Thunderbolts #61
Thunderbolts #61
Title: "living in a vise”
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciller: Patrick Zircher
Inker: Al Vey
Colors: Hi-Fi Design
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Four days ago, Chris Fallon lies dead on the ground inside his Guardsman uniform. His helmet lies on the ground filled with the same mold spores that filled his throat and choked him to death. Hawkeye screams that Plant-Man said that he could do it without killing him. Barton grabs Smithers by the neck, but Smithers tells Hawkeye to stop and that he didn’t mean to. He says that he said he could stop him, but that it might hurt him. He said that it might not hurt him at all or it might hurt a lot, but that he never expected it to kill him. Smithers says that he grew the mold spores inside him just enough to incapacitate him, but that he didn’t know that he was asthmatic. Hawkeye stops. Cottonmouth says that “dead is done” and says that they had better move because as long as they are wearing the manacles that they can track them down. Headlok holds the discarded helmet and says that maybe they can use the same technology that they used to find them to jam the signal. Hawkeye looks down at the dead man. He thinks how he is undercover trying to save countless lives, but that it doesn’t justify taking one.
Today, Dum Dum Dugan is informed by a SHIELD agent of the dead Guardsman. He says that they found him because of an anonymous tip. The agent says that they tracked the escaped convicts through Ohio and into Iowa, but that they have ordered the Guardsman to stay back until they can figure out how Plant-Man activated his powers that they don’t want to risk anymore lives. Dugan asks if it could have been an accident and that Smithers didn’t mean it. The agent says that it is possible, but asks what difference it would make. Dugan tells him to forget it and keep going. The agent says that at 9:40 am that the manacles ceased signal transmission. Dugan asks if they can’t track them anymore. Songbird says that is where she comes in. She says that to catch escaped super-villains you use someone that’s been there and done that. Songbird thinks for a moment. She thinks about how she broke the terms of her parole by using her powers and stopping Graviton. She thinks about what would happen if they tried to revoke her parole. She thinks that she could get public sentiment on her side now, but then thinks that all she could do from there is go back to working in a record store. She thinks that she has nowhere else to go and nothing else to do. A little voice inside her says that if she finds Hawkeye that she will find herself. She agrees to do it and wonders if Abe would be proud of her if he were still alive.
On Counter-Earth, Abe lives thanks to Graviton’s last action sending them through the sun. The Bolts are trying to get home, but the train going to a rocket ship they are going to use to get home has derailed. The people start attacking the train again. Jolt shouts for Karla when the glass by her shatters. Karla reminds Jolt that she is invulnerable. She says that they can’t hurt her, but that the time it is taking the guards to quell their actions has tried her patience. Hallie says that the people are being shot down like dogs and the biggest casualty is Karla Sofen’s patience. Karla says that they chose to attack the train and that actions have consequences. She notes Hallie’s improved speech, but Hallie asks who cares about that. Dallas says that they both have valid points, but says that with their powers that they could probably take care of this quicker. Karla asks why they would do that so that they could be hunted down as threats or used as weapons. Hallie says that Karla is thinking like a criminal on the run. She says that they are not the Thunderbolts on this world. She says that they can be whatever they want to be and that they can make a difference. None of them responds, but they all think about what she said.
The Statue of Liberty’s torch barely sticks out of the water. In the America Southwest, humans have been mutated by gamma radiation storms. Paris is completely gone. It is now just fused glass. Earthquakes hit Tokyo every few days. The people are starving, governments are collapsing, and civil strife runs rampant. They all wonder what a group of ex-super-villains could do against such overwhelming odds. Jolt says that the people derailed the train to get food and clothes. She asks if they deserve to die for that. Abe says that he understands how Hallie feels, but that he agrees with Karla. He says that this isn’t their world or their responsibility. He says that he just wants to leave and that he can’t think of them as real people. Jolt says that no matter how they were created these people are experiencing real pain. Jolt says that their presidential pardons on Earth legally absolves them of all the crimes they committed, but she asks if it absolves them morally.
In another compartment of the train, Fixer
is doing what he does best… fix things. Fixer says that he
thinks he got it. Zemo says that it took him long enough. Fixer
says that this world is screwy and that nothing works as well
here. He tells Zemo that patience is a virtue. Zemo says that
Fixer is not the one trapped inside his tech pack as a
disembodied essence. 
Fixer says that
this won’t help the trapped part, but that at least he has a
holographic body. Zemo says that Fixer’s deceit is only
matched by his conceit. Fixer asks Zemo if he can see him. Zemo
says that he cannot, but that he wanted this for Fixer more than
himself. Fixer asks why that is. Zemo says that he wanted Fixer
to remember who it is that can leave him a stringless marionette.
Fixer drops to the floor in a lump. He says that he can bypass
his synaptic link to his tech pack, and that without it his
nervous system is very damaged. Fixer gets up and says that he
gets the point. He asks Zemo why he is pushing his buttons. Zemo
says that he knows that Fixer plans on leaving the planet, and
that he will not allow that to happen until he secures a new body
for him. Zemo says that Fixer walks because he allows him to. He
says that after he died that his conscience was transferred to
the sentient robot Techno. Zemo says that Techno healed as much
of the damage to his physical form as he could. He says that he
prevented the corpse’s decay so as to use it in case his
robot form was imperiled. Zemo says that when the Techno robot
sacrificed himself for Jolt that the robot transferred his soul
back into his body. Fixer says that he doesn’t remember any
of that, and that the Techno robot wasn’t him. Zemo says,
“So you say. For now, I will reserve judgement against
you… for it is Techno I find responsible for my current
state, and therefore the robot who should bear the burden of my
wrath!” Fixer says that he thought Zemo and Techno were best
buds. Zemo says that a true friend would have granted him the
peace of final sleep. Zemo says that he fought Scourge with
honor, and that it was Techno that played god with his soul. Zemo
says that Techno inserted bio-modem technology into this body
while he recovered from Moonstone’s attack so that he would
be transferred into the body of John Watkins III. Fixer says that
you have to give Techno points for gumption. Zemo says that he
does not. Fixer asks Zemo if he would rather be dead right now.
