Avengers #72

Issue Details

Synopsis

"Did You Hear The One About Scorpio?" Rick Jones returns to Avengers Mansion, just as the group is about to start their meeting. During the opening discussion about three missing New York officials, the Avengers are interrupted by a call from S.H.I.E.L.D. member Dum Dum Dugan. Dugan informs them that the officials were kidnapped by Scorpio, and ask the Avengers to handle the situation because Nick Fury is dead (following the events of Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD Vol 1 15). After the call, Rick Jones explains that Scorpio was the reason why he too came to the Avengers. When dropping in on Nick Fury's apartment, he found Scorpio, who attacked him. Switching his place on Earth with Captain Marvel, Marvel chases after the villain. While Scorpio manages to escape, Captain Marvel found a list of names that was dropped during the battle. Rick Jones presents this list to the Avengers. Suddenly Scorpio appears on their transceiver and uses the Zodiac Key to short out the device causing it to explode and knock out the Avengers and Rick Jones. When they all resume consciousness, they find themselves prisoners in Scorpio's hide-out. There, Scorpio introduces his teammates, all members of the group known as Zodiac. While Yellowjacket, and Wasp use their powers to summon an army of ants to destroy the device holding them prisoner, Scorpio and the Zodiac explain that their plan is to take over the world by making an attack on a dozen world capitals. Just then the device holding the Avengers explodes and they are freed. During the battle against Zodiac, Scorpio reveals that he is really Nick Fury in disguise, and he and Rick Jones help fight off the Zodiac, until Aries secures the Zodiac Key and uses it to keep the Avengers and Fury at bay, however Rick Jones manages to stop Aries from using the key against his friends. The Zodiac make a quick escape, and Nick Fury explains that he learned that his brother Jake was the original Scorpio and so used that knowledge to fake his death (by having an LMD assassinated in his place) and infiltrate Zodiac as Scorpio. After, Captain America invites Rick to be his sidekick, Rick turns it down, knowing that he would not be able to maintain the secret of Captain Marvel if he were to do so.