This issue doesn't have that complicated of a plot. Kashmir Vennema, the sketchy scientist from the last arc (you know, the bizarre one with the dinosaur symbiotes), has resurfaced at a weapons expo in Madripoor to get her hands on something called the Harvester Protocol on behalf of her mysterious employer. Tony has used his connections with the criminals and warmongers at the expo to get Cap into the auction. Just as the item goes to bid, Batroc the Leaper and his Brigade arrive to extract the item. Kashmir reveals that she hired them and activates the Protocol, taking out Cap's shield and Tony's armor. Shenanigans ensue.
The thing is, the plot doesn't need to be that complicated when the issue itself is this awesome. Bunn delivers exactly the type of espionage story that I expected from this title, a significant improvement over bizarre plot from the last arc. Bunn holds off delivering the action by instead opening with some playful banter between Steve and Tony. Although it could've felt forced, it felt organic to me, with Bunn doing a great job matching their personalities and reminding us how different they are. (I loved Tony talking about how he was a hero at the expo, and Steve asking him why he didn't, you know, tell anyone that he was regularly attending a "semi-legal gathering of warmongers, criminals and terrorists.") In fact, Bunn makes the dialogue sound so real that I heard the voices of Chris Evans and Robert Downey, Jr. in my head while reading the issue. By waiting to let loose the action, Bunn makes it burst with energy when it does happen. I liked how Batroc and his gang take Cap and Iron Man by surprise even before Kashmir disables their technology with the Harvester Protocol. Nothing like a sharp kick across the jaw to let you know that you've underestimated your opponent.
I still have some issues with Bunn trying to make Kashmir more interesting than she seems to be. I can't say that I was all that impressed with her as a nefarious villain in the last arc, particularly since she doesn't seem to be anything more than a middle man. (I'm worried that she might become this title's version of the Shadow Council in "Secret Avengers.") I also don't understand why she would reveal herself so clearly as the bad guy by grabbing the Protocol during the melee, given that Batroc and his Brigade seemed to have matters under control and probably could've snagged it on their own. But, this issue was sufficiently fun that I'm willing to overlook these points (for now) and give Bunn a chance to change my mind about Kashmir.
The plot doesn't get all that more complicated here. I mean, it didn't take that much imagination to connect the dots that Kashmir was working for A.I.M. But, Bunn again makes this issue so damn fun that the plot isn't really all that important. Batroc is as camp of a villain as ever, and Bunn actually hands Cap some decent one-liners, allowing him to hold up his end of the repartee. But, Bunn also makes Batroc a more difficult threat that he usually is, given that he and his Brigade prove to be a challenge for Steve and Tony. A lot of authors fall just on the camp side when portraying Batroc, but, by make him both camp and serious, Bunn justifies his inclusion here. But, it's Cap's banter with Tony that takes the cake, with Bunn perfectly playing Steve as the straight man to Tony's funny man. Normally, I get annoyed when authors focus exclusively on Steve as a square bore, but Bunn has shown in the main title that he's capable of writing Cap with emotional depth. As such, I don't mind it here. In fact, it gives us some really great moments between Steve and Tony, like when Tony tells him to stop trying to be hip because it's "creepy." I don't know if that sort of oversimplification of their relationship would work in the main title, but it works perfectly for this one.
The best part of the issue, for me, actually has to do with Tony, not Steve. His cobbled-together armor is brilliant. First, it reminds us that Tony is, well, brilliant. The guy can create a kick-ass suit of armor from spare parts found at a weapons convention. (He even reminds us that he built his first suit of armor in a cave.) Second, it's effing funny. I mean, I love the helmet. I kept thinking it was a smiley face (instead of a target) every time I saw it, and it just made me smile each and every time. It really helped add to the sense of fun that Bullen crafted for this arc. But, perhaps most importantly, it also shakes up the usual Iron Man schtick. Normally, Tony's armor fails just long enough for him to have to improvise during a key moment in a fight. Here, he loses the armor entirely and has to create an entirely new one from spare parts. It definitely injects a sense of unknown into the story. You just never knew what random device Tony was going to use to fend off Bartoc and his Brigade. I mean, I don't think that anyone really doubts that Cap and Tony are going to be able to lock down the Harvester and destroy A.I.M.'s access to the stolen technology (including Tony's armor). But, Bunn at least makes it a little less clear how they're going to get there.
Captain America and Iron Man #635: OK, the highlight of this issue for me was Cap making the crack about A.I.M. being "diehard do-it-yourselfers." I had exactly the same though about A.I.M. getting into the business of stealing equipment, so I'm glad Cap shared my confusion. (Usually I complain when authors try to pass off characters questioning motives as justification for the villains having unclear motives, but I'll give Bunn a pass here.) I also spent most of the issue wondering why Tony was so confident that he was going to save the day in five minutes, so I was pleasantly surprised (and probably the only one who was) when his armor suddenly rebooted and he kicked M.O.D.O.K.'s ass. (Though, I will miss Tony's juryrigged armor, particularly his crazy helmet. Maybe he can work that into a new design.) In the end, Bartoc gets pretty handily dismissed by Cap, sliding down Cap's list of villains despite making a great attempt at breaking into the top ten. Oh, well. It was a good attempt, Bartoc. Better luck next season.
I do have two plot gripes. First, I'm not entirely sure what Bunn wants us to think about the organization for which Kashmir actually worked. (I told you that she was a middle man.) I don't recognize the triangle that she wore on her costume this issue, which appears again on the tower where the two women talk about her (and again on one of the women's wrists). Given that it involves all women, I would guess Superia is involved, but I'm not sure. Moreover, I'm not really sure why they had all these destroyed military matériel piled around the tower. Are they some elaborate demolition grounds? Second, I was pretty surprised that Bunn allowed this organization to retain access to Tony's armor. Tony doesn't really let that stuff hang out there. (I'm old enough to remember "Armor Wars" and "Armor Wars II.") Tony knows that Kashmir activated the Harvester Protocol twice (in issue #633 and this issue). He's got to know that his armor's information went somewhere. After all, Kashmir is wearing one of his gauntlets. But, he seems pretty nonchalant about it here, focusing just on eliminating the virus from Madripoor's electronic network. I would be expecting him to track down where the information went, and it's odd to me that Bunn didn't make it clearer that he would be doing that.
Despite these two points, I still thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this arc. It was much better than the dinosaur symbiotes and really re-energized the whole premise of this title for me. I'm not a huge Namor fan, so I can't say that I'm that excited about the next arc. But, at least I can re-read this one in the meantime.
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