Chapter Summaries

Reed Richards and Ben Grimm joined the Avengers and saw the team’s research into unusual beings, while Robet forced Carnage to surrender. Robet recognized Carnage was plotting revenge and arranged for Venom to deal with him, leaving the Symbiote Legion plan in doubt.

• Jarvis led Reed Richards and Ben Grimm into Avengers Base, where Tony Stark introduced them to the Avengers and asked whether Doom had contacted them.
• Reed Richards and Ben Grimm saw Carnage reduced to sludge in the Training Room and learned the Avengers were researching symbiotes, Vampires, and Werewolves.
• Martian Manhunter explained that he could hear their thoughts and reassured them that the Avengers were not an evil organization.
• Robet pierced Carnage with a Ki Blade and threatened to kill him until Carnage claimed he surrendered.
• Martian Manhunter told Robet that Carnage planned to recover, devour Venom, and target Hulk, so Robet pretended to accept Carnage’s surrender and sent the newcomers away.
• Venom explained that most symbiotes would resist being subdued, making the Symbiote Legion plan difficult, while Carnage realized Venom had arrived.

Robet let Venom devour Carnage, granting Venom a limited anger-fueled power boost. Meanwhile, the Avengers planned to answer S.H.I.E.L.D. and General Ross’s demands for Bruce Banner by bringing Banner to an official meeting while Robet took Hulk to Ross’s military base.

• Robet told Venom to devour Carnage, and Venom consumed him, gaining faint red markings and Carnage’s anger-based ability to grow stronger.
• Venom explained the limits of the ability, while Robet trusted Peter Parker to keep him under control.
• Steve told Robet that S.H.I.E.L.D. and General Ross were demanding Bruce Banner, and Tony Stark suggested using Hulk’s separation from Banner to retaliate against Ross’s faction.
• Tony gave Robet the coordinates of Ross’s military base, and Steve warned him not to let Hulk attack ordinary soldiers or Super Soldiers.
• The next day, Tony and Steve took Bruce Banner to an official meeting while Robet flew toward the base with Hulk, who had forgotten his instructions.

Steve and the Avengers secured Bruce Banner’s freedom at a public meeting, while Robet dropped Hulk into General Ross’s base to confront the Gamma Corps. Hulk crushed one Gamma Warrior with a single punch, leaving the others stunned.

• Steve rallied the attending agencies against General Ross’s claim that Bruce Banner belonged to him, and Tony Stark brought Banner to the meeting.
• Bruce declared that he was joining the Avengers, then transformed into Hulk after Nick Fury challenged his identity.
• Steve explained that Banner had regained his ability to transform through counseling, while Robet prepared Hulk for an attack on the military base.
• Robet dropped Hulk into the base’s open core, where he faced three powerful Gamma Warriors and the less powerful Gamma Corps.
• Hulk punched through a green Gamma Warrior’s chest, stopping the others’ advance and prompting nearby soldiers to retreat.

Robet watched Hulk defeat the Gamma Warriors at General Ross’s base after allowing the blue giant to absorb their energy and grow stronger. Hulk killed the blue and yellow giants, then left with Robet, while General Ross learned of the attack and realized the Bruce Banner at the conference might not have been Hulk.

• Robet observed the Gamma Warriors and told Hulk to hold back while he studied the yellow and blue giants’ abilities.
• The blue giant absorbed the energy of Gamma Warriors who willingly sacrificed themselves, while the yellow giant tried to keep Hulk occupied.
• Robet let Hulk unleash his full strength, and Hulk killed the yellow giant before defeating the blue giant and the remaining Gamma Warriors.
• Robet carried Hulk away and promised to teach him after Christmas, while Hulk denied being dissatisfied.
• General Ross received news that Hulk had nearly wiped out the base’s Gamma Warriors and wondered who had appeared as Bruce Banner at the conference.

Tony Stark confronted General Ross over the destruction of Ross’s Gamma Warrior base, while Ross revealed he had become Red Hulk and overpowered Bruce Banner. The chapter left Ross holding Banner captive as Tony’s portable armor failed to hurt him.

• Tony Stark taunted General Ross about the destroyed military base, and Ross accused the Avengers of having Hulk attack it.
• Ross provoked Bruce Banner by saying Betty was about to marry, and Banner transformed into Hulk and grabbed him.
• General Ross transformed into a much larger Red Hulk, broke Banner’s hold, and captured him despite Banner’s resistance.
• Ross mocked Tony Stark and Steve as he refused to release Banner, while Nick Fury watched without intervening.
• Tony Stark deployed his portable armor and fired a laser at Ross, but the blast did not harm or move him.

General Ross revealed himself as Red Hulk, resisted Tony Stark, and escaped with Bruce Banner after forcing the Avengers into a political standoff. Back at the Avengers Base, Martian Manhunter set out to retrieve Dr. Banner while Hydra and other organizations began coordinating to develop power capable of challenging the Avengers.

