Thunderbolts #5

Title: “Growing Pains”

Writer: Kurt Busiek

Penciller: Mark Bagely

Inker: Vince Russell

Colors: Joe Rosas

Editor: Tom Brevoort

In Hong Kong, inside a shadowed room, Baron Strucker meets with his underlings. He says that he had hoped that their New York operations would have been able to endure without him, but he must now involve himself. Strucker throws down a file on the Thunderbolts. He lists their deeds and says that they even ended what would have been a profitable relationship with the new Masters of Evil. Strucker says that he thought with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four dead that they wouldn’t have to worry about superheroes anymore. He says that new teams like the Thunderbolts and Heroes for Hire have to be taught a lesson. Strucker says to use Weapon X-F3.

Outside their new headquarters the Thunderbolts are taking the day off. Techno says goodbye to the team and as he rounds the corner he pushes a button on his throat that deactivates his disguise and reveals the true face of Norbert P Ebersol. Erik also says goodbye as he tells the group that he is off to have lunch with Dallas Riordan. Hallie asks if things are getting serious with them, and Erik says that they will only if he is luckier than he deserves. Abe and Melissa tell Karla and Hallie that they are going sight seeing to the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center. Karla asks if they both haven’t seen those things before. Abe says that they have, but that it is different seeing them when you’re with someone. As they leave, Hallie says that they are so cute together. Karla mumbles that there is no pressure now, and that it only gets hard later.

Karla thinks to herself that Jolt is a good way to try and gain control of the Thunderbolts as Jolt is not fiercely loyal to Zemo, and that the others seem drawn to her. Karla offers to talk over the horrors that Hallie has endured lately if she wants to get it off her chest. Hallie says that she is scared to let it all out. Her eyes start to power up as she gets upset. A flare of energy shoots off Hallie and everyone realizes that she must be Jolt. Karla distracts them as she flashes into her costume. She tells Hallie to quickly get into costume to protect her secret identity.

Erik watches Dallas Riordan as she leans against a low wall waiting for him. He watches the sun on her hair and thinks about how he has to keep his entire life a secret from her. He can’t even tell her his name. Erik wonders if he should even be getting involved this way. He thinks about just leaving and letting Dallas find someone honest, but when she turns and smiles at him Erik is sunk.

Meteorite and Jolt wind up signing autographs for their fans. Karla thinks about how this is good for Hallie after the isolation she was forced to endure that she be surrounded by well wishers. She also thinks how it is good for her to get the bonding experience with Hallie that she wanted to try and draw her under her control. Suddenly from above Strucker had Weapon X-F5 launched at Meteorite and Jolt. Weapon X-F5 turns out to be the Growing Man. The Growing Man says that its programming is incomplete and that it must find the Master. Jolt recognizes it and confesses to Meteorite that she is a bit of an Avengers buff. Meteorite asks what Growing Man does, and Jolt replies that it grows. Meteorite says that she better take it down fast before it grows. Jolt tries to stop her, but is too late. Meteorite hits Growing Man causing it to grow. Jolt tells Meteorite how it grows as Growing Man decks Meteorite.

At the World Trade Center, Abe Jenkins is giving Melissa a tour of where various superheroes beat him up. Melissa says that it is starting to sound like Abe never won any fights. Abe says that he won his share, but just not enough. Songbird spots Meteorite’s power signature and says that she might be in trouble. Both Abe and Melissa admit that they have their equipment with them.

Meteorite tells MACH-1 and Songbird about not hitting the Growing Man as soon as they arrive. Growing Man says that they seem to know him and his powers. He figures that they must know where his master is. He commands them to take him to the master or he will destroy them. MACH-1 hits a signal on his armor to alert the other Thunderbolts.

Norbert is playing poker with some criminal friends. They’re talking about how annoying it is to have the Thunderbolts around. Nobert says that he had to retire as the Fixer until things get better. Norbert is winning a bunch of money when his pager goes off. Norbert says goodbye, but as he is leaving he drops some of his winnings on the ground. Billy grabs the cash and heads out to give it to Norbert, hoping that he might remember him in case some work comes up, but when he gets out there he doesn’t see Norbert’s silhouette walking away, but a man with hair.

