Floating in the timestream after trying to stop Nebula, Kang Fred realizes the demonic invasion of New York is erasing Earth’s possible futures. Noticing the Avengers’ absence, he transports to the present to seek them out and preserve the timeline. He finds the Captain, Forgotten One, and Reed and Sue Richards battling Nanny, Orphan-Maker, and the entranced Franklin Richards. The heroes capture the armored Franklin, but Nanny and Orphan-Maker try to fl ee aboard their ship; when Sue tries to stop them with her forcefield, the ship explodes from the strain, though Forgotten One reports that Nanny must have jettisoned an escape pod. N’astirh appears and abducts Franklin, seeking his power to bolster the stepping disc through which the demons are entering Earth’s dimension. As he fades away, Kang activates his Growing Man, ordering it to lure the heroes to N’astirh and Franklin, thus solidifying their alliance and preserving the timeline. During the search for Franklin, the Captain spots Thor battling demons, an immobile Black Knight at his feet. Creating a time vortex to protect the Knight, Thor joins the hunt. The disguised Growing Man attacks the Avengers and lures them to the demons’ lair. The heroes defeat the demons and free Franklin, but the Growing Man again attacks. Thor recognizes the Growing Man after it grows after being struck. Using the Fantasticar Reed delivers energy beams that reconfi gure the Growing Man’s internal structure to shrink when struck, and Thor pounds it to nothingness. After taking Franklin home the five heroes agree to band together as a new team of Avengers.
Tie-in to “Inferno.” Tom Morgan is given special thanks for art assistance. The cover logo used between Av #96, ’72, & Av #235, ’83, returns. The team re-forms with Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, and the Forgotten One (who begins using the name Gilgamesh again, at Reed’s suggestion) joining the Avengers for the fi rst time. With the Captain and Thor rejoining, Mjolnir and Cap’s shield once again will be heretofore omitted from item listings. The Black Knight succumbed to the Ebony Blade’s curse in Thor #400, ’89. Contains a three-page roster of the Avengers’ past and present members, identifying when they joined and listing each Av issue in which they appeared. Roster listings need correction as follows: Swordsman joins in Av #20; Mantis in GS Av #4; Beast, Moondragon & Hellcat in Av #151; Jocasta, Wonder Man & Captain Marvel in Av #211, 182 & 227, respectively; Thing in WCA #9; Firebird circa Av #305; Moon Knight in WCA #33; and Mr. Fantastic & Invisible Woman in Av #300. The list omits Two-Gun Kid, active as of Av #174, and Demolition Man, active as of Cap #349, and honorary members Rick Jones, active Av #1; Vance Astro, Charlie-27, Martinex, Nikki, Starhawk & Yondu, active Av #168; and Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) & Whizzer, active Av #173. A typographic error in this listing omits Wasp’s appearances in Av #187 & #188, both ’79, #190, ’79, #191-202, all ’80, #203-208, all ’81, #210-214, all ’81, #217-226, all ’82, #227-238, all ’83, #240-250, all 84, #251, ’85, and #255-259, all ’85. Also contains an Avengers Crew roster, whom Cap and Edwin Jarvis begin hiring next issue; this lists some characters who never appear on panel as members: Talia Kruma, Diane Arliss-Newell, Walter Newell, Genji Odashu, Arnold Roth, Inger Sullivan, and Gilbert Vaughn. Also contains an OHMU-style entry for Jarvis and a diagram of Avengers Park. Lettercol contains an image of the series’ various cover logos.