• General Ross ignored Tony Stark's energy blast, rejected Tony's challenge, knocked Bruce Banner unconscious, and leapt away toward his military base.
• Tony Stark and Steve left the scene as officials discussed how the incident showed the Avengers could not control every organization.
• Nick Fury and other officials gathered, including Hydra members, and agreed to seek power that could contend with the Avengers.
• Robet tested Tony Stark's energy cannon against himself and Hulk, then discussed General Ross's strength and Hulk's potential.
• Steve explained that killing General Ross would cause serious trouble, and Martian Manhunter volunteered to bring Dr. Banner back.
• Martian Manhunter vanished from the Avengers Base to retrieve Dr. Banner.

Hulk defeated Banner in the Training Room, but Banner escaped after arguing that the Hulk-shaped body belonged to him. Peter Parker and Venom then challenged Hulk, whose anger carried over into a fight that left Peter in control as Hulk grew increasingly furious.

• Banner surrendered to Hulk, then tricked him with an argument and escaped the Training Room while still in Hulk's form.
• The Avengers watched Banner arrive in the Observation Room, where Tony Stark arranged for Reed Richards and Ben Grimm to be brought to the base.
• Peter Parker and Venom challenged Hulk, and their opening clash surpassed the peak of Banner and Hulk's fight.
• Robet used Telekinesis to protect the Training Room and Avengers base as Peter dodged Hulk's attacks and countered him.
• Hulk became enraged after Peter repeatedly knocked him down, and his body swelled as he entered a berserk state.

Peter Parker and Venom fought Hulk as his strength kept increasing, until Hulk used a dirty tactic and bit Peter Parker. Venom took control and the spar became a brutal fight, which Robet stopped before either fighter could continue.

• Venom strengthened Peter Parker, who used his superior combat skills to hold off Hulk even as Hulk grew stronger.
• Hulk grabbed Peter Parker and bit his thigh, prompting Venom to take control of Peter Parker's body.
• Venom bit Hulk and tore off a chunk of flesh, and Hulk retaliated by biting Venom as they fought viciously.
• Robet separated Hulk and Venom, but they charged at each other again until Robet's pressure forced them to stop.
• Venom retreated into Peter Parker's body, while Hulk stood obediently before Robet, confused and afraid.

Robet disciplined Peter Parker and Venom after their sparring match with Hulk turned dangerous, but Hulk’s body unexpectedly birthed a new Symbiote named Carnage, who seized control and attacked. Robet restrained Carnage and began considering whether Symbiotes could be trained or produced as a powerful force for the Avengers.

• Robet reprimanded Peter Parker for failing to control Venom during the fight with Hulk, while Peter and Venom explained how the incident began.
• Hulk’s aura changed as a red Symbiote emerged from his body, took control, and named itself Carnage.
• Carnage eyed Robet as prey, then charged Venom and declared that he wanted to eat him.
• Robet knocked Venom and Carnage apart, then used an invisible force to compress Carnage into an immobile sphere when Carnage attacked him.
• Venom explained that Symbiotes regarded one another as enemies despite their parent-child relationship, but Robet dismissed the warning and considered building a Symbiote force for the Avengers.

Robet took Hulk to Savage Island and began training him to control his strength without getting angry. Meanwhile, Baron Strucker resurfaced in South America with his Animal Warriors, preparing to pursue his research after Hydra and official forces destroyed his Antarctic base.

• Robet returned to Avengers Base, where Tony Stark explained that Hulk’s constant fighting had disrupted the Avengers’ research.
• Robet took Hulk to Savage Island, suppressed his strength, and told him to break through the restriction without getting angry.
• Robet left Hulk surrounded by carnivorous Dinosaurs, and Hulk fought off the Raptors while resisting his anger and recovering from his injuries.
• Robet observed that Hulk could respond to his voice and planned to test him against the mutant tyrannosaurus rex and Kong once he had mastered his strength.
• Baron Strucker appeared in South America with his Animal Warriors after Hydra branches and official forces had attacked his Antarctic base and stolen his research data.

Baron Strucker led the Animal Warriors in an attack on the White Building, destroying it and abducting Mr. President as the Avengers and official agencies launched a search. The chapter ended when Mr. Leader appeared on television, leaving viewers stunned as he began to speak.

• Baron Strucker gathered the Animal Warriors in Washington and ordered Carter Hall to capture the gentleman inside the White Building.
• The Animal Warriors overwhelmed the building’s security, killed guards, and reduced the White Building to ruins.
• Carter Hall killed Mr. President’s bodyguards, knocked him unconscious, and brought him to Baron Strucker, who ordered the group to retreat to Base One.
• Tony Stark and Steve sent the Avengers to search for Mr. President and the Animal Warriors, and Tony ordered Bruce Banner to join the operation.
• Mr. Leader appeared on television after the broadcast signal was disrupted, and viewers froze as he opened his mouth.

