In Love & War

The Avengers have been captured by the 31st Century tyrant calling himself Kang the Conqueror, who has come to the present day in order to conquer this era. With nobody else able to free Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Nick Fury has mobilized a team of SHIELD agents to help take stop Kang and free the captive heroes.[1]

In response to this show of force, Kang emerges from his ship with his consort, the woman known as Mantis. Armed with Captain America’s shield, Hawkeye’s bow and arrow, and the Swordsman’s trademark weapon, Kang easily trounces the SHIELD agents with his futuristic weaponry. Mantis is surprised that the humans of this era keep fighting even in the face of impossible odds.

Meanwhile, back at Avengers Island, Janet Van Dyne pays a visit to her boyfriend Hank Pym in his lab. She is in the middle of telling him about Kang’s invasion of New York when Hank’s robot assistant, Ultron, tries to comfort her. Repulsed by the idea of having a robot touch her, Janet swats it away. Hank is surprised to see Ultron act in such a manner as he did not program its artificial intelligence to display this kind of behavior.

Back aboard Kang’s ship, the Avengers are trapped inside stasis tubes with no apparent way to get out. While being held prisoner, the Swordsman blames himself for their capture as he attacked Kang against Cap’s orders. However, not everyone has given up yet. Thor calls out to his enchanted hammer Mjolnir, which is being held in a stasis beam. The hammer answers his call, smashing through his prison to get to him. The thunder god then uses Mjolnir to free the others. Captain America promises the thunder god an opportunity to get revenge against Kang, but insists on formulating a plan this time.

At that same moment, Agatha Harkness has arrived at Avengers Island after getting a premonition that the Scarlet Witch is in danger. She is stopped at the front door by Henry Gyrich who refuses to grant the old witch entrance. Uninterested in dealing with a government mouth piece, Agatha invites herself inside anyway by phasing through the wall. However, this isn’t the real Agatha Harkness, as the real witch is waking up on the floor of her kitchen in New Salem after being attacked. When she finally wakes up she finds Loki sitting in her kitchen and her familiar Ebony held in stasis by a magic spell.[2]

Back at the scene of the battle, the male Avengers all lunge at Kang the Conqueror, who is surprised that they have the courage to face him without their weapons. While they are doing this, Hellcat turns her attention to Mantis. While Kang is distracted by his beloved in danger, the other Avengers are able to wrest their weapons back from Kang. By this time, the Scarlet Witch has cast a hex that will shut down Kang’s force field around the battle scene and Thor rains down a powerful bolt of lightning on their foe. With Kang knocked off his feet, the Swordsman puts his blade to the tyrant’s throat and threatens to run him through. Mantis rushes to the side of her beloved and pleads with the Swordsman to spare her lover.

Captain America ultimately orders the Swordsman to stand down, reminding everyone that the Avengers don’t kill their foes. However, before Nick Fury can take Kang into custody, he and Mantis teleport away. In the aftermath of the battle, everyone notices that the Vision was nowhere to be found and wonder what happened to him. Moments later, the Vision’s body is violently ejected from Kang’s ship and crashes into the ground in a fireball. The Scarlet Witch rushes to his side and sees that the android is badly damaged and unmoving and wonders if it is possible for an android to die.[3]

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Swordsman, Hellcat), Kang the Conqueror, Mantis, Loki, Enchantress, SHIELD (“Nick Fury”), Hank Pym, Janet Van Dyne, Ultron, Agatha Harkness, Ebony

Continuity Notes

1. This is not the real Nick Fury, but a Life Model Decoy planted within SHIELD by the Sons of the Serpent, as we’ll learn in Captain America (vol. 2) #11. At the same time it should also be noted that nearly everyone in this story are constructs created by Franklin Richards. Captain America, the Vision, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Hank Pym, and Janet Van Dyne are the only originals in this story, as explained in Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-4. The Earth-616 Avengers were transported here to save their lives after they sacrificed themselves to destroy Onslaught in Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1. They will have no memories of their past until much later. The real Thor also won’t appear until Avengers (vol. 2) #9.

2. Loki and the Enchantress entered a pact together in Avengers (vol. 2) #1-2, she would help Loki destroy Thor and the Avengers in exchange for control over the Scarlet Witch. Amora has claimed that Wanda is her daughter, a claim that is revealed to be bullshit in Avengers (vol. 2) #12. If it isn’t obvious enough, the "Agatha Harkness” at Avengers Island in the Enchantress in disguise, as we’ll learn next issue.

3. The Vision isn’t dead but remains deactivated for quite some time. Hank Pym isn’t able to get him back online until Avengers (vol. 2) #12.