Thunderbolts #41
Thunderbolts #41
Title: "Tug of War!”
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciller: Mark Bagely
Inker: Greg Adams
Colors: Joe Rosas
“Roped In”: Kurt Busiek
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Destroyer and Iron Cross are fighting to protect what they have built. Goldfire and Topspin are assuming the mantles of their parents. Nuklo is fighting with the powers he has regained. As the Penance Council, they are the ruling body of the V-Battalion and are fighting for the first time in two decades on their home soil. MACH-2 says that this is just great. He says that in addition to having massive armaments that they have superhuman operatives. Songbird says that it would be nice if Atlas showed up to help since they are there to rescue him. MACH-2 tells her that until then to keep running aerial interference while the others deal with the ground forces. Hawkeye says that is his line. MACh-2 apologizes. Hawkeye tells Songbird to do what MACH-2 said while they do what he told them to. Charcoal asks what they should do about Moonstone while she ralfs up her supper. Hawkeye tells Charcoal to keep her covered until she can join in. Destroyer tells Hawkeye that his actions are jeopardizing over half a century’s worth of carefully crafted isolation. Atlas comes plowing through the floor and throws everyone into the air. He says that their actions jeopardize the woman that he loves. Hawkeye says that they didn’t need that and was hoping the stalemate would cause them to start talking. Charcoal says that he could go in and end things quickly. Hawkeye says that he likes that he is getting cocky and that he may need him to back it up. Hawkeye asks if he is the Destroyer. He says that Cap told him about him, but that he would have to be around 200 years old to be the same one. Destroyer says that he is 80 and that it pains him to see how far Hawkeye has fallen from the example set by Captain America. Hawkeye fires at Destroyer and says, “Say the man who’s frontin’ an international mercenary operation!” Goldfire says that they are no such thing and that they have sacrificed family and freedom to protect the world. Songbird asks if they are slaves if they surrendered freedom. Topspin says that they are just committed to the cause as their mother and fathers were. Charcoal says that he has dibs on “Heavy Metal” while punching Iron Cross. He asks Atlas how his research went. Atlas says that it was so-so, and to excuse him while he deals with the little glowing guy. Nuklo says that no one ever called him little before. He says that is funny and that maybe Atlas will laugh after he burns him. Atlas screams. Hawkeye says that shouldn’t be possible unless Nuklo is messing up Erik’s energy flow. Destroyer asks Hawkeye if his attention wandered before he became a leader. Hawkeye says that it did, and that right now he is thinking that Nuklo is Robert Frank Jr., the son of the Whizzer and Miss America. MACH-2 says that if they really are heroes that they have no reason to fight. Goldfire mentions all their criminal records and asks how they should trust them. MACH-2 punches her and says, “Fine. Always bring that up…”
Karla sits hunched over clutching her stomach. Ever since she confronted the demon manifestation of the Kree spirit that she had been dreaming about that Karla’s uncontrollable impulses to be noble and heroic have been more pronounced. Karla’s subconscious whispers to her, “Eight have been chosen. The Hellfire Helix is in place. Alpha beckons Omega. The eggs are soon to hatch and the eight will be reborn. We enter into this covenant of our own free will. We forsake that which we were for the betterment of all. The responsibility can only be shouldered by those worthy of the power…” Karla dry heaves.
Nuklo had been blasting Atlas. Finally, Atlas slugs Nuklo and says, “Enough! You’re really hurtin’ me!” Nuklo goes flying.
Sandman watches from above. He thinks that he knew Josten was strong as Goliath, but that punch was something. He says that there is only one reason he came with them and that he better get going while the getting is good. Charcoal spots him. Charcoal goes and tells Hawkeye that Sandman is making a run for it. Destroyer asks if Sandman is part of their group now. Hawkeye says that they just sort of needed his help to get through Symkaria. Destroyer asks, “So your means are irrelevant as long as the ends are satisfied?” Songbird pounds Iron Cross with a pink giant mace and tells Destroyer to come off it. She says that Citizen V said she was running from them because they betrayed what they stood for.
Karla tells them to stop. She says that this
is all twisted. She says that the V-Battalion are good guys that
have done bad things in order to achieve their goals. The Kree in
her head says that the Thunderbolts are villains willing to do
bad things to become heroes. It says that this doesn’t make
sense. 
Karla says,
“I can’t reconcile this conflict within me! I
don’t know who I’m supposed to be anymore!”
Suddenly everyone finds themselves intangible. Erik asks how they
are supposed to hit each other. Songbird says that she thinks
that was the point. Suddenly Karla gets into the sky like a bolt
of lightning. Charcoal says that he didn’t know she could
fly that fast. MACH-2 says that he lost her off his radar, but
that he is sure he can find her. Hawkeye tells him to go.
Destroyer says that her actions had the desired effect and that
their fighting was unnecessary. Hawkeye says that caused him one
team member and a renegade bad boy. Destroyer asks where Sandman
would go. Hawkeye says that the only reason Sandman helped them
was in order to get his hands on Silver Sable. Atlas says that he
doesn’t like this. He says that teaming up to get Sandman is
nice, but asks if they have forgotten why they came there.
Hawkeye says that he isn’t, but that if Atlas is going to be
a hero that the needs of them many outweigh their feelings for
Dallas or Moonstone. Destroyer says that was well said. Erik
concedes the point, but that when it is over that they are going
to come clean about Citizen V, Crimson Cowl, and Dallas Riordan.
