Speedball is out training two rookie superheroes from
Avengers Academy, Hazmat and Mettle, battling some third-rate baddies and
advising them to stay off the internet because reading the comments about them
can be discouraging. [Throughout the issue we see a sample of the debate over
Speedball himself, blamed for the Stamford Incident.] SB meets up with Tigra
and Jocasta at Infinite Avengers Mansion. Jocasta shows him an online interview
with Miriam Sharpe who lost her son at Stamford and was a guiding force behind
the Superhero Registration Act. Sharpe denounces Speedball while pointing out
that the Civil War resolved nothing, Captain American and Iron Man are the best
of friends again. Robbie shrugs it off but continues to follow the online
debate as he goes to his volunteer job at Damien’s Gift, the charity founded by
Miriam Sharpe in her son’s memory. To his surprise, he is introduced to Mrs.
Sharpe who is grateful for his work for the charity. He puts in a full day at
the job but when he returns to the office, Miriam Sharpe slaps him, having
recognized him in the meantime. He tries to defend his actions but no one
listens. One of the other staffers hits him in the head with a bat which
triggers his transformation into Speedball and hurls him through a window. In seconds
he is surrounded by a hostile mob….
“The Age of Anxiety Part One: Love and Hate” 3/5
Writer: Peter Milligan. Art: Elia Bonetti. Colors: John
Rauch. Letters: Dave Lanphear.
Synopsis: Jimmy Woo has a romantic meeting with his
paramour/colleague Namora in his refuse in the 1950s; he wants to break up with
her but he is afraid he is falling in love with her. She returns to the Agents of Atlas
in the present, joining Uranian and Gorilla-Man. Jimmy arrives and GM
tells him of a new neo-Nazi group firebombing synagogues and African-American
churches in Florida. Jimmy demands intel on similar groups for the last five
years….
The team, including Human Robot and Venus, heads to Florida,
battles the group (called the Hammer of Thule), capturing a big shot named
Vorster as Venus lures the rest of the gang out with her feminine abilities.
Vorster reveals all and Jimmy tells him to lead the Agents to the group’s
headquarters in Germany. Vorster agrees, telling them they will all die there,
hinting that Thule has even infiltrated the Atlas Foundation. Jimmy wants to
take a break and visit the 1950s again but Gorilla-Man warns him he may not be
able to return….
“A Moment with…J. Jonah Jameson” 2.5/5
Writer: Howard Chaykin. Art: Howard Chaykin. Colors: Edgar
Delgado. Letters: Dave Lanphear.
Synopsis: Mayor J. Jonah Jameson sits in his office, looking
back on the world pre-superhero and deciding that the riot was superhero
inspired….
“There’s No Place Like Homeless” 4/5
Writer: Jim McCann. Art: Pepe Larraz. Colors: Chris
Sotomayor. Letters: Dave Lanphear.
Synopsis: The inhabitants of Broxton are in severe financial
distress after the Siege of Asgard. Now the city is full of tourists hoping to
see the gods. A bunch of old men sit in Bill’s Diner remembering the better
days; one of them, J.A., now has to work as a waiter there to survive. He tries
to keep tourists from fighting and warns everyone that they have to behave if
they want to stay. Then a report comes that the gods are leaving and the place
empties of tourists in seconds, leaving the residents alone.