Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler Stuart Immonen
Inker Wade Von Grawbadger
Colorist Laura Martin
Letters & Production Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Dated October 2010
Cover by Joe Quinones
I own this issue, just for the cover.
Steve Rogers, as Director of SHIELD, has made a couple Avengers teams. This one boosts of a cast of – Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Captain Marvel, Mockingbird, Spider-Man, Wolverine and Thing! Which is a pretty awesome roster, actually.
Brother Voodoo is the Sorcerer Supreme, was attacked by possessed Doctor Strange and Daimon Hellstrom. They were after the Eye of Agamotto so Voodoo sent it to Cage. The demon that took over Strange and Hellstrom’s body, also took over Cage’s body. Iron Fist took the Eye of Agamotto (which I may end up learning how to spell, without having to refer to the last time I wrote it above) and then the demon took Iron Fist’s body and vanished. After that, the sky opened up with fire and lightning and a horde of demons are entering this dimension.
Now you know what I know, up to this point.
Issue opens with Victoria Hand, sitting in her car. Apparently, Steve Rogers placed her on the New Avengers team. She was Norman Osborn’s right hand person, at HAMMER. Looking her up at Wikipedia –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Hand
Apparently she dies in issue 32 of this series. That explains why I haven’t seen her much, these days. Reading more on that page, the events of this issue play out for the rest of this volume, at least – up to issue 32. That’s some long form writing.
Hand is not happy with being forced onto the team, it is a jail sentence. Her punishment will be to hearing teases from Wolverine and Luke Cage. She looks up and sees that the sky is on fire.
Iron Fist is in a white room, with two voices, who want him to hand over the Eye of Agamotto.
Central Park. Captain Marvel (she’s Ms. at the time but that does seem backward), Thing, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Doctor Voodoo, Hellstorm, Dr. Strange and Mockingbird are wondering what to do.
Hellstrom suspects he recognizes the demons but Strange says he is misidentifying them. Carol (that’s what I will call her, why not) asks if she can just punch the problem. Mockingbird is curious if Carol really needs permission. I like these two being on the same time, though I don’t really know Mockingbird.
Carol, taking charge, takes along Spider-Man and Thing – who I like in this issue and on this team.
Strange takes Hellstrom and Brother Voodoo (I don’t get why they renamed him, Doctor Voodoo, Strange is an actual doctor – the word ‘doctor’ isn’t associated with being the Sorcerer Supreme – if anything, he should be called Supreme Voodoo – or something) away, as they need to handle the bigger issue. Strange casts the, Mordune’s Reversal Teleportation Spell.
Jessica is going back to the Mansion, to get her baby to safety – which will be her mother’s house in Jersey. Which I thought her family all died in that toxic spill. I guess not. Wolverine tells Cage that they need a nanny -which will be Squirrel Girl, eventually. That happens in issue seven and has the job until the final issue, 34.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirrel_Girl
Carol reveals she never saw Ghostbusters, which Thing and Spider-Man both start questioning her about that. Which is where the fun of this issue comes in, as we get classic Bendis team interplay. Spider-Man starts talkin to Thing, about how this would be a perfect time for an ol’ Clobbering Time shout but Thing wants a new more Avengers expression. Spider-Man points out that he, himself, hasn’t stopped making with the jokes. Spider-Man gives the people what he wants, whereas Thing wants to grow, as a person.
Avengers Mansion. Jessica lands and starts fighting the demons off. Veronica Hand starts blasting at the ghost demons with a giant gun and this gives Jessica a chance to grab baby Danielle and take off. Cage sees that his family is safe and can commit to the fight. Wolverine wonders if the magic folks are having better luck.
Doctor Voodoo’s Sanctum Sanctorum, New Orleans. The trio start reading books, trying to research who is behind the threat. Hellstrom keeps asking Strange, who is strong enough to possess Strange. Strange can’t think of anyone and we can tell that troubles him.
Over in the Astral Plane (I’m guessing) with Iron First. One of the voices recognizes Iron Fist’s molten heart of the dragon, Shou-Lao – proving he is a mystic warrior. This voice condemns the other voice for being an idiot – he possessed the one hero that could resist them. Issue ends with the big reveal that the smarter voice is . . . The Ancient One, he who trained Doctor Strange!
Not a bad issue, I’m a little more curious, after reading up about how tightly the next thirty issues are plotted.
. . .
Part of the Heroic Age relaunch, and having Bendis writing the Avengers titles, was that this gave Bendis a chance to retell Avengers history, via The Oral History of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. This is Chapter 5.
Those interviewed are – Kang (the time traveller, would-be conqueror), Reed Richards, Alicia Masters, Ben Grimm, Hank Pym, Tony Stark, Rick Jones, Captain America.
This chapter mainly deals with Kang, and his influence on the Avengers. So this takes place, from what I can tell – Avengers Volume One issue 8 to 16. Kang appears in those two issues and in-between those, in issue 11.
The next chapter takes place in Avengers 4, which I reviewed here –
https://shadowandflamewithmagik.com/2015/05/22/avengers-volume-four-issue-4/
Shadow and Flame with Magik 