Issue(s): Deathlok #30
Cover Date: Dec 93
Title: "Infection"
Credits:
Scott Benson - Writer
Kevin Hopgood - Penciler
Jimmy Palmiotti - Inker
Mindy Newell - Assistant Editor
Tom Brevoort - Editor

Review/plot:
In Deathlok #25 (Dwayne McDuffie's final issue) Tom Brevoort had a blurb thanking all of the artists that had worked on the series so far. That included Kevin Hopgood, "whose inventory issue will see print sooner or later". It is now sooner or later. Marvel had mostly stopped doing these "just in case" inventory fill-ins, but this is obviously an exception, possibly because Deathlok just seemed to have a lot of bad luck when it came to artists. A footnote tells us that this story takes place before Deathlok #17, before Deathlok's human body was seemingly destroyed.

Deathlok is in cyberspace looking for clues about his body. And he encounters a nasty virus.

Meanwhile, a Hydra division tries to capture Deathlok...

...with the goal of creating a cyborg army.

Deathlok's no killing parameter is compromised by the virus, so he has to be extra careful. He eventually reboots himself to stymie the virus, and then inflicts it on Hydra's computer systems. Deathlok then safeguards his systems so he theoretically can't be infected again, but we all know what an arms race that is.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: A footnote places this before Deathlok #17, since Deathlok is still searching for his body. The Hydra division leader is excited about the return of Baron Von Strucker, who has given Hydra a renewed sense of purpose.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A