Avengers vol. 3 #59Avengers vol. 3 #59
Title: “World Trust part 3: Friends and Enemies
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Kieron Dwyer
Inker: Rick Remender
Colors: Tom Smith
Editor: Tom Brevoort
A yellow dart from the Zodiac Key fires into one of Scorpio’s white scorpions. Yellowjacket and Wasp are encased in a yellow energy. Scorpio asks Yellowjacket if he knows what destiny is. Hank says that he isn’t a theologist. Scorpio fires a yellow dart into Pym’s right hand. He says that he will rephrase and asks Pym if he knows where destiny comes from. He says that what he holds in his hand is the blueprint for the next one thousand years of mankind. He says that it is the Zodiac Key and that he is Scorpio. Pym says that he is a Taurus and asks Scorpio if he comes there often. Scorpio says that Pym is funny for a scientist and fires a yellow dart into his left hand. Wasp, suspended in a bubble, shouts for Scorpio to leave Hank alone. Behind Scorpio stands Chaos, one half of the In-Betweener, also encased in the yellow energy. Scorpio says that he wants them to understand that he has brought the world’s capitals to the realm because the world has been following false leaders. He says that there have been many key-holders, but that they all failed to understand the meaning of the gift. He says that the last thousand years unraveled incorrectly and that there was no proper god to worship. He says that now there is, and that the next millennium belongs to him.
Jack of Hearts is watching the reports of all the Avengers around the world. Thor is seen after defeating General Alarico Ramirez’s entire army by himself. The report says that Ramirez is the seventeenth would be dictator defeated since the Avengers were granted full international powers by the United Nations. The decision has been well accepted by almost every country on Earth. Wonder Man is on another screen holding onto another would be dictator in Wonsan, North Korea. Triathlon doing the same in India, and Firestar and Justice in South Africa. Iron Man comes up behind Jack. He says that Jack needs to get back to the Zero Room and that it is well past three in the morning. Jack says that he doesn’t need sleep. Stark says that it isn’t about the sleep and that he knows it. Jack and Stark walk down to the chamber. Jack says that he still wants to help. Stark says that he will see him in ten hours and the chamber closes. Jack looks up at the ceiling as it rumbles and shakes.
Upstairs, She-Hulk is thrown off her bed. Warbird rushes into Scarlet Witch’s room. Wanda is floating in the air. Half of her body is pure white while the other is pure black. Wanda looks at Carol and says, “Where is it… Where is Order? Tell me woman!” Wanda breathes fire at Warbird. Warbird leaps over the fire. She says that she is sorry and hits Wanda in the neck knocking her out. She-Hulk arrives and asks what that was all about. Carol says that she wishes she knew.
Gathered around the table are Black Panther,
She-Hulk, Falcon, Warbird, Vision, Iron Man, and Ant-Man. Namor
stands at the head of the table gripping it so hard that it
cracks. He says that they are Earth’s mightiest heroes and
asks why his oceans continue to drain dry. Namor punches the
table splintering it. Ant-Man says that he thought Jack was a
jerk and asks Stark where he is anyway. Stark simply replies that
he is busy. Gyrich and Captain America walk into the room. Gyrich
says that Cap has to admit that it was pretty spectacular. Cap
says that he prevented a strike against Lebanon by being
diplomatic. Cap says that Gyrich has skills, but that every time
he thinks that he has the potential to be a team player that his
ego gets in the way. Cap stands behind Namor and looks at him.
Namor notices Cap there and makes way for Cap to sit at the head.
Cap tells Namor that when this is done that he will be buying
them a new table. Namor grunts. Cap says that they have Scarlet
Witch under the best medical care and that she is stable for now.
He says that he will keep them updated. Vision says that is not
enough. He says that perhaps she needs more than just medical
attention. He says that if they need him that he will be watching
over her. Vision phases through the ceiling towards Wanda. Cap
says that it is about time and asks Iron Man if they have any
results yet. Stark says that his best scientists are trying to
figure out where the black holes come from. Black Panther steps
forward and says that he sent a copy of the data to an associate
of his. Stark says that he didn’t authorize that. Panther
says that he already has a hypothesis and that he thinks that
they will find it interesting. 
