Hawkeye
and Mockingbird apparently go on a crime spree in Denver, Colorado, robbing
banks and jewelry stores. When Hawkeye and Mockingbird back in Avengers Mansion
learn about this, they fly out to Denver to investigate—and are immediately
held by the police at the airport. There is a tense standoff which ends when a
report comes over police radio that Hawkeye and Mockingbird are in the act of
robbing a bank. The heroes accompany police to the crime scene where everyone
sees exact doubles of the heroes—everyone except Hawkeye, that is. He sees them
for who they really are: Angar the Screamer and Screaming Mimi. Clint fires
tear gas which causes Angar to close his mouth and dispel the illusion. Angar
quickly induces hallucinations of monsters in a guard, causing him to start
shooting indiscriminately. Hawkeye disarms the guard with one arrow then binds
the two baddies with a bolo arrow. Angar confesses (by writing) that he and
Mimi had met up after their escape from the Vault and discovered that their
mind-bending powers, when used in conjunction, can produce specific illusions. So
why wasn’t Hawkeye affected by their powers? Because of his deafness.
“Second
Thoughts” 4/5
Writer:
Dwayne McDuffie. Pencils: Dwayne Turner. Inks: Chris Ivy. Colors: Mike
Rockwitz. Letters: Jack Morelli.
Synopsis:
The imprisoned Mad Thinker is visited by a mystery man (spoiler: it’s Loki) who
tries to recruit him for a scheme. Thinker replies that a little thought
reveals that this scheme will fail and he has also figured out who the mystery
man is. The bad guy flies into a rage and teleports out of there. Thinker has
his own worries: passage of the Super-Powers Registration Act will jeopardize a
number of master plans he’s working on and so he needs a way to sway public
opinion against the act….
In
Washington a few weeks later, Wasp and Wonder Man are to speak at a rally
against the Super-Powers Registration Act. Suddenly, the rally is attacked by a
giant villain called Gargantua who isn’t very bright and appears to be
following another’s orders. There is a big clumsy battle with much property
damage. Wasp enters Gargantua’s ear and discovers a transmitter giving orders
to attack; she smashes the device and tells him to stand still and stick out
his chin. Wonder Man flattens the big baddie with a punch. The two heroes make
their speeches, swaying the crowd against the Act and, back at the Vault, Mad
Thinker is pleased at the outcome….