"Offerings" Part 3 of 3. Script by Bob Harras. Pencils by Mike Deodato. Inks by Tom Palmer. Cover by Steve Epting and Tom Palmer.
On snow-covered Wundagore Mountain; Quicksilver, Crystal, and the High Evolutionary battle for their lives against Rakkus! The powerful and vicious acolyte seeks to claim the mystic mountain for his master Exodus! But the High Evolutionary will not surrender his home to anyone! It's a savage struggle in the snow for Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Cameo appearances by the Black Widow, Captain America, Ares, Hercules, and Hera. Second story: "The Door: Synchronity, I" Script by Ben Raab. Pencils by Jeff Matsuda. Inks by Klaus Janson. At the end of Avengers 375, the dying Watcher restored Avengers Mansion to its past glory! However the Watcher did so by importing an original mansion from an alternative reality! But this "new" mansion is not quite like the previous one…as the Black Widow and her teammates are about to discover! (Notes: The High Evolutionary appears next in Thor 484. Bova returns in Excalibur 113. The first subplot of The Crossing storyline begins in the second story.)
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
"Shattered Vows!" Guest-starring Franklin Richards and Devlor of the Fantastic Force. Script by Tom Brevoort and Mike Kanterovich. Art by Mike Gustovich. Cover by Mike Gustovich.
After many years away, Shatterstar returns to Earth! And the Kree warrior is still in the business of collecting inhumans for his mighty (deceased) empire! Finding none in the deserted Himalayas, Shatterstar rushes to New York City to capture the Avengers' favorite inhuman elemental! After corralling Crystal, the Kree emissary moves on to his next target…Devlor! But as Shatterstar is gathering inhumans, he's also gathering adversaries! At Cape Canaveral, Earth's Mightiest Heroes and Psi-Lord finally catch up to their galactic foe! Can the Avengers shut down Shatterstar and his delusional dreams? Avengers Lineup: Crystal, Deathcry, Giant-Man, Quicksilver, Thunderstrike, and the Vision. (Note: Shatterstar (aka Arides) previously appeared in Inhumans (1st series) 6.)
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
"Dream Lover" Plot by Bob Harras and Terry Kavanagh. Script by Bob Harras. Pencils by Mike Deodato. Inks by Tom Palmer. Cover by Tom Palmer.
A quiet evening at Avengers Mansion is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Taylor Madison and her new friend Augustine Jones! However, Ms. Jones actually goes by another name…Hera, the Queen of Olympus! And unfortunately she has brought her centuries-old hatred of Hercules to the mansion tonight! Once the awesome goddess subdues Taylor, Pietro, and the remaining Avengers, she turns her attention to the Prince of Power! In seconds the clash of the immortals erupts! Hercules vs. Hera! The mighty Avenger is winning the battle against his step-mother when Zeus and Ares dramatically enter the mansion!
The Lord of the Lightning will stop Hera and save Taylor…won't he? Not quite. Alas, the folly of the Olympian that fell in love with a mortal woman. Will the Lion of Olympus, the legendary warrior that slew the nine-headed Hydra and captured the mighty Cerberus, be felled by a virtual dagger to the heart? A sorrowful ending for Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Final appearance of Taylor Madison.
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
"Message from Home" Plot by Bob Harras and Terry Kavanagh. Script by Bob Harras. Pencils by Fabio Laguna. Inks by Scott Koblish. Cover by Mike Deodato and Tom Palmer.
The Mandroids are in hot pursuit of Deathcry! Why? What has the young Shi'ar avenger done? Apparently received care packages from home thru the volatile wormhole near the sun! That's a big no-no and national security advisor Peter Gyrich is going to make sure the Black Widow and the other avengers know it! After realizing the trouble she's caused, Deathcry flees the mansion! But the Prince of Power convinces her to return and stay with the Avengers. Is everything forgiven? With her friends: yes; with the government: stay tuned!
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
"Shadows of the Past" Plot by Bob Harras and Terry Kavanagh. Script by Bob Harras. Pencils by Mike Deodato. Inks by Tom Palmer. Cover by Mike Deodato.
Shock follows shock for Earth's Mightiest Heroes as they reel from the opening salvo of The Crossing storyline! The Vision and Giant-Man make a gruesome discovery: Marilla and Rita DeMara (the second Yellowjacket) are dead! Apparently murdered in Avengers Mansion by high-intensity plasma blasts! Unbelievable! How did that happen in the Avengers' very own headquarters?! Could it have something to do with that mysterious door in the sub-basement of the mansion? Moments later the Avengers' worst fears are confirmed when a bizarre creature (called Neut) slays Gilgamesh in the biocenter! The Vision chases off Neut, but not before the deadly intruder issues dire warnings to the synthezoid avenger (and his former wife)! Is the past coming back to haunt Earth's Mightiest Heroes? The answer appears to be yes as Avengers Mansion turns into a chamber of horrors! Story continues in Iron Man 321.
