Captain America #365
Submission
Crossbones has reported back to his master, the Red Skull, who is not impressed that his operative failed to recover the Bloodstone.[1] After Crossbones is sent away, a strange man in a suit barges his way into the Red Skull’s office. He is somehow able to fend off the various defenses and offers the Skull the opportunity to get the ultimate revenge against his foes.[2] The Skull is uninterested and is about to shoot the intruder in the face when he reveals that he has convinced both Magneto and Doctor Doom to join his side. The Skull pauses at this and the mystery man tells him that if he wishes to join this conspiracy all he has to do is enter the door that has suddenly materialized in his office. Before departing the mystery man informs the Red Skull of a break out at the Vault and recommends he recruit some of the escapees.[3]
Meanwhile, Captain America is returning to New York City after rescuing Diamondback from Crossbones in Madripoor. When they arrive, he is shocked to discover that Avengers Island is no longer off the coast of the city. They find the Avengers Support Crew salvaging equipment on the pier. When Cap arrives everyone tells him how the island was attacked and sunk by a swarm of robots.[4] With Quasar conducting a salvaging operation, Captain America decides to head to the Four Freedoms Plaza to see if the Fantastic Four can put the Avengers up while they are without a headquarters.
While at that moment, deep at sea, the mystery man who tried to recruit the Red Skull tracks down Namor the Sub-Mariner and makes him the same offer. However, Namor has no interest as he no longer has any animosity toward the surface world.[5] At the same time, Crossbones has been dispatched to recruit the Controller for the Red Skull.
Later that evening, Captain America returns to the Avengers Crew to tell them that he was unable to get in touch with the Fantastic Four.[6] That’s when Jarvis suggests they set up operations in the sub-basement located beneath Avengers Park.[7]
Several hours later, the Sub-Mariner arrives in New York Harbor and discovers that Avengers Island has been sunk. Searching the ruins he is ambushed by the Controller who manages to slap one of his mind control discs onto the back of Namor’s neck. He is then ordered to fly around the harbor, attracting the attention of Captain America who seeks out his old friend on a sky-cycle. Cap is caught off guard when Namor attacks him, however over the course of the battle he notices and recognizes the Controller’s control disc. Ultimately, Cap manages to smash the device, knocking Namor out and ending his threat.
Meanwhile, the Red Skull decides to take up the offer made by his mysterious benefactor. Walking through the magic door, the Skull finds himself in a meeting room where he is greeted by the likes of Doctor Doom, the Wizard, and the Kingpin.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Sub-Mariner, Diamondback, Red Skull, John Jameson, Avengers Support Crew (Edwin Jarvis, Peggy Carter, Fabien Stankiewicz, Michael O’Brien), Quasar, Stingray, Crossbones, Loki, Kingpin, Wizard
Continuity Notes
For more on the Bloodstone heist, see Captain America #357-362.
This mystery man is Loki, as we’ll learn in Avengers West Coast #55.
The break out at the Vault happened in Avengers Spotlight #26.
Avengers Island was sank in Avengers #311.
Some facts about Namor that are dropped in this scene:
Namor seized hostilities with the surface world back in Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner #1-4.
He subsequently joined the Avengers in Avengers #262.
He states here that he has been searching for the the offspring of his wife, Marrina. The two were married in Alpha Flight #40. However things turned a tragic when Marrina transformed into the massive Leviathan forcing the Avengers to kill her. This happened in Avengers #291-293.
Namor’s hunt for his children sidelined for a while. He’ll finally locate them in Namor the Sub-Mariner Annual #4.
The Fantastic Four are unavailable because they are off on a meeting with Congress to fight against a super-human registration act as seen in Fantastic Four #334-336.
After Avengers Mansion was totaled by the Masters of Evil in Avengers #273-277, the Avengers re-established themselves on Hydrobase in the following issue of that series. In the meantime, the old site of Avengers Mansion was converted into a park, as seen in X-Factor #23.
Topical References
The original twin towers of the World Trade Center are depicted as part of the New York City skyline. This should be considered a topical reference as these buildings were destroyed in a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 and subsequently replaced with the Freedom Tower.
Hyde and Seek
Watching the news, the Cobra learns about the recent break out at the Vault and how one of the escapees is his old partner Mister Hyde.[1] Even though he now leads the Serpent Society, the Cobra fears that Mister Hyde might come after him after he refused to help during a previous breakout.[2] Deciding how to handle the situation, the Cobra is approached by the same mystery man who has been making offers to help villains defeat their foes. The Cobra turns down the offer, pointing out that the Serpent Society is a for-profit organization and there isn’t a monetary benefit in joining up with this cause.
The Cobra then holds a meeting with his squad and tells them to step up security to prevent intrusions like this in the future. After the meeting is over, Cobra puts Bushmaster in charge while he goes to handle some personal business. The Cobra has decided that he can’t make his group money unless he deals with Mister Hyde and goes out and starts blowing up Hyde’s various safe houses until there is on one left.[3]
Sure enough his efforts bare fruit when Calvin Zabo — Hyde’s alter-ego — arrives at this hideout. When the Cobra makes his presence known, Zabo transforms into Mister Hyde.
Recurring Characters
Serpent Society (Cobra, Anaconda, Black Mamba, Rock Python, Asp, Black Racer, Boomslang, Bushmaster, Coachwhip, Cottonmouth, Puff Adder, Rattler), Mister Hyde, Loki
Continuity Notes
Cobra and Mister Hyde partnered together a few times early on in their careers. The first time being in Journey into Mystery #105.
The Cobra refused to break Mister Hyde out of jail when he made an escape of his own back in Spectacular Spider-Man #46. Hyde has held a grudge and obsessively hatched plots to get revenge against his old partner as seen in Captain America #251-252, Amazing Spider-Man #231-232, and Spectacular Spider-Man #88-90.
Cobra laments how the Serpent Society lost a lot of money moving their headquarters. They had to abandon their previous headquarters after the Viper attempts to usurp control of the team. See Captain America #341-344.
Acts of Vengeance Reading Order
Thor #410, Avengers Spotlight #26, Damage Control (vol. 2) #1, Amazing Spider-Man #326, Incredible Hulk #363, Spectacular Spider-Man #158, Web of Spider-Man #59, Avengers #311, Captain America #365, Fantastic Four #334, Quasar #5, Iron Man #251-252, Avengers West Coast #53, Thor #411-412, Captain America #366, Avengers Spotlight #27, X-Factor #50, New Mutants #84-85, Wolverine (vol. 2) #19-20, New Mutants #86, Power Pack #53, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #11, Amazing Spider-Man #327 , Marc Spector: Moon Knight #8-9, Uncanny X-Men #256-258, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #12, Spectacular Spider-Man #159, Daredevil #275-276, Web of Spider-Man #60, Avengers #312, Punisher (vol. 2) #28-29, Amazing Spider-Man #328 , Alpha Flight #79-80, Spectacular Spider-Man #160, Web of Spider-Man #61, Avengers Spotlight #28, Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger #9, Captain America #367, Quasar #6, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #13, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #10, Punisher: War Journal #12-13, Avengers West Coast #54, Avengers #313, Fantastic Four #335-336 , Avengers West Coast #55, Damage Control (vol. 2) #2-4, Amazing Spider-Man #329