Secret Warriors #15
Writer:
Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Stefano Caselli
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Cover Artist: Jim Cheung

Daisy discusses the departure of Druid with the rest of the team and most agree to try and talk Fury out of his decision. HYDRA arrives at the abandoned Leviathan base and find a message from Orion and the Viper's body. Kraken revives her in a mutated state as Madame Hydra. Fury and Val have one last dinner date.

  • Continuity Notes
  • Appearance by the Countessa
  • Reprinted in:
    • Secret Warriors: Wake the Beast TPB and hardcover
    • Secret Warriors: The Complete Collection Volume 1.

Review:
Things really cook here with Hydra as we witness the rebirth of Viper as Madame Hydra. The flashback sequence coupled with her resurrection is textbook on how to acknowledge the past and revitalize a character, without contradicting what has come before. The Kraken's transformation of Viper is quite disturbing and her rejoining the ranks as Madame Hydra continues the twisted take Hickman has on Hydra. .

Putting aside the fact I don't like the plot point regarding Val, the dinner scene between Fury and Val is great and crackles with some good minimalist dialogue that does manage to play on the history these two have with each other. In many ways, this issue helped ease me the best into accepting the fact that Val is a traitor as the reader is really in the same boat as Fury, needing answers as to why and having to accept what is happening. Dramatically the fallout of Fury's 'date' with Val is expertly contrasted with Daisy's growing feelings for JT and in the middle is the battle between the more heart-driven world view of Daisy's which more than likely echoes a view a much younger Fury held a long time ago.
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Rating: