New Avengers #54
Ten minutes ago, Brother Voodoo (Jericho Drumm) is awake after a one night stand. This is because he is being shamed by the soul of his brother, Daniel, who thinks that Jericho could be doing more with his abilities. That’s when the Eye of Agamotto appears before him. The Ancient One speaks through the mystical talisman. He explains that he chose Stephen Strange to become the Sorcerer Supreme. However, recently, Strange has been forced to use extreme measures to save lives and had decided to step down[1] As a result, Strange has chosen Jericho to succeed him. At Daniel’s urging, Jericho accepts the offer. It’s then that he becomes aware of the battle going on outside.
The New Avengers — Ronin (Clint Barton), Luke Cage, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Wolverine (Logan), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), Captain America (James Barnes), and Mockingbird (Bobbi Morse) — have travelled to New Orleans to help Doctor (Stephen) Strange find the next Sorcerer Supreme. There they found the Hood (Parker Robbins) clashing with Daimon Hellstrom thinking he was the chosen one. Jericho joins the fight alongside the New Avengers. While they keep the Hood busy, Doctor Strange and Damon Hellstorm cast a spell to force the demon possessing Parker Robbins to reveal itself. Strange is shocked to see that it is his old foe, Dormammu. With the demon trapped in a mystic circle, Jericho uses his newly acquired mystical might to banish Dormammu from whence he came, leaving Parker Robbins powerless.
As the Avengers deal with Robbins and Madame Masque (Whitney Frost), Doctor Strange congratulates Drumm for his first victory. He then tells Jericho that there is much to learn and they will begin his training right away. Hellstrom, on the other hand, is less than cheerful after the battle. He says that this is just the first sign of the End of Days. He warns that everything the superhero community has been doing recently is weakening the barriers between the dimensions and to prepare for the damnation that is coming their way.
That’s when Ronin notices someone in the crowd recording the battle. He approaches the man and uses this opportunity to get a message out to the world. He tells the camera that they just defeated the Hood. He then accuses Norman Osborn of working with Parker Robbins. He suspects that even though the authorities are coming to arrest him he’ll be on the loose again, proving that Osborn is as crooked as Clint says he is.[2] He then reiterates his team of Avengers are doing their job by busting the bad guys. He also takes the time to introduce Jericho as the new Sorcerer Supreme, calling him Doctor Voodoo.
24 hours later, Parker Robbins is in the hospital recovering from his injuries. There he is visited by Loki who is disappointed in his defeat. She was hoping that Parker would be instrumental in her plans for Norman Osborn’s fall. She then offers him the chance of restoring his lost powers. Parker, naturally, accepts.[3][4]
That evening, Clint watches the news in the hopes that his recent media interviews have turned the public against Norman Osborn. Unfortunately, Osborn is far to slick for that. He manages to spin the narrative in his favor. In an interview addressing Clint’s accusations, Norman reminds the viewers that — as Hawkeye — Clint joined the Avengers after being a criminal and joined alongside two mutant terrorists. However, Barton managed to redeem himself and Norman states that this is his chance to atone for his past crimes as well. He then suggests that perhaps the death of Captain America and Iron Man’s fall from grace has deeply affected the hero and believes that his recent media appearances are really a cry for help.[5] Hearing this angers Clint. When his wife Bobbi asks him what he plans on doing next, Barton vows to kill Norman Osborn.
Recurring Characters
New Avengers (Ronin, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Ms. Marvel, Captain America, Mockingbird), Doctor Strange, Son of Satan, Brother/Doctor Voodoo, The Hood, Dormammu, Madame Masque, Norman Osborn, Loki
Continuity Notes
The Ancient One tells Jericho of recent events that led to Brother Voodoo being chosen as the next Sorcerer Supreme:
The Ancient One (aka Yao) was the Sorcerer Supreme for centuries before passing down the mantle to his greatest student, Stephen Strange in Marvel Premiere #9-12.
Recently, Strange has resorted to using dark magic to help save lives in World War Hulk #1-5 and again in New Avengers Annual #2.
Doctor Strange has been seeking out a successor since New Avengers Annual #2. The Eye of Agamotto chose Brother Voodoo last issue. Drumm will be the Sorcerer Supreme until Strange wins back the mantle in New Avengers (vol. 2) #34.
This story comes on the heels of Secret Invasion #8, in which Norman Osborn killed the leader of a Skrull invasion of Earth. This put him in the position of top cop in America. Osborn then used his position to form the Cabal a secret group of villains who seek to shape the world to suit their own ends. This included the Hood. The New Avengers discovered that the Hood was working for Osborn in New Avengers #50.
Loki appears here in female form is a bit complicated to explain. He and the other Asgardians were recently killed off in Ragnarok in Thor (vol. 2) #80-85. He was brought back when Thor return in Thor (vol. 3) #1, but in female form in issue #5 of that series. It is later revealed in Thor (vol. 3) #8 that Loki had stolen the physical form of Sif, trapping her in the body of a dying woman named Rose Chambers. She will be freed from this trap in Thor #602.
The power that Loki offers Parker turns out to be the Norn Stones, as we’ll see in New Avengers #56-57.
There is a huge exposition dump at the end here, so lets break it down for the kids in the cheap seats:
Norman Osborn’s criminal career as the Green Goblin goes back to Amazing Spider-Man #14. The public has been aware of his criminal identity since The Pulse #1-5. He had been put in charge of the Thunderbolts since Thunderbolts #110 in an attempt to reform him. He then killed the Skrull Queen in Secret Invasion #8, putting him in a position of authority.
Norman mentions Clint’s criminal past, when he first debuted in Tales of Suspense #57, he was seduced into helping the Black Widow (Natasha Romanov) commit acts of espionage, making him a criminal.
Eventually, Clint convinced the Avengers to let him join the team. He ended up joining along side the Scarlet Witch and Quicksliver (Wanda and Pietro Maximoff) in Avengers #16.
Osborn refers to Pietro and Wanda as “mutant terrorists” because, prior to their Avengers membership, they were founding members of Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in X-Men #4. However, it is later revealed in Uncanny Avengers (vol. 2) #4-5, that Wanda and Pietro aren’t actually mutants. As children they were experimented upon by the High Evolutionary who altered their DNA so that they would scan as mutants. This was an effort to cover up his work and fooled people for years.
At the time of this story, Captain America (Steve Rogers) is believed to have died in Captain America (vol. 5) #25. In reality, he was shot with a chronal bullet that has made him live his life in a constant loop. He will be trapped in this purgatory until he is rescued in Captain America: Reborn #1-6.
Iron Man (Tony Stark) recently fell from grace because of the failure of his technology to thwart the Skrull invasion in Secret Invasion #1-8. He is currently on the run, as seen in Invincible Iron Man #8-19.
As an aside, the news story shows a clip of Clint as Goliath. There were two periods in which Clint used size-changing Pym Particles to become the Goliath. The first time was from Avengers #63-97 and the second was from Avengers West Coast #90-97.
Topical References
While the New Avengers watch the exorcism on the sidelines, Spider-Man offers to go to a nearby 7-Eleven and buy everyone a Coke. This should be considered topical as these are real world brand.
The man recording the battle is depicted doing so on a camcorder. This should be considered topical as these devices have fallen out of popular use thanks to smart phones with built in cameras.