Today, Marvel Comics release Secret Empire #1, officially kicking off its summer 2017 event series.
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Secret Empire see Captain America revealing himself as the head of Hydra and taking control of the United States. He likely also has plans for the entire world to fall under Hydra’s control, but he won’t be doing it alone.
Captain America has done what Captain America does best. He’s assembled the Avengers. This new squad of Avengers, consisting of classic mainstays and unexpected newcomers, serve Captain America as he works to achieve Hydra’s goal.
This team of Avengers is brutally effective. In Secret Empire #1, the Avengers battle a giant monster looking to invade earth and kill him in practically no time and all while barely breaking a sweat.
Who are these Avengers? Keep reading to find out.
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Secret Empire #1
MAR170901
(W) Nick Spender (A) Steve McNiven (CA) Mark Brooks
It’s been building for months, across a bevy of titles! But now, the moment has arrived for Steve Rogers to step into the light and declare his allegiance to Hydra! How can the heroes of the Marvel Universe cope with this shattering betrayal by the most trusted figure among them? And what will this mean for the world? The map of the Marvel Universe changes in ways nobody will expect – TRUST THE SECRET EMPIRE!
Rated T+
In Shops: May 03, 2017
Odinson
Once the Mighty Thor, the son of Odin became unworthy of his hammer when old Nick Fury whispered truth in his ear.
The last time Marvel fans saw Odinson was in The Unworthy Thor. That series sent Odinson on a quest to retrieve the Mjolnir from the Ultimate Marvel universe, which fell into the mainstream Marvel universe during the events of Secret Wars.
Ultimately, Thor had the hammer within arms reach, but decided not to attempt to lift it since it was not his.
We don’t know what transpired between Odinson and Captain America to make the Odinson sign up as one of Hydra’s Avengers, but we do know that Odinson and Cap have a long history and that Odinson trusts Cap implicitly.
Deadpool
Deadpool made a name for himself as a mercenary. With that in mind, it isn’t hard to imagine Hydra simply paying him to be an Avenger.
On the other hand, Deadpool has tried to turn over a new leaf in recent years. He was an Avenger before Hydra took over, having joined up with the Avengers Unity Squad led by Rogue sometimes in the months after Secret Wars.
However, it is important to remember that Captain America was the first and, for some time, the only person who believed that Deadpool really deserved to be an Avenger. Deadpool has looked up to Captain America and sought his guidance ever since. With Captian America acting as head of Hydra, it likely didn’t cost a dime to get Deadpool into Hydra’s Avengers.
Scarlet Witch
One of the more surprising members of Hydra’s Avengers is the Wanda Maximoff, Scarlet Witch.
The Scarlet Witch was an early member of the Avengers. She joined as part of Captain America’s first reboot of the Avengers roster, “Cap Kooky Quartet,” after the founding members decided to call it quits. Prior to that, she was a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
Wanda and Steve Rogers’ relationship is a long one. Cap was the first Avenger to really trust Scarlet Witch as a hero.
Scarlet Witch hasn’t been involved with the Avengers since she left the Unity Squad after being inverted during the events of Avengers & X-Men: AXIS.
Given how powerful she is, having Scarlet Witch on the Hydra Avengers is a huge get for Captain America.
Vision
Next on the list is Scarlet Witch’s ex-husband, the Vision.
It is interesting to see the Vision working with Captain America’s Hydra here. He is the only member of the current core Avengers squad to do, it seems.
Vision has been in a strange place lately. He deleted his memories from his previous years with the Avengers, tried to create his own family in Washington DC, and kidnapped Kang the Conqueror as an infant.
He’s become quite cold and logical. It wouldn’t be surprising if Captain America came up with a logic-based pitch to bring Vision over to the side of Hydra.
Taskmaster
Taskmaster is the supervillain trainer and mercenary with photographic reflexes that allow him to copy any technique he sees.
Most recently, Taskmaster has been working as the sheriff of Bagalia, a nation built for and run by supervillains and criminals.
The first issue of Captain America: Steve Rogers took place in Bagalia, or mostly in the skies over it. The cameras on the aircraft caught Captain America hailing Hydra after tossing Jack Flag out of the hangar.
Taskmaster thought to sell the footage back to Hydra for a lot of money. He met with Madame Hydra, who instead recruited Taskmaster into the new Hydra hierarchy.
Black Ant
Black Ant is a life model decoy of Eric O’Grady, the third Ant-Man who starred in the “Irredeemable Ant-Man” series.
Black Ant was built to infiltrate the Secret Avengers on the behalf of a group called the Descendants. He succeeded, but the Secret Avengers managed to fight back and the LMD was destroyed in the conflict.
The Mad Thinker found Black Ant’s body and rebuilt him. Together they joined the Hood’s Illuminati, primary because the Hood promised to find a way to give Black Ant a new flesh and blood body.
More recently, Black Ant was working for Taskmaster in Bagalia. Hew as there when the tape of Captain America was discovered and was recruited into Hydra alongside Taskmaster.
The Superior Octopus
Otto Octavius is best known as Doctor Octopus. For a time he was the Superior Spider-Man. His most recent form is the Superior Octopus.
Octavius’s most recent form, which he created himself during the events of The Clone Conspiracy, combines Peter Parker’s Spider-Man powers with Otto’s own control of his Doctor Octopus arms.
Following The Clone Conspiracy, the Octopus escaped to one of his secret bases only to the find the place overrun by Hydra agents. He fought most of them off but was then approached by Arnim Zola and offered a place within Hydra. Octavius accepted and built himself the Superior Octopus suit.
