Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D

• Writer - Mark Millar
• Penciler - John Romita Jr.
• Inker - Klaus Janson
• Lettering - Virtual Calligraphy
• Lettering - Randy Gentile
• Cover Art - Greg Land
• Cover Art - Richard Isanove
• Cover Art - Marc Silvestri
• Editor - Jennifer Lee
• Executive Editor - Axel Alonso
• Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada

Summary

  Akamatu, Japan, 18 months ago: the Gorgon was a preternatural genius, speaking at 2 weeks, a painter at age 4, attempting suicide twice before age 6. At age 13 he mathematically proved the existence of God and learned he was a mutant with the ability to turn people to stone by looking at them. He started a mutant death cult and terrorist group, the Dawn of the White Light, and then wanted something darker.

  He raced blindfolded through a woods, sword drawn. Surrounded by the Hand, he slaughtered them all; their master observes from within a Christian church and realizes this is the one who was prophesized to bring eternal death. He's fighting blindfolded to prove himself; when he enters, he finds the small building enormous on the inside. To prove himself he killed his whole family and only friend before coming there, and now he impales himself, imploring the Hand to resurrect him.

  Now, Fussen, Germany: the Gorgon embraces Elsbeth, who notes he was running the Hand within a year and now Hydra. The Gorgon says the baron ran Hydra for six decades and is now buried in the sand at low tide, so titles aren't important: results are, and they've lost Logan. Elsbeth hugs him, noting they've gained Elektra, plus many other superheroes, after only 72 hours of his leadership. The "Sickly Ones" have awaited his arrival for four billion years.

  New York: the Spot is a low-grade teleporter and hoodlum. He knows he shouldn't be out alone, when SHIELD has warned all super-goons to stay low until they stop Hydra, and Knickknack and Leapfrog have been captured, but his friend Slyde has a plan. He opens a portal and enters St. Mary's church, only to find Elektra and the Hand killing Slyde. Elektra throws a knife at him, too. 24 "capes" in as many hours.

  NYU Medical Center: a doctor is about to saw off Northstar's head, to prevent the Hand from resurrecting him. The X-Men standing by tell him to wait, so they can say a few words over their friend. Iceman suggests a prayer, though he wasn't really friends with him; Dani says Northstar thought a lot of him (UXM 415) and in his will asked for him to say one of the prayers. Iceman is disturbed Northstar was killed by one of their own, and that the school had him make up his own will when he was 14. A flash of light: Elektra and the Hand teleport in, fight past the X-Men, and abscond with Northstar's corpse.

  The SHIELD Helicarrier: Fury gets the report, a total of 4 heroes and 37 villains abducted. Villains are less organized and easier to nab. Below, a team of scientists is trying to un-brainwash Logan, struggling against his healing factor to keep him sedated. The head doctor, Weinberg, used to be a villain called the Rabble Rouser who once broke the Human Torch's jaw (Strange Tales 119), and SHIELD is giving him a chance to make up for it. Suddenly Logan breaks free and slaughters them all. Working his way deck by deck, he kills everyone including Fury but then stops when he realizes one of the SHIELD agents is pregnant. Weinberg appears, saying he's making progress. This is all a simulation; for the first time in two million repetitions Logan's shown a bit of humanity. Another half-million, and the brainwashing should be broken.

  Weinberg tells Fury he'll be ready in less than 18 hours; Fury thinks they'll need him, since they're up against 70 villains now. SHIELD defenses drop: they're being hacked, and something's being fired straight at them. Not missiles: all the Hydra-controlled super-beings are flying at them, carrying devices.