Synopsis
New Avengers (2005 series) #55 synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Rating:
This issue can be divided into 3 parts:- A flashback to the end of #50, interleaved with the 2nd part which happens before the Dark Avengers/X-Men Utopia crossover. Then the 3rd part is after Utopia. I'll describe the whole fb before part 2.
We see a replay of the end of the battle in the Hellfire Club's abandoned HQ in #50 between the New Avengers and Hood's gang, as Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel team up to take down the villains enough for our guys to escape.
The villains are unhappy with the outcome of the fight despite Hood spinning it that they caused the Avengers to run away. Madame Masque says the NAv succeeded through better teamwork, and reminds the gang that none of them took her up on her offer to train them. Hood reminds them that he keeps them out of jail, and has made them all richer.
Wrecker has elected himself spokesman and demands to know how Hood knew the NAv would be here, and why they seemed to expect someone different. Hood refuses to enlighten them that he's working for Norman Osborn, and the Avengers were expecting to fight NO's Dark Avengers.
Chemistro examiners the remains of a device which the NAv had but which Hood shot up before the fight started. We know that it was a power drainer the NAv intended to use on the DAv. Chemistro learns that when he takes it to Dr Jonas Harrow. The pair think they can figure out this piece of Stark Tech and get it working again.
Now in the 2nd part Captain America (Bucky Barnes) gets back to the base he's letting the NAv use as an HQ to find the place a slum with Wolverine passed out.
Next night Spider-Man drops in but only finds Jessica Jones and baby Danielle Cage there. He wishes she wouldn't call him Peter, but she reminds him they went to school together. He says that if she and the others get used to calling him by his real name then 1 day they'll accidentally use it in public and then he'll be back with the problems he had after he went public in Civil War. (I wonder how the team took his explanation of how he made them all forget who he was?)
Jessica assures him that she and Luke Cage will never betray his trust. She claims he's Luke's hero. But Peter Parker is convinced that coming out to them (in #51) will mess up his life *somehow* - it's the Parker luck.
The same night Hood's gang gather for their weekly meeting. Hood and his lieutenants Madame Masque and John King haven't showed. Wrecker announces that he and his Wrecking Crew are quitting, but Living Laser speaks for the others who like what they get out of the deal.
Jonas Harrow is there and he tells them he's worked out that Hood is working for Norman Osborn. It's how he keeps them out of jail. It's how he knew where to ambush the NAv. But this only makes Dirk Garthwaite even more determined to get out.
Harrow suggests that they put aside the secrets and accept like Laser that the perks are worth it. But he has another proposition for them. He shows them a case (presumably containing the restored power drainer) and says this is something that Osborn will pay a lot for. They only have to get his attention.
Sometime later the NAv are having a meeting without Wolverine. Spider-Woman tells the others he had to go join the other X-Men in San Francisco (for the Utopia crossover). Luke Cage informs them that Drs Strange and Voodoo are getting on with things after Daniel Drumm became the new Sorcerer Supreme in the last arc. Everyone ignores Bucky's attempts to complain about the mess they're making of his home.
Jessica Drew censures Ronin for his TV tirade against Norman Osborn (#50). He readily agrees, but only because he should have killed Osborn instead - which is what he intends to do now. This shocks Spidey to the core - they're supposed to be the *good* guys. Cage agrees but thinks they should discuss it. Carol Danvers (a former member of the military) says this is war. Mockingbird is characteristically quiet. In the heat of the argument Clint Barton blames Spidey for not having killed Osborn in the many times *they* fought.
Cap interrupts the 'discussion' with an assignment.
They find Chemistro in Times Square firing his wrist blasters to transmute stuff, but not harming people or trying to steal anything. The police have him surrounded but daren't approach. The team swoop down but find their superpowers failing them. Ronin tells unpowered Mockingbird to escape. Luke Cage starts to have a heart attack.
CharactersGood (or All)Plus: Chemistro (
Curtis Carr), Danielle Cage.