Avengers #277Avengers #277
Title: “The Price of Victory”
Writer: Roger Stern
Breakdowns: John Buscema
Finished Art: Tom Palmer
Colors: Christie Scheele
Editor: Mark Gruenwald
Goliath holds a limp Thor in his hand.
Goliath says that Thor and Captain America surprised the Wrecking
Crew, but that he isn’t so easy, Goliath says that ever
since he became Goliath that he has been itching to take on Thor.
He says that he had help killing Hercules, but that he bets he
can take Thor out all by himself. Thor smashes Goliath’s
finger with Mjolnir and asks if Goliath fancies himself a slayer
of gods. Thor charges into Goliath driving him back and says that
his ignorance dwarfs his size. Thor says that Hercules still
lives and that he has always “defied the eternal
sleep”. Thor and Goliath fall through to the level below.
Wrecker says that Thor is fighting Goliath and that he must have forgotten about him. Wrecker tells Goliath to hold Thor steady and he will jump him. Captain America clips Wrecker’s legs from behind and knocks him from his feet. Cap asks Wrecker if that is the only tactic he knows. Cap asks if he is afraid to go one on one. Wrecker says, “Well, Captain high-and-mighty America! Getting in my way was a big mistake, Flag-butt!” Wrecker swings his crowbar. Cap ducks under it and Wrecker demolishes something else instead. Cap realizes that when Thor drew out the power of the Wrecking Crew back through Wrecker that it made Wrecker four times as strong as he was.
Two levels below, Wasp, Dane, and Ant-Man hear the rumbling from the battle. Ant-Man says that Jarvis’ pulse is low but steady. Dane says that they better head up and give Cap and Thor a hand. Wasp says that she will deal with it and that Dane should remain to help Ant-Man with Jarvis. Dane disagrees and says that he is going with her. Wasp says that Dane has a concussion at least. She says that Hercules is in a coma and that she doesn’t want to lose him too. Dane says that he didn’t know she cared. He says that if he can stand he can fight. As Wasp and Dane walk out, Ant-Man says that he hopes that they settle things quickly because Jarvis needs a doctor’s attention.
Dane apologizes to Wasp for his attitude. Wasp says that they have more important things to deal with and that the elevator and stairwell have been blocked. Wasp blasts it while Black Knight hits it with his sword. Black Knight realizes that Wasp doesn’t really need him. Wasp says that there is something up ahead.
Thor flies off Goliath’s face. Goliath says that when he gets his hands on Thor, but Thor says that Goliath will find him an “elusive target”. Goliath’s arm crashes through the ceiling above Wasp and Black Knight. Thor spots them. He realizes that he can’t let Goliath see them and leads Goliath away. Goliath says that Thor is just prolonging the inevitable and that he will level the entire building if he has to. Thor thinks that Goliath would probably do that if given the chance and that he must not allow that. Thor beans his hammer off Goliath’s head. Wasp calls out to Thor. Thor speaks softly, He says that he will keep Goliath’s attention away from them so they can go help Captain America. He says that Goliath is his.
Wrecker says that he hasn’t felt this
strong since he first became the Wrecker and that is bad news for
Cap. Cap realizes that though Wrecker is powerful that he still
fights like a thug. Cap leads left and then ducks Wrecker’s
swing to the right. The entire second floor collapses and lands
on Wrecker. Cap says that he hopes the staircase is still
standing since Captain Marvel’s reports say that Zemo was
headed to the hangar deck. Cap says that he must stop Zemo, but
before he can leave Wrecker gets back up. 
Wrecker says
that he isn’t finished with him that easy. Wrecker says that
he was gonna kill Cap fast, but that now he is going to make it
slow.
Zemo had sent Yellowjacket to the ship to prepare for launch. He found Druid on the roof and shot him with his needler. He helped Blackout to his feet. Inside the ship, Yellowjacket is finding that there is almost no power in the ship. Zemo tries to contact Yellowjacket and realizes that the reason she doesn’t answer is because she can’t. He tells Blackout that he needs his power and to send all their enemies and the mansion away into the darkforce dimension. Druid is still conscious though he is unable to move. He reaches out with his mind and contacts Blackout. Druid tells Blackout that Zemo doesn’t care about him and that he is only using him for his space warping powers. Druid asks Blackout if he wants to be used, Blackout says, “N- no!” and pushes Zemo off of him. He tells Zemo to get away from him. He says that Zemo isn’t his friend and that he is like all the others that imprisoned him. He says that Zemo imprisoned his mind, but that he won’t do it anymore. Zemo says that Blackout doesn’t know what he is talking about. Zemo tells him to trust and obey him. A struggle begins between the two.
