Thunderbolts #103
Taking Civil Liberties, Part 1
Civil War continues from Civil War #2…
In the wake of the Stamford disaster, the United States government has enacted the Super Human Registration Act (SHRA). This has forced heroes to register with the United States government, creating a schism in the superhero community. In order to encourage heroes to register, Spider-Man had just gone on national television and revealed that his true identity to the world.[1][2]
At that same time, the Thunderbolts — Songbird (Melissa Gold), Atlas (Erik Josten), Blizzard (Donny Gill), Joystick (Janice Yanizeski), Swordsman (Andreas Von Strucker), and the Smuggler (Conrad Josten) — are trying to stop the villain known as Quicksand from fleeing the scene of a robbery. While the villain puts up a good fight, she is eventually defeated when the Blizzard freezes her sand form, allowing Swordsman to blast her into pieces. In the aftermath of the battle, they notice the news playing on the TVs in a nearby shop window and hear about Spider-Man’s unmasking.[3] This comes as a surprise to the Thunderbolts and wonder how this will impact tensions in the superhero community.
Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, Henry Gyrich of the Commission on Superhuman Activities and Dallas Riordan of the Department of Homeland security wait for a meeting with Baron (Helmut) Zemo, leader of the Thunderbolts. Using a portal from his Folding Castle, Zemo arrives with his comrades Mach-IV (Abner Jenkins), the Fixer (Norbert Ebersol), and the Radioactive Man (Chen Lu). Zemo wants to get down to business right away, given recent developments. When they enter the building, he is surprised to see Iron Man (Tony Stark), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), and Yellowjacket (Hank Pym) waiting for them inside.[4]
Zemo tells them that he isn’t afraid of meeting them and that all of his past grievances against the Avengers are long in the past. Iron Man isn’t ready to believe him, particularly since the situation has changed since the SHRA has been passed.[5] Tony, Reed, and Hank are busy dealing with the heroes who have refused to register with the government. While some of the Thunderbolts would love the opportunity to help bring in their former foes, Stark has another task to ask them to complete. He pulls up a record of all the villains who are at large and asks Zemo and his team to convince them to join their cause. When the Fixer asks what’s in it for them, both Gyrich and Stark say that there will be no quid pro quo this time, if the Thunderbolts are truly trying to reform they’ll do the job for no reward. Zemo then asks what they should do with those who are captured. Iron Man tells him that they are working on a place to incarcerate all those who refuse to register but are open to suggestions if there are too many to incarcerate before hand.[6] Iron Man gives a stern warning to Zemo as well, not to take advantage of the situation, something that the Baron promises not to do.
The Thunderbolts first go after three college kids who have stolen Abner’s previous suits of Beetle armor. The trial leads them to Rutger’s College in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Thanks to Jenkin’s knowledge of each suit, the Thunderbolts are able to take them all down. The original suit is the easiest, and frozen solid by Blizzard before Atlas knocks the pilot unconscious. The second suit of Beetle armor is a significant upgrade from the original, but the Radioactive Man quickly uses his powers to melt the servo motors with microwaves, rendering it non-functional. The last suit — a massive heavily armored suit created by the CSA — is daunting at first, but is quickly shut down when the Smuggler uses a portal from the Darkforce Dimension to get into the armor and knock the pilot out from within. With the three Beetles defeated, they are teleported away to the Folding Castle for containment. In the aftermath of the battle, Atlas can’t help but feel like a narc for going after villains.[7]
When back at base, Baron Zemo commends the Thunderbolts on their first success. While the others have a celebratory feast, Zemo and Songbird go to check on their prisoners. Melissa, however, doesn’t feel like the Thunderbolts have earned their newfound positions. This gives them a brief moment for romance before checking on the prisoners.[8] Their captives have been kept in REM sleep thanks to restraints rigged up by the Fixer. Zemo is pleased that the current climate will allow them to recruit all captured villains into the army they are going to need for the fight ahead. As it turns out, Zemo and his team have been capturing villains for the past three weeks prior to getting permission from the CSA and they have dozens of captives already!
.. Civil War continues in Civil War: Front Line #2.
Recurring Characters
Thunderbolts (Baron Zemo, Songbird, Moonstone, Atlas, Mach-IV, Fixer, Radioactive Man, Joystick, Blizzard, Swordsman, Smuggler), Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, “Yellowjacket”, Dallas Riordan, Henry Gyrich, Quicksand, Beetle (Quinn), Beetle (Robichaud), Beetle (Vaughn), Spider-Man, the Blob, Mimic, Smiling Tiger, Scarecrow, Pretty Persuasions, X-Ray, Boomerang, Zaran, Batroc the Leaper, Wrecking Crew (Wrecker, Thunderball, Bulldozer, Piledriver)
Continuity Notes
The Stamford Disaster happened in Civil War #1, while Peter Parker revealing his identity to the world happened in Civil War #2/Amazing Spider-Man #533.
Things that are mentioned in the news report are the death of Captain George Stacy during a battle between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus in Amazing Spider-Man #90. It also mentions that he is married to Mary Jane Watson, which happened in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #20. However, his marriage will be erased from history in Amazing Spider-Man #545, as well as all public knowledge of Parker’s secret identity. In the new timeline, the reporters would say that Peter is in a long term relationship with Watson, as opposed to being married.