Erik listens to Dallas talk as they have lunch. Dallas says that her family is very disappointed that she became a “suit” because her entire family are “badges”. Dallas says that she is babbling and she doesn’t even know Atlas’ real name. Erik starts to fumble out his excuse, but Dallas says that she understands that he has to protect his secret identity. Dallas says that she will call him Steve, and he can call her “Slim like in that Bogart movie”. Erik says that she is too nice, but then he gets MACH-1’s page. Erik says that he has to go, and Dallas says that she is right behind him.

Meteorite asks Jolt if she knows who “the Master” is. Jolt says that the newspapers never said who its master is or how it was beaten. Techno comes running up the street and says that its master is Kang. He says that Kang didn’t build the thing as he isn’t that type, but that he has downloaded all the information on artificial constructs. Growing Man freaks when he hears that master’s name and says that they had better take it to him or they will be sorry. Songbird feels a backlash from Growing Man shattering her shield. Atlas arrives and says that if anyone is going to be sorry it will be him. The others try to stop him, but Atlas punches the Growing Man. Growing Man gets bigger and hits Atlas back. MACH-1 is holding Songbird and says that she has to be okay. Growing Man says that it will kill Atlas and then the others will do as they are told.

Citizen V is still at the headquarters. He contacts Dallas and says that the Growing Man is an Avengers foe. He says that if they are going to defeat it they are going to need access to the Avengers’ files. Dallas says that she will see what she can do.

Techno tells Atlas to hit the thing and make it bigger. He explains that he wants to get inside the Growing Man, but that he needs to be able to move around in there. Atlas and Meteorite hit Growing Man together. Atlas tells everyone else to get the people out of the area. Jolt says that most of the people are gone already anyway. MACH-1 tells them to hurry because he wants to get Songbird to a doctor.

Dallas gets shot down by the SHIELD agent she is talking to. He says that he can’t release the files without proper clearance. Dallas tells him to go get clearance because this is an emergency. In the background Atlas is pounding on Growing Man. Techno says that he still needs it bigger. Atlas says that if he makes Growing Man any bigger that he won’t be able to keep growing with it. He says that he is already past his top limit and that he is starting to lose cohesion. Moonstone says that Atlas was bigger than this when he was fighting the Wrecking Crew. Atlas says that was different because it was only for a short time and he was so mad that he didn’t care if he lost cohesion. Meteorite tells Atlas to get mad then. Atlas says that he just can’t get mad. Meteorite tells the “muscle-bound idiot” to get bigger or the team is going to suddenly realize that somehow a super-villain named Goliath got onto the team. She says that Atlas will be run out of the team and that his new ex-cop girlfriend will find out about it too. Atlas freaks out and smashes the Growing Man with an incredible shot. Growing Man gets bigger, but half of its face seems to be destroyed as it drops to its hands and knees. Techno notices something inside the Growing Man that shouldn’t be there. He removes it and beams start to shoot out of the Growing Man’s eyes. Growing Man shrinks into a tube. Techno is falling to the ground, but a recovered Songbird catches him on solid sound. Atlas says that he hopes this doesn’t mean that Kang is coming for them because he wouldn’t want to mess with him.

Later Dallas apologizes to Citizen V because she couldn’t get SHIELD to release the files. Citizen V says that it worked out this time, but that they are most likely going to wind up battling more Avengers foes and that they are going to need those files. Dallas says that she will keep trying and signs out. Citizen V is ticked because he wanted those files, but composes himself because there will be other chances.

Citizen V makes an encrypted call to Baron Strucker on a priority line. Citizen V says that he knows that Hydra found the Growing Man six years ago, and that they held onto it for retribution because they didn’t know how to control it. Citizen V warns Strucker to leave them alone or they are going to come gunning for him. Strucker thinks to himself that Citizen V knew more than he should have and thinks that something about Citizen V seemed familiar.