Synopsis
Last issue the world was spirited away from its orbit (we don't yet where it's arrived at) which caused major problems like earthquakes and erupting volcanoes. 1 casualty was Avengers' butler Edwin Jarvis. Beast and Wasp (Nadia Pym) are fighting to save him in hospital when Beast's advanced bioscan reveals something strange.
Most of the supercharacters on Earth have been frozen in a mysterious stasis. The only ones unaffected are some current and previous Avengers who have been called together in Avengers Mansion by a figure out of their past who *we* have never seen before. Now this woman is given a name - Valerie Vector known as Voyager. We now learn the history of this heroine long thought dead, and it seems even those who weren't around to meet her personally know all about possibly the greatest Avenger of all.
Falcon and Lightning recall how she was 1 of the founding members in #1 of the original series, even giving the team its name. Quicksilver comments that she was the only founder who stayed with the team when he, his sister and Hawkeye joined in #16. (Captain America stayed too but he wasn't a founder.) Sister Scarlet Witch reminds us of #58 where Vision (now 1 of the frozen) joined. (We see panels from these issues reproduced with Vector added in the appropriate art style.)
Hercules introduces the last flashback to #69-71 and the contest between Kang's team of Avengers and the Grandmaster's array of opponents. Voyager faces Victory the Electromagnetic Man in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But her portal field reacts with his energo-field and they both appear to disintegrate. Grandmaster declares that fight a draw.
Now Valerie explains that Victory did die but she was taken out of existence and out of memory. (Does this mean the Avengers and everyone else forgot she existed, and the memories only returned when *she* did?) She says she was in a dreamlike state where she could see time passing in the world. (This is portrayed as a stream of comicbook covers. Was she in the place where Gwenpool goes when she leaves the panels of her comic?) When the Earth was stolen she returned to reality (in front of the Pisa Tower falling over) and sent out the call for the Avengers to assemble.
The Avengers want her to lead them as the only founding member still standing (Hulk (Bruce Banner) is dead, Iron Man (Tony Stark) is missing, Thor Odinson has been replaced by the female Thor (Jane Foster - not dead yet), Henry Pym (Ant-Man) is now merged with Ultron, Wasp (Jan Van Dyne) is frozen along with nearly-founder Captain America), but she defers to the current team leaders Citizen V (U.S. Avengers), Falcon (Avengers) and Rogue (Unity Squad from Uncanny Avengers).
Toni Ho (ex-Iron Patriot) (standing with her USAv team-mates Cannonball and sort-of Red Hulk (Gen'l Maverick)) confirms that they've lost all orbiting satellites including the Alpha Flight space station, but AIM is launching low-orbit drones to give them *some* communications facility. Falcon asks if magic can help but Doctor Voodoo and Scarlet Witch (with *their* UAv compatriots Human Torch (Johnny Storm) and Synapse) say the situation has made magic unreliable. (To complete the roster the so-far unmentioned currently-unattached Wonder Man is standing aside.)
We leave the stymied Avengers and head for Wadi El Rayan in Egypt where a beam from the sky deposits 2 groups of aliens.
1 team we recognise - the Black Order/Cull Obsidian that used to work for Thanos. Black Dwarf, Corvus Glaive, Ebony Maw, Proxima Midnight and Supergiant were the original team from the Infinity crossover. Black Swan was an independent agent also involved in that storyline, but only became a member of the Black Order just with Proxima Midnight in the Unworthy Thor mini-series. This is the 1st time all 6 have been together. And although most of them have been killed in the past only Supergiant reflects that by being incorporeal.
The other team called the Lethal Legion also includes some familiar faces. The 2 Blood Brothers are back (1 of them was killed in the pre-Secret Wars III universe, but in the rebuilt multiverse they're a duo again - see the Avengers Standoff event). The Kree Captain Glory may be Marvel Boy (Noh-Varr)'s father of the same name (dead but so what), or the evil alternate universe version glimpsed in MB(2000)#6. Moyln the Metal-Master an Astran like Moylb the MM from the original Hulk #6. Mentacle appears to be a Rigellian head on a tentacled body. Drall of the Endrionic Empire, gladiator from beyond the stars, and Ferene the Other are more difficult to connect.
Both sides immediately leap into battle. Supergiant's astral form tries to take over Captain Glory's body but Mentacle mentally repels her. Black Swan eye-blasts a Blood Brother. Ferene dodges Corvus Glaive's weapon (a glaive - look it up). Metal Master takes control of Black Dwarf's axe. The Blood Brothers attack Ebony Maw who makes them think he's elsewhere (or does he really teleport out of the way?). Drall and Proxima Midnight clash weapons.
The conflict is halted by an explosion and 2 voices who say they're not allowed to fight until the pyramid is activated. (We saw a black pyramid land in the Colosseum last issue.) They should take time to survey the battleground. The opponents withdraw with ill grace.
The Order's leader Corvus reminds his people that there are 'designated obstacles' in the game. He proposes they destroy these before the game starts.
Back with the Avengers the 3 team leaders are stepping on each other's toes, so Valerie Vector reluctantly steps up. She asks what they're doing about the frozen members. Hercules and Wonder Man have gathered them together (we see Enigma, Squirrel Girl, Vision and Jan-Wasp), and possibly Beast can cure them when he's finished with Jarvis. Voyager agrees with Rogue's idea of dividing into 2 or 3-person teams.
But then a screen comes on showing Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight floating in the air. They tell the Avengers they're in the way. Falcon connects to some birds and sees that the pair are directly above the Mansion. Which gets blown up (and it's only just been rebuilt in UAv#30).