Zemo says that it isn’t that, but that he would have liked
to have been consulted on the choice of bodies. Zemo says that
Techno once offered him a new version of his own body. He says
that in hindsight it would have been more appropriate. Zemo says
that perhaps it will be so again. Fixer asks what Zemo means, but
Zemo trails off and doesn’t answer.
In Germany, Iron Cross hovers in the air. For sixty years he has served his country. Over time his views have changed, but his purpose hasn’t wavered and never has he been more proud of his country. Germany is about to lead the way in restoring the planet. “Solaar, Phantom Eagle, Chain Lightning, and Makeshift have fought nobly by his side, but ultimately they are just mercenaries”. Only one other knows the same glow of pride he does… their leader, Baron Heinrich Zemo. Heinrich Zemo stands above the people while he addresses them. He says that their mission to Russia was a success. He says that it is a great honor for the Thunderbolts to provide the final key that will allow for world prosperity. Solaar stands in the back and says, “To say nothing of a satellite payload that’’ force the entire planet to come begging to Germany for electrical power. Makeshift tells Solaar not to tell the press that part. Iron Cross grabs Solaar and Makeshift and tells them to be silent. He tells them not to jeopardize their mission with their loose tongues. He says that the world needs the structure and order that Germany will provide. Makeshift knocks Iron Cross’ hand off her shoulder. She says, “Sure, Helmut, and if our plan works, you would be vice chancellor to the Baron. So very close to ultimate power huh?” Iron Cross replies, “Yes, Makeshift… very close indeed. Close enough to reach out and grab hold of…”
As Helmut goes on, Zemo listens to him and says that he always has been such a fool. He says to think that a Zemo would be unaware of everyone around him, friend or foe. Zemo says to let him dream, and that when all is said and done no one will be able to stop his plans.
Hallie is stunned to learn that the people attacked the train for water. Fixer says that the town’s purification system hasn’t worked in ten months. Hallie says that they want to take the train’s water filters, but that people should have to kill or die to get tap water. Abe asks if they can fix it. Fixer says, “Duh. How easy is it to create a filtration system?” Abe says that it is too easy to justify not doing it. Hallie smiles.
Outside the train, the workers say that they are almost out of ammunition and that the people will overrun them soon. As they emerge from the train, Jolt says, “How about giving them what they want? What about giving them hope?” Fixer says, “For the love of god, will someone shut her up!” MACH-3 says that she is infectious. He tells Fixer to run his translator through his audio link. MACH-3 tells them to stop fighting and that they have come to help them with their water problem.
Twelve hours later, Jolt says that not to tell them that she told them so, but that she told them so. Karla asks how many towns there are just like this one all across the ravaged planet. Jolt says, “Oh should be just enough… to earn redemption…” Water pours out of the new filtration system.
Later, MACH-3 watches a woman bury her husband. He lasers the name of the man on his headstone for her. The woman thanks him and says that they have saved their lives. MACH-3 flies away. Moonstone and Atlas are putting the train back on its tracks. Jolt asks MACH-3 where he was. He says that he was helping a woman bury her husband that he should have saved. Jolt smiles.
A day later, the train arrives at the German border. Fixer has been working on the team’s phony ID’s to get them near the rocket. Zemo tells Fixer that perhaps he should be spending more time on his situation. Fixer says that he has been thinking about that. He asks Zemo why he wants a body before they leave. He tells Zemo to hang out in his tech pack and he will clone him a new body when they get home. Zemo says that they plan on waiting for the Earth to rotate around the sun for six month. He says that he won’t last in this form for six months, but that Fixer already knew that. Fixer asks Zemo if he had a body in mind. Zemo says that he has been giving that much thought and thinks that he has come to a fitting conclusion. Zemo holds up a picture that has Baron Heinrich Zemo, Iron Cross, and Solaar on it.
Before dawn in Nebraska on our world, Hawkeye is woken up by the sound of Smithers screaming. Cottonmouth is trying to bite through Smithers’ arm. Hawkeye hits Cottonmouth with a chunk of wood. He says that biting off their arms won’t do anything about his manacle. Hawkeye asks Smithers if he is okay. Smithers says that he is fine and that it doesn’t hurt a bit. His arm reforms from vegetation substances. Headlok says that while distasteful that Cottonmouth’s plan was sound. He says that he would just gnaw off their arms and take them and the manacles with him. Hawkeye says that is disgusting. Headlok says that he will try again and asks what they should do with him. Smithers says that he doesn’t know.
On I-80 between
Des Moines and Omaha, a hotel manager says that he doesn’t
recognize any of the pictures. Melissa asks if there isn’t
some way that she could jog his memory. The manager says,
“I’m sure there are ways, Miss…” Melissa
says, “You can call me… Mimi…”
Traitor’s rating: 9 out of 10
As a villain fan I love the Fixer/Zemo action of the issue. I love that Zemo has the explanation for Techno/Fixer transformations. For some reason Counter Earth isn’t as annoying to me as it usually does. I like Heinrich Zemo’s involvement and the treachery of Iron Cross. I also am really warming up to the idea that the Thunderbolts want to save an entire world of people that was essentially abandoned by the heroes of our world. Now the people that nobody cared about are going to be saved by the red headed stepchild that nobody loved of super teams. Zircher was fantastic this issue. The only real drawback is that there is no action in the book for him to do. Still great read and entertaining stuff.