The Plan Proceeds!

A consortium of super-villains have enacted their “Acts of Vengeance”, a conspiracy in which some high movers pit their greatest foes with enemies they have never faced before. Magneto, the mutant master of magnetism, has set his current plan in motion thanks to the help of the conspirator’s unnamed benefactor. Little does Magneto know that this man is manipulating him and the others for his own ends, as he seeks to destroy the Avengers. He patiently listens to one of Magneto’s impassioned speeches about mutant supremacy before he goes about setting his next plans. This mystery man then retires to his own chambers where he uses a spell to observe the Avengers West Coast…[1]

The Avengers are dealing with the Scarlet Witch, who has been in an unresponsive state since their clashes with Master Pandemonium, and the worshipers of Set. Between losing her children and being forced into being one of the seven brides of Set, Wanda has been under a heavy amount of strain. Hank Pym isn’t sure what they can do for her now, however Wonder Man decides that it is finally time to step up and offer up his brain engrams to restore the Vision’s lost personality and emotions. However, the Vision surprises them all when he declines the offer, saying that doing so would be no different than a recording of a musician’s song. He then announces that he intends on relocating to the east coast team’s roster.[2]

Meanwhile (if such a thing makes sense) in 16th Century England, in the Tower of London, Queen Elizabeth’s time has come. As she is to be executed for the crime of witchcraft she turns over Mary Queen of the Scots. Elizabeth warns Mary that her death will bring also bring the end to the Age of the World. All of this is being observed by Immortus who has been in this period posing as a Lord loyal to Mary. After Elizbeth is being led off to be executed, Immortus loses all interest in this time period and erases it from existence with the wave of a hand.[3] Immortus then returns to his citadel in Limbo, pleased that another problematic divergence has been snapped off from reality putting him one step closer to becoming the master of all time. He then turns his attention back to the Scarlet Witch, as he has taken a keen interest in her recently.[4]

Back at Avenges Compound, Vapor of the U-Foes suddenly appears in the room and tries to attack the Scarlet Witch in her gas form. As Wonder Man pulls Wanda to safety, Iron Man sucks Vapor into his armor. However, when she tries to change into mono-molecular mist that can damage his suit, the armored Avenger violently ejects her. That’s when Ironclad comes ripping up from the floor and pulls Iron Man into the ground. Despite this ambush, Iron Man strikes his attacker with such force that he goes flying across the city. This is witnessed by the Human Torch who is outside talking to Ann Raymond, the widow of his former partner, Toro.[5] The Torch flames on and flies after but is ambushed by X-Ray. That’s when Wonder Man (carrying the Scarlet Witch), Hank Pym, the Vision, and the Wasp come crashing out and warn Ann to stay away from the building due to the threat posed by Vapor.[6] Moments after giving this warning, Vapor detonates inside the building.

Meanwhile, Ironclad pulls himself from a crater in the road. Not wanting to walk all the way back to Avengers Compound, he begins to terrorize people on the street to draw the heroes to him. Seeing an explosion from Ironclad’s rampage, the Human Torch tries to go after him but is caught in an armlock by X-Ray.

Back at the compound, Hank Pym figures their best bet is to try and snap Wanda out of her trance and get her to help. Pym prods the Scarlet Witch by saying the Vision is in danger. This works, but Wanda sees her husband as he was before he was recently disassembled and rebuilt. She then uses her hex powers to force Vapor to return to human form.[7] That’s when Vector arrives on the scene, much to Vapor’s surprise. As it turns out, the other U-Foes were tricked into thinking Vector had died at the hands of the Avengers. Since this is not the case, Vector convinces the other members of his team to retreat.

In the aftermath of the battle, the Avengers can’t understand why they were attacked by villains they never faced before. Worse, they are unable to contact the east coast team, prompting Hank to want to go and see what’s going on.[8] With Iron Man and the Torch charged with going after the U-Foes, Hank, the Wasp, the Vision and Scarlet Witch to leave in a Quinjet. Hank can’t shake an ominous feeling that this is part of something bigger.

Recurring Characters

Avengers West Coast (Iron Man, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man, Wasp, Human Torch, Hank Pym), Magneto, Loki, U-Foes (Vector, Vapor, X-Ray, Ironclad), Ann Raymond, Immortus

Continuity Notes

1. This mystery man turns out to be Loki, as we’ll learn in Avengers West Coast #55.

2. Wanda has been going through a lot over the last while, and in true John Byrne fashion, there is a huge exposition dump right off the top:

   • The Avengers have just returned following their involvement in the Atlantis Attacks event. In it, Wanda was made one of the seven brides of Set. See Silver Surfer Annual #2, Iron Man Annual #10, Uncanny X-Men Annual #13, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #23, Punisher Annual #2, Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #9, Daredevil Annual #5, Avengers Annual #18, New Mutants Annual #5, X-Factor Annual #4, Web of Spider-Man Annual #5, Avengers West Coast Annual #4, Thor Annual #14, Fantastic Four Annual #22

   • Prior to this, the Scarlet Witch just suffered the loss of her twin boys, Billy and Tommy, after they were merged with Master Pandemonium and sucked into a nether realm, as seen in Avengers West Coast #51-52.

   • And prior to that, her husband the Vision was disassembled by an organization called Vigilance. Although he was rebuilt, the Avengers could not restore his emotions or personality. As they were based on the brain engrams of Wonder Man to begin with, Simon refused to allow them to use a second time because he is secretly in love with the Scarlet Witch. See West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42-45.

3. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #4, this divergent reality has been indexed as Reality-78912.

4. Immortus has been interested in Wanda since West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42. His scheme will come to fruition in Avengers West Coast #61-62.

5. Years earlier, Toro died in a battle against Namor in Sub-Mariner #14. Ann came to the Avengers in Avengers West Coast #50 to confirm that her husband was really dead, and this led to the Torch’s reactivation in this era.

6. The Wasp mentions how the U-Foes recently battle the east coast Avengers. See Avenges #304.

7. Here, the Scarlet Witch is referred to as a mutant. This is actually not true. Years later, it is learned that Wanda was experimented upon by the High Evolutionary when she was a baby. In order to cover up his work, he made it so future genetic tests would have her register as a mutant. See Uncanny Avengers (vol. 2) #4-5.

8. The reason why the east coast team can’t be reached is because their headquarters, Hydrobase, was sunk in Avengers #311.

Acts of Vengeance Reading Order

Thor #410, Avengers Spotlight #26, Damage Control (vol. 2) #1, Amazing Spider-Man #326, Incredible Hulk #363, Spectacular Spider-Man #158, Web of Spider-Man #59, Avengers #311, Captain America #365, Fantastic Four #334, Quasar #5, Iron Man #251-252, Avengers West Coast #53, Thor #411-412, Captain America #366, Avengers Spotlight #27, X-Factor #50, New Mutants #84-85, Wolverine (vol. 2) #19-20, New Mutants #86, Power Pack #53, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #11, Amazing Spider-Man #327 , Marc Spector: Moon Knight #8-9, Uncanny X-Men #256-258, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #12, Spectacular Spider-Man #159, Daredevil #275-276, Web of Spider-Man #60, Avengers #312, Punisher (vol. 2) #28-29, Amazing Spider-Man #328 , Alpha Flight #79-80, Spectacular Spider-Man #160, Web of Spider-Man #61, Avengers Spotlight #28, Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger #9, Captain America #367, Quasar #6, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #13, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #10, Punisher: War Journal #12-13, Avengers West Coast #54, Avengers #313, Fantastic Four #335-336 , Avengers West Coast #55, Damage Control (vol. 2) #2-4, Amazing Spider-Man #329