Wrecker says that Cap is just a man, but that he has the power of a god. Cap says that it takes more than power to win. He kicks Wrecker in the face. Wrecker asks if that was supposed to hurt. Wrecker says that the Avengers think they are hot stuff, but that Cap is just a guy in a suit. Wrecker says that without his shield he is nothing. Suddenly, Thor flies by and hits Goliath in the face again. He tells Cap that assistance is on the way. Cap tells Thor to watch out and that Goliath is growing bigger. Goliath says that he can grow bigger and bigger if that is what it takes to destroy them. Goliath goes right through the roof of the mansion. Cap says that the third floor was reinforced for the quinjets. Yellowjacket and the ship she was in fall through the floor that it was on. Wasp arrives on the floor and thinks how good it was that Dane came to his senses and stayed behind. She says that in his condition going against the Wrecker could have been fatal. Wasp zaps Wrecker in the head three times and disorients him. Cap hits Wrecker while he is groggy. Cap says that he has to keep Wrecker groggy even though it feels like punching a brick wall. Thor spins his hammer. He says that he has fought and defeated bigger opponents that Goliath and that he will defeat him as well. Thor launches his hammer right into Goliath’s temple. Goliath starts falling over. Cap says that this is the chance he was waiting for. Cap tells Wasp to hit Wrecker as hard as she can. The two of them knock Wrecker back and beneath Goliath. Wrecker tries to shout out to Goliath, but the two of them fall backwards into the basement levels. Just then the Army Rangers charge into the building. Cap shouts for them to halt. He points out that they have a fifty foot drop right in front of them. One soldier sees Zemo’s ship and wonders if it is a flying saucer. Yellowjacket emerges from the ship. Cap tells her that Captain Marvel slagged most of the wiring while she was scouting. He suggests she surrender. Yellowjacket says that she knows when she is beat and throws her helmet down.
Zemo tells Blackout to obey him and that his cybernetic web is keyed to his brainwaves. He says that he must do as he is told. Blackout says that he won’t be used by Zemo or anyone. He says that he will fight the world if he has to. Druid warns Blackout that he can’t help him until he fights off his own paralysis. He tells him that he is subjecting himself to tremendous psychic strain and that it could be life threatening. Blackout says that he won’t run anymore. Zemo says that Blackout is nothing without his guidance and that he cannot resist his master. Blackout shouts in pain and collapses to the ground. Zemo discovers that Blackout is dead. Druid is standing and says that it was a massive cerebral hemorrhage. Zemo says that he should have been paralyzed for hours. Zemo says that Druid forced Blackout to defy him. Druid says that he just freed Blackout’s mind and that it was his decision to resist. Zemo says that Druid isn’t an Avenger. Druid says that he does owe the Avengers a debt. Zemo says that he will pay the debt with his life. Captain Marvel arrives and tells him not to bet on it. She says that the Avengers are mopping up his gang right now. She says that Moonstone told her how it was his order that trapped her in the darkforce dimension and that she didn’t like it one bit. Zemo fires at Marvel, but the bullet passes through her. Marvel says that won’t do him any good, but that she can do plenty to him. She says that she is like a hologram like this, but that she can become energy if she wants and turn very hot. Marvel grabs Zemo’s guns and melts them. Zemo grabs Captain America’s shield off his back and tells her to stay away from him. Marvel says that he can’t hide behind the shield. She tells him that he is through. Zemo says that it cannot end this way. Captain America and Wasp join them on the roof and says that for once Zemo is right. Wasp sees Druid there and asks him what he is doing. Druid says that he was trying to be helpful, but that he wasn’t as successful as he had hoped. Cap tells Marvel to go with Wasp and leave Zemo to him. Marvel says that if that is the way Cap wants it. Cap says that it is
Cap says that it is just he and Zemo now.
Zemo says that in sending away his allies that he has handed him
victory. Zemo says that he will kill Cap with his own shield. Cap
easily dodges Zemo’s attack and hits him in the stomach.
