West Coast Avengers 115

THE WEST COAST AVENGERS GATEFOLD

Previously ... Agent shocked the WCA by mentioning on SCN that he was leaving the team. Cannonball left the team to track down his ex-girlfriend Meltdown and find out why she's on the cover of a nudie-mag. Hawkeye led the Whackos to Colorado to look for Arnim Zola, Jolt and Shape. They found Zola and Shape ... sort of. Read on ...

AVENGERS ROSTER

HAWKEYE - Clint Barton is an expert marksman, sporting a large supply of trick arrows; a former outlaw, he's the WCA's founding Chairman and tied to the WCA more than any other person.

QUICKSILVER - Pietro Maximoff is the twin brother of the Scarlet Witch, son of Magneto, husband to Crystal and father to Luna. He is a mutant possessing the power of acceleration.

LADY MERVEILLE - Monica Rambeau is a former Avengers Chairman, possesses the power to turn her body into any part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

WONDER MAN - Simon Williams became Wonder Man when the Enchantress had his body infused with ionic energy; a strong man with human failings, he struggles to live up to his power

TIGRA - Greer Nelson is a former biologst, changed by the Cat People into a modern version of their greatest warrior of legend

FALCON - former partner of Captain America and devoted social worker; thanks to his costume, Sam possesses the power of flight - RESERVE

CRYSTAL - a member of the Royal Family of Attilan, wife of Quicksilver and mother of Luna; can command the elemental forces - RESERVE

NON ROSTER CAST OF CHARACTERS

BETA RAY BILL - alien cyborg warrior, adopted of Asgard, Bill wields the Mjolnir-level hammer, Storm Breaker, a gift from Odin

JOCASTA - twisted and tortured by Ultron into becoming the Super-Adaptoid, then forced to face the Avengers who bruised and battered her, Jocasta has come to the WCA in hopes that they can help her regain her form and her sanity

BOVA - the first evolved creature of the High Evolutionary, Bova is an evolved cow that brought Quicksilver into the world; serves as a nanny to Luna

SHAPE - ex of the Squadron Supreme, Shape is a kind-hearted but slow shape changer

LUNA - the young daughter of the mutant Quicksilver and the Inhuman Crystal, Luna is, as far as anyone can tell, simply human

NORTHERN BEAR PRODUCTIONS

Arnim Zola's grotesque face seemed to fill the world. "I present to you, the newest convert to our way of life, the lost soul from another world, SHAPE!"

The West Coast Avengers - Hawkeye, Falcon, Tigra, Quicksilver and Crystal - stood behind a throng of people in the middle of the Northern Colorado woods and stared with their mouths collectively agape. On a large revival stage ahead of them, Arnim Zola stood like a savior to the people before him and Shape, the former member of the Squadron Supreme who had been staying with the Whackos, stood next to him.

But it wasn't the Shape that they had last seen. No, this Shape looked to be close to seven feet tall, thin and muscled and spoke, not in the childish tones they were accustomed, but rather like a Shakespearean trained actor.

"Oh, I think it is," Falcon answered, though he didn't believe it, either. All eyes were glued to the stage.

"I bid thee welcome!" Shape declared, his slow, innocently booming voice replaced by stage theatrics. "This is the first day of the rest of thine's lives! Master Zola can take away all of thoust pain, all thoust struggles with thine inadequacies and give thou the chance to start yon life again!"

"Is that correct Old English?" Tigra whispered to Falcon. "It sure doesn't sound like Thor. Not that I completely understand why he speaks that way, either …" A sharp look from Pietro answered the question for her.

"I was once a slow, dumb, ugly clod of a baboon," Shape continued, pacing back and forth across the stage. Behind him, coming to life between two large spotlights that sat behind the stage was a large video monitor. An image of Shape as the Avengers had last seen him, shorter and fatter, but still with the tight black shorts burst onto the screen. "But after only a few treatments from Master Zola, I am a new man in body and mind and with the body and the mind, so changed the soul!"

As the image changed to show Shape as he currently was, the crowd roared in approval and the Avengers found themselves taking steps back into the shadows. Hawkeye didn't think it would be wise for the Avengers to make their presence known just yet.

