In this “very special issue,” the regular creative team tells a Thunderbolts story that wraps around a flashback sequence credited to Roger Stern and Ron Frenz.
Black Widow has appeared in this series already, and it turns out she used her espionage background to figure out who the T-bolts really are. But rather than out them, she tells Songbird and Fixer a story.
This makes sense–she herself was a Russian spy who turned, and one of her first partners was criminal-turned-hero Hawkeye. And the story she tells is how Hawkeye, with ex-Evil Mutants Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, joined The Avengers.
Busiek has quite a niche, reimagining Marvel history. And he’s so good at it. Marvels. Untold Tales of Spider-Man. Even the death of Phoenix.
After telling her story, she urges Songbird and Fixer to take down Zemo.
Interesting that Widow doesn’t offer to help.