Avengers West Coast #89
Ultron Unbound!!!
Following his most recent defeat at the hands of the Avengers West Coast, Ultron has been contained at the Vault, a super-max prison for super-villains.[1] The guards are on strict orders that no technology is to be brought into the cell where Ultron is being contained. However, this rule is flaunted by a guard reporting for his shift. He finds the time in Ultron’s cell boring and has brought a hand-held video game to keep himself occupied. This proves to be his doom as the homicidal robot manages to hack into the device. He then unleashes a swarm of “robo-ticks”, nano-bots that kill the soldier by stripping off all his flesh. They then work at chewing through the Adamantium restraints, allowing Ultron to finally escape. When the alarms go off a contingent of guards come to try and stop Ultron. However, the robot is easily able to short out their high tech weapons and Guardsman armor and escapes.
Meanwhile, at Avenger Compound, US Agent is getting a lecture from Hawkeye over his recent solo mission to Northern Canada without telling anyone.[2] Spider-Woman is also angry with him for working with the Commission on Super-Human Affairs due to the fact that they made her life miserable for years.[3] US Agent tells them that they can’t dictate what he can do in his spare time.[4] While this may be the case, Hawkeye forbids him from using Avengers equipment on his solo mission,[5] threatening to kick him off the team if he does it again even though they are short staffed since Iron Man’s death.[6] The argument is interrupted by the new Iron Man who has come to get membership within the Avengers.[7] This is a tricky question since the team doesn’t hasn’t selected an acting chairman since Stark’s death, so Mockingbird suggests that they have Hawkeye speak on behalf of the team.[8] Clint asks for the new Iron Man to unmask so they can determine if he is trustworthy or not. When he refuses to do so, they find themselves at an impasse for the time being and Iron Man leaves. The remaining Avengers instantly regret this decision since they all probably figure the new Iron Man is Tony Stark’s best friend Jim Rhodes.[9]
That’s when a call comes in from Myron MacLean, the inventor of Adamantium, who wishes to speak with Hank Pym.[10] Hawkeye tells him that they don’t know where Hank went after Tony Stark’s funeral as he is no longer an active Avenger. MacLean says finding Pym is a matter of life and death as he has developed a means of creating Adamantium easily and more cheaply than ever before. Hawkeye understands the urgency and sends Wonder Man, Spider-Woman, Mockingbird, and US Agent to check things out while he and Scarlet Witch hold the fort. With the other Avengers heading off on their appointed tasks, the Living Lightning takes his leave as he has just stepped down from active duty so he can start taking classes as USC.[11] After everyone is gone, the Scarlet Witch asks Clint why he send Mockingbird on this mission. He explains that he needed time away from Bobbi to think about their impending divorce.[12]
Soon, the rest of the team arrives at the MacLean estate out in San Diego. There, Myron tells the Avengers that he was mistaken about his discovery and asks them to leave. Suspecting that something is off, US Agent charges at Myron who easily knocks the Agent aside with a single bow. The Avengers quickly realize that they are dealing with an impostor. In the ensuing fight they also learn that this impostor is some kind of robotic duplicate. After they deactivate the robot they begin thinking who might responsible and instantly settle on the most obvious choice: Ultron. Deducing that this was some kind of trap, the team then races back to Avengers Compound. En route, US Agent tries to send a distress call back to headquarters. Although the Scarlet Witch is able to take the call, Ultron quickly hacks into their computers and shuts them down.[13]
With Ultron loose on the compound and capable of controlling their automated defenses, the Scarlet Witch’s primary concern is getting Rachel Carpenter — Spider-Woman’s daughter — to safety. Racing outside, Ultron attacks her directly as she tries to find Rachel. With the homicidal robot bearing down on them, Wanda is given time to get away when Carlos — the Avengers groundskeeper — puts himself between Ultron and his targets, sacrificing his life in the process. That’s when Hawkeye arrives on the scene and helps keep Rachel safe from a rogue rider-mowers. That’s when Ultron begins unleashing his robo-ticks to start chewing up the mansion. He also sends a swarm at Hawkeye and the Scarlet Witch, but their path is blocked by the Vision, whose artificial body is immune to robo-ticks flesh eating.
