Avengers/Thunderbolts #2

Title: “Two: The Fine Line”

Writers: Kurt Busiek & Fabian Nicieza

Penciller: Barry Kitson

Inker: Gary Erskine

Colors: Brian Reber

Editor: Tom Brevoort

A reporter stands outside a New Ulm nuclear power plant and says that the Avengers may be the only hope for the people of Minnesota.

Inside, the Cobalt Man is fighting off the police. He has said that he is trying to save his own life, and that his radiation powers have left him little more than a sentient energy cloud. He says that he has to drain the reactors or lose cohesion, but people are left to wonder if he is a danger. Security doors seal for Cobalt Man

Outside the reporter says that the Avengers have let Cobalt Man escape twice before and that people are wondering if the third time is the charm.

Wasp, Vision, Cap, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Iron Man, and Yellowjacket break through the wall. Cap starts to give an order to Hawkeye, but Hawkeye says that he is already doing it and that he’s been at this for a while. Hawkeye fires a foam arrow at Cobalt Man. Vision says that he can’t pierce the armor because the danger of a radiation breach. Iron Man says that they have to take him out the old fashioned way and Iron Man and Vision hit Cobalt Man. Hawkeye says that he is all for a brawl, but since they’re fighting a science guy that maybe they should listen to their own science guy. Yellowjacket tells Iron Man that they might have a problem. Tony says that he is picking up on it and wonders to himself if they miscalculated the deterioration of the rods. Yellowjacket tells everyone to back off Cobalt Man. He says that he is linked to the reactor, and that he doesn’t think he can break it. He says that if he doesn’t that he core will melt down, but that if they do it by force that the surge would overload the reactor. Cobalt Man tells them all to get away from him. Hawkeye says that they are hosed either way and says that refuses to believe it. He yells at Iron Man, as a smart guy, that he hasn’t done anything and to get into the game. Cobalt Man says that this is the Avengers’ fault. He says that if they had left him alone that none of this would have happened, but that now half of Minnesota is going to die. Cobalt Man lets off a burst of energy.

Moonstone watches the broadcast and then checks her notes that say that Fixer had said that they needed a nuclear engineer.

At Stormfront-1, the Thunderbolts’ HQ, Dallas hollers in pain. Fixer tells her to relax. He says that he Liberator absorbs transnormal forms of energy… like nuclear, cosmic, gamma, or whatever they target. He says that he needs a small scale test and that she has ionic energy running through her nervous system. Songbird tells Norbert to stop. Atlas asks if crippling her again is his idea of a test. Atlas grows and pins Fixer against the ceiling. Fixer says that it is only temporary, but Atlas says that is only if it works. He asks Fixer if he ever heard of asking and wonders who told him he could just do that. Zemo says that he told him to and tells Atlas to put Fixer down. Songbird asks Dallas if she is okay, but Dallas says that she can’t feel her legs. Zemo says that the readouts are fine and that the ionic energy is returning to her even now. Atlas shrinks down and drops Fixer on the ground. Zemo says that this test was necessary to ensure that the system mechanics will work once they solve the scale problem. Songbird starts to yell at Zemo, but Zemo tells her to calm down and that no one was hurt. Fixer says that his ribs feel like gravel. Erik starts to apologize, but then tells Fixer that is tough. Zemo says that he has work to do and tells Moonstone to make them understand. Zemo walks off and Moonstone says that despite his lack of tact that they do have to speed up their schedule. Moonstone says that the pressure is immense and that she is worried about Zemo. She asks if they have seen him lapsing into any bad habits. She says that she knows how they feel and that they have all been through a lot together. She says that if they see Zemo doing anything suspicious to let her know right away. Moonstone fades away and Fixer says, “Yeah, we should trust her. At least with Zemo, he comes straight at you, but her?” Blackheath says that neither of them is to be trusted. Fixer asks if the foliage has been warning him again. Blackheath says that he agreed to his plan because he felt that draining the dangerous energies of the world will make the world safer, but he asks if anyone has thought about what becomes of the energy once Zemo has stolen it.

Moonstone appears to Zemo and he asks if she has sown the seeds of discontent into her favor. Moonstone says that she doesn’t know what he is talking about. Zemo asks if she has covered her own butt. Moonstone says that the only thing doing that is an ounce or two of lycra. Zemo says that he has noticed. He asks what is on the monitor she is showing him. Moonstone says that she is covering Zemo’s butt. She says that they need a nuclear engineer and continued publicity. She says that he is a bad guy, it’s a crisis situation, and asks if she needs to add that the Avengers have been having trouble with the Cobalt Man. Zemo says to ready everyone.

There is an explosion at the nuclear plant. The reporter and her camera man are knocked over, but they land on a giant pink sound cushion. The reporter sees the Thunderbolts and ask what they are going to do. Zemo says that they are going to do what the Avengers have failed to do. He says that they are going to save the people of Minnesota with plenty of time for them to watch the Packers this Sunday. Atlas tells him that is the Vikings. Moonstone tells Zemo not to play to the cameras if he doesn’t know what he is doing. Zemo says that he misspoke and asks if Americans care so much about baseball anymore. Atlas says that it is football. Zemo says, “Whatever” and tells them to be ready for anything since the Avengers won’t be happy to see them.

