New Avengers #52

The 2 art teams from last issue are here again. Once again Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend and Antonio Fabela do the Hood stuff on pages 1-6 and 11-16, while Billy Tan, Matt Banning and Justin Ponsor do the Avengers in p7-10,17-23 including the Hellstorm/Hood finale.

Madame Masque has been in Hood's gang from the beginning in #35 and became his 2nd in command by Annual #2. Now she'll add lover to her CV. Since Iron Man #13 she's been trying to track down Tony Stark for Norman Osborn, but she won't have any success until the much later IM#14. Meanwhile she's been in the Dark Reign: Hood mini-series.

Daimon Hellstrom's conflicted nature has been in evidence in his recent (infrequent) appearances. As lord of a Hell he was involved in a war against Dormammu in Hellcat #1-3. He was a foe of Nick Fury's Howling Commandos monster troop. But he worked with the good guys in Last Defenders. And again in Marvel Zombies 4 (also alongside the Hood).

Hellcat apps have been more frequent. She was a teacher from the beginning of Avengers: Initiative. Her role as the sole member of the Alaskan Initiative featured in the Patsy Walker: Hellcat limited series. She rejoined the main Initiative group for Secret Invasion and Osborn's takeover afterwards. And has left the team since then to be in the Models mini-series (as per the Marvel Chronology Project)..
This presents a wee continuity problem for this issue. I can only presume that Patsy is lying on the phone because she doesn't want her angry ex to know where she *really* is.
Patsy will go from here to the Marvel Divas limited series before showing up for real in #59-60.

Jessica Jones and Danielle will be left at home for the rest of this story arc. They'll feature in a backup tale in Amazing SM #601 where Jessica and Peter Parker clear the air after the revelation last issue that they knew each other in High School, before returning for #55.