Avengers Armageddon (Comics Giveaway Day)

 By Mark Rodriguez

Here's another one from the Comics Giveaway Day, and it's the start of another big Avengers event.

 

"The Long View" opens in the middle of a full-on battle between Red Hulk in a military uniform and several other Hulks, and heroes like Wolverine, the Sam Wilson Captain America and others. Tony Stark, in his busted up Iron Man armor tells Ross (red hulk) that this isn't the way and there are already many dead. Red Hulk tells Tony that he keeps going on about being a futurist but he denies the future at every opportunity. He says the future and its revolution is here.

Captain Marvel flies in and says she'll kill Ross. She slams into him, knocking across the battlefield. She hits him with a massive blast.

Just then there is a reset and wee Red Hulk holding up a defeated Spider-Man as other defeated heroes lie around him. He says the heroes could have joined him and brought stability and peace to the world but they didn't listen. Mr. Fantastic arrives with an energy weapon. He says Ross has gone insane and had become another dictator. Ross says the fight is over and Reed should go home and hug his kids, now that the future is open and free. Reed says that Ross killed their mothers and his friends. He says he should have killed him first and now he's going to blast him into the sun. Reed fires off his weapon but just then there is another reset.

 

We see Ross, as Red Hulk, holding a major political meeting. He says that less than 7% of the world's countries have a full and robust economy. He says now the number had bumped up to 100%. Ross says some might say some of his methods might negate that but they're the watchdogs that protect the new global democracy. He says they are what the Avengers were supposed to be and what they failed to live up to. He says their super powers ensure that people have the power. Ross tells the people that this is their world and they should go out to make it good. 

We fast forward to the future as Ross is much older now and is walking alongside his secretary Sera. Sera mentions world events, like nomads in India starting a new government, a war ban on Russia and a new Krakoa situation. Ross tells her that's enough for now as this is a day of reflection. He goes to visit 'an old friend; which is Steve Rogers, currently imprisoned. Ross tells Steve that is the day of the anniversary of the Battle of Symkaria. He says he is willing to put him under better accommodations.

Steve says he'll never stop and he might as well kill him like he did the others. He asks how he can think what he did is right after all the destruction. Ross says Steve doesn't get it, despite the fact that Captain America is supposed to represent freedom. He admits the world is struggling, but it is a hell of the peoples' own making. Steve says this isn't a democracy but tyrants manipulating people with money and power.

 

Ross says the people still have their freedom to choose, to fail and maybe rise again. He says there won't be any kings, queens or mutants to decide what is right or wrong for everyone. He says Planet America is an on-going project and he has the long view. Steve says he does as well, and it involved burying him into the ground in the names of Carol, Tony, Peter and many others.

We return to current day and Lt. Ortega, another Hulk, asks Ross for his final orders. Ross says Symkarian forces will come from the South and they will meet them head-on. Ortega says there's been a U.N vote and they will be facing military forces and then the Avengers. She asks if the plan is sound. Ross says he has seen the future and for better or for worse, it belongs to the people.

X-Men DNX

We open at at the Roxxon Energy Plant in Colorado, currently under attack by the Juggernaut. Juggernaut is confused as he sees HYDRA Agents shooting at him. He says he thought they were after 3K and wonders what HYDRA has to do with anything. Cyclops explains that the Roxxon plant was a front for a HYDRA Bio-Weapons lab, which was taken over by 3K. He says that 3K needs personnel and equipment and they're going after HYDRA's.

 

Temper asks Psylocke if 3K is using HYDRA's manpower. Pyslocke explains they are doing involuntary outsourcing. Magik says she gets it. Quentin says the HYDRA guys have a new boss, and Cassandra Nova left her bootprints all over their brains. Temper explains that they are like cuckoos, who leave their eggs in other birds' nests so they don't have to raise them themselves. She unleashes her fire and ice powers on the HYDRA agents. 