Vision blocks a surge, but suddenly Cobalt Man is encased in hard sound. Cap and Hawkeye both say that it is them. Atlas says that he has the ceiling and asks Songbird if she is okay. Songbird says that Cobalt Man isn’t anything that she can’t handle. Zemo says that it looks like they need some assistance. Cap asks Zemo what he is doing. Zemo says that he is doing what they couldn’t. Zemo cues Fixer and Fixer says that he is on it. Fixer tells Moonstone to go on his mark. Cap says no, but Zemo says yes. Cap says that they can’t be trusted. Zemo asks if they can’t solve the problem that the Avengers exacerbated. Yellowjacket tells Cap that the relaying data indicates that what Fixer is about to do may work. Zemo says that this has to be galling for Cap, and that it comes down to trust. He asks if he can have faith in a former enemy… if he can accept help. Hawkeye asks Karla if this is legit, but Karla asks if he really has to ask. Fixer says that they don’t have time for this. Cobalt Man asks the Avengers to let the Thunderbolts help him if they can. Cap and Zemo are face to face and Hawkeye tells Fixer to do it. Fixer hits Cobalt Man and absorbs the Cobalt Man’s rampant energies, Moonstone opens a warp hole of some kind, and leaves both Cobalt Man and the core stable. Yellowjacket says that they did it. Zemo says that they did, and that while he is sure that they would like them to stay and chat that they have to go. Vision says that Moonstone is opening a spatial distortion. The Avengers go to stop them, but Songbird puts up a sonic wall. Fixer tells them that they are welcome as they leave. Hawkeye tells Cap that they only came to help, but Cap points out that it didn’t stop Hawkeye from firing an arrow at them. Hawkeye says that Tony Stark was a fat lot of help. He says that he let Ebersol get the better of the big genius Tony Stark. He hits Iron Man’s suit and makes a loud clang.

Cobalt Man asks if this is going to work. Zemo says that it already has. Cobalt Man says that he can feel the fluctuations settling. Fixer says that basically he gave him a new radiator. Zemo says that Fixer built a new external coolant system to handle the radiation surges. He says that it is temporary until they utilize a more permanent solution. Cobalt Man asks how he can repay them. Zemo says that it was good of him to ask and says that he can repay his debt by helping to save the world.

At Avengers mansion, Jarvis offers Hawkeye a drink as he works out. Hawkeye says no thanks. Jarvis says that he seems troubled. Hawkeye says that he is just between a rock and a hard place and says that he guesses he should be used to it by now. He asks Jarvis what he thinks about him letting the Bolts find their own way. Jarvis says that it isn’t his place, but Hawkeye says that Jarvis knows what is what. Jarvis says, “Then forgive me for saying so, sir… but I find it very difficult to give any benefit of the doubt to a group of criminals who beat me within an inch of death… and nearly cost me an eye.” Hawkeye says that he forgot the attack on the mansion. Jarvis walks out and says that it is understandable since he spent so much time with them that he sees them differently. Hawkeye walks after Jarvis and says that he isn’t making excuses for what they’ve done, but asks how long they have to pay for that. However Jarvis is gone by then. Hawkeye says, "nuts”. Yellowjacket lands on his shoulder and asks him what is wrong. Hawkeye says that he is an idiot. Yellowjacket asks what else is wrong. Hawkeye says that he should apologize to Shell Head and asks Hank if he has seen him. Hank says, “Uhm… no… I haven’t… uh… I have to go… charity dinner with Jan tonight… later!” Hawkeye says that Hank is the worst liar and wonders why he is lying. He sees Hank glance toward the mechanical depot. Hawkeye goes in and says that Tony had him ready to apologize. He sees the remote Iron Man armor recharging and says that now Tony went and made him curious.

Cobalt Man walks with Atlas, Vantage, and Songbird. He says that Zemo sounds good, but asks if they really trust him. Songbird says that these will be his quarters. Atlas says that they get a 100 cable channels from home. Cobalt Man says that he notices that they are avoiding his question. Moonstone appears and says that maybe it is because there are no easy answers. She says that he went on a rampage threatening thousands, but that saving his own life also safeguarded millions. She says that they offered to help him if he could help them. She says that it is a juggling act, and to think about the opportunity to be free of his cold metal shell… to be a man again… to touch and feel. She says that they are all walking in gray areas having abandoned the shadows, but not yet fully bathed in the light. She phases through the ceiling. Cobalt Man says that taking a bath might be worth it. Vantage tells Cobalt Man that he doesn’t have long to settle in and that they are scrambling at 0600 to raid one of the Wizard’s abandoned safehouses.

Inside his quarters, “Cobalt Man” scans for surveillance equipment and finds none. He takes off his helmet and turns the holo-field off. After the smoke clears, Tony Stark tells the Avengers that he is in, but thinks to himself that he didn’t expect to have doubts after seeing them in action, hearing their hopes and dreams, and getting a sense of their real intentions.

Traitor’s rating: 8 out of 10

Review and picture by the Leader

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