Since its relaunch, Thunderbolts has had a simmering Purple Man story. Here’s where it takes off. And yet, smack dab in the middle (issue #11) is a House of M tie-in.

Rather ponderous.

When last issue ended, “Swordsman” had stabbed Purple Man to rescue Songbird who, I’m sure, was about to be raped. Because that’s how Purple Man do. Later in this story, we learn that he’s been living in the girls’ dorm at Empire State University. He’s so gross.

Now, they have to fight their way through mobs that are being directed by Purple Man (apparently being stabbed through the chest didn’t kill him) and also NYPD’s Code Blue squad (also under Killgrave’s control).

The T-Bolts arrive as well–also with the goal of arresting Songbird and “Swordsman.” It seems Purple Man also framed Songbird for murder. If that seems odd, it’s because it is. It turns out EVERYONE is under Killgrave’s control.

Which explains why Swordsman is so ridiculously powerful. He stabs Jenkins…

…and then slices Genis Vell’s throat and is about to kill everyone when Scarlet Witch’s white flash happens.

We then get diverted for one issue into the House of M world. It lasts just the one issue because Genis Vell’s cosmic awareness makes it impossible to fool him into believing HoM is real. Issue #12 returns us to the storyline, only at a different spot and now Genis Vell’s throat isn’t cut open. But Abe is still stabbed. Purple Man’s power-up enabling him to run the entire city is explained by his having managed to exercise his pheromone power into NYC’s reservoir.

I don’t even want to imagine how he got his pheromones into the water supply.

Or maybe that’s NOT it. Purple Man has also managed to enslave Overmind, so maybe that’s how he’s doing it? The comic says it’s both but…Not sure why all that is necessary.

Anyway, the T-Bolts fight a bunch of mind-controlled heroes (including a new Doctor Spectrum, who will appear later).

Eventually they defeat Killgrave (he gets away though), and Genis Vell gets yet another new costume.

Epilogue shows that Baron Zemo was behind all of it and has magic stones that enabled him to control Killgrave. Really? It’s Zemo AGAIN?!?

This story doesn’t make a lot of sense.