Writer: Fabian Nicieza
The Strucker twins leave A.I.M. island and the V-battalion contact Citizen V to follow them. Then Roger Aubrey contacts Modok, and says if he doesn't cooperate than he will be destroyed.
Citizen V tracks down the Strucker twins to a private Seurat auction. He is out of costume and in a suit as he talks to the Strucker twins as they squabble over things and give vague hints as to their past encounters. Citizen V gets confirmation that the Strucker twins hired Diamondback to steal the voice modulation program and A.I.M. plans to program the nanites in satellites in orbit with the voice modulation program. After Citizen V leaves the Strucker twins mention how much he has changed.
Meanwhile the V-battalion continues fighting in Atlantis as their hopeless battle continues. Namor contacts Roger Aubrey about the current situation and doesn't like the option of Genocide just because Attuma is in charge of Atlantis and the Atlantean's are being controlled. Roger mentions that they are examining two Atlantean prisoners to see how their auditory cancels work and offers another option to Namor of using a voice command with the nanoprobes so he can free his people and rule once again. Namor refuses to brainwash his own people to free them.
Namor does provide medical information and with Modok having provided the frequency for the nanoprobes Roger uses the voice modulation program to stop the Atlanteans.
Elsewhere Citizen V has followed the Strucker twins to a warehouse where an audio array is being unloaded.
Elisabeth Barstow is having a meeting with two others about Rogers actions and that they don't want to betray him but if the time comes they don't want to betray themselves.
Even though Modok gave the V-battalion the information they wanted, they still attack with Roger leading the assault. Modok is surprised that Roger is the Destroyer from World War II and about how the V-battalion has been fighting a secret war for fifty years. Modok to save himself says that he can tell Roger who is behind the whole operation.
In a warehouse Citizen V dispatches of the hired help and then goes after the Strucker twins. Andrea confirms for Citizen V that her employer wants to take the nanites in the American satellite arrays that are in orbit. Citizen V knocks out Andreas Strucker and then kisses Andrea. Andrea mentions how Citizen V has changed, and he says it's for the better. He asks who the equipment is intended for and she says the person responsible for everything is Baron Von Strucker, the supreme commander of Hydra.
Comments: Another good issue for this limited series, perhaps better than the first. I wouldn't mind seeing this as a continuing series. Things would have to be a bit different for a series; I think it's just the format of a series compared to that of a limited one. It could be Marvel's JSA like title.
The V-battalion attacks the Atlanteans while they are under the control of nanoprobes. Well it looks like they can't make it everywhere on time. I wondered where Namor would factor into this. I was surprised that Attuma had overthrown him. I knew they had fought and Namor disappeared at a bad moment but I didn't think things had got that bad. Nice to find out the present status, which made things more interesting. It wouldn't be entirely bad if Attuma was controlled by the nanoprobes and made to give up the throne. Namor having been offered to join the V-battalion was an interesting bit. I doubt he could stay in secrecy as much as they do; he has Atlantis to care for.
The V-battalion can seem so ruthless with Roger. He eventually receives more information from Modok and he still attacks A.I.M. Island. That's three times he's received information from Modok. Modok better watch it once more and he won't have enough information to keep himself alive. I like seeing the giant head, Modok around in these issues even though he seems to be portrayed as a weak, but really what can he do against the V-battalion. He's not dealing with a regular group of heroes here and I don't think he was expecting this much interference.
The Chinese rocket launch facility is referenced again from the first issue. Nice to see that tied in. I didn't really think those pages would be wasted last issue, but it was a good demonstration of power sequence.
More than ever I'm finding the characters of Roger Aubrey and this current Citizen V more enjoyable.
Aubrey is a conflicted man, he does what has to be done but there are some questions about his ethics. If it weren't him leading the V-battalion on a chase to find the real mastermind I would think he was the ultimate mastermind. I suppose its still a distant possibility and he could reason it through somehow. He better be good at getting his own organization from being suspicious and put the blame on someone else. He's already caught the attention of others right now. Its particularly disturbing that he used his own voice to stops the Atlanteans. I wonder also if all he did was stop them or did he do something else just in case it would come in handy in the future. They had to be stopped but its questionable behaviour and it looks like he likes that having that kind of power. Having power and going about these secret missions for years has corrupted him some.
Now for Citizen V, he's just acting a little bizarre. The Strucker twin's even point out twice that he's a changed man. Something is definitely going on here. Being in a coma hasn't had the best effect on him and the death of his friends probably aggravated that. That is if he still cared for them at all. I'm interested in his history with the Strucker twins. It looks like there's some untold tales there. I'm sure that Citizen V will add that little something when he shows up in Thunderbolts next.
Only good things come from seeing the Strucker twins at a private parties and auctions. I remember seeing them in an issue of Gambit where they were vying for a crystal. Andrea wore an elaborate dress than as well and the whole issue was a joy to read. Nicieza also wrote that issue. I hope to see a more of them next issue with Baron Von Strucker showing up.
The mastermind behind everyone is Baron Von Strucker? Now that's the kind of person that I would suspect would be behind such an operation. The Thunderbolts only had Hydra mentioned twice. I always expected them to run into more trouble with Hydra but after a short fight in a #0 issue that was put to rest easily. Still since I was expecting this I wonder if he really is the big boss. Same circumstance as when Gyrich was revealed as the big boss, it leaves me curious. This is getting higher up in the class of villains though so it would be harder to believe that Baron Von Strucker would work for anyone. I can see Modok doing that and having his A.I.M. lackeys do their job and they reap the rewards in the end. Did Modok reveal Strucker as the mastermind behind everything to Aubrey too? I still find it odd that they would show Strucker in a promo in Thunderbolts for this series. Sure with Modok, A.I.M. soldiers, and Strucker you wouldn't automatically assume they are the masterminds but still it seems rather strange now. I knew Strucker had to show up in the series sometime though, I suppose next issue will handle this question.
The endnotes on the last page of this issue were a nice treat.
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