"I see the pain and agony etched upon yon faces!" Shape bellowed. "Why should those in the flaming pits of the Babylon that is Hollywood be the only ones graced with perfect looks? You are the real people of America! You should look however you wish to look!" Shape stopped pacing and leaned down to look at the audience closely. "Join Zola and you shall look as you do in your dreams! And with the change in your looks, a miraculous change in your soul will take place leading you into a new day!" He moved into a dramatic pause that would have impressed even Laurence Olivier. "Who is with us?"

The crowd chanted their response in unison. "This is the way! The way to the light! The light to the future! The future to Paradise!!!"

"This does not look good," Hawkeye mumbled under his breath and the Avengers took yet another step back.

"Yes!" she yelled and jumped up and down. "Yes, that's fantastic! I can't believe that- wait. You do know the pay is lousy, right?"

"Wow, I can't believe it. A real Avenger. In my movie! Yes!" Charlie shook Simon's hand excitedly. "I'm sorry to act so excited, but you've got to understand, an independent film like this, by a first time director, a female director no less, getting someone - anyone - with a name means a tremendous amount. You being in this film might even get some investors to kick in some more money."

"Hey, anything I can do to help," Simon shrugged as he looked around the set. "Well," he smiled, "just don't ask me to call Tony Stark, okay?" This felt so right to Simon. He loved acting and just being back on a set had him feeling better than he had since he reformed his energy.

"I should tell you that I've changed your role a bit to suit you," Charlie interrupted as she tore threw the script in her hands, looking for the green pages that signified this, the film's fifth rewrite.

"Oh?" Simon asked, not knowing if he should be flattered or insulted that the role was changed. He wasn't exactly an Oscar caliber actor by any stretch. He hoped she hadn't dumbed the part down any. Not that the part could be dumbed down a whole lot. The script was excellent, but this particular part wasn't anything special. Still, though, it was a movie and it did come with a lot of screen time. "Like what?"

"Well, you've got a presence. Like Sly and Arnold. But the difference is that while they look like they can tear down a building, you really can," she reached the page she was looking for and stopped, showing Simon the script. "It's basically the same part, except instead of just being the villain's muscles, you're now the villain's muscle who's secretly the mastermind of the entire operation!" She smiled enthusiastically.

Simon's smile matched hers. "Wow, that's … incredible! I just hope I can deliver."

"More," she smiled and Simon, for not the last time found himself drawn down into her dazzling brown eyes. "See, you're not just some thug. Even though you're real low-key, real quiet and serious, you're the god of the underworld himself." She flashed her eyebrows up and down at him. "You're Pluto!"

Simon flashed his ionic eyes at her and a wry smile played over his face. "Sounds like fun." Simon felt a sharp pain flash through his head and he felt suddenly dizzy. "Say, Charlie," he asked as he righted himself, glad that his director had missed him grabbing his head,
"do you have a room where I can make a phone call?"

Charlie shrugged. "Sure, right over there. Go through that door and into the office."

"Thanks," Simon mumbled, already moving towards the office. Reaching the door, he saw three handles. 'Bruce always said to pick the middle one,' he thought to himself as he let himself in the small, bare room. With all his energy he shut the door and then proceeded to pass out on the floor.

Somewhere across the plains of reality, a large figure felt a buzzing in the back of his brain and for not the first time, his attention would soon be focused on the planet Earth.

"What do we do, boss?" Tigra asked as the Avengers watched the crowd before them split and move to both ends of the stage and disappear behind a large curtain. Some of the gathered throng waited, not sure about whether to join the flock or not.

Hawkeye turned away to look at the Avengers standing before him: Tigra, Quicksilver, Crystal and Falcon. His fingers played with the Avengers Communicard in one of his pockets, contemplating whether he should call Merveille in on this now. They could use her, but he wasn't certain she was necessary and he didn’t want to disturb whatever was going on with her and the bank back in New Orleans.*

"We need to find out just what Zola is doing back there," Hawkeye announced, telling everyone exactly what they already knew. He heard Pietro cough in agitation but ignored him. "From the air we could see a couple of very large tents set up in the back. Priority one is getting inside those tents without being discovered to see what's going on. Priority two is talking with Shape - without alerting Zola to our presence.