Cyclops say the X-Men are there to make an omelette. Juggernaut laughs at that and Magik says she prefers a quiche. Psylocke says the metaphor doesn't matter as long as they're there to break something. Quentin says he hopes they break the right thing. According to the future they saw from Cyclops' memories, Quentin becomes what he calls a 'gestapo Peter Pan' and he wants to do whatever it takes to prevent that from happening. Cyclops says those visions came from Revelation's future, and is 3K get their way it will be even worse. Cyclops leads the team to the manufactory and tells them to get ready. One inside, they find the place empty.

 

Juggernaut asks why the place is empty. Psylocke says they're gone and left behind their 'brainwashed worker bees' to stall them. She picks up a vial. Cyclops says they were planning on manufacturing the X-Virus on an industrial scale. Cyclops says if 3K packed up, they're too late. 3K is one step closer to the X-Virus and the X-Men are one step away from stopping them.

Doomquest-

The story opens from the point of view of a Doombot. Being built in Doom's image and programmed to believe he is him, he is humbled upon meeting the actual Doctor Doom. He was given an important mission that would help alter time itself. Petawatt hours were required, an entire continent's worth of power. His job was to make sure that power flowed to Latveria. 

The Doombot would travel to the required destination and he started to get to work. Outside, other Doombots would fight off heroes like Mr. Fantastic, Iron Man and She-Hulk, buying him time. With time running short. he goes to the two power plugs and realizes he would have to use his body as a conduit. He considers it an honor to die for the glory of Doom. He connects the two plugs, his body caught in the middle, and the heroes watch the huge electric blast.

 

Tony cuts the power, but it's too late. Even in such a brief amount of time, the power was sent to Latveria, fully powering Doctor Doom's time machine. The heroes have to head back to Latveria immediately. She-Hulk says if they need the robot for anything as they head off. Reed says it's just another Doombot. 

My Thoughts- 

So this one has the lead ins to three major stories coming out this summer. In the first one, Ross has taken over Doom's base and it looks like he's using his time travel technology to create a world in his image. There seems to be a 'reset' button too, which makes things even more dangerous since he can just 'try again' if he were to fail. The comic also fast forwards to the 'anniversary' of the Battle of Symkaria, and the preview ends as that very battle is about to begin.

This story seems to be one of the 'big ones' that will cause ripples across the Marvel Universe. People say there will be a 'before' and 'after' of this event. I do wonder what 'huge changes' this will cause when all is said and done. I mean, Ross has gone from villain to anti-hero and even joined the Avengers at times... the only major ramification will be him becoming a full-on irredeemable villain. I mean, Steve mentions how this major battle resulted in the deaths of Tony, Carol and Peter... and I really doubt they're going to kill off these major characters that have several monthly books, even if they were to come back later. 

The X-Men side is going to lead to their own major event of a deadly new X-Virus that they'll have to deal with. This is the team consisting of Cyclops, Psylocke, Magik, Juggernaut, Quentin and Temper. The only thing I can say about this one is.... OK we get it, 3K took over HYDRA's base and resources. Most of the dialogue has the characters repeat the fact that 3K took over a HYDRA base over and over as if the reader is too dumb to get it the first time. I guess you can say it took a while for each individual team mate to get that concept... but there had to have been a better way. I do wonder how this new virus will go and how this story will compare to the Legacy virus and the Techno-Organic viruses that came before.

The third story leads up to Doctor Doom working on a time machine. It makes sense after losing the position of being the world ruler, he'd do whatever it takes to regain such power. This story seems to be a minor footnote to explain how Doom got his time machine fully powered before the story starts. My god, Doom is so delusional and fanatical, his own robots designed in his image are just as delusional. There has to be some sort of term for Doctor Doom levels of ego.

I'm trying to cut down on comics since sometimes we leave Third Eye with literal stacks of comics. I'm not 100% sure I'll be picking up any of these, to be honest. I am at least curious about these 'huge consequences' that the Avengers Armageddon story promises. I might consider that one. It sounds like it will be only 5 issues, and as always, I'll stick to the main story and not all the tie-ins.