Avengers vol. 3 #46Avengers vol. 3 #46
Title: “Absolute Mastery”
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Penciller: Manuel Garcia
Inker: Bob Layton
Colors: Tom Smith
Editor: Tom Brevoort
In France, metal orbs drop out of the sky and land on the ground. A small fragment of Kang’s army, 50,000 troops, charges out of them. The troops charge towards the defenses that were erected to stop them. The soldiers are not just Frenchmen, but of all nationalities as this is really the Earth’s war. Also at the fortifications are the French and English superheroes, Le Peregrine and Micromax respectively, with members of the Avengers. Firebird, Thor, She-Hulk, and Hercules are there. She-Hulk says that it looks like Thor has a lot on his mind, but Hercules says that Thor is just waiting for the call of battle. The battle order is given and everyone joins in the fight against Kang’s forces. Kang could have used deadlier forces or attacked a weaker position, but Kang has always attacked at the opposing armies strongest point. He must break their confidence, and that victory must come at the price of blood or it is worthless.
In Boston Massachusetts, jets fly over the enormous walls that have sprung up around all the major cities in North America because of the Master of the World. Master claims that he is protecting his property from Kang, but that he is not welcomed as an ally. On the ground, Black Knight has finally managed to get an access panel to stay open and he is beginning diagnostics. One of the jets calls down to the Avengers there and says that an object has dropped out of space. Warbird says that it looks like Kang is checking out the new “décor”. She tells the pilot that he has his orders. The pilot shoots the object with a missile, but the missile doesn’t make a scratch. While the pilots circle, one of the towers surrounding the city opens and blows Kang’s sensor out of the sky.
Warbird reports in to Wasp that Master’s weapons pop Kang’s force field like a bubble. Wasp checks in with Wonder Man. Simon says that this is no good. He says that he has been trying to bust up the Los Angeles ring wall all morning, and that while he can damage the wall it just repairs itself. Simon says that it seems as organic as it does metal. He says that he can’t get a sample for analysis. Wasp says that she doesn’t like this at all. She wonders what Master’s angle is. Jarvis suggests that it is just fortunate, and that Master seems to be protecting the cities as he said he would do. Wasp says that if he just wanted to help that would be one thing, but that they have been getting reports about Master’s creations kidnapping officials all morning.
In Boston, a pod similar in design to the towers that rose out of the ground emerges in the middle of the mayor’s office. The pod opens and a creature is inside. It clamps a breathing apparatus over the mayor’s face and swats away the bodyguards. Stingray is there conferring with officials about how deep the underwater extent of the Master’s wall . The creature grabs the mayor and leaps back into the hole. Stingray calls the situation in to the Wasp and follows the creature into the water from where it came. Once in the water, the creature takes off like a rocket. Stingray says that he can’t clock the speed, but that he is betting that it could leave even Namor in its wake. Stingray sets his suit to track the ripple effect and follows the creature’s trail.
Half an hour later in Boston, Quinjet-One flies alongside Warbird and tells her to come in. Warbird drops into the roof hatch. Inside is Silverclaw, Quicksilver, and Yellowjacket. Wasp comes on the screen and apologizes to Warbird for how brusque this was set up, but she had to clear this with the security council. Wasp says that because Warbird has the most espionage experience that she is in control. The Black Knight has traced the control signal for the ringwalls north somewhere near the Arctic Circle. Wasp says that Stingray’s locator-signal is headed that way too. Wasp says that she wants them to hook up with Stingray and infiltrate the Master’s base. Wasp says that they are to convince Master to put his armament at their service or to take control of it from him. Warbird says that they will take care of it.
Wasp checks in with Captain America, in Washington DC, regarding his squad. Cap says that they are almost ready. He says that he, Jack of Hearts, and Scarlet Witch are ready for the attack on Kang’s base and that Tony Stark is working on the ship. Stark says that the ship will be ready, but that he still isn’t sure how they are going to get through the force field. He says that he hopes to have more information on that when Photon returns from her recon mission. Wasp stresses to Cap the importance of his mission if they want to prevent the launching of the Sentinels. Cap says that he knows.
In Calleyville, Texas, at the world headquarters for the Triune Understanding the Vision is being given a tour by Jonathan Tremont along with Triathlon. Tremont says that he is glad to see an Avenger seeking out enlightenment, and that he hopes the Vision finds it here. Vision says that he has been troubled in both mind and heart lately, and that Triathlon was generous enough to bring him there. Tremont says that Delroy has long been one of their most devote followers. Tremont turns to some of his assistants and tells them to prepare guest quarters and inform Vision of their procedures. Vision turns to Triathlon and says that he has been thinking twice about this. He wonders if this should wait until the Kang ordeal has passed. A man comes running towards Tremont. He says that the triple evil is coming. He says that sensors have registered its arrival in the solar system. Triathlon says to Vision that then again maybe they should stay.
