Synopsis
The Avengers #281 synopsis by
T Vernon
Rating:
The Avengers are at the hospital, investigating the kidnapping of the comatose Hercules. Black Knight scans for radiation, while She-Hulk holds up his huge science machine, and Doctor Druid scans for psychic traces, while Captain America and Captain Marvel question the nurse who was the only witness via video monitor; as she is describing the assailant, Thor in full armor walks in and the nurse points, saying Thor is the culprit she saw. Thor denies it, then spots someone outside the window and leaps after him flying through the air; Captain Marvel follows him and the others catch up to them as Thor is hitting a tree with Mjolnir, striking at something no one else can see. Thor says this is no matter for mere mortals and flies off. CM again follows, catching up and she questions Thor, refusing to accept his high-and-mighty tone. Thor just asks her to trust him and he creates a space warp, vanishing to another realm….
The Avengers reunite on a city street; as they ponder the matter, Dr. Druid casts an illusion spell so that passers-by see only a group of ordinary humans. She-Hulk buys an Italian ice from a street vendor then suddenly goes berserk, hurling things (Dane’s boxed machine, nearby cars) at her teammates while shouting, “Kill!” The vendor watches from a nearby alley with satisfaction. CM transforms herself into electricity against Shulkie but it doesn’t stop her. Doctor Druid detects a supernatural cause and searches for it….
Meanwhile, Thor arrives in Olympus and finds it largely deserted. Then he sees his quarry, Hermes, and snags him by the ankle, forcing him to confess he was the one who carried off Hercules. Then Hephaestus, blacksmith of the gods, attacks Thor so that Hermes can complete his mission against the Avengers….
The electric charge finally knocks Jen flat and as Dr. Druid tries to counteract whatever is controlling her mind, the vendor strengthens it and She-Hulk lashes out again. While Cap tries to calm her, Black Knight, having spotted the vendor still hanging around, tries to subdue him but the vendor hurls him through the air. CM blasts the vendor who resumes his original form: Dionysius, Greek God of Wine. Then Hermes dashes through the site, bowling over the Avengers but Captain Marvel can move at the speed of light and so catches up with him on a rooftop….
Thor battles Hephaestus but is knocked out from behind by one who is soon revealed to be Ares….
Captain M tries to question Hermes but a magic arrow fired by Artemis pierces her shoulder and she falls to the rooftop….
Below, Druid examines the fallen Dionysius who has been faking and he seizes Dr. D by the throat. She-Hulk clobbers him from behind and he lands on the sidewalk and bounces back up laughing. He then blows a potion in Shulkie’s face and it knocks her out—a shame as Artemis would have liked to hunt her….
The Avengers, including Thor, awaken in Olympus and see Ares, thinking he is the one behind their capture but no…it is Zeus who holds the Avengers responsible for Hercules’ injuries and sentences them to death by torment….