Thunderbolts #101 (2006)

The T-Bolts team are now back with Zemo, who has promised to shape a better future using the power of the Moonstones.

He’s created a “folding castle” for their hideout, which enables each of them to have a room that touches about a part of the world that has meaning to them.

This issue is a jump-on issue. Songbird makes her way through the folding castle, checking in on each member and flashing back to her history with Zemo, where he saved her life.

Why does Helmut always have crap on his face?

The backstory of Zemo/Melissa isn’t all that interesting, but it’s good to see the check-ins wiht each character. The sheer number of constantly emerging plotlines (that’s author Fabian Nicieza’s trademark) make a slower issue like this essential to having an understanding of the continuity of this book.

The central story is about Radioactive Man, who seems to be crushing on Songbird a little, and doesn’t understand why she is so attached to Zemo. He demands to know why she loves him and she says she doesn’t…

…She just wants to kill him.

Annihilation: Prologue (2006)

20 years later and after multiple movies, the 2006 Annihilation event remains the high water mark for Marvel’s Cosmic characters. “Prologue” was a double-sized book that serves as a launchpad…