Recurring Characters
Avengers West Coast (Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man, Mockingbird, US Agent, Living Lightning, Spider-Woman), Ultron, Iron Man, Vision, Myron MacLean, Rachel Carpenter, Consuela Sanchez, Roberto Gonzago, Carlos Alvarez, Guardsmen
Continuity Notes
Ultron was defeated by the AWC in Avengers West Coast #66-68.
US Agent went on a solo mission in Avengers West Coast #87-88, clashing with a Russian organization called the Bogatyri from turning North America into one giant ice berg. He only succeeded in stopping them thanks to help from the Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man, and Wolverine.
Spider-Woman had been working for the Commission since the moment she first got her powers as explained in Avengers West Coast #84. They had been making her life a living hell since Iron Man #214 until she was finally able to break away from them by joining the AWC in Avengers West Coast #74.
US Agent is also reminded that the Avengers is now chartered with the United Nations. The US government revoked their security clearances from the group in Avengers #326, leading to Captain America securing a UN charter for the group in issue #329.
Here, Hawkeye refers to US Agent by the name “Daniels”, at the time of this story US Agent was operating under the alias Jack Daniels. This was a new identity given to him after he flubbed his time as Captain America. See Captain America #333-351 and 354.
At the time of this story everyone believes that Tony Stark died in Iron Man #284. In reality, he went into cryogenic suspension until a cure for his health condition could be found. He’ll be revived again in issue #290.
Living Lightning recounts how they met this “new” Iron Man during Stark’s funeral, as seen in Iron Man #285-286.
She suggests this since Clint was the first chairman for the group. He took this role starting in West Coast Avengers #1. He remained acting chairman for sometime until US Agent was forced upon the group in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #45 by the government who wanted him to lead the team. This prompted Clint to quit the Avengers although he would return in Avengers West Coast #60. Although the Agent was supposed to lead, Hank Pym took over during Clint’s absence. When Hank left the group in Avengers West Coast #74, Iron Man took over from there.
In fact, Jim was invited on the team during a period he previously acted as Iron Man between Iron Man #169-199, as seen in West Coast Avengers #1-4. Clint learned about this switch up when Tony Stark revealed his identity to him in Iron Man #193.
A footnote here reminds readers that MacLean’s claim to inventing Adamantium was first told in Avengers #66.
Living Lightning decided to become a reservist so he could attend USC last issue.
How Hawkeye and Mockingbird’s marriage came to be on the brink of divorce is a long and complicated set of circumstances. The details:
Clint and Bobbi got married back in Hawkeye #4. It was all marital bliss until the time when the West Coast Avengers were struck going backward in time circa West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #17-24. As seen in issue #18, while in the 1800s, Bobbi was kidnapped by the Phantom Rider just as the rest of the Avengers were going backward in time.
Bobbi was forced to drink a love potion that made her loyal to the Rider. Eventually, she shook off the effects of the potion and, in a battle with her captor, did nothing to prevent him from falling off a cliff to his death, as seen in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #23. Because of Clint’s staunch belief in the Avengers rule about killing, Bobbi kept the truth of what happened a secret for months.
Things went south when the the spirit of the Phantom Rider possessed his modern day descendant and revealed the truth to the rest of the Avengers. As seen in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #34-35, Hawkeye didn’t take it very well either and this put a strain on their marriage.
From issue #37 on, Clint and Bobbi split up. However, Mockingbird came back in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #46 and convinced Clint to help her train the Great Lakes Avengers and work on their marriage. Although Clint agreed, the two could not reconcile and Clint returned to the west coast team in Avengers West Coast #60.
Bobbi revealed last issue that she filed divorce paperwork and that they have two weeks before it becomes final.
When watching Rachel play in the year, the Scarlet Witch are reminded of her own children. However, she stops herself from thinking too much on it thinking to herself “that way lies madness.” Wanda’s children are a stick subject. Let’s break it down:
Wanda used her hex powers to become pregnant in Vision and the Scarlet Witch (vol. 2) #3. She gave birth to Billy and Tommy in issue #12 of that series.
The children were later revealed do be nothing more than manifestations of Wanda’s imagination and were destroyed during a fight with Master Pandemonium in Avengers West Coast #51-52.
Her children won’t remain dead for long, they will be reincarnated in new lives as Wanda will learn in Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #6.