Joystick mentions the times she has been defeated by Spider-Man. She is referencing her battles in Amazing Scarlet Spider #2, Amazing Spider-Man #409, and Spider-Man Unlimited #14. However, she wasn’t fighting Peter Parker, but his clone (Ben Reilly) during those fights. However, since that wasn’t common knowledge, its understandable that she wouldn’t know the difference.
Baron Zemo makes an off hand commend that Hank Pym is in his Yellowjacket identity, “this week”. This is in reference to the fact that Pym has changed his costumed identity a number of times over the years. He started off as Ant-Man (Tales to Astonish #35), Giant-Man (Tales to Astonish #49), Goliath (Avengers #28), and Yellowjacket (Avengers #59). However, this isn’t the real Hank Pym, a Skrull impostor named Criti Noll who took his place circa House of M #1. This will be revealed in Mighty Avengers #17. This is all part of a planned invasion of Earth, as will be seen in Secret Invasion #1-8.
The last few conflicts between the Thunderbolts and the Avengers are brought up here. These happened in Avengers/Thunderbolts #1-6 and New Thunderbolts #13-14 respectively.
Iron Man is referring to Prison 42, which is currently being built in the Negative Zone at the time of this story. It will be unveiled in Civil War: Front Line #5.
The three Beetle suits on display were first seen in Strange Tales #123, Spectacular Spider-Man #58, and Thunderbolts #34 respectively. The three pilots here go mostly unnamed in this story. Their identities are revealed to be Joaquim Robichaux, Elizabeth Vaughn, and Gerry Quinn in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z Update #5.
We learned that Zemo and Songbird have been having a romance of sorts in Thunderbolts #101. However, Melissa is only pretending to be romantically interested in Helmut so she can foil whatever world domination plans he has in mind and end his life. The conflict they are preparing for is to prevent the Grandmaster and the Squadron Sinister from seizing control of the Wellspring of Power, as we’ll see in Thunderbolts #106-108.
Topical References
During their fight against the three Beetles, the Fixer makes a joke that it is a “reunion”. When Melissa doesn’t get it, Abner quips that she is too young. The Fixer is referring to the musicians known as the Beatles, who were a popular pop band of the 1960s. The group famously broke up in 1970. A Beatles reunion would now be impossible given that (at least at the time of this writing) two of its four members — John Lennon and George Harrison — died in 1980 and 2001 respectively. The fact that Fixer and Mach-IV knowing the Beetles and Songbird not due to their ages should be considered a topical reference. There will be a point where the Sliding Timescale will bring their histories forward enough where they’d all be too young to remember the Beatles. More over, a more contemporary band could be used in the place of those overrated hacks.
Civil War Reading Order
Road to Civil War: Amazing Spider-Man #529, 530, 531, Fantastic Four #536, 537, New Avengers: Illuminati #1
Main Event: Civil War #1, She-Hulk (vol. 2) #8, Wolverine (vol. 3) #42, Amazing Spider-Man #532, Civil War: Front Line #1
Civil War #2, Thunderbolts #103, Civil War: Front Line #2, X-Factor (vol. 3) #8, New Avengers #21, Wolverine (vol. 3) #43, Amazing Spider-Man #533, Fantastic Four #538, Civil War: Front Line #3, Thunderbolts #104, Civil War: X-Men #1
Civil War #3, Cable & Deadpool #30, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #1, Civil War: Front Line #4, X-Factor (vol. 3) #9, New Avengers #22, Wolverine (vol. 3) #44, Amazing Spider-Man #534, Fantastic Four #539, Civil War: Front Line #5, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #6, Civil War: X-Men #2, Heroes for Hire (vol. 2) #1, New Avengers #23, Wolverine (vol. 3) #45, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #2, Cable & Deadpool #31, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #7, Civil War: X-Men #3
Civil War #4, Wolverine (vol. 3) #46, Heroes for Hire (vol. 2) #2, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #3, Civil War: Front Line #6, Captain America (vol. 5) #22, Cable & Deadpool #32, Amazing Spider-Man #535, Civil War: Choosing Sides #1, Fantastic Four #540, Civil War: Front Line #7, Civil War: X-Men #4, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #8, Wolverine (vol. 3) #47, Heroes for Hire (vol. 2) #3, Captain America (vol. 5) #23, New Avengers #24
Civil War #5, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #4, Iron Man (vol. 4) #13, New Avengers #25, Punisher: War Journal (vol. 2) #1, Civil War: Front Line #8, Amazing Spider-Man #536, Black Panther (vol. 4) #22, Captain America (vol. 5) #24, Civil War: War Crimes #1, Civil War: Front Line #9, Iron Man (vol. 4) #14, Fantastic Four #541, Black Panther (vol. 4) #23, Punisher: War Journal (vol. 2) #2
Civil War #6, Civil War: Front Line #10, Amazing Spider-Man #537, Fantastic Four #542, Civil War: The Return #1, Punisher: War Journal (vol. 2) #3, Black Panther (vol. 4) #24
Civil War #7, Amazing Spider-Man #538, Civil War: Front Line #11, Black Panther (vol. 4) #25, Civil War: The Initiative #1, Iron Man: Director of SHIELD #15, Mighty Avengers #1, Captain America (vol. 5) #25, Civil War: The Confession #1, Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Fantastic Four #543-544, Avengers: The Initiative #1
