Avengers #397Issue(s): Avengers #397 Review/plot: Hotshot and Jailbait (if, for some bizarre reason, you are following this title but not Hulk, they are two of the residents of Freehold, a sanctuary that the Leader created for gamma-irradiated individuals) investigate the site of the nuclear bomb that ended the fight between the Hulk and Thor. They're hoping that the Hulk has survived, but instead they are found by the Avengers, specifically Black Widow, Vision, the Swordsman, and Masque who, well, the idea is that she might be Madame Masque, but she's "hardly a member in good standing, merely a mystery in their midst for the moment". It's worth noting that none of these characters appeared in last issue's First Sign crossover. So you can compound what i said about the unrecognizeable-ness of the team with the alternate-reality Swordsman and "Masque" (which isn't automatically a bad thing, just putting it in the perspective of someone who maybe started picking up these issues due to the crossovers). The gamma kids try to run, but the Avengers catch them and begin to interrogate them ("what have you done with our fellow Avenger [Thor]?"). But then Thor shows up, declaring that the Hulk is dead. The Avengers continue to interrogate Hotshot and Jailbait about "The Alliance", which the kids (correctly) claim is just Omnibus (but they won't reveal the location of Freehold). The kids do help the Avengers locate some remaining gamma bombs. Meanwhile, as we saw last issue, Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch were shot down in their "Force Works Hex Ship" by an experimental army warship, and being pursued by troops. Giant-Man and the Wasp are searching for them, and eventually find them. Yawn. In the end, the Avengers all regroup at the Mansion. Hotshot and Jailbait are brought back with them, but they soon vanish/escape. It might have been interesting to have the gamma kids remain with the Avengers in some capacity since nothing much ever has been/will be done with them (although i would beg Marvel to change Jailbait's name). Instead they fulfilled their role in lending some Hulk cred (ok, very little Hulk cred) to this otherwise inconsequential waste of an issue. It's really quite amazing but reviewing comics from this year specifically, i keep sitting down, opening the issue full of my post-it notes and such, and i say to myself, "Ok, what actually happened in this issue?", and the answer keeps coming back, "NOTHING! LITERALLY NOTHING HAPPENED!!!". Quality Rating: D Chronological Placement Considerations: Takes place after Hulk #440. Thor #497 takes place after this. To get specific, at the start of this issue, the Thor/Hulk battle in Hulk #440 is said to have taken place "yesterday", and in Thor #497, Thor says it happened "a day ago". References:
Crossover: N/A Continuity Insert? N My Reprint: N/A
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