The New Avengers — Ronin (Clint Barton), Luke Cage, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), Captain America (James Barnes), and Mockingbird (Bobbi Morse) — had gone to Times Square to stop Chemistro, who was on a rampage. Little did they expect to run into a trap as the member of the Hood’s gang had a reverse engineered power dampener to use against the heroes.[1] The device has incapacitated everyone except for Mockingbird who is the only one left standing. Bobbi sees this as her big moment to reintroduce herself into the world.[2] Leaping to Captain America, she recovers his gun and shield to defend herself. She is able to destroy Chemistro’s Alchemy gun.

However, as she subdues the villain, the Wrecking Crew (the Wrecker, Bulldozer, Piledriver, and Thunderball) arrive on the scene. Even though these villains are on the same power level as Thor and Hercules, Bobbi leaps into battle against them. She gets an assist from Spider-Man, who manages to get up enough strength to try and trip the Crew up with his webbing. Despite their efforts, both are knocked out by the Wrecker and his guys. Before they can harm Bobbi any further, Luke Cage gets up to face them even though he was stricken with agonizing chest pains when exposed to the power dampener. The Wrecker looks forward to beating on Cage since, during their last encounter, Luke stole his enchanted crowbar.[3] Even as riot police arrive on the scene, the Wrecking Crew continue to make mince meat out of the heroes.

That’s when the Sentry (Bob Reynolds) — a member of Norman Osborn’s Avengers — arrives on the scene. Before he can do anything about the Wrecking Crew, the power dampener affects him as well, stripping away his immense powers. Before they can do anything the rest of Osborn’s team — the Iron Patriot (Osborn himself), Ms. Marvel (Karla Sofen aka Moonstone), Spider-Man (Mac Gargan aka Venom), Wolverine (aka Daken), Hawkeye (aka Bullseye), and Ares — arrive on the scene. They see what happened to the Sentry and wisely keep their distance to prevent the same thing from happening to them. When Norman asks the Wrecker what he wants, he is told to stand by. Suddenly, Jonas Harrow hacks into Osborn’s Iron Patriot armor.

Harrow explains that he knows of Norman’s deal with the Hood (Parker Robbins) and the rest of the gang want to leverage the power dampener to get a better deal from him.[4] He also knows that Parker recently lost his powers during a recent clash with the New Avengers, hence the rest of the gang’s motivations to try and renegotiate terms with Osborn.[5] Norman has only one question in response: Where is the Hood?

At that very moment the Hood and Madame Masque (Whitney Frost) have been transported to Cuba by Loki. The Asgardian trickster god had come to Parker and offered him a means of regaining power. She takes them into a nearby church where they find the remains of a priest who appeared to die protecting a lock box for some unknown reason. Opening it up, Parker finds the Norn Stones, one of many Asgardian artifacts that now litter the Earth now that the mythical domain no longer exists.[7] As Parker lifts up the glowing gems, Loki explains that the Norn Stones choose its host and asks Robbins if he feels their power.

Back in New York, Jonas Harrow continues pressuring Norman to make a deal, saying he will give them the power dampening tech as a show of good faith. When Osborn is reluctant to give an answer, Harrow decides to make an example. He then shuts down the Iron Patriot armor and extends the power dampening field so it affects Osborn’s Avengers as well. That’s when the rest of the Hood’s Gang surrounds them all!

Recurring Characters

New Avengers (Ronin, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Ms. Marvel, Captain America, Mockingbird), Dark Avengers (Iron Patriot, Ms. Marvel, Hawkeye, Spider-Man, Ares, Wolverine, Sentry), Hood’s Gang (The Hood, Armadillo, Blackout, Blood Brother, Brothers Grimm, Bushwhacker, Chemistro, Crossfire, Cutthroat, Deathwatch, Doctor Demonicus, Jonas Harrow, Madame Masque, Mandrill, Mentallo, Mister Hyde, Razor-Fist, Scarecrow, Slug, Tiger Shark, Wrecking Crew (Wrecker, Bulldozer, Piledriver, Thunderball), Loki

Continuity Notes

1. This was the same power dampener that was destroyed in a failed trap set for Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers back in New Avengers #50. Chemistro had Jonas Harrow repair it last issue.

2. As seen in Secret Invasion #8, Mockingbird had recently resurfaced after years in Skrull captivity. New Avengers: The Reunion #2 reveals that she was kidnapped circa Avengers West Coast #91.

3. Luke took and beat the Wrecker with his own weapon in New Avengers #8, even taking it as a trophy for a time.

4. Norman Osborn was able to make the world think he was a hero when he killed the leader of a Skrull invasion of Earth in Secret Invasion #8. Once he was made America’s top cop he formed the Cabal, a group of supervillains who wished to shape the world in their own image. Among those, were the Hood.

5. As seen in New Avengers #51-54, Parker was forced by Dormammu (who is the source of his demonic powers) to become the next Sorcerer Supreme of Earth only to be stripped of his powers by Doctor Strange, Doctor Voodoo, and the Son of Satan.

6. 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.

7. The dimensional realm where Asgard once existed was decimated during Ragnarok in Thor (vol. 2) #80-85. When Thor returned to life in Thor (vol. 3) #1, he used the Odin Power to restore the city of Asgard on Earth in issue #2 of that series. The Asgardian dimension will remain abandoned until Fear Itself #1.