Joe Staton

"Bride and Doom!" Part 1 of 2. Guest-starring the Fantastic Four and the Inhumans.Gorgon and Lockjaw arrive at Avengers Mansion to take Earth's Mightiest Heroes to Attilan for the wedding of Crystal and Quicksilver! Just one small problem though…the Avengers much less the Scarlet Witch never received an invitation from Pietro! Nonetheless, the Avengers are happy to go and minutes later reunite with the Inhumans and the Fantastic Four in the Hidden Land! Will Wanda and Pietro make peace before the wedding? How about Crystal and the Human Torch? Or Mantis and the Swordsman? Unfortunately, any and all reconciliation attempts are interrupted by Maximus, Omega, and the rampaging Alpha Primitives! And shortly thereafter the wild free-for-all begins! But the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and Inhumans should have enough firepower to stop these wedding crashers! Unless there is one more lurking in the shadows! Perhaps a certain adamantium wedding crasher! Oh yes, the day that began as blissful as heaven…becomes an awesome encounter with Ultron-7! Story continues in Fantastic Four 150 (part 2). Cameo appearances by Agatha Harkness and Franklin Richards. Flashback cameo by Omega to recap the events of Fantastic Four 131 and 132. Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Swordsman, Thor, and the Vision. (Notes: Ultron previously appeared in Avengers (1st series) 68 and returns in Avengers 161. The letters page includes a letter from comics writer Ralph Macchio. The letters page also contains Marvel Value Stamp series A #13 Doctor Strange by Steve Ditko.)

"Bewitched, Bothered, and Dead!" After returning from the Great Refuge, Agatha Harkness offers to help the Scarlet Witch further develop her mutant powers. Wanda eagerly accepts Agatha's offer and the two begin working together right away! Their training session is just starting when a creepy super-villain interrupts! It's Necrodamus! And he wants to steal the souls of both Agatha and Wanda! The ancient sorcerer quickly knocks out Agatha! Leaving the Avengers' resident witch to suddenly fend for herself! Can the Scarlet Witch find the inner strength and power to defeat Necrodamus one-on-one? Meanwhile elsewhere in the mansion, the romantic drama involving the Swordsman, Mantis, and the Vision continues to play out…until the Conqueror returns! Cameo appearances by the Fantastic Four, Franklin Richards, Medusa, and Kang the Conqueror. Flashback cameos by the Hulk, Sub-Mariner, and Doctor Strange to recap their battle against Necrodamus in Defenders 1. (Notes: This is one of the favorite issues for fans of the Scarlet Witch. Necrodamus battles Wanda again in Marvel Team-Up 130. The letters page contains Marvel Value Stamp series A #70 Super Skrull.)

"Bid Tomorrow Goodbye!" A bright shining star appears over Avengers Mansion! What does the radiant beacon foretell? Kang the Conqueror thinks he knows! And thus begins the Celestial Madonna saga! The 41st century Master of Time and his macrobots attack the Avengers outside their mansion! After overwhelming the six avengers, Kang absconds with five of them plus Agatha Harkness! The Conqueror deems the Swordsman as unworthy and leaves him behind. Will Kang end up regretting that decision? The former sword-wielding super-villain certainly has his work cut out for him! However, the Swordsman catches a big break when Agatha Harkness telepathically reveals Kang's hideaway! The centuries-old pyramids of Egypt! After arriving in the Egyptian desert, the Swordsman desperately needs an ally! Could one of the ancient pharaohs still be lurking around to help? Story continues in Giant-Size Avengers 2. Cameo appearance by Rama-Tut. Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Swordsman, Thor, and the Vision. (Notes: The classic Celestial Madonna storyline runs through Avengers 129-135 and Giant-Size Avengers 2-4. Kang previously battled Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers (1st series) 71. The letters page contains Marvel Value Stamp series A #88 The Leader.)

"The Reality Problem!" In heartbreaking fashion in Giant-Size Avengers 2, the Swordsman perished at the hands of Kang the Conqueror. And now his teammates solemnly bring their fallen comrade's body back to Vietnam for burial. After the funeral the Avengers exit the Priests of Pama's temple and unexpectedly bump into the Titanic Three! Who are these guys? None other than three famous communist super-villains: the Crimson Dynamo, the Titanium Man, and the Radioactive Man! But Earth's Mightiest Heroes don't have any jurisdiction in the communist-controlled sector, so the colossal confrontation will have to wait! Later on though a small-time hood called the Slasher convinces the Titanic Three to attack the Avengers! And suddenly in the streets of Saigon the battle is joined! Forget détente…the cold war is boiling over right now! The American super-team vs. the communist one! And in the midst of the ferocious fight an even more intense personal battle rages between the golden avenger and the Crimson Dynamo! As Tony Stark looks to pay back the dynamo for the death of Janice Cord in the classic Iron Man (1st series) 22…and pay him back permanently! Cameo appearances by Agatha Harkness and Libra. Flashback cameos by Giant-Man, Libra, Kang the Conqueror, and the Star-Stalker. Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Thor, and the Vision. (Notes: From a historical standpoint, this story took place after the Vietnam War ended, but before the fall of Saigon. Shell-Head and the Crimson Dynamo clash again in Iron Man (1st series) 73. The letters page contains Marvel Value Stamp series A #96 Dr. Octopus.)