"Here's what we'll do. Crys, you and me will go round up some clothes inside the Quinjet and move inside the tents by getting in line. Sam, take to the air and see what you can find. Tigra, since you're not going to pass for ordinary, I want you to sit in the Quinjet and gather research-"

"Are you giving me lip, Tigra?" Hawkeye snapped, causing all of the Avengers to take notice. "Don't forget we're here to find Jolt, too. God knows what she's gotten herself into. Look for any signs of her and keep an open com with all of us. Quicksilver, watch Shape and look for a moment when you can steal him away to talk to. Let's move it, people."

Hawkeye walked off in a huff towards the Quinjet, leaving the Avengers watching him curiously and wondering just what it was he was going through.*

* Of course, since you've been reading Lonni's HAWKEYE you know what Clint is dealing with. What, you're not reading HAWKEYE? Gah! Why not! Between Agent and Variable and that trip to the past and- wait, if I tell you, you might not read it and everyone should read it!

"…and then Ymir sent a storm hurtling across the city of Asgard and the very roof of the building we were standing in was torn off!" Beta Ray Bill spoke forcefully from his hospital bed to his enraptured audience of Luna and Bova.

Beta Ray Bill chuckled. "That shall have to wait until tomorrow night, fair Luna. Now, the time for sleep has come and you need to make preparations for bed."

"Come, Luna," Bova said gently as Luna stormed off down the hallway, leaving Bill alone. "Night Bill!" she called back without turning around.

The cyborg-alien-adopted-son-of-Asgard sighed heavily and flexed his back. His ribs felt better and he certainly didn't need to be confined to this bed any longer. He looked to the empty bed on the other side of the room. 'In fact,' he thought, 'since the only reason I even stayed in this bed was to give comfort to the robot Jocasta, there's no need for me to remain at all.'

Staying here had been a pleasant diversion in the aftermath of the battle against Dr. Doom's warships,* but it was now time to make plans for what came next. They had defeated Doom so there was no reason to return to space. He supposed he could make a voyage to Latveria to see if the monarch had returned, but the Fantastic Four had been alerted and were the best equipped to assess the situation with Doom. They'd promised to keep the Avengers updated.

'So where do I go from here?' he wondered again. 'Asgard? Back to space with the Scuttlebutt? Where?'

In the back of his mind he wondered if where he was wasn't the place he'd like to stay for awhile. In the front of his mind, he wondered where Jocasta had gotten off to. He pushed himself out of bed. "Only one way to find out."

The Super-Adaptoid powered form of Jocasta sat in one of the lab's in the basement of the Compound and concentrated. Her body was damaged, a result of a fight between her and the Avengers. It was a long story that she did not want to dwell on.*

She had come to the West Coast for help, but there was no scientist in residence here to help her with her problem of reforming her dark green body from the mangled shape it was in - a task that was almost completed. She looked, for the first time, feminine again. Her feet and legs were completely back to normal and all that was left was to reconstruct were her arms and shoulders.

Despite what Beta Ray Bill had told her,* and the sense that it had made, she didn't fully believe that the insides of a person was what was truly important. If that was the case, why did so many people spend so much on plastic surgery? Why was food touted as being "low-fat" to help people lose weight?

'No,' she thought as she struggled to work out the kinks in her right arm, 'there's more to a person than what is on the inside. There's nothing wrong … nnnhhhh … with wanting to look normal.' She closed her eyes. 'Or even beautiful.'

And in the darkness, the doubly-made creation of Ultron kept trying to make herself comfortable with how the Super Adaptoid body worked. If she could break the code completely … 'Why,' a smile spread across her metallic lips, 'I could be anyone I wanted to.'

Shape stood on the stage, showering the people below him with words of encouragement. "Trust in the power of healing! For certainly God did not intend for Man to be ugly creatures, did he? No, so come inside and feel the healing powers of Zola!"

Below, his face kept low in his coat, Clint Barton made a point to not make eye-contact with Shape. Across the way he knew Crystal would be doing the same. He didn't trust the situation. Without knowing exactly what had happened to Shape, and considering Arnim Zola, the freak geneticist was behind it, that wasn't a surprise.

More important to Clint was how did Jolt play a role in all of this. Was she already here? What had happened to her? What role did Shape play in all this? Was he under some kind of mind control?