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
Avengers/Iron Man crossover. "Dark Days Dawn" Plot by Bob Harras and Terry Kavanagh. Script by Bill Raab. Pencils by Mike Deodato. Inks by Tom Palmer. Cover by Ed Benes.
Story continues from Iron Man 323. Earth's Mightiest Heroes zero in on Marilla's killer! And it's none other than the golden avenger! Wow, what in the world has happened to Tony Stark?! With disgust Hercules, Giant-Man, and Hawkeye attempt to subdue their long-time friend; but sadly not before he fires a deadly repulsor ray at the Wasp! Janet goes down in a heap as Giant-Man watches in horror. Is The Crossing going to claim another victim? Or can Henry Pym pull off a medical miracle of the highest order? Dark days indeed for the Mighty Avengers. Story continues in Force Works 19.
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
The Crossing - "Bad Blood" Plot by Bob Harras and Terry Kavanagh. Script by Bill Raab. Pencils by Mike Deodato. Inks by Tom Palmer. Cover by Ed Benes.
Story continues from Iron Man 324. Inside Janet Van Dyne's palatial estate, Hank Pym works feverishly to save her life! A giant cocoon has formed around the Wasp's lifeless body to keep her alive while the Avengers' medical attempts continue. However Kang and Mantis will not let their enemies rest!
After Moonraker and a mysterious teenage girl arrive at the South Hampton estate, so does Kang's number one assassin... the nasty Neut! In mere moments Neut cuts a giant swath through the Avengers' ranks! And with only Crystal and Quicksilver left standing, the diminutive blue-skinned warrior prepares to deliver the coup de grâce! But then something (or someone) astonishing emerges from the smoldering cocoon! Whatever it is... it looks like victory!
Story continues in the one-shot: Avengers Timeslide and Iron Man 325.
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
"Balance of Power" First Sign Part 4 of 4. Script by Terry Kavanagh. Art by John Statema (breakdowns) and Tom Palmer (finishes). Cover by Luke Ross and Tom Palmer.
Story continues from Iron Man 326 (part 3). A near impenetrable dome covers Manhattan! And inside the dome at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, the Zodiac is poised to create a new world order! From their vantage point atop the Brooklyn Bridge, Earth's Mightiest Heroes desperately try to pierce the powerful barrier! And thanks to the combined genius of Hank Pym and the young Shell-head, the Avengers breakthrough! Now it's a race against time with Quicksilver in the lead! Can the Avengers dash the dreams of the Zodiac? Or will New York City's fate be written in the stars?
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
"Crawling from the Wreckage" Script by Terry Kavanagh and Howard Mackie. Pencils by Mike Deodato. Inks by Tom Palmer. Cover by Mike Deodato and Tom Palmer.
Plot continues from Incredible Hulk 440. Following the epic clash between the thunder god and the Green Goliath in the Canadian wilderness, Earth's Mightiest Heroes search for the remaining G-bombs left behind by Omnibus! The Vision, Swordsman, and Masque fly to St. Louis; while Thor and the Black Widow rush to the Louisiana Superdome! If the Avengers can defuse the bombs, everything will be okay! If they can't...everything will be gone!
Meanwhile after crash landing in the Grand Canyon, Wanda and Clint fight for their lives against renegade army troops! Their duel in the desert pits sorcery and archery vs. military might!
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
"Paranormal Activity" Part 1 of 2. Plot by Terry Kavanagh and Ben Raab. Script by Ben Raab. Pencils by Mike Deodato. Inks by Tom Palmer. Cover by Mike Deodato and Tom Palmer.
After the shocking events of The Crossing, Earth's Mightiest Heroes finally have a chance to settle down and look forward to the future. But the air of mistrust created by Iron Man's betrayal still lingers inside their Fifth Avenue townhouse. When a mysterious cyborg prowls the mansion's hallways late at night, the tension among the heroes only rises! Who is picking off the Avengers one by one? Could it be Madame Masque? Or perhaps another rogue teammate? In the meantime, Deathcry (and Hercules) blast off towards the moon in hopes of finding a way back home!
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
"Trust Part 2 of 2. Plot by Terry Kavanagh and Ben Raab. Script by Ben Raab. Pencils by Mike Deodato. Inks by Tom Palmer. Cover by Mike Deodato and Tom Palmer.
