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Mighty Avengers #34

Mar 2010
Dan Slott, Neil Edwards

Story Name:

Pre-Siege mentality


Synopsis

Mighty Avengers #34 synopsis by Rob Johnson
Rating: 4 stars
Dr Donald Blake is treating a patient in his practice in Broxton in the shadow of the Earthly Asgard when he gets a psychic plea for help from his half-brother Loki. Correctly deducing it's his Thor side that's needed he strikes his cane and transforms. Then whirling Mjolnir to create a portal aimed at Loki's location he finds himself on the Isle of Silence where Odin once banished the God of Mischief (Avengers (1963) #1). Loki directs him to a building and Thor busts in to find him held captive by the Mighty Avengers (Hercules, Quicksilver, Stature, Vision (Jonas) and Wasp (Henry Pym)).

2 hours ago in the Infinite Avengers Mansion butler Edwin Jarvis has returned from his daily trip around the world via the many doors out of Pymspace gathering fresh ingredients for breakfast for the above 5 plus Amadeus Cho and the robot Jocasta. Hank Pym has just finished telling the others how he shrunk himself and Dr Strange to remove a bomb from Luke Cage's heart (New Av #60). Vision adds that after that he and Hank helped rescue Steve Rogers from being lost in time in the Captain America: Reborn limited series (but the Marvel Chronology Project has both these happening in a gap within #32). Meanwhile Herc and Cho have discovered that Hera and her Olympus Group are up to something (it's been building throughout the Incredible Hercules series).

Quicksilver is angry because they're not concentrating on the important thing - finding his sister Scarlet Witch who has been sort-of with the team until recently. Hercules thinks they need to build up the team by replacing US Agent (who Norman Osborn pulled rank and took off them last issue) before tackling a foe who once destroyed the Avengers (in the Avengers Disassembled crossover). Pym tries to remind him that this Scarlet Witch isn't really Wanda Maximoff but Loki in magical disguise, but he can't because Pietro Maximoff doesn't know about that yet.

Wasp also has to admit that he's been trying to recruit others but failing so he's stuck with what he has. This phrase of course doesn't go down well with the others until Jarvis tells them they're 1 of the best teams he's ever had the privilege of serving , and certainly not the weakest (which was Goliath, Hawkeye and Wasp (Jan Van Dyne) way back in Av#51).

Meanwhile Pietro is getting more frustrated and wants to know what's going on. Hank Pym comes clean and tells him that during the past 2 issues they've discovered the Scarlet Witch they've been dealing with was actually Loki. Quicksilver's anger increases because he's been wasting his time with this team when he could have been searching for the real deal elsewhere. But he also wants revenge on the Trickster God, and Wasp tells him they have a plan - and a device which should be able to imprison the Asgardian.

Later they emerge through 1 of the Mansion's doors onto the Isle of Silence carrying boxes of equipment. Pym explains that he based Pymspace on something Loki set up here for the Acts of Vengeance crossover event - a building with multiple portals to places on Earth that mastervillains could use as a meeting place.

They are interrupted by an attack by the local Trolls. Quicksilver and Wasp leave Hercules, Stature and Vision to fight them while they take the equipment to a nearby building. (Thor will later find the Trolls strewn around when he gets here.) Amadeus, Jarvis and Jocasta are monitoring the situation from base. And Jocasta mentions she thinks she's got a bug in her computer system.

Hank explains to Pietro that he found this building when he explored the Isle. He deduced from readings he took on the Asgardian magic here that Loki visits the place annually - and he's due another visit imminently. The pair rapidly create a containment pod specially designed for Asgardians (which Pym designed based on readings he got from the magic sword Osborn used last issue to counter Absorbing Man's Asgardian power). And Loki walks into the trap.

Pietro demands that Loki tell him what he's done with his sister. But the 3 Troll-bashers enter now and the God of Lies tries to sow discord among the team. He suggests that now Pym has found a way to control a God he'll turn it on Hercules next. When Vision warns them not to listen to the man who's been playing their emotions by pretending to be Wanda, Stature is shocked that her boyfriend might still harbour feelings for the woman who killed her father Scott Lang (Avengers Disassembled again). Loki stirs things by remarking that Cassie seemed very happy when Vision was turned into her *previous* boyfriend Iron Lad last issue.

Wasp stops all this by pressing a button which tortures Loki with a jolt of energy. Quicksilver grabs the control and threatens Loki if he doesn't tell him where Scarlet Witch is. Pietro keeps pushing the button as Loki continues to claim not to know. He just assumed her likeness, he never had the woman herself in his grasp. Hercules and Stature find this torture abhorrent, but meanwhile Loki has been calling for Thor. Who now arrives bringing us full circle.

Thor of course is disgusted that the Avengers have sunk to torturing prisoners. Loki stirs it again by telling him that Henry Pym has invented a device that can kill Gods. Thor turns to his pal Hercules for confirmation and Herc can't deny it. The Thunder God asks his fellow Avengers founder what right he has to judge Gods and Pym replies that Eternity has named him Scientist Supreme (#30). Loki laughs at that and claims that wasn't Eternity but *himself* in another disguise. Did Pym really believe he was better than Reed Richards or Dr Doom or even Amadeus Cho? Hank is shaken and blusters that he recorded the meeting and it was real!

