Avengers (Vol. 4) #9 (Story 1)
Background
The Hood is gathering the Infinity Gems, but the Avnegers are on his trail. The only problem is that the secret gathering of heroes called the Illuminati have been outed and Steve Rogers is not happy...
Story Details
Avengers (Vol. 4) #9 (Story 1)
| Editor: | Tom Brevoort |
| Writer: | Brian Michael Bendis |
| Pencils: | John Romita, Jr. |
| Inker: | Klaus Janson |
| Cover Art: | Dean White, John Romita, Jr., Klaus Janson |
This issue fills in the details of how the Hood found out about the Infinity Gems and escaped jail. We learn that in jail the Hood befriended an Inhuman servant of Blackbolt, who had been left behind when they left Earth. The Inhuman servant was a keeper of secrets for Blackbolt and tells the Hood some of those secrets. Then the Hood manages to bribe his way out of jail...
While this flashback is happening, Steve Rogers and Tony Stark are arguing about the Illuminati and their actions. Rogers tells Tony he wants him off the Avengers team after they have sorted out the Infinity Gem mess. Finally, they whole groups decide to go after the remaining hidden gems and retrieve them before the Hood can.
General Comments
I was really looking forward to the revelations behind how the Hood found out about the Infinity Gems and while this explanation makes a certain amount of sense, it also seems fairly unlikely that the Hood would stumble upon this Inhuman servant in prison, but also that the servant would just spill all the secrets. Given that it's not a complicated explanation, I'm also surprised that a whole issue is devoted to this flashback! Surely a couple of narrated panels would of done! I hope this doesn't ruin the pacing of this story arc. I felt the last story arc suffered due to poor pacing.
The Tony vs. Steve stuff just made Steve seem a bit unreasonable and didn't really go anywhere. I particularly don't see why Steve focuses all his ire at Tony, when he is only one of the members of the Illuminati. And really, what the Illuminati where trying to do, really isn't that bad.
As far as Spidey goes, he does absolutely nothing this issue, except wear a beanie and make a couple of comments...
I hope things pick up next issue!
Overall Rating 
Not a bad issue really, just not great either!