion to say 'John, forget about your friends'. They can be that determined. Citizen V does seem a little crazy though for having made the choice he did as well as his other actions. He returned to duty to fast, indeed. Having orders shouted to him at every opportunity its no wonder he turns off his comm link at times though.
Its rare that a characters actual age is established and I like that it has been here. It helps with the sense of these characters being legends from marvel's golden age. They are just not some vague old age and can continue on indefinitely. They have serious concerns too, that are not usually portrayed in a comic and it is another good area to explore. The armor that Iron Cross wears is the only thing that is keeping him alive and then Betty has alzheimer's. There is also the interesting issue of the generational gap between new members of the V-battalion and those of old. The new ones with no experience from a world war could stray from the mission of the V-battalion. They could redefine it and bring doing something else maybe to benefit the world since they might have different views on things. After doing the same task for so many years its easy to see how the V-battalion has become somewhat like their enemies and the younger ones I wouldn't doubt have been influenced by all this some way as well.
Having Andrea Sterman with the V-battalion provides the reader with some information and something else that is different. A superhuman psychiatrist with people she can study, that would make some interesting work. It doesn't look like she will get much a chance to leave them anytime soon either so it looks like she will have nothing better to do than analyze them. The history provided on the V-battalion makes sense and ties into the Symkaria's Wild Pack aiding them, which has similar operations.
I like the selection of villains. Having Diamondback appear was good but she wasn't truly a villain. The Strucker children can always lead to fun situation and involves Hydra. Then there is not just a link to Hydra, but AIM as well and the giant head called Modok. A classic villain, I expect to see Baron Von Strucker show up in this series too, which should be good. I don't think they would blow the identity of the mastermind in a plug for the series in Thunderbolts so the identity of the ultimate mastermind is still unclear. Some nice allies though.
Nano-probes, always with the nano-probes, a good concept, I just hope to not see it used too often.
Atlantis? Hmm, that's the second mini-series in the last while that Nicieza has used underwater places. Looking forward to what comes of this, the Atlantians won't be the happy about this, and then there is Namor.
Thunderbolts and all associated characters are the property of MARVEL COMICS TM&©2003.