Stingray checks in with the Wasp. He sends out an over the shoulder shot to her. He says that he has found the base and made his way inside to the very nerve center of the place where the Master is. Wasp tells Stingray not to confront the Master, and that back up is on the way. She tells him to scout around. The Master begins to address the captive governors and mayors. He says that in the interest of repelling Kang that he has instructions for them . He says that he has circumvented their useless federal branches, but that he needs them to maintain order and keep things running smoothly. Governor Darras asks who he is to give them instructions. Master answers quite simply that he is his Master. Master gives them a recap of his history. How 40,000 years ago he was an ignorant caveman that was cast out by his tribe. He was drawn north to a crashed star-ship. The star-ship reached out and drew him in. He was studied and dissected. Master says that the only part of him that remained of the man he was, was his brain. The brain preserved by the ship, eventually asserted its will and took control. Master says that he then created a genetically perfect body for himself. Master says that now, through his helmet, that he controls this ship that has stretched out below the ice to reach “out in an intricate web throughout the world!” Master says that through the ship that he knows all that transpires in his world, and that he rules from the shadows. Master says that he has been destabilizing human society. He says that he has been getting the wrong people elected, getting tensions to rise, and starting disasters. Master says that humanity must be culled to a much smaller group if the globe is going to support mankind in comfort. Master says that Kang’s war will help in that effort, but that it will not benefit him if he actually wins. Master says that he has decided to protect part of his property. Master says that Kang will not gain a toehold in North America. Master says that he will allow million, perhaps billions, of excess humanity to die, like a modern day ice age. Master says that then he will crush Kang. Master says that it might take a few centuries, but that it will lead to a better world. Master says that they will all be outfitted with control technology and released with their instructions. Master says that he will also send them off with control discs to recruit others. He warns them all that this will be painful.
On Damocles Base, Centurion watches the
battle unfold. Kang’s plans are going off without much
opposition except for that of the superhumans (most notably Thor
and Hercules). Centurion is growing impatient. He thinks to
himself that he should be there in command of the invasion, but
that he isn’t even needed there. He thinks that it would go
just as smoothly without him. Centurion switches the monitors
onto his own personal program that is filled with coverage of
Warbird fighting. After a few minutes, 
Kang emerges
from a hydraulic door. Kang is fixing his helmet. He says that he
saw Centurion’s workout tapes from that morning and that it
is fine work. Centurion says that Kang spends a lot of time in
that chamber, but that he has never been inside it. He asks Kang
what is inside of it, but Kang says that it is nothing of
importance and not to worry about it. Kang asks how the assault
goes. Centurion says that it all goes well, but that he itches
for some action. Kang says that there will be time for that, but
that they must take action at the time when it will have the
maximum effect. Kang says that he thinks he knows what Centurion
really itches for, and warns him against wasting his thoughts on
women. Kang says that Centurion can have any woman he wants after
the victory.
In the Northwest Territory of Canada, Warbird, Quicksilver, Silverclaw, and Yellowjacket look at a micro-thermal resonance of the Master’s base. The team takes off to get inside it. They arrive at a door to find that the door is open. Warbird figures that the shifting ice must have cracked it open. She says to head in, and that the cracked ice should hide them from detection for a while. She says that they will follow the scanners to Stingray, and reminds them that if they encounter any opposition that the goal isn’t to defeat it but to get past it and to take over the base at all costs. Half a mile in a sudden light appears as television screens with the Master’s image emerge from the wall. He asked if they truly thought that they could hide from him in a base that is an extension of himself. He says that he let them get this far, and that he has arranged company for them. The amphibious creatures that kidnapped the officials lunge at them. Warbird blasts one of them. Silverclaw becomes a giant sloth and smacks one of them. Another leaps at her from behind. Quicksilver zooms by and swoops Silverclaw off her feet. He warns her to pay attention to what is around her instead of what is in front of her. He says that she reminds him of another when she was her age that he doesn’t want to see her injured. Warbird tells the others to remember the mission. She tells them to go ahead and that she will keep them busy. Yellowjacket goes through the vents, Quicksilver goes left, and Silverclaw goes right. Warbird punches one of the creatures in the face. Master tells her that she has done very well against his Plodex wolves. He says that his base is extremely vast. He asks her if she thinks that the area she is in can’t be sacrificed. The portion of the base that Warbird is in explodes.
Photon returns from examining Kang’s force field. She says that she couldn’t analyze it because it is too far beyond anything she could visualize. She says that she did manage to absorb a little bit of it and tries to transfer it into a container. Stark says that they will run a battery of tests on it. Cap says that they can’t wait that long. He tells everyone else to get aboard the ship, and that Stark will have to contact them in space with the results. Stark says that he wishes he could go. Cap says that right now they need Stark’s brain more than Iron Man’s strength. Suddenly a hologram of Kang appears. He says that his exterior shields have been tampered with, and that the location has been traced there. He reminds them that any attack on his base or his person will be seen as an attempt to circumvent the battlefield, and that repercussions will be swift and thorough. Minutes later, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Jack of Hearts, and Photon take off. Jack tells Cap that he doesn’t think Kang was bluffing. Cap says that he knows, but that the world is counting on them and they have no option but to fight and win.
Avengers Files rating: 6.5 out of 10
Decent issue, but it still feels like a set up issue. Master makes his move to protect “his property”. The move to capture his base is a good move, if not a little unrealistic. I mean if they can’t hurt Kang, but Master can, I don’t know why they think that they will be able to hurt Master. Garcia again does a credible, if not average, job drawing the issue. Nothing wrong with it per se, but not terribly interesting either.