Clint knew that Jolt had left the Compound to come looking for Zola, but beyond that, he was in the dark.

Only a few feet from the edge of the stage and the large curtain that blocked off the tent behind it from sight, Clint stole a glance over at Crystal. He glimpsed her for only a moment as she was swallowed by what lay beyond the stage.

Back at the head of the clearing, Quicksilver stood in silence, his eyes peeled to Crystal. Hawkeye had told him to watch Shape, but he knew the Avengers Chairman wouldn't fault him for keeping his eyes on his wife for as long as possible. 'Besides,' Pietro scoffed, watching Crystal vanish, 'Shape might have changed his appearance and manner, but he's still a loud-mouthed oaf. He wouldn't be too hard to find.'

Another thirty seconds and the clearing that stood between the stage and Pietro was now empty. Everyone had gone into the tents.

Shape had recovered from the surprise. "Guess like twenty questions?" he asked, a smile breaking free on his face. "I do so enjoy the frivolity of games."

"I haven't a clue!" Shape smiled. "I left to look for her and ended up here. By troth, do you have any idea how abhorrent riding a bus can be? The grunge, the despondent humanity … the grungy humanity! I happened to come across this very spot. I found Zola, or rather, he found me. He hadn't a clue where the lovely young Jolt was, but he was more than willing to aid me in shedding my previous self. Isn't the new me wonderful?"

Shape ran his hands down his seven foot tall body to show off his new form, enjoying the look of himself.

When his eyes returned to Quicksilver, the Avenger wasn't impressed. "What's going on here, Shape?"

"We're preparing for the End," Shape said seriously. "Giving everyone some hope before the End of the World comes and we are delivered into Paradise."

Pietro looked at him, his anger increasing with every beat of his heart. "No, really."

Crystal was ushered into a large tent. She didn't know what she was expecting to find inside, but what she saw clearly wasn't it. Instead of some diabolical setting, she was suddenly thrust into a carnival tent.

People milled about freely and openly. Smiles replaced the anxious looks of outside. If they came to the clearing with troubles in mind, they seemed to be able to lose them inside this tent.

Around the outskirts of the tent, tables were set up. At some you could get food or lemonade. Others held games, but Crystal didn't see anyone paying for anything. 'Heck, I don't even see anyone losing. Everyone's going home with toys for all their kids.' The large table at the far end held the most people gathered around, so that's the direction Crystal moved in.

"A piece of fruit?" a smiling man asked as he made his way to Crystal with a tray of sliced offerings. "Nothing quenches the soul like a piece of fresh, juicy fruit. Wouldn't you agree?"

Crystal was taken aback by the man's sudden appearance, but she quickly recovered. "No thank you," she smiled politely. "I'm not that hungry. But I do agree - fresh fruit is wonderful."

"As you wish, madam," the man bowed as he moved along to offer the tray to another. The fruit had looked delicious, but Crys was playing this as safe as she could.

She reached the front of the large tent, the crowd growing thicker as she approached. People were signing registration cards and smiling, promising to come back next week and yes, thank you kindly, I wouldn't mind asking my friends to join me next week.

'Zola's scamming them,' Crystal frowned. 'He's getting all these people to come up here so he can do who knows what with them. Picking on those that need the help the most … disgusting. But what, exactly, is the scam?'

Clint had no carnival. He stood in a straight line with the rest of the folks, moving ahead one small step at a time. The people whispered excitedly to one another and Hawkeye strained to hear what they were saying.

'Time's like this …' he mused as he reached his hand up to his ears to turn up his hearing aids. He wondered what the public would say if they knew just how hard of hearing he was.

"I can't believe it! I've been here all three times and I've yet to choose the right tent!"

Hawkeye listened carefully, gathering all the information he could. From what he could tell, Zola hadn't yet done anything wrong with these people. 'Yet being the operative word.' The people were from a small logging town that was being slowly shut down as the land they hacked to pieces emptied of trees. Zola had come here a few months back under the auspice of a religious meeting and had been helping the people with food and clothes, asking for nothing in exchange.

Even more, he'd been using his machines to help heal the people. Broken bones, arthritis, bad backs … the people seemed to think he could do anything. Hawkeye couldn't help but be surprised at all the good the former Nazi-lackey was doing. 'It's amazing what all this science we have at our disposal can do for the common man,' Hawkeye thought to himself as he continued to move forward, one step at a time.

