U.S.Avengers #6: Review

May 2017

Al Ewing, Paco Medina

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Story Name:

The cavalry stayed home

Review & Comments

Rating:

U.S.Avengers #6 Review by Rob Johnson (May 27, 2017)

The cover should win some sort of prize for being absolutely *not* misleading. It's an accurate rendition of the ending.

But Roberto Da Costa has been incorrectly reported dead before, specifically in the closing issues of the New Avengers series which preceded this title.

Why does Iron Patriot vehemently say she's not a killer like Tony Stark? Does it all stem from his mistakes in Civil War I through Secret Invasion (and maybe Civil War II), and his time as the conscienceless Superior Iron Man (and how did that period end in the rebuilt universe?)?

This issue runs parallel with Secret Empire #0. Next issue will probably continue into the battle for Washington described in the Free Comic Book Day 2017: SE issue.

There is an apparent continuity problem in that Red Hulk and the other 3 appear in the FCBD issue all fighting Hydra rather than each other. I can only assume those scenes happen between the last pages of this issue. Ie Rulk gets to fight Hydra for a while before the AIM guy starts to control him.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

U.S.Avengers #6 Synopsis by Rob Johnson

Cannonball (Sam Guthrie) is returning to Earth from visiting his wife and kid in the Shi'ar Empire. His space-taxi driver isn't happy when they come out of warp into a massive Chitauri invasion but he's willing to wait long enough to let the hero out. Sam asks him to take a message back to Smasher (Izzy Kane) asking her to send help.

We're in the middle of Secret Empire #0 and we see Guardians of the Galaxy (Gamora, baby Groot, Rocket Raccoon and Star-Lord), Ultimates (Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Ms. America and Spectrum) plus Hyperion and Quasar (Avril Kincaid) fighting the foe. Guthrie takes time out to contact his friend and boss Sunspot (now Citizen V) (Roberto Da Costa) at A.I.M. HQ in S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier Douglass hovering over Washington DC. But he sees the aliens take out Hyperion (off-panel) and a 'dragon' troop-carrier swallow Quasar. Cannonball rockets to her aid but gets a warning from Da Costa too late about the dragons being living bombs. He disappears in the resulting explosion.

Roberto wants to take the helicarrier into orbit to search for Sam. He hears about an explosion in New York (presumably Nitro in SE#0) and prepares to send a team there as well. But Captain America (Steve Rogers) his boss calls and orders him to stay guarding Congress and the White House.

The U.S. Avengers team are chafing at the inaction. Squirrel Girl watches Enigma and Iron Patriot (Toni Ho) arguing again about IP's increased armour and firepower. Toni always claims that her suit is purely defensive, or at least only passively aggressive. But her lover Aikku Jokinen has been getting increasingly worried. Toni blusters that she'll only shoot at robots and really powerful villains - ending with "I'm not Tony Stark!".

The final team member Gen'l Maverick knows that he can't become Red Hulk again for another 5 hours anyway. But an AIM Agent approaches him with the promised nanite upgrade to his power that will bypass the safety cutout which limits him to an hour of power a day.

Citizen V hears that the the planetary shield is working again. Captain Marvel confirms it. The remaining heroes in space are now keeping out of the way while the Chitauri drones commit mass suicide by trying to penetrate it. Hyperion is heavily injured but Cannonball and Quasar are still MIA.

Da Costa now gets a call from Doctor Faustus which is broadcast all over the carrier. It is a hypnotic message designed to take over the crew. Roberto uses mental resistance techniques taught him by the X-Men's Professor X which begin by concentrating on a red triangle. Bobby taught this method to his staff too, especially the USA team. He sends out the Red Triangle Protocol message to warn them. At least the USA react in time. And Maverick surprises the others by turning into Red Hulk early.

But Roberto's trusted AIM aid Larry turns out to be a Hydra Agent and shoots him. Cap has revealed his true colours. And as the US Avengers descend to Washington which is besieged by Hydra helicarriers the new nanites in his blood enable Hydra to take over Red Hulk and pit him against his teammates, in particular Iron Patriot.

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