Benedict stalks the hallways of Avengers Mansion! Who? A bizarre robotic construct thats knocking out one avenger after another! Wanda, Pietro, and the Vision are down! And Thor and Crystal are missing! So whos left to bear down on Benedict? The Black Widow and Masque corner the strange creature in the sub-basement and try to discover its secret! Meanwhile on the moon...after surviving their close encounter, Deathcry and Hercules decide to continue their journey to Shiar throneworld!
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
"History Repeats Itself" Double-size issue. Script by Mark Waid. Art by Mike Wieringo (breakdowns) and Tom Palmer (finishes). Wraparound cover by Mike Deodato and Tom Palmer.
It's the quadricentennial anniversary celebration of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! And appropriately the villain from issue number one is back for issue 400! Under the guise of a young time traveler, the Lord of Lies stops by Avengers Mansion to visit Jarvis! While Loki and the Avengers' butler talk, super-villains from the Avengers' past pop up all over Manhattan! Earth's Mightiest Heroes valiantly battle their enemies all over town and eventually rendezvous at Avengers Park for the final showdown vs. Loki! The classic lineup: Cap, Shell-head, Thor, Wanda, the Vision, Giant-Man, and the Wasp vs. the devious deity who started it all! Avengers Assemble!
48 pages. Cover price $2.50.
"Sins of the Father!" Onslaught Phase 1. Guest-starring Rogue and Gambit. Script by Mark Waid. Art by Mike Deodato (breakdowns) and Tom Palmer (finishes). Cover by Mike Deodato and Tom Palmer.
Story continues from Uncanny X-Men 335. Earth's Mightiest Heroes and Gambit depart Avengers Mansion in search of the Master of Magnetism! The Avengers have questions about Onslaught, and Magneto may have the answers! In the old dominion state, the heroes discover the X-Men's long-time foe (alongside Rogue)...and then attack! The Vision and Thor clash with Rogue; while Quicksilver, Shell-head, and Cap challenge Magneto! However during the mêlée Gambit and the Scarlet Witch realize that there's something different about this Master of Magnetism. Is Magneto a changed man? And is he willing to fight with the Avengers against Onslaught? Story continues in X-Men 55.
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
"End of the Line" Onslaught Impact 2. Final issue of the series. Script by Mark Waid. Art by Mike Deodato (breakdowns) and Tom Palmer (finishes). Painted cover by Tom Palmer.
Story continues from Uncanny X-Men 336. It's the final issue of the Avengers 1st series! And thanks to Onslaught, Earth's Mightiest Heroes find themselves in the middle of chaos on the streets of Manhattan! The Avenges try to restore order, but the crisis shifts from bad to worse when Post and Holocaust savagely attack! However Cap assembles the Avengers one more time (in their 1st series) for a dynamic donnybrook against Onslaught's deadly agents! Can Earth's Mightiest Heroes complete their 402-issue run with another classic victory? Story continues in X-Men 56 and (the one-shot) Onslaught Marvel Universe.
32 pages. Cover price $1.50.
"The Sting of the Serpent" Part 1 of 2. Script by Roy Thomas. Pencils by Frank Giacoia. Inks by Sam Grainger. Cover by Marie Severin and Sam Grainger. The Sons of the Serpent prowl New York City once again! And the venomous hate group has a new target! An up-and-coming singer named Monica Lynne! But fortunately for the talented vocalist, she has a guardian angel or perhaps better yet…a guardian panther!
"Yearning to Breathe Free!" Guest-starring Puma. Script by Danny Fingeroth. Art by Rich Buckler (breakdowns) and Tom Palmer (finishes). Cover by John Buscema and Tom Palmer.
In their civilian identities, Steve Rogers, Sigurd Jarlson, and Gilgamesh tour historic Ellis Island. The three avengers' visit to the island is proceeding normally until it's interrupted by Thomas Fireheart! Wow, where did Puma come from? And who is he chasing through the Great Hall? Apparently one of the maintenance workers is a former member of Puma's tribe! And he has the awesome ability to open portals to other dimensions!
"There is a Fire Down Below" Part 2 of 3. Script by John Byrne. Art by Paul Ryan (breakdowns) and Tom Palmer (finishes). Cover by Paul Ryan and Tom Palmer.
While swimming into Upper New York Bay, the Sub-Mariner is ambushed by a legion of Lava Men! However, Prince Namor has plenty of company at the bottom of the bay! Namely his fellow avengers! Trapped within a rocky sphere, the Avengers desperately try to break free before suffocating!
