Avengers vol. 3 #51Avengers vol. 3 #51
Title: “Prisoners: A Love Story”
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Penciller: Brent Anderson
Inker: Tom Palmer
Colors: Tom Smith
Editor: Tom Brevoort
In Los Angles, Wonder Man is lead off a ship wearing cosmi-stocks that prohibit him from using his powers. Wonder Man thinks about how everything happened so quickly. Simon thinks that it must have been some futuristic weapon of Kang’s that attacked Washington DC. The weapon left the buildings standing for the most part, but killed every living person in the city. Kang’s image appeared over every city in the world and said that he warned them about not keeping the war on the battlefield, and that now the country that harbors the Avengers has been punished. Kang suggests that they surrender or that power will be turned against them. Many nations surrendered in days. Kang made Wasp surrender to him first. Wasp had no choice since she couldn’t risk him hitting New York or Los Angeles. The President had been taken to safety and Wasp wouldn’t divulge his location. Many nations refused the surrender, but Kang sent arms to suppress them instead of using the weapon. Kang also said that any surrendered nation that took up arms against him would feel the weapon. Most of the world’s superheroes were captured or surrendered to save innocents (Fantastic Four and She-Hulk walk in cosmi-stocks). Some heroes remained free, but some only remained free for a while and were brought down eventually.
The guards mock Wonder Man and say that he doesn’t look like much of a wonder now. The guards replace the cosmi-stocks with a suppressor collar. They say that if he attempts to escape that he will die. The guards then push Wonder Man out into the main yard of the prison camp. Simon looks around and sees the hungry, dirty, and scared. Finally Simon sees Wanda running up to him. She runs into his arms. He says that he didn’t know that she would be there. Wanda says that she was captured out in space and shipped down a few weeks ago. Simon says that he got captured while making a raid. He says that they were trying to steal some food and supplies for a rebel group. He says that he tried to cover their escape. Wanda says that she is just so happy to see him alive.
The next day, Simon settles into the routine. Kang’s guards aren’t working them as opposed to storing them until Kang is done conquering. Wanda spends her time in the medical tents doing what she can. Wanda tells one of the patients that the doctor is working very hard and that he will get to him as soon as he can. Simon carries food, water, and supplies around. He sees how hard this is on Wanda. Later, Wanda tells Simon that her hex powers still work a little. She says that she thinks it is because they are magical and that the technology can’t block it all. She says that she uses her powers to keep some of the worst cases alive until they can be treated. She says that she thinks that the guards half know about it, but that they let it go because they would rather have live slaves for Kang than corpses. She says that as long as she isn’t too showy they look the other way.
A few days later, two prisoners manage to pull one of the guards off their floating platform. They fly off over the prison camp wall. Simon is cheering them on, but Wanda seems upset. Simon asks what is wrong since they’ve already gotten over the wall. Wanda says that they won’t get far. She tells Simon to just watch. Two guards fly into the air with two prisoners. They inform the escapees that if they turn around right now that only they will be punished for their actions. They say that if they do not come back now that Raymond Campell and Constance Burkhalter will die in their places. The men stop for a moment, but they say that they won’t go back and that they will join up with the rebels. Kang’s men kill to two prisoners. Eventually they are caught and then four more prisoners are chosen to die. Wanda tells Simon that it is always twice the amount that try to escape if they keep running. Constance’s father comes up to yell at them and say that his daughter was only 14 years old. The men apologize and say that they just couldn’t take it anymore. Kang’s men kill all six of the prisoners. Simon holds Wanda.