Pietro gets impatient again and pushes the torture button again. Thor hurls lightning bolts at him but Quicksilver easily runs out of the way. Hercules advises Stature and Vision to let them battle it out. Mjolnir shatters the ground below Pietro's feet and Thor is on him. Wasp goes giant-size and stays his hand saying he's wrecked the machine and he won't build another unless Loki deserves it. Thor settles for that but says he'll be watching. It was he who put Janet Van Dyne, the original Wasp, out of her misery (at the end of Secret Invasion) and Henry Pym must do nothing to dishonour her name.

Thor now says he'll take Loki to Asgard to be judged by Balder (who's in charge since Thor #600). Pym reminds Loki that he's trapped him twice now (1st time in Av#1) and he can always find a 3rd way. Pietro still thinks Loki knows where his sister is but everyone else thinks he doesn't. Thor says he'll make Loki answer 1 question truthfully. And Hank surprises everyone by making it "Will you join the Avengers?" Loki's been involved with the team since day 1, and they've taken in reformed villains before.

Loki and Thor think he's mad, and so do all the others. Quicksilver leaves in disgust to continue his quest. Stature and Vision say they're going back to the Young Avengers. Hercules contacts his sidekick Amadeus Cho and they quit too.

And Jocasta finds that her other bodies distributed through the Infinite Mansion aren't responding. And we see 1 of them with the image of Ultron in her eyes awaiting the return of his 'father' Henry Pym.


 

Review / Commentaries


Mighty Avengers #34 Review by (July 2, 2018)
Andrew Hennessy helps Andrew Currie with the inks for this issue.

I covered Loki's apps since last issue then.
Thor followed the same route of his #603-606 with Thor Giant-Size Finale in the middle. But he followed it with his 2009 Annual vs the Egyptian Gods.

The next (and last) issues of the series #35-36 are part of Siege, and most of the team will be involved despite the fact they've disbanded here. In fact they will also be separately and jointly appear in many issues in between, all revolving around Amadeus Cho and Hercules. #35 will include a 1-panel flashback showing the team *really* breaking up after the 'death' of Hercules.
Herc and Cho attend the Trial of Zeus in Incredible Hercules #129-131 where Zeus gets turned into Kid Zeus. Jocasta and Wasp cameo in #131.
Herc and Chos split up for #132-137 with Herc starring in the even-numbered issues and Cho the odd. Herc (with Kid Zeus) is tricked by Malekith into being replacement Thor and then fighting Thor as replacement Hercules. Meanwhile Cho discovers who killed his parents.
Then they get back together for Assault On New Olympus starting with the ANO Prologue 1-shot and running through #138-141. Herc gathers together a hero team, including Wasp, Quicksilver and US Agent (with a cameo by Jocasta in #138), to fight Hera and the Olympus Group who intend to kill all humans with something called Continuum. Hercules is killed and Cho is destined to become the new Prince Of Power. And the series ends.
But Cho's adventures continue in Fall Of The Hulks and he drags the Mighty Avengers with him. The Intelligencia send Red She-Hulk against the New and Mighty Avengers (including Wasp, Quicksilver and US Agent plus Stature and Vision) in Incredible Hulks #607 - she captures Wasp. Then Cho helps Bruce Banner try to rescue his ex-wife Betty (not knowing that she is actually Red She-Hulk). This is the end of Fall Of The Hulks but it's immediately followed by World War Hulks.
Captured Wasp has bit parts in Hulk (2008) #22 and IHulks #609-610. Hulked-Out Cho battles the Intelligencia in #610 and he's there for the finale of WWH in #611 as Bruce Banner becomes Hulk again and fights his son Skaar.
Then the Chronology Project has the #35 flashback where the team *really* split up (Quicksilver isn't even shown but US Agent is). But the team members including Pietro and Cho plus Jocasta and Jarvis will all be involved in the Siege issues #35-36. Cho and USA's apps will be entangled with Thunderbolts #141-143, Stature and Vision will only be in #35 between apps in Siege #2.
Ultron will definitely be in the 2 issues.

Thor's immediate future will intersect frequently with the above. He'll appear mainly as Dr Blake in Iron Man (2008) #19-22 helping bring brain-dead Tony Stark back to life, before having his stint as Hercules in IHerc#134&136. Then after a cameo in Web of Spider-Man (2009) #8 he'll show up during Fall/WWH in IHulks#607, Hulk #21, Hulked-Out Heroes #1,  Hulk#24, WWH: Spider-Man vs Thor #1-3 and IHulks#609-611. After meeting Wolverine in a tale in Wo: Wendigo he enters Siege but manages to avoid the MAv and Thunderbolts issues.
Loki will go straight to his pre-Siege apps in Siege: Loki and Siege: Cabal and then Siege itself.



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(The Boy Wonder)

Neil Edwards
Andrew Currie
John Rauch
Khoi Pham (Cover Penciler)
Craig Yeung (Cover Inker)
John Rauch (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Dave Lanphear.
Editor: Tom Brevoort. Editor-in-chief: Joe Quesada.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Hercules
Hercules

(Heracles)
Jarvis
Jarvis

(Edwin Jarvis)
Jocasta
Jocasta

(Jocasta Pym)
Loki
Loki

(Loki Laufeyson)
Quicksilver
Quicksilver

(Pietro Maximoff)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)
Wasp
Wasp

(Henry Pym)

Plus: Vision (Jonas).