Thunderbolts #62
Thunderbolts #62
Title: "What Would the Mirror Say?”
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciller: Patrick Zircher
Inker: Al Vey
Colors: Hi-Fi Design
Editor: Tom Brevoort
The Thunderbolts have six hours to sneak aboard an unmanned rocket… in a foreign country… on a different planet… in broad daylight.
Zemo asks Fixer if everyone is in position. Fixer says that it is going just as they planned. Zemo points out that it is a plan that he disapproved of. Fixer says that considering Zemo didn’t help put the plan together at all since he is without a body that maybe he shouldn’t complain so much. Fixer says that he knows that it is tough for Zemo to admit that everything is under control. Zamo asks if it really is. He says that Moonstone is pretending to be a reporter, Abe is assigned as an engineer for the launch crew, Jolt is tracking this world’s Thunderbolts, and Atlas is attempting to tunnel under the launch pad. Zemo says that they are spread too thin, and that Fixer is not working hard enough to secure him a new body. Zemo gives Fixer a little example of why the plan will not matter if he doesn’t get him a new body. Zemo cuts Fixer’s connection to his tech pack for a second. Fixer says that he knows that Zemo controls his pack, but tells Zemo not to worry and that he will get his new body.
Karla interviews Lloyd Block, the Phantom Eagle. She says that it is nice to see another American here. Phantom Eagle says that he has been there for eight months and that he still can’t find a decent restaurant. As she touches him, Karla places something on Phantom Eagle. She says that maybe she could cook something for him. She asks if he has a kitchen in his room. Phantom Eagle says that he does, and that the World Party treats them right. As he flies off he says that he will see her there after the launch. She thinks about the fact that she stole our world’s Lloyd Block’s alien power gem. Our planet’s Lloyd Block is dead, but that this world’s Lloyd is decent in a loutish way. She almost feels a pang of guilt and wonders if any of the others are as well.
Abe Jenkins is working with Iron Cross. Iron Cross says that if this works that it will solve the communications problem that they have had due to the planet’s unstable electromagnetic field. He says that they thank the NASA workers that have come to help despite their country’s refusal to help. Abe says that is politics, but that engineers just want to build things and see them work. Iron Cross says, “Yes… yes we do.” Abe hears the hope in his voice. He wonders who is inside the Iron Cross armor. On our world it was 100 year old Helmut Gruler, but he wonders if they would make a man of that age responsible for the launch. Further would he be capable of the deceit surrounding the launch’s true nature.
Zemo address the crowd. Jolt thinks that Germany is one of the thriving countries on this dying world and she wonders if they are really sincere in their desire to help. Zemo is speaking in German when he says, “With the launch, we reestablish a link to our brothers and sisters across this wounded pearl… and unveil an unprecedented renewal for all mankind!” Jolt thinks to herself that though she doesn’t understand any of the words that the tone sounds similar to one Adolph Hitler.
As the Atlas body digs the tunnel, Erik says that it is incredible how much power they have. Dallas “says” that Erik doesn’t have to speak out loud since they share a mind. Erik apologizes and says that it’s just an old habit. He says that it is a little weird having her in his head. She asks if it is “weird bad”. He says that it is “weird fantastic”. He says that everything he thinks, does, or says feels like the right thing for the first time in his life. He says that it is all because he has her inside him making it right. Dallas says that is sweet, but that she is not always right. They break through the ground and Erik says that they are under the launch pad. Dallas says that there is no way her plan will work.
With one hour, thirty two minutes before the launch, Dallas wheels up to the others. She says that Fixer was right and that they can get through the detention wall without crippling the entire launch site. She waits for Fixer to tell her that he told her so, but she realizes that she just came into the tail end of an argument. Jolt says that she was saying how the World Party propaganda scares her, and that Abe has discovered something about the satellite. She says that it isn’t going to link telecommunications, but rather it is going to control them. Dallas says that will just be the start too probably. She looks at Abe and Karla who have their heads down. Fixer says, “What do we care? This world isn’t real! Except for the cheerleader, can any of you really tell me you give a fart?” Abe says that they should stick to the plan. He says that they have the flight suits, that Karla found out where all of Zemo’s Thunderbolts would be, and that he has found a way to get inside. He says that they do need the security access codes to override the hatch doors before the launch. Fixer tosses a metal ball in his hands and says that he will handle that one.
T-Minus 46 minutes, Fixer’s metal ball shocks Makeshift to the ground. Fixer says, “Makeshift, hmm.” Zemo says, “Don’t even think about it! You will not place me in the body of a woman, much less a…” Fixer says that gender and skin color don’t matter and that he should just ask Abe. He says, “When we get back home, I’ll switch you to someone else! Besides, look at the rack on her…” Zemo says that Fixer knows which body he wants him to obtain. Fixer looks at a screen where Zemo, Phantom Eagle, Iron Cross, Chain Lightning, and Solaar are talking.