Suddenly Doom is
on the screen. Doom greets T’Challa. Iron Man starts to
freak, but Panther says to let Doom speak. Cap says that this had
better be good and Namor agrees. Doom says that the information
will help restore the face of the Earth… including his
country. He tells them that the black holes are nearly identical
to the energy signature of something called the Zodiac Key. Doom
says that the key originates from the thirteenth dimension, a
world dominated by a race of beings that are obsessed with
causing chaos. Doom says that he sought the key himself once, but
that it decayed to dust while under SHIELD surveillance. Doom
says that he thinks that pits were created by a new Zodiac Key.
Stark asks Doom if he ids finished. Doom starts saying, “For
now, Iron M…”, but Stark punches the screen and
destroys Doom’s image. Stark yells in Panther’s face.
Panther says that he was just getting the information as quickly
as possible. Stark says that Panther just gave Doom to the entire
Avengers information network. Panther says that he knows about
the firewall and that Doom doesn’t have access to anything.
Iron Man says that apparently neither do they. Cap tells Panther
that if he wants to be an Avenger that there are no more secrets.
Warbird asks if that is all Cap is going to do. She says that
they all know that Panther joined the Avengers to spy on them.
She-Hulk says, “He was what?” Warbird says that he was
noting their personal lives and their weaknesses. Falcon says
that Warbird is twisting the facts. Ant-Man says that he has a
question. Warbird says that she was thrown out for less, and that
if Thor was here he would have tossed the cat out the door. She
says that Panther is allied with one of their enemies. Panther
says that he keeps his friends close, but his enemies closer.
Stark looks at Panther. Cap tells Panther that he isn’t
going to say it again and tells Stark that he is going to buy
them a new monitor. Stark says that this isn’t over. Ant-Man
repeats that he has a question. Stark asks him what it is.
Ant-Man says that if the thing is a Zodiac Key. He asks what the
key unlocks. Everyone looks at each other wondering. Wanda and
Vision walk in together. Wanda says that it unlocks the balance
between Order and Chaos. Cap says that it is good to see her up,
but asks how she knows that. Wanda says that her hex is directly
connected to the chaotic fabric of the universe. She says that
she didn’t know that she was that in tune though. Wanda says
that there is a being called the In-Betweener and that he
embodies the balance between Chaos and Order. She says that the
In-Betweener has been split into two beings and that has allowed
the doorways to open. She adds that the Chaos being has been
trying to take possession of her to find and rejoin his brother.
She says that Order is wandering the Earth and that she can feel
him not far from there. Falcon asks if they are supposed to find
Order and go through one of the portals. Wanda says that they
have to rejoin the brothers there or the barriers between the
worlds will be destroyed permanently. Cap asks if she can lead
them to the In-Betweener. Wanda says that she can and thanks
Vision for his help. Vision says that he is happy to help a
friend.
Order looks down at a little turtle. He
says, “Nothing is between us. Finally.” He picks up the
turtle and crushes it in his hand. Wanda speaks to Order and says
that she has come to help him. She says that they are the
Avengers and that they are there to take him back to his brother.
Chaos energy arcs off of Wanda and zaps Order’s hand. He
says that she works in Chaos and that her touch burns. He shouts
for them to go away. A blast of power sends the Avengers flying.
Some of them seemingly disappear. Order picks up Cap’s
shield and says that they have no idea what it is like to be
fused with a parasite like Chaos. He says that he shares his
existence with evil, ignorance, and death. He says that he would
sooner be destroyed that return to him. Namor gets up and wipes
the blood from his mouth. He says, “Captain…? Where are
they?” 
Namor lunges at
Order and demands to know where Order sent them. He tells him to
bring them back and begins punching Order in the face. Order
grabs Namor out of the air by the neck. He says that they are
gone and that he will never go back. A bolt of lightning flashes.
Thor says, “Aye, demon? Methinks thou dost protest too
much.”
Avengers Files rating: 7 out of 10
The story is really moving along well. I like the plan of Scorpio and the cosmic level of the Zodiac Key. I like the fact that Panther’s nature from his title is showing as he recruits Doom to help the Avengers. Like Starks anger towards it too. Like Namor’s fighting Order and the set-up of Thor and Order to come. Great cliffhanger and its nice that this story’s problems aren’t just wrapped up in one issue like it was no problem. 4 out of 5 for the writing. Dwyer does an adequate job with the pencils.