A helicopter lands at the Raft Maximum Security Prison, on board are Norman Osborn, Luke Cage, Venom (Mac Gargan, disguised as Spider-Man), and Bullseye. They are greeted by agents of Osborn’s new spy agency, HAMMER. Norman asks to be taken to the Skrull prisoners of war they are holding there.[1] Norman wants to know where the Skrull that posed as the Avengers Butler, Edwin Jarvis, had gone after the failed invasion.[2] When neither talk, Norman has Venom eat one of the Skrulls, horrifying the other captive. He begins to talk, saying that not all the Skrull invaders knew each other and he is unfamiliar with the one they are looking for. Osborn then explains that they are looking for Luke Cage’s daughter who was kidnapped by “Jarvis” and if he doesn’t talk, they have 78 more captured Skrulls they can interrogate after they kill him. The Skrulls then tells them that they had a regular meeting place before the invasion kicked off.[3] He says that is where they’d meet and work on switching out humans in positions of power with Skrull infiltrators.

Soon, this warehouse is put under surveillance and sure enough, “Jarvis” shows up with baby Dani in his arms. When he goes inside, he finds Luke Cage waiting for him. Luke orders the Skrull to give him the child, promising that he will kill “Jarvis” if he doesn’t comply. The impostor tries to bargain, demanding that his brothers be released from captivity and to be allowed to leave Earth. Luke says he is alone and the Skrull situation is not his problem, nor that of his child. The Skrull reluctantly hands Dani over to her father and he is relieved to see that the baby is ok. Seconds later, the Skrull is shot between the eyes by Bullseye who was waiting with a sniper rifle in the building across the way.

The next day, at Avengers Tower, Luke and Dani are reunited with Jessica Jones who is happy to see her daughter is alive and well. Norman Osborn then offers Jessica to stay at the tower but won’t be forced to since his deal was with Luke and not with her. Luke and Jessica take a moment to talk over what happens next and he sends her away with the baby so he can make his intentions to Osborn clear. He then goes digging in his old closet for something. He then comes out and shows Bullseye that he has the Wrecker’s enchanted crowbar.[4][5] He then beats Venom and Bullseye into submission while Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers) arrives to rescue Jess and the baby. Cage then says that despite the deal he made with Osborn he has no interest in helping a murderer.[6] Unphased by this, Norman asks Luke what his daughter would think when she grows up an finds out her father is a dishonorable person. This enrages Luke who throws the crowbar at the window behind Norman and then leaps out of Avengers Tower to the ground below. Recovering the crowbar, Cage walks off. Watching him go, Norman asks his assistant — Victoria Hand — to add Cage to his list.[7]

Luke then returns to the New Avengers hideout where the rest of the team — Captain America (James Barnes), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Wolverine (Logan), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), Ronin (Clint Barton), Mockingbird (Bobbi Morse) and Ms. Marvel — are pleased that the Cage family are all back together. Logan is surprised that Cage didn’t kill Osborn then and there, but Luke maintains he wouldn’t because this situation was a father thing.

The happy reunion is soured when Clint turns on the TV and is disgusted by the sight. Norman Osborn is unveiling a new team of Avengers which includes himself and former members of the Thunderbolts. Even more galling is the fact that they are all dressed up like heroes. They include the Iron Patriot (Osborn in Iron Man armor painted in the style of Captain America), “Captain Marvel” (Nov-Varr, aka Marvel Boy), the Sentry, “Ms. Marvel” (Moonstone), Ares, “Wolverine” (actually his son Dakken), “Hawkeye” (actually Bullseye), and Venom posing as Spider-Man again.[8] Clint now wants to take Osborn down now more than ever and take back the Avengers name.

Recurring Characters

New Avengers (Captain America, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Ms. Marvel, Ronin, Iron Fist, Mockingbird), Jessica Jones, Dani Cage, “Edwin Jarvis”, Dark Avengers (Iron Patriot, “Hawkeye”, “Spider-Man”), Victoria Hand

Continuity Notes

1. This story comes on the heels of Secret Invasion #1-8 where the Skrulls attempted to invade Earth. In the end, Norman killed their leader and was installed as the new leader of SHIELD, which he renamed HAMMER. Luke is here because his daughter was nabbed by a Skrull, as seen in Secret Invasion #8/New Avengers #47. Last issue, Luke turned to Osborn because he ran out of leads.

2. As we discovered in Secret Invasion #1, Jarvis had been replaced by a Skrull. This happened prior to New Avengers #1. In Secret Invasion #8 he kidnapped Dani Cage.

3. This was a warehouse in New York, as we first saw in New Avengers #42.

4. While they are waiting for Luke, Osborn ignores a call from D-Man who wants to join his Avengers team due to his past affiliation with the real Avengers. That’s a bit of a stretch to be honest. Cap formed a brief team of Avengers which included D-Man in Captain America #349-350. He ended up getting lost on their first mission.

5. Luke took the Wrecker’s crowbar in New Avengers #8.

6. Here, Luke calls Osborn a murderer. Norman has a lot of blood on his hands due to his activities as the Green Goblin. His most infamous kill was that of Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker’s girlfriend, in Amazing Spider-Man #122.

7. During the Dark Reign event, Norman compiles a list of high profile targets. This is presented in Dark Reign: The List limited series and includes the Avengers, the X-Men, Daredevil, the Hulk, the Punisher, Wolverine, Nick Fury’s Secret Warriors, and (of course) Spider-Man. Osborn will try to get his revenge on Luke in Thunderbolts #137.

8. This scene had played out in Dark Avengers #1.