Heinrich Zemo asks where Makeshift is. Solaar says that she is doing some final checks, but that she should be back by now. Solaar steps on some tiny balls. The tiny balls release a gas. Solaar falls over unconscious. Zemo grasps his face mask while Chain Lightning wheels around. Fixer is lunging through the air at them wearing a gas mask. He says that he hates doing this crap. Zemo says that for all the complaining he does about physical confrontations that he does quite well at them. Fixer scrambles Chain Lightning’s bio-electric signature and Phantom Eagle’s ability to phase. Iron Cross says that is enough. He nails Fixer in the back. Zemo tells Fixer to do it now. Fixer says he knows and unleashes tendrils onto Iron Cross. Iron Cross falls to the ground and screams in pain. Fixer says that he doesn’t know why anyone would want an old geezer’s body, but that in five seconds it will be his. Makeshift has recovered and starts taking shots at Fixer. Fixer says that this party is starting to get crowded. He says that he told Zemo that he would get him a new body, but that he never said he would stick around to protect it. Fixer flies off.
T-Minus 34 minutes, 12 seconds, the others are almost finished changing into their flight suits. Karla says that Ebersol should be back by now. She says then they can finally leave this godforsaken world. Hallie looks at Abe and he says, “Yeah”. Suddenly Fixer goes flying by. He is quickly followed by Chain Lightning, Phantom Eagle, and Makeshift. The Thunderbolts handle the HR Thunderbolts easily… too easily. They have gotten good at fighting like a team. But while they beat them down all of them are thinking about how, on another world, they were the ones “on the receiving end of so many similar ass-kickings”. They all think about the fact that they were the ones that would be working some scam sucking up to a demagogue, and then they think of the fact that if they leave this world that there will be no one to stop people like them. Fixer looks at them and says, “What?”
T-Minus 8 minutes, 6 seconds, Baron Heinrich Zemo gets to his feet. He says that it was those mercenaries that he let walk away. He says that he can’t let them stop the launch when Germany is so close to its rightful due. He thinks about if he stops the launch and will he ever be able to overcome the embarrassment. He reaches for the ‘abort’ button, but in the background Iron Cross has reached his feet. Though he stands in the shadows you can see that his helmet if off. He says, “Pater.” Zemo spins around and says in German, “Helmut? My son…?” Helmut says, “Yes… and no…” Helmut fires his weapons on Heinrich.
The scientist and reporters watch as the rocket lifts off. Elsewhere the Young Allies watch the launch. A man in a trench coat stands in a ruined living room watching the television. He says, “Yes, father. I see it. I’m sorry, mother, but there is no sound.” Suddenly the rocket explodes and the Thunderbolts fly down from the wreckage. Fixer turns the translator on. MACH-3 says, “We destroyed the rocket because the German Republic knowingly deceived the world! If deployed, this satellite was meant to give Germany sole access to global communications, inevitably giving them complete control over the world economy! The World Party claimed to be helping the planet… but they were only looking to rule it. We’re not going to let that happen.” One of the reporters ask who they are. MACH-3 says, “We’re the… we’re the good guys…” They fly away.
When they land
near a yellow van, Fixer says, “We’re the good
guys’ Are you #!$%ing kidding me? Damn it all to hell.
Sirens. This place’ll be crawling in five minutes.”
Jolt thanks Abe, but Abe says that he is the one that should be
thanking her. He says that as usual she is reminding them of the
difference between who they are and who they want to be. The door
to the yellow van opens. Singular clapping comes out. Baron Zemo
says, “You haven’t changed a bit, have you Jenkins? The
real question you should be asking is… trapped here as you
are… do you now intend to waste your time trying to save
this world… or helping me rule it!” Baron Helmut Zemo
stands in the body of Counter-Earth’s Helmut Zemo. He is
dressed in the inner suit of the Iron Cross armor and he is
holding Heinrich Zemo’s mask.
Traitor’s rating: 9.5 out of 10
Action packed issue. A lot happening and a lot to digest. Baron Zemo did not want the body of his father Heinrich Zemo, but rather he wanted to get into the body of his Heroes Reborn doppelganger. The Helmut inside the Iron Cross was always Helmut Zemo. The Thunderbolts finally decide to stand up and do the right thing. One has to wonder why Zemo would approach the Thunderbolts about joining him since the whole reason they are stuck there is because they wanted to do the right thing. Zircher does an outstanding job with style and storytelling. Good action sequences to boot. Great shocker ending makes it hard to wait until 64 to get to the next part of the story.