![]() | |||||||||
Damage Control #1Issue(s): Damage Control #1 Review/plot: ![]() Before that, though, a little poking fun at super-heroics with Thor holding up a bridge in a way that shouldn't be physically possible. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Some interpersonal drama as the intern Bart reveals that he has a crush on the secretary Anne. ![]() And the other Anne, Anne Marie Hoag, is invite to join the Commission on Superhuman Activities. To do so, she's leaving Robin Chapel in charge of Damage Control. ![]() I mentioned in the previous Damage Control #3 that some of the jokes seemed like commentary on the fact that Marvel had been acquired, and this issue has Damage Control suddenly getting taken over by a CarltonCo. ![]() The old owners were apparently Tony Stark and the Kingpin. ![]() Now on to Acts of Vengeance. John Porter, Gene Strausser, and Bart are sent to respond to the Vault's call. Meanwhile, the Wrecking Crew makes it to the Vault's storeroom and restores their powers. I guess, given the circumstances, the schism formed during their last appearance in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #125-126 is temporarily forgotten, although we'll see that Thunderball still doesn't think much of his teammates. ![]() When the Damage Control guys arrive, they first run into Rattler (after restoring the power, essentially following up on Hawkeye's EMP arrow from ASPOT #26). But Rattler just needs to go to the bathroom. ![]() ![]() Then they meet the Wrecking Crew. The good news is that John made friends with Thunderball on his first day at Damage Control. ![]() Thunderball helps the Damage Control guys pretend that they are also super-villains. ![]() ![]() Note that the Wrecker says that their powers have been restored at 4 times their original level. If true, that would mean that each is as powerful as the Wrecker before he split his powers to form the Crew. I'm not quite sure how Thunderball is able to defeat the other three in the dark all by himself, but i guess it's a matter of being prepared. Meanwhile, Captain America gets an alert about the Vault breakout and makes his way there. Of course, he's no match for the Wrecking Crew by himself, especially if their power has been quadrupled. But he somehow manages to knock out two of them, and it's said that Piledriver and Bulldozer are recaptured, but Wrecker and Thunderball escaped. ![]() We'll also hear in Avengers Spotlight #27 that Cap is mad at Damage Control, i guess for going along with the villains. Not that they really had a choice. The Damage Control away team then returns to its newly rebranded building. ![]() The series continues to be a mixed bag for me. I like the bridge scene with Thor (you really can't go wrong with someone offering Thor some liniment). But generally i feel like the book isn't sure if it's overt satire (which is definitely where Ernie Colon's art is) or a situational comedy, and when the story crosses over into delivering real Marvel universe plot points, like the reunification and up-powering of the Wrecking Crew or even just the continuation of the story from Avengers Spotlight, it feels off to me. Quality Rating: C Chronological Placement Considerations: This takes place during and then after the Vault breakout in Avengers Spotlight #26 (the scene of Damage Control getting the phone call from the Vault is repeated in both books). A footnote says that for Captain America it takes place "circa" Captain America #363, during the "days" after Diamondback was kidnapped by Crossbones while Cap returns to Avengers Island. References:
Crossover: Acts of Vengeance Continuity Insert? N My Reprint: N/A Inbound References (5): showCharacters Appearing: Albert Cleary, Anne (Damage Control secretary), Anne Marie Hoag, Bart Rozum, Bulldozer, Captain America, Eugene Strausser, Henry Ackerdson, Iron Man, John Porter, Kingpin, Lenny Ballinger, Marie Leahy, Mickey Souris, Piledriver, Rattler, Robert Washington, Robin Chapel, Thor, Thunderball, Wrecker CommentsI bought this issue solely because I was led to believe it would finish the cliffhanger in that issue. you know being written by the same guy and all. How does this issue bite? Let me count the ways. 1. The aforementioned Wrecking crew at four times their power, 3 of them taken out by unpowered Captain America. Then Cap takes a Wrecking ball TO THE HEAD from Thunderball. 2. Thunderball, one of the only actually evil black bad guys getting a redemption because, you know, black criminals are just misunderstood. 3. No attention to the preceding cliffhanger. Ok, thats all Ive got. Maybe there weren't so many ways:-) Posted by: kveto | March 24, 2015 4:03 PM It's interesting, but until your comment on ASPOT #26, i didn't think of the end scene as a cliffhanger. I think it's meant to just be a funny ending. Posted by: fnord12 | March 24, 2015 4:20 PM That's interesting. I never considered that it could be a comedy ending. I can see that now. I was looking forward to how Hawk-eye and Iron man were gonna deal with IM having no power. Comedy or not, where did they go? Why didn't they show up in this issue? Posted by: kveto | March 24, 2015 5:02 PM I think the idea is that most of the villains have escaped and if any were left (and we know that there were) they were at least temporarily trapped inside. And then the attack on Avengers Island and the other AoV attacks happen and there's no going back. But i agree it can feel like a dropped thread. Posted by: fnord12 | March 24, 2015 5:30 PM If Damage Control is a stand-in for Marvel, then that would make Mickey Souris buying it very ironic. Souris means mouse, and Souris was introduced as Beatrice Carlton's apprentice in She-Hulk:Ceremony. In other words, Mickey Mouse bought Marvel! Posted by: Michael | March 24, 2015 7:58 PM I don't view Thunderball's actions here as "redemption." He just had a soft spot for John, so he helped John and his friends out. Speaking of which, I don't think it's implausible at all, Thunderball beating up the rest of the Wrecking Crew (I almost typed that as "wrest of the Wrecking Crew"). Whatever they're expecting when the lights go out, they're not expecting their teammate to suddenly start beating them in the head. Posted by: Thanos6 | April 29, 2015 4:04 AM Comments are now closed. |
|||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||
SuperMegaMonkey home | Comics Chronology home |