Avengers #96
The Andromeda Swarm!
With Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, and Captain Marvel prisoners of the Skrulls, the Avengers have come to the SHIELD space station to borrow a craft from the spy agency.[1] Nick Fury gladly gives them the needed ship, provided they can find a way to power it. Using the mystical energies of Mjolnir, the Avengers race across the solar system toward the Andromeda galaxy.
On the edge of the Sol system the Avengers spot a massive Skrull invasion fleet. The Avengers create an illusion that they have an equal force. Although the Skrull armada debates their next move they are contacted by Emperor Dorrek who orders the head of the fleet to start attacking next. The Avengers respond by leaving their primary ship to attack the Skrull fleet individually in smaller individual attack craft. In the ensuing battle, most of the Avengers abandoned ship to board the Skrull attack craft. Goliath is ordered to remain outside to prevent any ships that might break through and threaten Earth.
When they get into the command center of the ship, the Avengers order the Skrulls to surrender. That’s when the Emperor appears on the communication. He tells the Avengers that their mission is doomed as Captain Marvel working on creating an Omni-Wave Projector which he plans on using to destroy the Kree Empire. However, this was an illusion cast by Captain Marvel and now that his Skrull captors are distracted he comes out of hiding and attacks.[2] With the communications cut off, the Avengers then begin thrashing the Skrulls aboard the ship. The Vision, furious that the Scarlet Witch is still a prisoner begins pummeling the commander of the ship nearly to death. All the Skrull will tell them is that they launched a ship carrying a powerful nuclear weapon to annihilate all life on Earth. The Avengers quickly radio Goliath and tell him to intercept and destroy that ship no matter what.[3]
Meanwhile, in the Kree galaxy, the Kree envoy to the Inhumans returns with Rick Jones as their prisoner. Ronan the Accuser easily overpowers the boy when he tries to fight back. Ronan then amuses himself by showing Rick the invasion fleet prepared to attack the Earth. After explaining that this backwater world is of strategic value in the on-going Kree/Skrull War. He then incapacitates Rick and has him tossed into the room where the Supreme Intelligence has been held since Ronan took over. The artificial intelligence then reveals that he had a hand in recent events all to get Rick Jones in his presence. He was the one who ensured H. Warren Craddock started his anti-alien commission and entangle the Avengers. He was the one who had Rick learn that Captain Marvel was heading into a trap. He also played a part in having the Super-Skrull capture Mar-Vell and bring him to the Skrull homeworld. Lastly, he influenced the Krees meeting with the Inhumans to kidnap Rick and bring him to the Kree galaxy.
Suddenly stricken with a powerful headache, Rick asks why the Intelligence orchestrates everything. However, before he can get an answer, Rick is suddenly pulled through a dimensional portal. As he passes through the barrier Rick hears Mar-Vell apologizing in his mind. Rick suddenly finds himself back in the Negative Zone where he is attacked by Annihilus.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Goliath, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, the Vision), Captain Marvel, Rick Jones, Supreme Intelligence, Ronan the Accuser, Dorrek VII, Annihilus, SHIELD (Nick Fury)
Continuity Notes
It’s during this period that Captain America’s body is briefly possessed by his future self who had been forced to relive his life over and over after being shot by a “time bullet”. It’s here he passes along a message to Vision to have his allies to help him in the future. See Captain America: Reborn #3-4.
It’s revealed in Young Avengers #11 that, while Dorrek was fooled by Mar-Vell’s illusion, Mar-Vell was fucking his daughter. This oddly timed sexual encounter will lead to the birth of her son Dorrek VIII who will later grow up to become the Young Avenger known as Hulkling.
Goliath’s fate is not revealed until Avengers #99. Spoilers: He stops the Skrulls and saves the Earth.
Topical References
The narrative mentions that Mars was recently probed by the Mariner 4 satellite. This satellite was launched in 1963 and did a fly-by scan of Mars in 1965. It was later damaged and rendered inoperative in 1967. There have been a lot more proves and rovers sent to the Martian surface since this story was published.
