Synopsis / Summary / Plot
In #37 the New Avengers stopped Hood and some of his gang robbing a bank. Hood got away but SHIELD captured the gang (including Hood's cousin John King with the money) and imprisoned them in the Raft. But at the end of the issue Hood magically teleported in and freed the gang.
Now Maria Hill in the SHIELD helicarrier HQ is told about the break-in and -out and that all the villains are free - Chemistro, Madame Masque, Wizard and the Wrecking Crew (Bulldozer, Piledriver, Thunderball and Wrecker). They killed 17 Agents on the way out.
We see Hood and the 7 villains plus Jigsaw visiting Tigra in her bedroom. Hood wants her to tell him where the NAv are hiding, or he threatens to kill her mother and cut of 1 of her legs. She tells him that the Initiative all know they're in Dr Strange's house but they can't prove it because the Sorcerer Supreme's magic makes it seem deserted and boarded up. She swears she's not lying but she only told them because she expects the Avengers to defeat them. So Jigsaw smacks her.
In that disguised Sanctum Jessica Jones and baby Danielle Cage are having tea with Night Nurse (Linda Carter) while they wait with Wong for the team to get back from their latest mission. They arrive in a burst of light from Strange's teleportation spell. They're celebrating a victory but Maya Lopez' arm is injured so Linda attends to her. Stephen Strange is also doubled over in pain though no-one remembers him getting injured. The Nurse goes to him but he angrily brushes her and Wong off and staggers away.
Wolverine heads for the kitchen to get some food but Wong stops him because he, and the others, always mess his tidy workplace up. Jessica, Danielle and Luke Cage have a reunion. Iron Fist thinks they should leave Stephen's home but Luke says they've got nowhere else to go. Except Spider-Man leaves for *his* home because he's tired of everyone suspecting he's a Skrull. Ronin (Clint Barton) offers to fix ex-Ronin Maya's arm. And Logan heads to the kitchen anyway.
On an opposite rooftop Hood and the others have been joined by many other members of his supervillain gang. Wrecker asks if he's sure they can defeat the Avengers. He remembers him and his Wrecking Crew being part of a large gathering of Masters Of Evil who succeeded in taking Avengers Mansion (Av#270-277) but they still lost in the end. Bulldozer doesn't even believe the team are in there. But Hood gets his empowering demon to let him see through Strange's illusion and he tells them that Tigra wasn't lying. Madame Masque wants to know what demon he's working with. But that conversation is aborted when they see Spider-Man exiting the building, confirming to *everyone* that the Avengers are in there. Then Spidey's Spider-sense alerts him to the danger and he heads back to the Sanctum. And Hood launches their attack before they can lose the element of surprise.
Inside some of the team are wondering who 1 of Hood's villains was and Luke and Danny Rand have to say it's 1 of their old foes Chemistro. Peter Parker swings in shouting "They're here!" (which Clint thinks means Skrulls) and grabs Danielle out of Jessica's arms. He swings away with the baby with Jess in pursuit, and Luke and Danny planning to intercept him. But just then the wooden frame of the ornate Sanctum window crumbles into leaves! Outside we see it's the work of Chemistro's alchemy gun, but he's hit by Iron Fist's hurled nunchucks as Spidey and baby climb onto the roof. Jessica flies up to him demanding her baby back. Peter hands Danielle over and suggests they get far away before heading back towards the fray.
Wrecker kicks the front door down and leads others inside. Dr Strange's illness or Hood's influence means the non-magical villains can now see their previously spell-cloaked foes, and those that can shoot/blast rake the room with fire. Meanwhile Hood has gone straight to Strange's bedroom where Linda and Wong are tending him and he starts shooting too, riddling the Sorcerer with bullets. In the main room a full melee ensues, and Wong drives Hood away with his martial arts skills while Night Nurse pronounces Stephen dead. Outside Jigsaw has hovering Jessica in the sights of a sniper rifle. But Spider-Man detects him and webs the gun up before taking the villain out with 1 punch. Inside the mass of villains are getting in each other's way. Spidey swings back in and tells Cage his baby is safe.
2 SHIELD Agents have been keeping surveillance on the house from an undercover van. They report the altercation to the helicarrier as Bulldozer comes flying out of the window to land on a car in front of them. The fight continues inside as Tigra suddenly appears and rakes Hood's face with her claws but gets shot in the shoulder. Danny Rand deplores the ruin the battle is making of the place, destroying precious mystical books and artefacts. But on his bed Dr Strange suddenly comes back to life with a demonic glow in his eyes. The heroes are losing:- Light-being Living Laser powers through Wolverine's abdomen. Thunderball slams his Asgardian-powered ball & chain into Cage. Razor-Fist slashes Iron Fist's back. Griffin attacks Maya. Shockwave zaps Ronin. Mandrill has SM down. Bulldozer's got Tigra. But then Strange appears in a raging Hulk-like demonic form wielding the power of Zom with which he renders friends and foes alike unconscious or in agony.
Linda Carter and Wong find Stephen Strange shattered. Wong grabs a surviving book and goes round each hero reading out a spell which heals them. DrS explains that in his arrogance he's recently used dark forces to try help Bruce Banner (in World War Hulk) and his allies in this series. As a result he's lost the use of his hands (again) and is losing control of magic. He can no longer be Sorcerer Supreme or provide them protection in his Sanctum. And he magically leaves to rebuild himself.
The Avengers wonder what to do now. Then Ms Marvel (Carol Danvers) arrives leading some of her Operation: Lightning Storm troops. She immediately asks where Jess and the baby are. Luke says he doesn't know but they got away. The team expect to be arrested but Carol tells him to go find them. She reports back to the helicarrier that they need Brother Voodoo to clean up the dangerous magical mess, but that the rebel Avengers left before they got here. 1 of her team protests but she points out that the Avengers just delivered the gang that killed 17 SHIELD Agents. The rest of her team agree with her. Luke thanks her but says he doesn't know how long they can remain free.
Epilogue 1:- Hood escaped and asks his demon how they lost.
Epilogue 2:- Jessica goes to Stark Tower and surrenders herself and child to Registration.