Two night later, Wanda is looking up at the moon and says that it is the same moon that it was a month ago, but that it shines down on a world that is so different. She says that she doesn’t know if it will ever be the same. Simon tells Wanda not to talk like that. He says that things will get better and that Kang will be beaten. He says that the resistance is out there. He says that some Avengers, even Thor, are still out there. He says that things will be okay. Simon and Wanda kiss. Simon senses that something is bothering Wanda and asks her what it is. Wanda says that it was so easy before. She says that it was comfortable and that it seemed all right to be comfortable, but that now with the ways things are… she says that she doesn’t know what to say. Simon says that what they had is over. He says that it has been over for a while, but that they both pretended. He says that now it seems wrong to pretend and not be honest with themselves. Wanda is glad that Simon understands. Simon says that he understands, but he didn’t know that she felt that way too. He says that things were fine in New York, but that when they were separated that it didn’t really bother her. Wanda agrees that it didn’t. She says that she does love Simon, but that when they first got together that she was lonely and confused. She says that intensified and magnified her feelings. Simon says that it turned love into passion. He says that they both felt it, but that it burned out quickly. He says that for him it was that she was always the perfect unattainable woman. Wanda says that she would die for him and that she does love him. Simon says that they both love each other, but that it turned out not to be that kind of love. Wanda says that it is more like they are really old friends. Simon says that he likes that. Wanda says that it took her so long to tell him since he loved her even beyond death. Simon says that he couldn’t tell her because it seemed ungrateful to do that for a woman that brought him back from the dead. Simon enjoys Wanda’s little laugh. He asks her if she still loves the Vision. Wanda says that she does, but that he has moved on and that is good for him. Wanda asks if Simon has anyone. Simon says that he doesn’t, but that what is important right now is getting out of there. Simon says that maybe Wanda’s slight hex is enough to overcome his collar. He says that he could break free and then free her. Wanda says that even if they could do that, that they can’t take the whole camp with them, and that the whole country is hostage.
The next day, Simon snaps Wanda’s collar. While Wanda is blasting down the floating guards, Simon snaps his own collar. Simon then smashes a giant hole in the wall. Guards from the outside start to pour in. As the two of them handle the guards, two guards float up into the sky with two prisoners. When Wanda sees this she says that she can’t do this. She says that she surrenders and that they can kill her, but not to kill anyone else. The one guard tells Wonder Man to surrender and that only he will be punished for his actions. Wonder Man freaks out and tells them to come and take him. He says that if they are so tough and powerful to be men and come and get him. He says to take him if they can, not someone else. A special squad is released to deal with Simon. Simon speaks out loud to Kang. He says that this is how a man fights and deals with his enemies. Wonder Man plows into the special squad. Simon thinks that he might even win the fight, but then suddenly he is struck by some energy cannon on the wall. The cannon must have something in it similar to the suppressor collars because when he is hit he can’t breathe. The special squad descends on Simon and beats him senseless.
The guards hold up Wonder Man to hear
Kang’s judgement. Kang says that Wonder Man is defeated, but
that he admires courage even in his enemies. He says that because
he did not surrender he will be executed, but that because he
didn’t flee and faced his men like a warrior that no one
else will be executed with him. Kang says that Scarlet Witch will
be placed in solitary confinement for one month after the
execution. Kang disappears and the guards tie Simon to a stake.
Wanda is back in her collar and begs them not to kill him. Simon
figures that it will probably just look like an explosion of
ionic energy to those watching. 
The guards fire
and there is a large explosion. When the smoke clears, Wonder Man
is gone. Wanda falls down to where Simon had been. The guards
tell her to get up to go to solitary. Wanda tells them to give
her a minute. The guard says to move now, but Wanda freaks and
yells to give her a few seconds to grieve. A voice says to Wanda,
“Not treating my favorite girl right, are they? Want me to
klonk their heads together for them?” Wanda tells Simon that
it won’t be necessary, but that it is nice to hear his
voice.
The night before, Simon asks Wanda if she thinks that it will work. Wanda says that it should. She says that if she uses the right spell that it should still work after her collar is back on. Simon says that she could come too, but Wanda says that it would look too suspicious and that Kang would be more likely to seek vengeance if it were more than one that defied him. She says that in Simon he will honor it, but that he wouldn’t in a woman. She says that she is needed there anyway. Wanda tells Simon to go find the resistance, find the Avengers, and save the world. She says that they will all be counting on him. Wanda kisses Simon.
Wonder Man flies invisible though the big hole in the wall that he made. He looks back one time to watch them taking Wanda to solitary. A tear rolls down his eye as he flies away.
Avengers Files rating: 6 out of 10
This isn’t a bad issue, but it just feels like the Kang thing is being drawn out a little too long. I’m not real thrilled that Simon and Wanda are broken up anyway, so the story could only please me so much, but after the big events in #49 to not really be followed up at all in #50 and now in #51… it just feels like I would like to get on with this now. Brent Anderson does a credible job, but I don’t care much for his style. The art does its job and so both writing and pencils get a 3 out of 5.