Synopsis
West Coast Avengers Vol.4 #5 synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Rating:
The cult-leader Ultron plot continues as more desperate humans come to the Cathedral Of The Singularity in Los Angeles to be turned into cyborgs, although some are homeless people just looking for food and shelter which Ultron, or The One as he likes to be called, seems willing to provide. War Machine is currently keeping an eye on the place when he gets a call from Storm and Vision of the Avengers in their orbiting Impossible City HQ. They want to discuss the Ultron situation which Tony Stark is unwilling to talk about. James Rhodes assures them that the Church Of Ultron doesn't seem to be currently a threat, but the other 2 say they're more worried about the 'good' Ultron who's now part of the West Coast Avengers. Tony happens to link in to tell Rhodey that Flag-Smasher has surfaced again (after #2). The Avengers air their worry that the robot has infiltrated the AIs in their armours, but James tells them that Ulty has given them total access to his programming. They end the call but the Avengers are still not happy.
The good Ultron is in the sky watching Flag-Smasher running down the middle of a highway. The Westies have received an anonymous tip from someone in his Sovereign Sons group that he's going to attack a DOD nuclear convoy. And even though the routes are secret and continually change he's found it. He uses 1 of his batons to smash through the windscreen of the truck and take control of it, ploughing it through cars and onto the verge where his men are waiting. He invites the men in the back of the truck to surrender before they blow the door off. But before anything can happen Ultron swoops down to tell them to stand down. 1 of the goons triggers the explosion, which doesn't seem to do anything but knock Ulty over. And the troops start shooting at him.
War Machine turns up and fires rubber bullets at the minions, and a shoulder cannon at something (they do have a vehicle). Blue Bolt and Firestar are also in the air and warn him when Flag hurls an adamantium baton at him. But Iron Man in his Silver Centurion armour zooms in to pluck it out of the air. Smasher dodges an electric blast from BB but Firestar sets him on fire even as he sneers at her as a mutant. Spider-Woman is the last to arrive on (Hawkeye's) old sky-cycle which Ultron has upgraded. She gets a bio-electric zap in but Grant Rogers leaps up to reach her - and his face runs into her foot. On the ground Angelica Jones prepares to fire him up again, but his fist gets to her chin 1st as he taunts her that she's why the mutant island nation of Krakoa fell. Chad Braxton rushes to Angel's side as Ultron, Rhodey and Stark take turns at hitting the villain's chin with their metal fists. He goes down but Jessica Drew asks if she can just kick him a little. Blue Bolt, a supervillain on the team as part of a rehabilitation scheme, suggests the heroes all leave him to roast the guy. But they just let a SWAT team take him off in a prison van.
But Rogers seems smug as they leave, so Ultron opts to follow the van to make sure it makes it safely to prison. Tony and Rhodey suspect that this might have all been a setup and Flag-Smasher's exactly where he wants to be, so they plan to get Ultron to backtrack the anonymous tip-off. Meanwhile they and Jessica have noticed that Angelica and Chad have gotten awfully friendly lately (since they secretly kissed at the end of last issue). And now they're shocked when they now openly kiss. (So am I because last issue it seemed a 1-off.) The pair now say they have an announcement .... that Angelica's going into rehab for PTSD-induced alcoholism. Recovering alcoholic Tony gives her a hug, and Chad comments that the Avengers health insurance gets her the best treatment.
On the way out the paparazzi catch them kissing again. They want shots of Firestar but Blue Bolt tells them to back off. 1 cameraman says he's not scared of anyone named Blue Bolt so Chad fries his camera. Stark takes him aside and Chad thinks he's going to tell him off but Tony just commends him for learning restraint and not hurting the man. However Chad admits that he meant to make it blow up in his face, but then he pretended to have done what he wanted to look cool for the other cameras. Tony says that he still appreciates the kindness he showed Angelica. Chad uses the opportunity to bring up the point that Stark insisted he couldn't use his villain name Killerwatt as an Avenger, and gave him the name Blue Bolt which he never liked. Tony agrees he can choose another name .... and Braxton announces to the press that from now on he's Wonder Man.
In Paris superhero/actor Simon Williams isn't happy when he hears the news because it might impact the new show he's got coming out. In LA Stark and Braxton watch Spider-Woman and War Machine fly away. Tony reminds Chad that the name Wonder Man's already taken by Williams. Braxton says that the 2 of them have met before, even if Simon doesn't know it. But then unexpected rain announces the arrival of weather-witch Storm with Vision and fellow-Avengers Captain America (Sam Wilson), Captain Marvel and Scarlet Witch ... here to definitely talk about their worries over Iron Man and Ultron.
CharactersGood (or All)Plus: Blue Bolt.
Enemies
Flag-Smasher (Grant Rogers).