Avengers Forever #5

Issue Details

Synopsis

PAST IMPERFECT...FUTURE TENSE! Floating outside time and space in Kang The Conqueror's replica Sphinx, Rick Jones monitors three separate Avenger away-teams. Each is investigating a point of "temporal disturbance" in hopes of gaining insight to the mysterious, yet aggressive, campaign of Immortus.  Giant-Man and Captain America fight alongside The Avengers of the early to mid 21st Century against an overwhelming alien invasion. They battle in the streets of Manhattan down to the very last man, woman and child. The Avengers take down a number of the Martian Walkers as the dronelike Skorpsmen retreat to the Mothership. As the invaders take to the sky, Jocasta reports back to the Black Panther that all of their pursuit aircraft is destroyed. Determined not to face extinction, T'Challa boasts rather bloodthirstily that they will somehow prevail. He apologizes to his dear friend Cap for how things seem, sadly reinforcing the demoralized funk doubly time-ripped Steve Rogers is already exhibiting.   In 1959 California, the Wasp and Captain Marvel stumble upon a shapeshifting Skrull agent impersonating Presidential hopeful, Richard Nixon. Pulling out of a crowd to formulate a plan, the duo is dropped upon by a team calling themselves "The Avengers".   Momentarily taken aback, the Wasp tries to explain the situation to the heroes. Confused and taking the anarchronists for Communist super-agents, the "50s Avengers" attempt to subdue. A quick round of classic "misunderstanding brawl" ensues until 3-D Man and crew realize that they should just listen. Together, the two groups of Avengers refocus on the Skrull impersonating the Vice President.   Outside Tombstone Arizona in 1873, Hawkeye, Songbird and Dr. Pym's younger, mentally-unstable Yellowjacket self deal with their Chronoshere being stolen from a remote cave. Suddenly, a cackling hologram of the alternate Kang actively contending in this era[1] taunts the heroes, detonating an explosive collapse of the cavern. Using her solid-sound powers, Songbird saves her teammates. Emerging from the debris, Hawkeye chaperones a quarrel of the other two. Catching their attention is a trio of horsebacked gunfighters appearing to be the Black Rider and The Gunhawks: Reno Jones and Kid Cassidy. Erring on the side of avoiding an altercation, Hawkeye extends a friendly hand.   That evening, the two groups make camp under the stars. Hawkeye, an Old West aficionado, probes the gunslingers for details. Through the course of his seemingly innocent inquiry, it's revealed that the cowboys are actually Immortus's own shapeshifting Space Phantoms!   Back in 1959 California, two FBI agents impede the Avengers' confrontation of the Skrull Nixon. Still reeling from Venus's "love zap", Captain Marvel's cosmic awareness is still realigning. Focusing, he fires photonic blasts at the agents, forcing them to revert to their true Space Phantom selves. As the 50s heroes take it to the otherdimensional henchmen, Rick Jones advises Wasp and Captain Marvel that disturbance activity in their timeline is escalating wildly.   "Nixon" concludes his speech. Exiting the podium, he is greeted by a bearded general. Shaking hands, the "General" forces the Skrull to drop the disguise. The alien is pelted with garbage, its death called for, as fear and hysteria grip the audience. Calmly, "General Immortus" holds the Forever Crystal and walks the fairgrounds, culling the reality around him from existence.   Captain Marvel and the Wasp return immediately to their Chronosphere as Rick frantically urges them to return to the Sphinx. Marvel engages the jump drive as the wave of white blank nothing comes upon them...