Avengers: The Initiative #8

Killed in Action, Part 1: SNAFU

Credits

Now

In the ruined subbasement at Camp Hammond, Yellowjacket (Hank Pym) tries to keep moving despite his injuries.[1] With the place on fire, and people dead, Hank blames himself for what has happened and believes that this latest catastrophe will spell the end of the Initiative. He then thinks back to how they got here….

Several Months Ago

Four hours after the Stamford Disaster, an explosive superhuman conflict that claimed 600 lives, the Avengers and Fantastic Four have come out to search for survivors. Yellowjacket, Iron Man (Tony Stark), and Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) are horrified by the loss of lives. They realize that the public will want something to be done and that they have a long job ahead of them.[2]

Days Later

With the Super Human Registration Act (SHRA) looming, the three geniuses have been hard at work coming up with ideas on how this new law will be enforced. By this time they have come up with forty different solutions. That’s when Hank pitches his own idea: The 50-State Initiative. He explains that they could train registered superheroes in the use of their powers for the purposes of creating teams of heroes for every state in America. Reed and Tony like this idea, but there aren’t nearly enough superheroes in the country to meet that need. They all come up with ideas on how to bolster their ranks, with Hank showing off his designs for his new Ant-Man suit he has been developing for SHIELD. While the name “GI Ant-Man” gives them a good laugh, they admit that Hank’s idea is a good one.[3] With this idea squared away, they then begin discussing how to expand the prison that Reed has already built in the Negative Zone.[4]

Weeks Later

In Stamford, Connecticut, the trio hold a press conference to announce the construction of Camp Hammond. They explain that, as part of the SHRA, it will serve as a training ground for heroes so incidents like the Stamford Disaster will never happen again. They have chosen this spot so that they never lose sight of what can go wrong and also to instill a sense of security for the people of Stamford. Whenever there is danger, all they will need to do is look up. On cue, they have a group of heroes drop out of the sky.

Last Week

Unfortunately, the people of Stamford weren’t as receptive of this idea and even now there are protests outside the front gates as a new bus full of recruits enter the facility. As Yellowjacket boards the bus to greet the new recruits, War Machine (Jim Rhodes) is asked to handle the crowd. Jim tries to assure people that Camp Hammond is safe and that because of the training given, superhero related disasters are now at an all time low. To show off the good they have done, a truck comes in with the latest trainees — Cloud 9 (Abby), Hardball (Roger Brockridge), Komodo (Melati), Triathlon (Delroy Garrett, Jr.), and Thor Girl (Tarene)[5] — who have just captured the rogue android known as the Dragon Man.

This does little to ease the crowd’s concerns, prompting the rookies to explain that Dragon Man is going to be taken to Prison 42 via a Negative Zone portal on base. Once inside, they explain to Stingray (Walter Newell) that they were able to cow the Dragon Man because the creature became infatuated with Komodo. This makes the Constrictor (Frank Schlichting) laugh about the situation. Melati dismisses his jeers, believing him to be jealous because she is in a relationship with Hardball. When Dragon Man sees the couple about to kiss, it becomes enraged and breaks free from its bonds. As one of the Scarlet Spiders dives in to push Cloud 9 to safety, War Machine quickly knocks the Dragon Man out.[6]

That’s when Henry Gyrich arrives and complains how this happened in front of the public and the press. War Machine tells Gyrich he’s personally transporting the prisoner to Prison 42, and tells him to provide hourly reports to Tony Stark and SHIELD until he gets back. Henry then introduces the new recruits to the new drill sergeant, the Taskmaster.[7] The sight of the villain upsets many of the Initiative trainees, particularly Stature (Cassie Lang).[8]

Pym isn’t overly happy about it either given the Taskmaster’s criminal past. Gyrich assures Hank that it’ll be fine as they have implanted nanites that will lobotomize him if he steps out of line.[9][10] That’s when Cassie pulls “Uncle Hank” aside to talk. She had heard how Hank survived an exploding Hydra by shrinking down to sub-atomic size and wonders if this might mean her own father might still be alive. Hank assures her that he has thoroughly investigated Scott Lang’s death, and mournfully tells her that sometimes heroes die.[11]

Meanwhile, Taskmaster orders the new trainees — Ant-Man (Eric O’Grady), Crusader (Aubrey Thompson), Diamondback (Rachel Leighton), Dragon Lord (Tako Shamara), Geiger (Delilah Dearborn), Geldof, Melee, and Red 9 (Wallace Jackson) — and begins berating them all. When he questions the new Ant-Man, O’Grady begins telling lies about how his predecessor — Cassie’s dad — only pretended to be an Avenger so he could spy on the female members in the showers. This angers Stature who shoots up to giant size to try and stomp on Ant-Man. When the coward learns that his suit can also increase his size, he grows to match Stature’s height. He then uses dirty tricks to distract Cassie so he can slam her in the face with the recruitment bus. As Gyrich is losing his mind over the bad PR this will cause, Yellowjacket angrily grows to giant-size and joins the fight.

