New Avengers #29: Review

Apr 2007

Brian Michael Bendis, Leinil Francis Yu

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Story Name:

Revolution Part 3

Review & Comments

Rating:

New Avengers #29 Review by Rob Johnson (February 24, 2015)

The nightmares the Mighty Avengers see are:- Sentry - his other self the Void. Wonder Man - his brother Grim Reaper. Ms Marvel - Brood aliens (I think). Ares - his father Zeus. Wasp - her ex-husband Yellowjack (turned evil?). Black Widow - Crimson Dynamo representing her abandoned country Russia. Iron Man - the dead Captain America. Jeryn Hogarth has been Danny Rand's lawyer almost from the start of Iron Fist, and expanded to cover Heroes For Hire when that was Danny and Luke Cage. He's also popped in other roles like a lawyer for the Avengers in their #190-191. Dakota North started out as a PI in her own mini-series with no connection to the Marvel Universe. But she got linked in with an appearance in Web of Spider-Man #37. Since then she's popped up occasionally, eg as a regular with Luke in the Cage series. And Luke's wife Jessica Jones recommended her as replacement PI for Murdock & Nelson when Jessica had her baby. Presumably Maya's parcel was sent automatically when she didn't return from a mission. By the same token it must be a spare Ronin costume in the box because she was wearing 1 when she was captured by the Hand. That spare costume will come in handy next issue. The Hand have a history of resurrection. They were stopped from resurrecting Elektra in Daredevil #190. (It was later done by Stone of the Chaste.) They brought back Wolverine, Northstar and others as their pawns in Wolverine's Enemy of the State arc, and really did resurrect Elektra to lead them in the following Agent of SHIELD arc.

Brother Voodoo was created in Strange Tales #169-173. He's been a floating guest star since then and was a recurring character in the supernatural Howling Commandos limited series. He's also guested a lot in Black Panther issues, and his most recent appearance was BP(2005)#26 continuing a simmering subplot involving Cannibal. That storyline will come to an end in BP#38 where BV will be revealed as a Skrull replacement. It is never explained when the real BV was replaced, unlike Spider-Woman and Elektra, so it is possible that Brother Voodoo here is also a Skrull. Especially as the real BV has worked with Dr Strange a couple of times, and DS freed him from the influence of Damballah in DS(1974)#48. Last issue I explained why the #28 flashback should be separated from #30's fb and moved to before the Fallen Son issues. I said that the split should be done inside this issue's fb. The initial fight with the MAv needs to stay with last issue's fb. The scenes about Maya Lopez's parcel and Brother Voodoo's attack have to go with next issue. That leaves 2 scenes to play with:- The MAv's venture into Dr Strange's 'abandoned' house, and Iron Man's confrontation with Danny Rand. The comic is written as though MAv come straight from the Raft to Strange's Sanctum. Then the Rand Corp scene says next day, and it says Dakota North arrives while that 'meeting' is going on. But the compilers of the Official Index (or more exactly its Marvel Continuity Project source data) face problems like this all the time, and have to ignore some of such links. It makes most sense to me to split up the 2 parts of the Rand Corp action. Tony Stark would follow up the attack on the Raft quickly for the 1st foray into Strange's house. But he says himself that he had difficulty finding a mystic who was willing to try to broach Dr Strange's defences for the 2nd try. So that allows a gap where other stuff could be inserted.

Iron Man doesn't know DS is with the NAv at the beginning of this issue. This doesn't particularly support the flashback split because the subject doesn't come up in any of the intervening issues. Dakota's comment that Matt Murdock is "too far away" in this issue would suggest that Daredevil is off in Europe in DD#89-92. But he appears in New York in Fallen Son #1 (Wolverine), which the Official Index places during his return to the US in #93. And I can't move Dakota's part of the flashback to before FS#1. I bundled all this into a proposal to the MCP which they have agreed with 1 small enhancement mentioned below. The NAv members make many appearances in the flashback gap:- Dr Strange helps Wolverine and the real Daredevil infiltrate the SHIELD helicarrier and confirm that Captain America is dead in Fallen Son #1 (Wolverine). Wolvie reports back to the assembled NAv in FS#2(Avengers). Logan also horns in on Spider-Man's solo FS#4(SM). In order to lessen the pressure of the NAv flashbacks being all moved into 1 place, Paul Bourcier of the MCP suggested that Iron Man's confrontation with Danny Rand be put here between FS#4 and #5. Then the whole team watch Cap's funeral on TV in FS#5(Iron Man). All but Wolverine are around when Falcon visits in CA#26 (and Jessica Jones and baby Danielle show up there too). (There's a problem here in that there's Ronin figure also there, whereas they don't meet Clint Barton and give him the Ronin costume until next issue's flashback. But Ronin just stands around without speaking in 3 panels, and the Captain America Official Index explains it away by saying it's a spare Ronin uniform on a dummy.)