Monica Rambeau stood at the spot on the pier where her and her father ran their boating business. Frank Rambeau had taken the boat out into the waters, though Monica knew there'd be nothing for him to do out there but waste fuel. They were a "complete boating business" as their cards read, but that just meant they'd do anything for money.

They'd do fishing, they'd take tourists fishing, they'd take tourists out for a spin, they'd rent the boats - all two of them - out to anyone who wanted it.

It wasn't working. The boats were bringing in money at only 75% of what they needed to break even. The culprit was down at the other end of the pier - a fancy business with luxury yachts for the wealthy to party the night away in.

Just business. Just a big company offering a service that a small company couldn't.

They didn't have much time to have things get better, either. The man from the bank had been kind,* but there was no doubting his message. They were in debt. They couldn't make their payments. They owed the bank money and if they missed two payments in a row the bank would own their boats, their boating business and probably their home, as well.

A tear ran down Monica's face, but it wasn't for her. It was for her mother and father. Two people she'd do absolutely anything for.

She smiled, thinking of what her father had said the first time it was apparent their money was sliding away.

"Zola." Clint nodded as he approached the standing form of Arnim Zola. Shape stood next to him, a hand on the geneticist's shoulder. Though he wasn't wearing his costume, Clint had no doubt that Zola would know who he was. "You're looking pleasantly non-psychotic today."

"Ah, always the joker," Zola grinned pleasantly. Clint found this smile more disturbing than the insanity driven smile that usually resided on Zola's face-inside-his-chest. "I have found peace in my old age."

"No, of course not," Zola sighed and Hawkeye began to feel uncomfortable as a tent-full of people closed in behind him. "As hard as it is to change, it is always harder to convince others that the grip of evil has left the heart. I do not hold you in ill regard for this." Zola fixed him with his gaze. "Would you like me to fix your hearing?"

"Alright, that's enough," Clint snapped. "What the hell's going on here? You and Shape are actually like … like …"

"I was going to say like bad British actors, but yeah, normal works," Clint said, momentarily ashamed. "Shape, no offense, but you're not the Shape we knew. As for you Zola, you're a Nazi gene freak. You should be mutating these folks into freaks, not giving them clothes and food!"

"Why?" Zola asked. "Because it is easier for you that way? No, do not answer," Zola waved his hand at the Avenger. "Just go. I have done nothing wrong save act for a doctor to these kind souls whom the world has spat upon. I will not ask you to understand my change of heart, just that you respect my desire to do good now. I need no army of freaks to do my bidding, Avenger. The good, normal, healthy people of Colorado - people that I made well - will do it for me. Isn't that right, my friends?"

"YES!" the explosion of voices behind Hawkeye startled the Archer and he turned to face a mob of angry people.

"This isn’t over Zola," Clint threatened as he turned back around. Zola only smiled. They locked eyes in a battle of wills, Clint desperately searching for some sign of Zola's insanity.

"I will," Clint spat, not seeing any choice. He wasn't about to injure innocent people.

"Before you go," Zola smiled up at Clint, "take a gift. We wish you nothing but the best for the time ahead. You have only to think and we shall come and deliver you. Brother Shape? The card, please. And remember, Avenger, anytime you want your hearing restored …"

Hawkeye looked to Shape, who found the strength to meet his gaze. His hand came out and Hawkeye shook it. When Shape's hand was retracted, Clint found a card in his palm. It read:

Our first letter this month is a bit of a downer. Not that the content is sad, but that it's a reminder that the author - Randy Lander - has moved on from MV1 for the time being. Randy has landed a gig as the EiC of psycomic.com and everyone here at MV1 wishes him the best in his venture. While we'll miss him here at MV1 where his contributions are too numerous to mention, I'm excited for him and the opportunity he's got now. Stop by at psyComic and see what he's up to.

WEST COAST AVENGERS #113

One of the downsides of stealing characters from Mark is knowing about
his plans in advance. :) See, I knew Jolt was leaving and I knew US
Agent was going to go eventually. Although the latter was more becuase I
knew of Mark's dislike of the character than anything else. But even
knowing that, watching the way it's done was always fun. It was *so*
like Jack to let Hawkeye find out via a TV interview.