Dallas stands alone nude in the dark. She is
counting. A robotic arm pushes a meal in when she gets to 15,330
seconds. Dallas says that is the third meal to come in at that
number. She thinks to herself that was Cowl’s first mistake
and starts counting again.
In Los Angeles, Andie Sterman meets up with Bob Haggerty. Andie says that his call to her office piqued her curiosity. Bob says that he saw her on Good Morning LA and that he said she was looking for the topic for her next book. He says that he thought that he could help. He says that it is about a woman working for Roxxon who was mysteriously killed by a man wearing a holographic mask of her boss. He says that it is the story of her brother who will do whatever it takes to prove that the United States government was responsible for her death.“Bert” thanks Wilma for the drink and conversation. He apologizes for leaving her with the ever silent Mr. Daniels. Techno notices something. Wilma asks if something is wrong. Bert says that he just saw something odd. As he walks out of the bar he wonders if Man-Killer realizes how futile her attempt to lie low is. He says that she is stupid meat and probably doesn’t know. Mr. Daniels is following Techno and watches the flash as he transforms. He watches as Techno flies away and says, “Target confirmed.” Techno thinks to himself, “Crimson Cowl, what an absolutely insidious gambit! I’m actually jealous that I didn’t think of it…” Mr. Daniels transforms into Scourge and says, “The arrogance is next.”
In Symkaria, Crippler is talking to Chen. Sandman sneaks up behind them and knocks them out. He calls them both jerks. Sandman floors two more and then presses Battlestar against the wall. He says that he knows he isn’t too smart so he will make this simple. He says that he is going to tell him where Sable is or he will drown in sand. Battlestar asks what happened to him and that they were friends and teammates. Sandman says that the man he knew was a sham. He says that it took an old friend to smarten him up. Battlestar says that it doesn’t look too smart from where he stands. Sandman points out that he isn’t standing right now. He starts to threaten Battlestar again, but then Songbird’s sonic knife cuts through his arm. Sandman says that should have figured they would have caught up to him. He says that he is curious to know how they got past the security system. Destroyer says that it is easy when you’re given the access codes. Sandman is surprised that she trusted them and says that he can take a five minute break so they can fight. Sandman tries to hit Destroyer but he dodges. Hawkeye fires an arrow into Sandman’s chest and asks Battlestar how he has been. Battlestar says that he can’t complain. Iron Cross smashes Sandman into pieces and wonders how they can make jokes when there is work to be done. Atlas hits Sandman again and tells Iron Cross that it keeps them from laughing at his accent. Destroyer says that Iron Cross is from the old school and to forgive him for not making quips during battle. Hawkeye tells them to do it just like they planned. Topspin creates a vortex around Sandman to keep him disoriented while Songbird forms a bubble around him. Nuklo, Goldfire, and Charcoal blast the bubble turning Sandman into a giant glass ball. Erik catches Songbird as the bubble bursts. Charcoal says that was kind of cool. Erik tells Melissa that she did great. Destroyer tells Hawkeye that he would rather have him on their side than against them. Hawkeye says, “Ditto, Pops.” Destroyer asks about Sandman. Hawkeye says that they will drop him off at Seagate Prison on the way home. Destroyer asks if Hawkeye isn’t worried that they will be arrested. Hawkeye says that they have some experience getting in and out of there. Atlas grabs Destroyer by the shirt and lifts him into the air. He says that they aren’t going anywhere until “Grampa tells me a bedtime story!” Hawkeye tells Atlas to take it easy and says that they said they would come clean.
Hours later, MACH-2 tells Hawkeye that he is sorry, but that no matter what he used to track her that he couldn’t find Moonstone. MACh-2 says that for all he knows that he isn’t sure she is even on Earth. Hawkeye says that Atlas is finishing up learning about Dallas. He says that the Penance Council still has some things to answer for, but then again so do they. He asks Abe if he wants to pack it up. Abe says to give him one more shot. He says that he is going into space and that he just had to store up his solar power reserves. Hawkeye says that he didn’t know the new armor could do that. Abe says that it is amazing. Hawkeye suggests calling in to Ogre to see if he can think of anything. Abe says that he has been trying for the last half hour, but that there has been no answer.
Techno races to the console with the incoming message from MACH-2. Techno reforms his body to look like Ogre. He apologizes and says that he was outside checking some venting systems that were damaged by the V-Battalion fliers. MACH-2 says that is no problem. He tells Ogre that he needs a hand boosting the gain in his sensory array specifically tuned to Moonstone’s energy wavelength. Ogre asks if Dr. Sofen is in trouble. MACH-2 says that she just took off, but that with the way things are going lately that no one wants to see another Thunderbolt go down. Scourge steps out from the doorway behind Techno.
Dallas jams the door for the food when it opens again. She removes a panel and opens the door to her cell. Dallas says that she doesn’t have any idea where she is, and that Cowl must have figured that her being naked would prevent her from getting very far. Dallas finds her Citizen V armor and says that she isn’t planning on escaping. She says that she is planning on kicking her butt.
Traitor’s rating: 7.5 out of 10
Pretty much the same deal as before. Enjoyed the good guys’ innovations in beating Sandman, but the Penance Council and especially with reference to Silver Sable gives me a headache. Bagely does another superior job and even manages to break some of the malaise of the plot. 4.5 out of 5 for the artwork.
Review and pictures by The Leader