New Avengers (Vol. 1) #14

Background

After fighting the Hand, the New Avengers captured Madame Hydra. While on the way back to the States Spider-Woman let her go. Cap saw this, and the next day confronted Spider-Woman...

Story 'Secrets and Lies'

This issue starts at the Daily Bugle, (God I miss that place in my comics!) with Kat Farrell speaking to her mom on the phone. Kat's trying to hang up on her mom, until her mom tells her to look out of her window. Kat looks out and sees the Watchtower and a Quinjet landing.

Inside the tower, Jess and Steve are talking about who shes working for. Jess tries to avoid it but Steve asks what Madame Hydra has over her, Jess tells him shes part of it, Steve again asks who? Jess tells him its not fair on him as she is sending him loads of pheromones. Steve tells her he'll try to control himself and for her to tell him everything.

Jessica tells him once upon a time she used to be a superhero, but before that she was with Hydra, until she met Nick Fury when she joined S.H.I.E.L.D. Later she lost her powers and she would do anything for them back. Hydra offered them back if she rejoined S.H.I.E.L.D. as a double agent for them. Jessica explains she said yes for two reasons first of all for her powers, and secondly because if she said no they would have killed her. Later Jess called Fury and asked him what to do. Fury says to do it and S.H.I.E.L.D. will feed her what they want Hydra to know. Enough to keep her safe and when the time is right S.H.I.E.L.D. will squash the entire cell, and Jess can become an agent where she belongs. Fury asks how Hydra are going to restore her powers...

Later we see a naked Jessica on an operating table surrounded by Hydra scientists as the procedure begins. One of them says "Hail Hydra" as Jessica crys. Steve asks how long it took for the procedure to take. Seventeen months Jessica replies but it was worth it her powers were back, and she could fly not glide like before but really fly. We then see Jessica feeding information to both Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. She then tells Steve that she cried herself to sleep every night, and as soon as she was getting used to it Fury had to have his secret war. We see Fury at Cage's bedside when he was injured when the Secret war came back to haunt them. He tells Jess that hes going underground, and shes on her own. Jess tells Steve that only Fury knew what was going on, and she doesnt trust the new S.H.I.E.L.D. boss, and being a Fury loyalist isnt good when it comes to assignments, thats why she was at the Raft that day guarding Matt Murdock.

Jessica then tells Steve that Hydra told her to join the Avengers when she was offered a spot. She regrets almost getting him killed last night, Steve asks where Fury is, Jess tells him she doesnt know. Steve asks if everyone believes her, the rest of the Avengers, (minus Ronin) appear. They believe her. Logan say's he's known her a long time, and for her to tell them the rest about Fury. Before things get too confrontational her phone rings, she answers it - Its Fury he tells them not to blame Jess, she was in a tough spot and he was listening the whole time. Steve asks where Fury is, Fury says they have bigger problems right now, and for them to turn the TV on and smile.

On the news we see the Avengers Tower from the outside, its a media circus. Iron Man tells them its time to meet the public...

General Comments

Ok its a 2 part Spider-Woman arc - thats ok because the art is great. The story is condensed, well by Bendis standards! Not much action but plenty of plot

Overall Rating

3.5 webs Chos art is great, plus Jess is sans clothing on one panel, and Ive really been looking forward to the team going public.

Can you imagine JJJs face when he sees Spidey as an Avenger?

Footnote

Also does anyone know where I can get a Spider-Woman suit in the style of this issues cover? Might be fun for the future missus. ;)