"Blood Wraith" Script by Glenn Herdling. Pencils by Mike Gustovich. Inks by Ariane Lenshoek. Cover by Steve McDaniel and Hector Collazo.
An invasion by 6th century marauders interrupts a peaceful evening at Avengers Mansion! Out of the blue medieval warriors attack Crystal, Hercules, and the Vision! What do these men from the Middle Ages want? Only the most important object from their time…the Black Knight's ebony blade! But the bloodthirsty blade is not to be found at the Avengers headquarters! It's at Whitman Manor near the nation's capital! Once Sersi and the Black Widow repel the invaders in New York, the Avengers rush to Washington D.C. to protect the dangerous artifact! However another pair of 6th century robbers are already there! When the menacing duo subdues Victoria Bentley and Seth Dolan, the Black Knight's squire has no choice but to brandish the ebony blade himself! And in that split second the Bloodwraith is born! Can Earth's Mightiest Heroes contain the savage Bloodwraith? Or will the cursed ebony blade begin a new rampage in the 20th century? First appearance of the Bloodwraith. Appearances by Lockjaw, Luna, Marilla, Chandu, Le Sabre, Maha Yogi, and Mongu. Avengers Lineup: Black Knight, Black Widow, Crystal, Hercules, Sersi, and the Vision. Second feature: One-page pin-up of Crystal vs. the Anti-Vision by Michael Avon Oeming. Third feature: One-page pin-up of Magdalene by Michael Avon Oeming. Fourth feature: One-page pin-up of the Anachronauts by Dan Panosian. Fifth story: "A Gamble With Time" Script by Roy Thomas, Jean-Marc Lofficier, and Randy Lofficier. Pencils by Al Milgrom. Inks by Mark Steckbauer. Terminatrix and the Anachronauts travel back to the 6th century to correct an anomaly in the time-space continuum involving the ebony blade. Flashback cameos by Merlin and Kang the Conqueror. (Notes: Elements of the plot continue from the Black Knight Limited Series (1990). The Bloodwraith returns in Avengers 366 (second story). Splash page art by Mark Pacella and Dan Panosian. The polybagged version includes a Bloodwraith trading card.) 64 pages.
Cover price $2.95.
"Strangers on an Astral Plane" Script by Roy Thomas. Art by John Buscema. Cover by John Buscema.
Two eternal enemies of the Prince of Asgard and the Lion of Olympus join forces! The ancient gods, Pluto and Loki, devise a new scheme in which each one will destroy the other's long-time foe! So Zeus won't be able to blame Pluto, and Odin won't be able to blame Loki for the deaths of their beloved sons! A brilliant plan! And the god of lies and mischief is up first! Loki descends into Tartarus and frees Typhon, the immortal enemy of the Olympians! And without wasting any time, Typhon (and his helpers from Tartarus) ambush Hercules in a Manhattan restaurant! By the time Earth's Mightiest Heroes arrive, Typhon has already defeated Hercules and taken him to Hades! But they don't stay for long as the banished Olympian (with Hercules in tow) moves onto to his final destination…majestic Olympus! With a bold stroke, Typhon extinguishes the Promethean flame and the gods of Olympus disappear! Is that it? Have Loki and Typhon triumphed? Not quite! Once Thunderstrike transports the Avengers to home of the gods, the donnybrook among the deities begins! Can the star-spangled avenger and the Prince of Power overcome Typhon? While Crystal and Thunderstrike try to relight the Promethean flame? For the sake of Olympus…they must! Cameo appearances by Zeus and Persephone. Avengers Lineup: Captain America, Crystal, Giant-Man, Hercules, Thunderstrike, and the Vision. Second story: "Master of His Own Density" Script and art by Al Milgrom. While sitting on monitor duty and surfing cyberspace, the Vision accidentally exposes his synthezoid mind to an internet virus! And this virus is actually a super-villain called Glitch! So Giant-Man helps the Vision eliminate the Glitch! (Notes: Elements of the story continue in Thor Annual 19. Typhon previously appeared in Avengers 163. This is the final annual associated with the 1st series of the Avengers title (1963-1996). Splash page art by John Buscema.)
64 pages. Cover price $2.95.
"No Final Victory!" Guest-starring the Whizzer. Story by Gerry Conway. Pencils by George Perez. Inks by Mike Esposito, John Tartaglione, and Duffy Vohland. Cover by Jack Kirby and Dan Adkins.