Gyrich orders Taskmaster to do something to get this situation under control. He only agrees to do something by turning this into a teachable moment for the fresh recruits. He shows them how to easily take down a size-changing opponent by exploiting natural human weak points which are larger targets now. To demonstrate this, he tosses his shield and hits Yellowjacket, Stature, and Ant-Man in the ankles causing all three to topple to the ground. When Yellowjacket complains about how dangerous this stunt was, Taskmaster knocks him out with a nerve pinch to the neck.

Later, when Yellowjacket is back on his feet, he and Gyrich takes the rookies who took down Dragon Man in for a briefing. Triathlon wants Komodo to be commended for her part, but Gyrich is still furious over this team’s recent poor showing dealing with the Zodiac. Particularly since the New Warriors had to bail them out with one of the Warriors being killed in the conflict.[12] This upsets Hardball who accuses Gyrich and Yellowjacket of being hypocrites mentioning how they haven’t been perfect either, mentioning the skeletons they have in their closet.[13] This silences their superiors who dismiss the group shortly thereafter. Triathlon asks what Hardball meant, but he only says he was all bluster. This whole thing has turned Komodo on and she pulls Hardball into her quarters so they can make out. While they are in the middle of it, Roger asks to see Melati in her human form. She does so reluctantly, revealing that she is a double-amputee and that her Komodo powers restores her lost legs. Despite this, Roger thinks she is gorgeous and assures her that they are both damaged goods.[14]

Meanwhile, Gyrich is furious about Hardball’s insubordination as he and Yellowjacket return to the lab. Gyrich suggests that they use SPIN to depower Roger’s unit. Pym is reluctant to do so because they are already having trouble populating the 50-State Initiative as it is. When Gyrich suggests they continue cloning MVP like they did with the Scarlet Spiders to make up for the shortfall. Baron Von Blitzschlag agrees that this could be done and they leave it to Yellowjacket to make the final decision.

Now

This is what led to the current crisis and Yellowjacket realizes that continuing to use clones was a bad idea. As if on cue that’s when the latest MVP clone who has carved the acronym KIA (Killed in Action) across his chest has found Pym and prepares to take him out with a blast from the Tactagon!

Recurring Characters

The Initiative staff: “Yellowjacket”, War Machine, Henry Gyrich, Taskmaster, Baron Von Blitzschlag, Justice, Stingray, Nighthawk, Triathlon

Trainees: Cloud 9, Hardball, Komodo, “Thor Girl”, Ant-Man, Stature, Gargoyle, Crusader, Melee, Dragon Lord, Geiger, Red 9, Diamondback, Geldof

Shadow Initiative: Bengal, Constrictor, Scarlet Spiders

Mighty Avengers (Ms. Marvel, Iron Man, Wasp, Wonder Man, Black Widow, Sentry, Ares), SHIELD, Dragon Man, KIA, (in flashback) Giant-Man, Captain America, Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Thing)

Continuity Notes

1. This is not the real Hank Pym, but a Skrull impostor who took his place. See Mighty Avengers #15. As an aside, we see the remains of Dragon Lord here. He will be confirmed as being killed in Avengers: The Initiative #12. As of this writing (July, 2024) he is still considered among the deceased.

2. The Stamford Disaster was depicted in Civil War #1. This led to the passage of the SHRA in issue #3 of that series. That law will remain on the books until Siege #4.

3. Of the solutions to the lack of manpower for the 50-State Initiative, the following solutions are mentioned:

   • Using villains by controlling them using obedience collars and SPIN tech to shut off their powers if they get out of hand. SPIN tech was devised in Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) #106. Meanwhile, the use of villains will be reserved for the Thunderbolts, who will get conscripted under the SHRA in Thunderbolts #110.