I do not envy Mark the size of the cast he has here. I've faced the same
large cast on New Warriors, and have begun to cut down a bit as a
result. But most characters get a good focus, and it's such a treat for
me to see Monica Rambeau getting more of a spotlight. While Sam is still
a bit much in the "aw, shucks" mode for me, I do really enjoy the
interplay between him and Tigra. And it was a pleasure to see a nice,
quiet scene between Crystal and Quicksilver where they act like a happy
couple instead of fighting.

The main plot, featuring US Agent and Falcon (aka Captain Conservative
and Mr. Liberal) teamed up on an investigation, was a lot of fun. If the
Proctor plot hadn't already run so long, I would have liked to see this
team-up extended over more than one issue, so we could see more sparks
fly between the two. And the end of the Proctor plot was a
shocker...we'd been so obviously set up to see Proctor as a wronged
innocent, the revelation of his true affiliation came out of nowhere.
Very nice.

From Sam Everett's Roo-Commendations:
WEST COAST AVENGERS #112-113 (Mark "The Bisquit" Bousquet)--Quite an ending
to the space saga running through the last few issues, but what I liked best
was the explanation of how Doom could appear on Earth and be in space at the
same time...well done, Mark! I could have used more team interaction
throughout the story, but I suppose different missions had to be done, so the
team had to split up. I liked #113 better because of the team interaction,
and also because of the intriguing ending involving Michael Proctor! I never
saw that coming! At least Falcon seems to have a fairly permanent home
now...as long as he's with the Whackos, I'll be with this book. Shoot, the
same goes for Mark himself! : )

I wouldn't get rid of Falcon, would I …? As those of you know who read my other work, Sam is leaving the WCA for LIGHTHOUSE. Check it out on the Cosmic Branch and keep reading WCA to see how it is he leaves the Avengers for the floating space station. Thanks for writing, Sam. Sam has been one of the very most consistent reviewers for MV1, so due him a favor and check out BLACK PANTHER and TRIATHLON.

WEST COAST AVENGERS #114
By Mark Bousquet

I've been looking forward to this issue for a while... because it ties in
with X-Force. Heh.

Self-serving comments aside... this issue is real well-written and all,
but... yeesh, can't the Whackos get a stable roster... /ever/? :) It's
coming, though, I can sense it. The ending is brilliant, the character
moments are great, the Captain Merveille subplot is great, and Wonder Man's
not whining anymore! YAY!

I hope I've gotten the stable roster just about set. I'll still have people coming and going, but hopefully all the multiple changes are done for a while now. One more, this from Mark Beaulieu:

West Coast Avengers (114) is another fine issue by Bousquet.
I actually prefer stories like this one to big epics like
"World Without End." I loved the ending, which I won't
spoil for anyone. The way people are leaving this title
is shocking. The one I wish had stayed was Sam. He fit
in nicely and helped integrate the X-characters into
the mainstream MV1 universe. It was something that the
real Marvel wouldn't do (I don't think they would anyway).

I love how you write Pietro. I'd like to see you go a little
deeper into Tigra's character. Right now she seems a little
too one dimensional (slut).

This is a great series and you should be give it a shot.
And if you've read WCA and enjoy it, then try All God's
Children, Fantastic Four, Captain America, Inhumans,
and Alpha Flight. Did I miss anything there Mark?

Oh and I forgot all about the best part of the book!
You gave me a plug! Woo-hoo!! They fight chimpanzees.
You bet they do!

In closing, I'd wish that the WCA had been written like this
when it was being published.

Baloo

ALSO THIS MONTH: HAWKEYE 18 by Lonni Holland - The Variable is back, and Hawk has a long delayed dinner with a reporter. Film at 11?

NEXT ISSUE: WCA 116 - Hawkeye and company delve into the mystery of the Enlightenment Foundation.

You can join the MV1 Talk list for discussion of MV1 fanfic by going to http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/mv1talk .
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MARCH, Y4	MV1 Presents ... Earth's Mightiest Heroes!!!	AVENGERS
		And there came a day when the foes became too great for Earth's Mightiest to handle alone! On that day was born the West Coast Avengers!
# 115	NORTHERN BEAR PRODUCTIONS	# 115