Avengers Undercover

Avengers Undercover was a limited comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in March 2014 as part of wave three of the Marvel NOW! relaunch. It serves as a sequel to Avengers Arena, and concluded with September's issue #10.

Publication history

The series follows the survivors of Avengers Arena (minus X-23 and Darkhawk) - Nico, Chase, Hazmat, Cammi, Death Locket, Cullen Bloodstone, and Anachronism - as they try to infiltrate the Masters of Evil. Hopeless said, "The characters who survived Murderworld came out the other side much different than they went in. Those psychological scars from the "Arena" weigh heavily on all of the kids. They don't fit so well into their old lives. They no longer feel like they belong and they're all looking for a way to get back what they've lost. All of this leads them down the path of Avengers Undercover."^[1]

Plot

It's been three months since the events in Arcade's latest Murderworld. Hazmat has quit the Avengers Academy and is in hiding, coping with PTSD from her time in Murderworld, Chase Stein and Nico Minoru have become bitter enemies as Nico has left the Runaways while condemning Chase for going before the media, who have become obsessed with the events of Avengers Arena following Arcade leaking the footage of the carnage online. Death Locket is once again being held prisoner by S.H.I.E.L.D., though she is able to escape through the help of a sympathetic agent who is helping her cope with her ever evolving cybernetic implants. Cammi is back in Alaska, having discovered her mother had survive a previous attempt on her life by Cammi's space based enemies and struggling with her own PTSD by attending AA meetings with her mom. Cammi reunites with Hazmat, Chase Stein, Nico Minoru, and Deathlocket after Anachronism summons them to England. Cullen Bloodstone had dropped out of the Braddock Academy and become obsessed with killing Arcade, ultimately tracking him to Bagalia. Anachronism then reveals that Cullen has formed an alliance with the Masters of Evil who control the country. Baron Helmut Zemo is leading the Masters of Evil following Max Fury's death and is assisted by Madame Masque (who works as Baron Helmut Zemo's right-hand woman) and Constrictor (who works as Baron Helmut Zemo's bodyguard). Baron Helmut Zemo has also accepted Daimon Hellstrom into his inner circle of the Masters of Evil.^[2]

The heroes teleport to Bagalia in disguise and locate Cullen at the Hole (a Bagalian bar that is owned by Arcade). After a fight with the villains there, Cullen reveals that he has become a member of the Masters of Evil having been accepted by them (though it is implied that Daimon Hellstrom is manipulating Cullen through his dark magic). Constrictor and Madam Masque arrange for Cullen to teleport the group to a nearby swanky party at Massacrer Casino hosted by Arcade so that they can get revenge on him once and for all.^[3]

Baron Zemo, Madame Masque, Constrictor and Daimon Hellstrom watch as the heroes try to avoid being killed as Arcade has arranged the party at Massacrer Casino as the testing grounds for his newest version of "Murderworld": fancy parties at Casino where the rich and powerful can try and kill each other to prove their supremacy. Hazmat turns catatonic as the heroes disable Arcade's power supply as Arcade opines, while attacking the heroes, that the events of Avengers Arena will be his masterpiece that he can never top. After mocking the heroes for being unable to kill him, Hazmat wakes up and incinerates the villain. Baron Zemo, Madame Masque, Constructor, and Daimon Hellstrom begin plotting their next move regarding the heroes.^[4]

Back at Massacrer Casino, Cammi realizes Deathlocket never took out the cameras as Miss Coriander is devastated at wh. They try to flee while evading the other guest, but S.H.I.E.L.D. has already arrived in S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier Circe. Thanks to their Necromancers jamming Nico's spells, the group is taken down by the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents and imprisoned quickly. At the S.H.I.E.L.D. detention center, Karolina Dean, Molly Hayes, Finesse, Striker, Elsa Bloodstone, and several unnamed parents come to visit the group. After Cammi has a touching moment with her mother, Daimon Hellstrom teleports the lair back to Bagalia where Baron Zemo offers the group a chance to join the Masters of Evil.^[5]

Baron Zemo instructs Constrictor, Daimon Hellstrom, and Madame Masque to take a portion of the Murderworld survivors and take them into Bagalia City. Daimon Hellstrom takes Nico Minoru and Cullen Bloodstone into Hell Town, a four block district that contains all of the Masters of Evil's magic. When in Hell Town, Daimon Hellstrom takes them to Hellstrom Manor where Bloodstone shows Nico the Demon Cage that Hellstrom created for him. Inside he can learn to control and use his Glartrox form without fear of it getting out of control. Daimon Hellstrom quotes "But if you wanna know why that kid up there roasting in hellfire seems happy while you’re clearly inside out miserable, that’s simple. Cullen stopped pretending he’s not a monster." It was also shown that Hellstrom has resurrected Alex Wilder. Constrictor takes Chase Stein and Death Locket where he shows them the freedom of the supervillain lifestyle. While Chase, a natural athlete, plays basketball with the muscle of the Masters, Death Locket is getting the lowdown on how this portion of the group works. Madame Masque leads Anachronism, Cammi, and Hazmat to the rooftop of an unknown building where they have a short conversation. When Madame Masque leaves, Anachronism, Cammi, and Hazmat discuss their options. If they leave, they go to jail for killing Arcade. If they stay, they become villains. Hazmat thinks they could become super heroes again if they take the Masters down from the inside. Back in Hell Town, Nico Minoru blows some steam by fighting demons in Mephisticuffs and totally loses it in a big way. She comes to herself having basically split a demon down the middle. She leaves in typical angsty fashion and Daimon Hellstrom comes to talk to her. He offers a shoulder to cry on and she says he is a little to “smoldering and pentagrammy.” His offer wasn’t for him, but for someone from her past. The group (except for Death Locket and Bloodstone) comes together and mostly agrees to join with the purpose of secretly bringing the Masters of Evil down. The only exception is Cammi. When Baron Zemo hears that she is the only one not joining, he says that they will respect her choice. Cammi flies away only to be caught by Constrictor and brutally slammed into a rock wall. Bleeding and semi-conscious from the surprise attack, Cammi lays under Constrictor as he says "The man gave you a choice. You picked wrong."^[6]

Chase Stein and Death Locket are training with Excavator until Constrictor assembles the Young Masters for a mission. Constrictor sends Chase Stein, Death Locket, and the Young Masters to A.I.M. Island. During the fight which is a ground skirmish against A.I.M., it is revealed that Deathlocket has developed a crush on Excavator and parachutes in to the island. Immediately, she is overwhelmed by the combat against the A.I.M. Troopers and then starts shooting and swinging. Before the Young Masters can achieve their objective, a random missile robs them of their entryway upon the arrival of Captain America. When Death Locket tries to take a shot from afar, Chase Stein tries to talk some sense into her while having her "choose who she is fighting for." Excavator returns and gets into a scuffle with Chase. Death Locket tries to get them to stop and finally opens up with her arm canon and drops Chase in a single shot.^[7]

Characters

Collected Editions

References