   • Cloning existing superhumans: They will later go on to create a clone of Thor in Civil War #4, and later Baron Von Blitzschlag will use the a similar technique to create his Scarlet Spiders, as revealed last issue.

   • Modifying the Guardsmen suits. First developed by Kevin O’Brien in Iron Man #43, the Guardsman armor would primarily be used by the guards at the Vault Prison starting in Avengers Annual #15.

   • The Iron Spider armor was built by Tony Stark for Peter Parker in Amazing Spider-Man #529. Parker later abandoned it when he went rogue in Civil War #5. Modified versions that replicate all of Spider-Man’s powers were given to the Scarlet Spiders in Avengers: The Initiative #3.

   • The “GI Ant-Man” suit will later be stolen by Eric O’Grady, as seen in Irredeemable Ant-Man #1.

4. Reed Richards first built a prison in the Negative Zone in an attempt to shut down all of the Fantastic Four’s enemies as seen in Fantastic Four: Foes #1-6. It will be repurposed as Prison 42 and open as a massive superhuman prison in Civil War: Front Line #5.

5. We still don’t know the full names of a number of characters in this story. They include:

   • Cloud 9: In issue #1 it was revealed her first name is Abby, but her full name Abby Boylen won’t be revealed until Avengers: The Initiative #9.

   • Komodo’s first name will be revealed to be Melati in Avengers: The Initiative #3. He last name (Kusama) will be revealed in issue #9 as well.

   • This isn’t the real Thor Girl, who was replaced by another Skrull spy prior to Avengers: The Initiative #1, as will be revealed in issue #18.

6. Here, Cloud 9 has a sense of déja vu when one of the Scarlet Spiders pushes her to safety. This is because MVP did the same thing when he was killed in a training accident in Avengers: The Initiative #1. Abby doesn’t know that the Spiders are clones of MVP as revealed last issue.

7. Taskmaster has been brought in because the original drill instructor, Gauntlet, was severely beaten by a disgruntled Slapstick in Avengers: The Initiative #6.

8. Cassie recounts the time her father fought the Taskmaster once. He actually fought the villain twice! See Avengers #195-196 and 223.

9. Yellowjacket quips that he would have figured this was a plot by the Red Skull, if the villain wasn’t already dead. At the time of this story, the Red Skull was believed to have been killed in Captain America (vol. 5) #1. In reality, he cheated death by using the Cosmic Cube to transfer his mind into the body of Aleksander Lukin as was revealed in issue #14 of that series.

10. Gyrich mentions how he used Taskmaster to train people when he was a member of the Commission on Superhuman Activities. This was to train John Walker in Captain America #334.

11. Ant-Man and Yellowjacket were both caught in explosions. Lets break down what happened in both cases:

    • Scott Lang was seemingly killed in an explosion caused by the Scarlet Witch in Avengers #500. Although he seemingly perished, in reality he was brought forward in time by his daughter some time after this story. See Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #5.

    • Yellowjacket managed to cheat death in an exploding Hydra terror carrier by claiming he shrunk down to sub-atomic size in Avengers: The Initiative #2. In reality, “Pym” is a Super-Skrull spy who used density changing powers to make themselves impervious to the blast, as will be revealed in issue #14.

    1. The clash with the Zodiac happened in New Warriors (vol. 4) #4. The New Warrior who died in that fight was Longstrike (aka Christine Cord). As of this writing (July, 2024) she is still considered among the deceased.

12. Roger is referring to how MVP was killed during a training exercise in Avengers: The Initiative #1. He is also talking about how he knows that they have been keeping his body in Hank’s lab. He made this discovery while breaking into the lab to steal SPIN tech for Senator Arthur Woodman in issue #4, although nobody knows that.

13. Komodo’s powers, as explained in issue #1, are derived from Curt Connor’s Lizard formula. It was created in Amazing Spider-Man #6 in the hopes it could be used to regrow lost limbs. Unfortunately, it has the side effect of turning people into lizard creatures.

Topical References

• When naming off the trainees, Taskmaster jokes about Geldoff’s name saying “Got tired of organizing Live Aid concerts, huh?” He is referring to Bob Geldof, a musician best known for his 1985 Live Aid concert where he gathered major recording artists to perform an internationally broadcast concert to help raise famine relief money for Ethiopia. He has ridden on that fame ever since even though his success in this endeavor is dubious at best. Typically, a reference to a real life person would be considered topical, however I’m not entirely sure how you could do so in this case without ruining the joke.