Thunderbolts #13
Thunderbolts #13
Title: “In the Courts of Kosmos”
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Penciller: Mark Bagely
Inker: Scott Hanna
Colors: Joe Rosas
Editor: Tom Brevoort
A moment ago the Thunderbolts had surrendered themselves to the Avengers, but they vanished into thin air and now find themselves in Kosmos. Atlas says that they can’t be where he thinks they are.
A Kosmosian tells the Thunderbolts that they are in the presence of Jekuakket, sovereign primotur of the all-hive. He tells them to tremble before his power. Jekuakket starts to say that these people are their guests, but he is interrupted when the man beside him recognizes Atlas as “the intruder from beyond”. Atlas says that they are where he thinks. Moonstone asks where they are, but Atlas says that there is no time to answer as the welcoming committee turns into an arresting committee. Moonstone tells the Thunderbolts to defend themselves and adds that Atlas has better have a good explanation. Moonstone tells MACH-1 to use rubber bullets until they know what is happening. She tells Atlas and Jolt to back up to the pillar. Moonstone tells Songbird to clear a path. Songbird says that she’ll clear a whole highway. MACH-1 tells her to use the kid gloves, but Melissa tells him to shut up and fight. Jolt and Atlas are fighting together. Atlas decks one of the "creature caste” and says that he isn’t their patsy anymore. Moonstone has MACH-1 create a diversion and the Bolts fly away.
As they fly along they see nothing familiar. MACH-1 points out the fourth burned out village that they come across. Moonstone says that it isn’t their concern. They soon come across a full scale battle. Jolt says that it’s horrible the way they are slaughtering each other. Atlas starts to wonder about something, but Moonstone repeats that it isn’t their concern. She says that right now what they need is a place to hole up and plan. She says that she might have found a place.
As soon as they land within the maze of tangled structures Songbird asks Atlas where they are. Atlas says that they have to be on Kosmos. Atlas reveals that Kosmos is another dimension where Pym Particles come from. Atlas says that long ago Hank Pym fought a Kosmosian criminal and since then Kosmos has known about Earth. He reveals how he was suckered by a another group of Kosmosian criminals. He thought they were going to give him power, but they tricked him and turned him into a living gateway to Earth. He says that Hank Pym defeated them and rescued him. Josten says that he returned to Earth in a coma, and that he stayed in it until the Kosmosians grabbed him up again. Atlas says that this time he thinks it was the ruling Kosmosians and that they tortured him and kept him in constant pain. Jolt asks if he thinks they grabbed him again to invade. Atlas says that it was only the criminals that wanted to invade. He adds that he doesn’t have Pym Particles in him anymore, and that they seemed surprised it was him when they arrived. Moonstone says that they recognized him pretty quickly. Moonstone asks if he recognized any of them. Atlas says that he was pretty insane back then. Songbird notes that Atlas has an all new appearance, but MACH-1 says that the Kosmosians probably use smell or sense auras to recognize each other as opposed to sight.
Songbird says that she hates to bring this up, but it looks like they’re never going to get home. Jolt says that there is hope, but can’t come up with any ideas. Atlas says to face facts.
That night after gathering food and firewood the Bolts all sit around the fire. Abe asks how they know that this food isn’t poisonous. Melissa asks how they know they aren’t about to eat a mailman. She says that dying of food poison or starvation doesn’t sound too different to her. She says that she is eating. Abe asks Melissa if he can talk to her privately.
Abe asks Melissa what is with her new more aggressive attitude. Melissa says that she doesn’t like bugs, but that she doesn’t notice any difference in her behavior. Melissa suddenly spots someone watching them. She grabs him with sound chopsticks. Atlas says that there must be others, but the captive says that no one who isn’t of royal blood would enter there. He introduces himself as Jikekt, the prince and son of Jekuakket. Moonstone asks if Jikekt’s father sent him after them. Jikekt says that he just wanted to see the intruder from beyond. Moonstone asks why they were brought there. Jikekt says that it was because of the message. He realizes that the Bolts don’t know. Jikekt tells of the warning they received of the “Blue Man” coming and conquering them at some point in the future. Jolt says that the Blue Man must be Kang. Jikekt goes on to say that their future selves knew that the weapons they were forced to build for Kang, the Growing Man, would be sent into the past. They said that they installed an alert beacon in each of them to warn them of the Blue Man’s coming. The beacons were damaged and not activated until recently when Atlas defeated the Growing Man and sent a beam out as it returned to dormancy. The Kosmosian scientist traced the beacon’s activation to that fight and then set out about finding those that defeated it. One was dead, but the rest were brought over. Jikekt says that now that the intruder is with them that most people think they are agents of the Blue Man and should be put to death. Many Kosmosians are impatient and want to invade Earth before they are conquered, but Jekuakket doesn’t want to punish a world for the actions of a few. The world is in a civil war over the disagreement.
Moonstone says that she doesn’t see an angle here. Atlas says that he will surrender and let them execute him if they will let the others go back to Earth. Jolt says that they are a team now and must go together to get out. She suggests that they all surrender and face trial for being agents of Kang. She says that they were willing to go to trial on Earth, and that this time they are actually innocent. Jolt says that they have to go back to the palace anyway because they are the only ones that can send them home. Moonstone says that it might work since they are returning the primotur’s first born as they come. Songbird and MACH-1 are willing to follow. Jolt thinks how Moonstone is a fine leader as long as their goals suit all of their needs, but she worries about what will happen later.
The next morning the Thunderbolts turn themselves in as they return the primotur’s son to him. They testify that they are enemies of the Blue Man, and that is why they were defeating his Growing Man. They explain that Atlas was never an intruder so much as he was unwitting participant. Moonstone says that they bear them no ill will, and that is why they have thrown themselves at the mercy of the primotur’s decision. Jekuakket turns to his first soldier Tikuak, and he says that he thinks that they are just saying whatever they think will keep them from execution. He says that they must be slain. Jekuakket turns to his vizier Keka’Akeluak. The vizier says that everything isn’t as it appears, and that they should tread carefully. Jekuakket says that the longer they wait the more Kosmos is torn apart. Moonstone watches as the primotur says that the vizier has always been a crafty one, and that he had better not seek to go against him. The vizier reminds Jekuakket that when the intruder escaped their dimension that there was a presence of great evil. He says that it would be foolish to let a captured enemy go free. Jekuakket says that to keep the civil war from tearing Kosmos apart the Thunderbolts will be interrogated for all they know about the Blue Man, and then executed in the public square.
Later in their
cell Atlas is apologizing to the others for dragging them into
this. He says that no matter what he does he screws up and hurts
other people. Songbird, Jolt, and MACH-1 try to make Atlas feel
better, but Moonstone is sickened by their whining. She phases
through the wall with an idea of how to get out of there.
Moonstone finds the vizier by himself. She says that if he rings
the alarm that he will be dead before the echo fades away.
Moonstone says that the two of them should talk. The vizier says
that he is open to discussion. Moonstone says that she knew he
was too smart to panic, and to crafty to pass up an opportunity
that might hold advantage for him. Moonstone says that she has a
deal for him that she thinks he is going to like.
Traitor’s rating: 6 out of 10
I’m somewhat conflicted about the story. While Atlas is my favorite Thunderbolt, and I enjoy this because it involves his past, it also feels needlessly complicated. Reading the story I get confused about all these unpronounceable names. This is a set up issue after a rousing first arc, and in that respect it succeeds quite well in holding the attention instead of feeling like a nothing issue. Bagely doesn’t seem quite as “on” as he had been and the issue is fairly average. Moonstone still looks nice though.