Wolverine missed that 1 but went off to X-Men #200-204 (a typically complicated story called Blinded by the Light) and then got involved in the Hunt for Magik (New X-Men #38-41). (Dr Strange and Spider-Man also cameo in #41 in DS's Sanctum.) Then the ever-busy Logan has a heart-to-heart with Cyclops in Marvel Comics Presents #8/3. At this point I insert the Sub-Mariner: Revolution and Penance: Relentless limited series, as part of another proposal to the MCP to get Dr Doom's apps within them before Mighty Avengers #11 where SHIELD put him in jail until Secret Invasion (with a brief excursion to Fantastic Four #557-562). Wolverine of course can't keep his nose out of both of these. Then Wolvie's in at the start of Beast's quest to reverse Scarlet Witch's 'No more mutants' curse in the X-Men: Endangered Species 1-shot. Beast's story continues in a sequence of backup tales in X-titles. The furry 1 turns in desperation to Dr Strange near the end of his quest in Uncanny X-Men #491 and X-Factor #24. Meanwhile Wolvie takes time teaching the kids in NXM#42, and helps She-Hulk against the Wendigo in her (2007)#16.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

New Avengers #29 Synopsis by Rob Johnson

This issue opens and closes with the current situation in Japan, but spends most of its pages on the flashback story continuing from last issue.

Currently Elektra and the Hand are attacking the New Avengers (with a new Ronin character) in the home of Silver Samurai in Tokyo. The NAv rescued ex-Ronin Echo/Maya Lopez in #27 and the Hand want her back. Luke Cage suggests to Elektra that the NAv are criminals now too, so they're on the same side. Rather than fight a battle she can't win against invulnerable Cage and Wolverine and the spells of Dr Strange, she should just let them take their comrade home.

And that's it for the current storyline. Back in the flashback sequence:-

Dr Strange, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman and Wolverine face the Mighty Avengers (Ares, Black Widow, Iron Man, Ms Marvel, Sentry, Wasp and Wonder Man) in the Raft prison where they came to rescue the supposedly still-alive Captain America. But it was a fake and a trap.

Iron Man neutralises the NAv's physical powers with a neural net. But Strange counters with a spell that makes the MAv think they're facing their worst nightmares. And then he whisks his team to safety. Iron Man wasn't expecting him!

The NAv are back in Stephen Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum, disguised by a spell to look like it's deserted, boarded up and scheduled to be replaced by a Starbucks. Wong, Jessica Jones and baby Danielle were waiting for their return.

But now that Tony Stark knows DS is involved he can also guess where they're hiding. The MAv turn up outside along with Maria Hill and some SHIELD Capekillers. However Strange's spell went as far as creating the appropriate paperwork, so legally they can't invade Starbucks' property. But Black Widow pretends to hear a gunshot from within, and they break in to 'investigate'.

But the spell is even better. The house looks as deserted inside as out. And no-one can see the inhabitants and its real state, not even Shellhead's sophisticated scanners.

IM and the MAv leave, and Stephen offers beds for any NAv who need them.

The next day (or later) the Golden Avenger and his gang go see Danny Rand (Iron Fist) in Rand Corp HQ. Stark accuses him of invading the Raft as 1 of the NAv. Rand denies it, and computer logs will verify he was here at the time. He suggests it might have been a copycat, like the multiple Daredevils running around recently. (Danny played Daredevil during the Civil War.)

Ms Marvel accuses Rand of breaking the law by not registering. His lawyer Jeryn Hogarth says he is registered as a lethal weapon due to his Iron Fist power. He's not registered as a superhero under the Registration Act, but Hogarth is challenging details of the Act in court. Until that case is resolved Danny will not be Registering.

Iron Man reverts to accusing Rand of breaking into the Raft - his armour has recordings. Hogarth responds by threatening to subpoena all Iron Man's files. He reckons Stark has plenty to hide. Iron Man backs down.

Carol Danvers is actually concerned about her friends in the New Avengers. Ms Marvel begs Iron Fist to get them to surrender. If only for the sake of Jessica and Luke's baby Danielle.

Danny gets a visit from Dakota North of Murdock & Nelson Attorneys with a package. Maya Lopez sent it to Matt Murdock but he's not in the country at this time. Matt suggested giving it to Danny for the NAv.

Rand takes it to the gang. The package contains a Ronin uniform plus a written version of the email she sent in #27. By referring back to that email we know that it explains since #13 she's been in Japan fighting the Yakuza as Ronin. But now she's going up against Elektra and the Hand. If Matt gets this it means she's probably dead and been resurrected as a servant of the Hand (as they do). She asks for revenge.

The team decide to go to Tokyo for their ex-(brief)member. Dr Strange can't magic them there (why not?). But Danny has a private plane, and Stephen can get them on it without being seen.

But before they can go Strange detects Brother Voodoo outside. Stark has hired him to break through Strange's defences. DS prepares counter-magic ...

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