Story continues from Avengers 153. It's an action-packed annual as Earth's Mightiest Heroes face one crisis after another! First, a wounded Scarlet Witch returns to Avengers Mansion following her battle against the Living Laser. Then while Jarvis and the Vision summon a doctor for Wanda, the Whizzer regains consciousness and explains his bizarre behavior to the Wasp and Yellowjacket. Meanwhile, a confused Wonder Man wanders the streets of Manhattan. And furthermore the sinister Serpent Crown remains unaccounted for somewhere in the United States! Wow, where do the Avengers begin? Fortunately, Iron Man is able to track the radio-active aura of the crown to Southern California. And inside a west coast army outpost, six avengers plus Wonder Man and the Whizzer fight to the finish against the Living Laser, a renegade army general, and Nuklo! Back up story: "Night Vision!" Script by Scott Edelman. Art by Herb Trimpe. The Vision battles the Whirlwind one-on-one. (Note: Nuklo previously appeared in Giant-Size Avengers 1.)
48 pages Cover price $0.50.
"Shadow War!" Part 3 of 4. Script by Walt Simonson. Pencils by Michael Ryan. Inks by Saleem Crawford and Sal Regla. Cover by Michael Ryan.
The Mighty Thor arrives on Avengers Island! However the Prince of Asgard thinks he has reached Valhalla instead! Auspiciously, his long-time teammates let him know he's actually standing in the reactor containment room of the Avengers' old headquarters! After consulting with Reed Richards; the golden avenger theorizes that some people in this confusing universe are genuine articles, while others have been manufactured from the strange energy emanating from the dormant reactor! But which is which? When the Avengers return to their mansion, Loki's gang attacks! The Enchantress, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, and Thor vs. the Wasp, Ant-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, and the true god of thunder! Cameo appearance by Agatha Harkness. (Notes: The Thor fighting on Loki's side is the one freed from amber in the first issue of the series. This issue features a gatefold cover detailing the current storyline. This issue also includes a 3-page preview of the upcoming Quicksiljver (1997) series.)
40 pages. Cover price $1.99.
"Shadow Victory!" Part 4 of 4. Script by Walt Simonson. Pencils by Michael Ryan. Inks by Saleem Crawford and Sal Regla. Cover by Michael Ryan and Sal Regla.
The evil Trickster absorbs the remaining energy from the gamma core reactor and grows to the size of a giant! With no other options left, the Enchantress and the renegade Thor join forces with the Avengers to stop Loki once and for all! It's going to take all the strength & skill and heart & soul Earth's Mightiest Heroes can muster to defeat the near-omnipotent god of lies! Avengers Assemble in the Heroes Reborn Universe! Final appearances of the Heroes Reborn versions of Agatha Harkness, Enchantress, Hellcat, and Loki. Avengers Lineup: Ant-Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Thor, and the Wasp. (Note: This issue features a gatefold cover detailing the current storyline.)
40 pages. Cover price $1.99.
World War 3 - Part 2 of 4. "Winning and Losing" Guest-starring the Fantastic Four, Stormwatch, Wetworks, and the WildCATs. Script by James Robinson. Pencils by Michael Ryan. Inks by Saleem Crawford and Sal Regla. Cover by Richard Bennett and Tom Laney.
Story continues from Fantastic Four (2nd series) #13. It's a convoluted tale of merging universes and alternate realities! After the stunning conclusion to the four-part Heroes Reunited story, the Heroes Reborn universe merged with the Wildstorm universe! And the various superheroes were mixed and matched on different teams! And now with the joint universe under attack from the Skrulls, Daemonites, and Doctor Doom; the heroes must develop a two-pronged strategy to "unlock" the two universes! Story continues in Iron Man (2nd series) #13. (Notes: This issue completes the second volume of the Avengers. Earth's Mightiest Heroes appear next in the Heroes Reborn: The Return limited series published in December 1997; and then in Avengers (3rd series) #1 published in February 1998. The cover of each issue of the four-part story forms a larger illustration. This issue features a gatefold cover.)
32 pages. Cover price $1.99.
Liefeld Cover - "Awaken the Thunder!" Written by Rob Liefeld and Jim Valentino. Art by Chap Yaep, Rob Liefeld, Jon Sibal and Marlo Alquiza. Cover by Rob Liefeld and Jon Sibal.
When a mysterious figure is found trapped in the ice of Norway, the legendary Captain America assembles his new team of heroes to investigate. In a flash of lightning, Thor the god of thunder is reborn! But thanks to the manipulations of Loki the god of evil, the mighty Thor and the Avengers come to blows. Can Earth's Mightiest heroes stop pounding on each and unite before it's too late and Loki gets his ultimate revenge? In the wake of Onslaught, Rob Liefeld re-imagines Earth's Mightiest Heroes for new generation!
56 pages, FC. Cover price $2.95.