Zemo says that he must destroy him and that the pain he brought
to his family must be returned a hundredfold. Cap punches Zemo in
the face and says that he is sick about hearing about his family.
He asks Zemo if he thinks that Cap hasn’t known pain. Cap
says that he still remembers the trap Zemo’s father set for
him that claimed the life of his partner Bucky. He hits Zemo
again and says that Bucky was all the family he had. Cap says
that it wasn’t enough for Zemo and that his small army
ransacked the mansion and put Hercules into a coma. Zemo takes
cover behind the shield and says, “Yes… yes! And
it’s still not enough! I wanted to break you, Captain…
but you wouldn’t crack! Why? Why?” Cap tells Zemo that
he has known torture and endured the worst the Third Reich had to
offer. Cap says that the one thing he has learned is to never
give up. He says that as Zemo forced him to watch Jarvis’
beating that he clung to the hope that Zemo would be stopped and
his crimes would be avenged. Cap hits Zemo in the face and says
that now that vengeance is his. Zemo says that he blames him for
his family, but that it was his father that chose to serve
Hitler. He says that his father’s madness was his own fault.
Zemo throws Cap’s shield at him and says that his father was
a good man and a genius. He says that it was Cap that drove him
to madness. Cap nonchalantly catches his shield and says that all
he did was try to stop his father from his Nazi atrocities. 
Cap says that
it is a shame that his madness had to live on in him, but that
now it is over at last. Zemo asks if Cap will murder him the way
he did his father. Cap says that his father died in a rockslide
triggered by his own weapon. He says that even his death was his
own fault. Zemo freaks and lunges at Cap’s neck. Cap
deflects him with his shield. Zemo falls backwards towards the
edge of the mansion roof. Cap tells Zemo to take his hand, but
Zemo refuses it and falls to the ground. Cap turns and walks
away.
Outside, the reporters are filming as the Wrecking Crew is being taken into custody. He says that they were part of a group led by Baron Zemo, the son of the infamous Nazi war criminal. He says that Zemo was whisked away by Army medics just as they arrived. The Army medics are carrying Jarvis and Black Knight while telling Wasp that they will get the best care. Dane gives Wasp the thumbs up for helping Cap defeat the Wrecker. He says that he wishes he could have been more help. Wasp tells him to just take it easy. The reporter asks Wasp for a comment. Wasp says that right now she just wants to say that the Avengers stopped a major threat to public safety. She says that she will release a statement later, but that for now she is busy. Thor and Marvel watch as they carry out Blackout’s corpse. Wasp tells Marvel that the paramedics found Moonstone. She says that she broke her neck, but that she was fortunate that there was very little spinal cord damage. Marvel asks if anyone has seen Cap.
In the gutted mansion at his old footlocker, Cap is slumped to his knees. He is holding some tattered remains in his hands. Marvel comes up to him and puts her hand on his shoulder. Cap tells her that he didn’t think that it would hurt. He says that he watched Zemo tear up his things, but that it didn’t matter then. He says that Avengers were in trouble and lives were at stake. He says that Zemo might have been ripping up old train schedules. Tears roll down his face as he holds up the ripped picture of his mother. He says that this was the only picture he had of her since she didn’t like having her picture taken. He says that now it is gone like everything else. He says to look at him crying and Jarvis and Black Knight were both severely beaten. He says that Hercules is in a coma and Blackout was killed and that he is crying over some pictures. Marvel says that they weren’t just pictures and that they were little pieces of his past. She says that he shouldn’t feel guilty and that this was a terrible loss for him. Cap says that it was more than he realized. He says that this building was a big part of his past. He says that since he came out of suspended animation that the mansion was like a home to him. He says that it will be a long time before anyone lives there again. Marvel tells Cap that she never lost what he has, but that she does know that they have to mourn for their losses. She says that if they don’t that they can never heal. She says that they have to heal because people are depending on him. She says that they have to help each other salvage what they can from the past and rebuild for the future. Cap says that she is right and the two of them walk out together.
Avengers Files rating: 10 out of 10
Great action, great storytelling, great story, and a poignant end. Great artwork and great storytelling really help out the “Under Siege” story feel epic. This issue has some good battles in it that the other issues should have had. Goliath versus Thor is a classic though I would have liked to have seen Goliath get a few shots in. Buscema and Palmer continue to astound with their artwork. I wish other pencillers would give Palmer a chance to add his own style to their work.