The
Abomination escapes from a holding facility in the Rocky Mountains as federal
agents are trying to transport him to the Vault. But this is not the usual
Abomination, this Abomination has his body occupied by the mind of underground
despot Tyrannus and is on his way to Los Angeles to take revenge against the
Avenger who defeated him, Wonder Man. The Big A arrives at Avengers Compound
where the only hero in residence is Hawkeye, brooding over his breakup with
Mockingbird. A smashes the defenses, Hawkeye shoots him in the head with an
explosive arrow but it only annoys Abomination. Abomination chases Hawkeye
through the house, with the archer uses various specialty arrows to lure him to
his armory where he picks up his Adamantium arrow and holds the monster at bay.
But Abomination can read his mind and knows he is unwilling to kill though
further underneath is the standard human primal desire. So Hawkeye shoots the
arrow at Abomination’s feet. The villain seizes the arrow to kill Hawkeye with
and he is electrocuted into unconsciousness. As he calls the Vault, Clint muses
on whether an Avenger can kill and decides no. Which is the issue behind his
break-up with Bobbi (WEST COAST AVENGERS (1985 series) #34-37).
“Love
Stings” 4/5
Writer:
Howard Mackie. Pencils: Amanda Conner. Inks: Stan Drake, Dick Hodgins. Colors: Paul
Becton. Letters: Ken Lopez.
Synopsis:
The Fixer breaks Rita DeMara out of prisoner and gives her the Yellowjacket
outfit so she can shrink and they both fly away. They arrive at Fixer’s hidden
lair where he confesses his love for Rita but she rejects him and flies away….
One
week later, Yellowjacket appears at the home of Janet Van Dyne, the Wasp,
seeking revenge for the beating she received when she first donned the stolen
costume. As she waits, she sees Dane “Black Knight” Whitman show up and confess
his love for Janet. But Janet finds him too much like her ex Hank Pym to want a
romance so he drives off. Rita ponders her revenge for a few moments…then takes
off after the hunk. She finds Dane at the site where Avengers Mansion is being
rebuilt, brooding over this romantic reversal. She recognizes him as the Black
Knight and then she is caught by the Fixer who had put a tracking device in her
helmet. The jealous Fixer shoots at Dane but Rita stings him and they fight for
a while, until a little girl dodging the bad guy’s gunshots falls into a pit;
Rita swoops down and saves her, confusing Dane who thought she was a villain.
Fixer knocks her out and plans to place a mind-control disc on her. Dane comes
to her rescue, swinging the Ebony Blade and deflecting Fixer’s shots until Rita
wakes up and punches his lights out. The autopilot in Fixer’s suit then flies
off with him. Rita and Dane sense an attraction but she has to depart because
the cops are coming, so maybe later…?