"A Quiet Half-Hour in Saigon!" The Avengers search for clues about Mantis' origin in the streets of Saigon. However, their quest for answers continues to come up empty. Meanwhile in timeless limbo, a strange three-way battle among Kang, Immortus, and Rama-Tut concludes. Unfortunately for Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Conqueror emerges victorious! With Immortus' time machine at his disposal, Kang plucks six deceased villains from the time stream to form the unearthly Legion on the Unliving! Frankenstein's Monster, Wonder Man, the Flying Dutchman (aka the Ghost), Midnight, Baron Zemo, and the original (golden age) Human Torch. Wow, an all-star assemblage from the annals of Marvel! And with a spectacular bolt from the blue, Kang interrupts the Avengers' quiet day in Vietnam and transports the heroes to the labyrinths of limbo! Where a blockbuster battle looms next issue…between the quick and the dead! Cameo appearances by Nomad (aka Steve Rogers), Libra, and the Cotati (as the green-hued Swordsman). Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mantis, Thor, and the Vision. (Notes: The build-up of suspense between issues 131 and 132 was tremendous, since most of the resurrected villains had not appeared in almost a decade. Wonder Man, Baron Zemo, and Immortus previously appeared in Avengers (1st series) 9, 15, and 16, respectively. This issue is the third appearance of the original Human Torch in silver age/bronze age continuity. The first is Fantastic Four Annual 4 published in 1966. The second is Avengers 71 published in 1969. The letters page includes a letter from comics artist Ken Meyer, Jr. The letters page also contains Marvel Value Stamp series A #70 Super Skrull by Jack Kirby.)

"Kang War II" In a malevolent manner, Kang the Conqueror has teleported Earth's Mightiest Heroes to the labyrinths of limbo! And now the Legion of the Unliving stalks the Avengers one by one through the endless maze of stone corridors! Frankenstein's Monster begins the action by ambushing the thunder god! Then Midnight blindsides Mantis! However, Hawkeye and Shell-Head accidentally bump into one another and a glimmer of hope emerges for the heroes! But seconds later Baron Zemo, Wonder Man, and the original Human Torch attack! The golden avenger is the first to fall to the unliving legion. And nearby in the maddening maze, the Vision goes down next. Two avengers mortally wounded. Three others wandering around completely lost and alone. In their glorious history, the Avengers have battled through 132 issues, but at this moment the chances of there even being an issue 133…do not look good. Story continues in Giant-Size Avengers 3. Cameo appearances by Immortus, Rama-Tut, Libra, and the Cotati. Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mantis, Thor, and the Vision. (Notes: Giant-Size Avengers 3 is simply a must-read. The letters page includes a letter from comics writer Mary Jo Duffy. The letters page also contains Marvel Value Stamp series A #78 The Owl by Gene Colan.)

"Yesterday and Beyond…" The Celestial Madonna saga continues after the Avengers narrowly defeated Kang in Giant-Size Avengers 3. As a reward for thwarting the Conqueror, Immortus sends Mantis and the Vision on separate journeys through time to discover their respective origins. The Vision's path of discovery starts in the laboratory of Dr. Phineas T. Horton during the early days of World War II. While Mantis' history lesson begins eons ago on Hala, the home planet of the Kree. Meanwhile inside Avengers Mansion, the Scarlet Witch trains with Agatha Harkness to hone her mutant powers. Origin of the Vision. Origin of Mantis. Cameo appearances by Moondragon, Libra, and the Cotati. Flashback cameos by the original Human Torch, the Sentinels, Skrullls, and Kree. Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Thor, and the Vision. (Note: The first subplot connecting the Vision to the original Human Torch was introduced in Avengers 93.)

"The Times That Bind!" The Vision's trip through time marches on as the synthezoid avenger discovers the sad fate of the original Human Torch. After going nova in the 1950's, the torch's body remained dormant and missing for many years until the Mad Thinker located it. However, the twisted thinker just resurrected the torch in order to attack the Fantastic Four. After the FF's victory (in Fantastic Four Annual 4), the original Human Torch became inactive again…until someone else, someone even more evil, found the android body! Also traveling through time, Mantis and her teammates learn how the pacifist Kree and the Cotati worked together to defeat the militant Kree and the Star Stalker centuries ago. And then they observe how the Kree came to Earth to plant the Cotati in Vietnam years later. Meanwhile back in the present time at Avengers Mansion, a confident Scarlet Witch wins a brief skirmish against Moondragon. Origin of the Vision. Origin of Mantis. Cameo appearances by Agatha Harkness and Libra. Flashback cameos by Immortus, the Supreme Intelligence, Quasimodo, Toro, Ultron-5, and the Fantastic Four. Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Thor, and the Vision.

Collects Fantastic Four (1961-1996 1st Series) #25-26, 150, and 255-256 and ANNUAL #19; The Avengers (1963-1996 1st Series) #127, 233, and 301-303 and ANNUAL #14; NEW AVENGERS: CUSTOM #676 - ARMY & AIR FORCE; and The Mighty Avengers (2007-2010) #25-26. Earth's Mightiest Heroes and Marvel's First Family share some of their greatest adventures! First, it's the battle of the century: the Hulk vs. the Thing! And it'll take the combined forces of both teams to stop the destruction! Worlds collide again when Ultron-7 crashes Quicksilver and Crystal's wedding! And the Avengers and the Fantastic Four each have roles to play in cosmic encounters with Annihilus and the Skrulls! Then, on a break from the FF, Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman join the Avengers for the Super-Nova Saga! The New Avengers and the Fantastic Four face the Kree - but why are Hank Pym and the Mighty Avengers breaking into the Baxter Building?!

Backup story is eight page Killjoy story by Steve Ditko.