Avengers vol. 3 #70Avengers vol. 3 #70
Title: "Red Zone: Part Six- The Great Escape”
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Oliver Coipel
Inker: Andy Lanning
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Two miles outside Pierre, South Dakota, Warbird flies and blasts the ground. She asks Wanda over the radio if she is 100 percent sure. Wanda replies that it is more like 35. Warbird says that is good enough for her, but that she feels weird doing this. Warbird looks down at Wanda on the ground. She asks if she is sure that she doesn’t need her containment suit. Wanda says that with what she is about to do that it would burn off anyway. Warbird says that she isn’t overly religious, but that this seems like blasphemy. Wanda says that it is only a symbol to help her focus her chaos magic. Wanda says that she is going to demand that the earth, air, and water around them contain a cloud a hundred miles wide. She says that she hopes that they don’t talk back. Wanda stands inside a fiery pentagram. Suddenly a wall of water, earth, and air raises around Wanda. Warbird asks Wanda how long she can hold that wall up. Wanda says that she will hold it up until order returns.
Red Skull tells Panther that he is going to
brand his people traitors to America. He says that Wakandans will
be hunted, arrested, and imprisoned while they are bombed back to
the stone age. Iron Man tells Panther to ignore him. He says that
they have to get Captain America out and that he has been
exposed. Iron Man looks over at the silent Panther. Panther
removes his breathing mask and leaps at Skull. He shreds
Skull’s shoulder. Iron Man tells him to keep Skull busy and
that he will take care of Cap. Iron Man starts raising the glass
door. Skull pushes a button on his watch. Iron Man is shocked.
Skull smashes Panther with a chair and knocks him out the window.
Skull says that Gyrich delivered many false documents to him, but
that the first ones on Iron Man and Panther were legitimate. He
says that Gyrich told him that the two of them were the most
untrusting and highest threats. Skull says that it must have been
before Falcon got to Gyrich’s conscience. Skull says that
his watch is like the one that Stark uses to control his armor.
Skull says that he has triggered a firewall around his battery
cells. Skull says that his suit is nearly powerless, and that he
is powerless. The glass door lowers again. Panther struggles to
climb back in through the window. Skull calls him an animal and a
subhuman and tells him that his teammates are dying. Skull says
that he will be blamed for it, and that it all fits together
nicely. Skull says that thanks to Gyrich he knows that Panther
joined the Avengers to spy on them. Skull says that Panther has
always had an agenda and that he almost respects that. Skull says
that after he kills Panther that he will plant his evidence and
that America and Wakanda will go to war. Skull says that Africa
will be the first continent to be cleansed by his “new
America”. Gyrich tells Panther that he is sorry. Panther
stands before Skull. Skull asks if Panther has anything to say. 
Panther says,
“I’m going to break your jaw.” Panther charges.
Skull says that his filthy hands will never touch him. Skull
kicks Panther in the face.
Iron Man looks up at Falcon and sees that he is still safe from the mist behind the glass. Iron Man looks down at Cap. Red Skull smashes Panther against the glass. Red Skull says, “You laid the seeds for your own downfall, Panther. Your kind always does.” Panther kicks Skull and then punches him in the face.
Iron Man sees that Cap isn’t breathing. He says that the mist is contagious and wonders what he should do. Tony realizes that Cap is more important than him. Tony takes off his mask and says that he just hopes that he can keep him alive long enough for Panther to get him out.
Skull smashes Panther’s head against the wall. Panther hits back and tells Skull that he has underestimated too many men and women today. He says that Skull counted them out because of gender or race. Panther says, “As much as it sickens me… I’ve been thinking like you lately. But I’m through.”
Stark breathes into Cap’s mouth.
Falcon’s eyes glow.
Skull looks behind him as a giant group of falcons smash through the window and swarm around him. Panther hits Skull twice and says, “I told you, Skull.” He hits Skull again and shatters his jaw, “But your kind never listens.” Panther walks over to the glass wall. He pulls out one of his vibranium claws and smashes it open. Panther pulls Cap out. They look in and see Tony collapsed on the floor. Panther says that Tony must have saved his life opening his helmet to give CPR. Cap says that they have to help him, and that the Skull’s blood has the antibodies. Panther holds up his claws in front of Skull and says, “Your blood is going to save a lot of people, Skull. People of all kinds.”
Jets fly overhead and drop the cure onto the infected areas. The news announces that, though some of the people infected may never fully recover, that most of them will survive. It goes on that the cure came from the desk of Dell Rusk, who was exposed as the Red Skull by the Avengers. The news says that there is an investigation into how Skull attained his position and to how he created the bio-weapon, but that for now they are closed to the public. The news says that the government is being strongly criticized for this. Vigils for the 1,875 victims are being held tomorrow. Congress wanted to honor the Avengers for their efforts, but the Avengers declined saying that it was no time for parades.
Scott Lang wakes up in Avengers mansion. Jarvis is there. Scott somehow knows that it is over. He asks about his daughter. Jarvis says that she is safe and that everyone is safe now. Jarvis starts walking out. He passes a giant containment bed and says that they will be back for Jack of Hearts soon.
Stark asks Black Panther if he is sure that he wants to do this. Panther says that he is. He says that with what the two of their groups of scientists did together to imagine what they could accomplish. Panther looks over the Wakanda/Stark Scientific Sharing Agreement. Stark extends his hand and says that he hopes this is more than just business. Panther shakes his hand and says that it is.
Cap checks on Falcon and Gyrich. He asks them how they are doing. Falcon says that he can’t believe how far inside the Skull got. Gyrich says that he should have figured it out. He says that he is smarter than that… at least sometimes. Gyrich says that he wanted to apologize. He says that the files that he gave Skull enabled him to stop Iron Man and Panther. Cap tells Gyrich that he has proven himself to Falcon and that means he proved himself to him as well. Mister President enters and says that he couldn’t agree more. He says that he didn’t want to impose, but that he wanted them to know how invaluable the Avengers are to America. Warbird is standing beside the President. She says that he has offered her a new position within the US Army, Chief Field Leader of Homeland Security, and that she wants to take it. Cap tells her that the President couldn’t have picked a better soldier. The President tells Gyrich that he would like to have him as an advisor as well. Gyrich says that he has never wanted anything more… until today. He says that he would like to stay on with the Avengers if Cap will have him. Cap says that he is glad to hear it.
Cap is walking the President out. The President asks if there is anything else he can do. Cap says that he knows Skull can fool a lot of people, but that he wants to be clear on one thing. He says that if there are any more bio-weapons labs in the country that he trusts they are being shut down. The President says that they are in the process of finding that out. He says that he trusts that if they make any more mistakes that the Avengers will be there to help correct it. Cap says that he has his word on it.
Vision and Scarlet Witch stand in the hospital next to the boy from the beginning of the story. Vision puts his hand on the boy’s shoulder and says that he is going home soon. He says that Captain America gave him his word, and that the Avengers always help him keep it.
Avenger Files rating: 8 out of 10
The Skull/Panther/Falcon showdown is pretty cool, as of course is the lesson learned by the Red Skull. The wrap up is a little cheesy. Coipel does a pretty nice job, but the Skull’s broken jaw looks more like his face fell off than a broken jaw. Man I sure wish George Bush would get drawn into some more comics. What book hasn’t he appeared in?
Review and picture by The Leader