The President began exposing S.H.I.E.L.D.’s secrets on television, prompting Baron Strucker to reveal Hydra’s ties to the agency, but Dr. Zola cut the broadcast. The Avengers and official agencies converged on the Statue of Liberty, where S.H.I.E.L.D. opened fire on Baron Strucker’s position.

• The President revealed S.H.I.E.L.D. operations that exposed traces of Hydra, alarming Alexander Pierce and furthering Baron Strucker’s plan to expose rival Hydra factions.
• Dr. Zola cut off the television signal before The President could reveal more, while Nick Fury angrily ordered S.H.I.E.L.D. to locate the source.
• Tony Stark let the broadcast continue until Dr. Zola interrupted it, and Jarvis tracked Baron Strucker and The President to the Statue of Liberty.
• The Avengers and several official agencies gathered near the Statue of Liberty, but they hesitated to attack for fear of damaging the landmark and drawing blame.
• Baron Strucker taunted the assembled forces and threatened to reveal more secrets, so Rumlow and Hydra forces opened fire; Nick Fury then ordered S.H.I.E.L.D. to join the attack.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s bombardment destroyed the Statue of Liberty, but Carter Hall and the Animal Warriors survived and attacked the gathered official agencies. Steve fought Baron Strucker in Tony Stark's new Vibranium-based combat suit, revealing that the Avengers had upgraded their defenses.

• S.H.I.E.L.D. destroyed the Statue of Liberty while searching for The President, and the gathered agencies condemned the attack and distanced themselves from S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Carter Hall attacked S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fighter jets with his Nth Metal blade and destroyed them in the air.
• Tony Stark learned from Martian Manhunter that Carter Hall's equipment contained a mysterious metal and decided to obtain it for his armor research.
• The Animal Warriors emerged from the ruins and slaughtered the underprepared forces of the official agencies.
• Steve charged Baron Strucker, who overpowered him and pulled away his Vibranium Shield, but Steve's new combat suit absorbed the blow and knocked Baron Strucker backward.

Steve and Bucky struggled against the Animal Warriors on Liberty Island while Martian Manhunter used psychic attacks to disable many of them. Johnny Storm and Venom arrived to rescue Steve and Bucky, leaving the battle against Baron Strucker and the Tiger-Man in their hands.

• Baron Strucker overwhelmed Steve with his speed and strength, forcing Steve to focus on surviving and holding him off.
• Martian Manhunter defeated Carter Hall with psychic power, then knocked out and secretly carried away many Animal Warriors.
• Bucky Barnes failed to defeat the Tiger-Man and was badly wounded, while Steve also struggled against Baron Strucker.
• Johnny Storm arrived and blasted Baron Strucker away, while Venom took over Bucky's fight against the Tiger-Man.
• Baron Strucker recovered from Johnny's attack, and Johnny charged at him again.

Johnny Storm killed Baron Strucker, triggering explosions inside the Animal Warriors that injured Avengers on Liberty Island and devastated Avengers Base. Martian Manhunter rescued the badly wounded Carter Hall, then headed to Liberty Island, where the Avengers confronted Johnny Storm about the blasts.

• Johnny Storm burned Baron Strucker and pierced his chest, while Baron Strucker’s imitation Nth Metal equipment tried to heal him.
• Johnny Storm killed Baron Strucker, setting off successive explosions inside the Animal Warriors that injured Avengers on Liberty Island.
• Explosions also struck Avengers Base, where Martian Manhunter survived by becoming intangible and found Carter Hall alive beneath a sphere of metal.
• Martian Manhunter placed Carter Hall in a Nutrient Healing Pod, asked Reed Richards and Jack Russell to watch over him, and left for Liberty Island.
• The Avengers gathered on Liberty Island, and Pietro accused Johnny Storm of causing the Animal Warriors’ explosions.

After the Avengers defeated the Animal Warriors, Steve urged Tony Stark to avoid front-line combat, while the Avengers left to negotiate with officials. At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Nick Fury withdrew to a secret base and prepared to use a bionic double as a decoy, but an identical voice interrupted him.

• Martian Manhunter reported that the Orcs had exploded, though Carter Hall had survived and been placed in a Nutrient Healing Pod.
• Tony Stark asked about Hulk and Superman, then assigned Steve to handle negotiations while the Avengers departed the scene.
• Steve advised Tony Stark to control his armor from behind the scenes, but Tony Stark postponed the decision.
• Nick Fury lamented the Avengers' strength and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s troubles before disappearing through a hidden passage beneath his desk.
• A man who looked like a S.H.I.E.L.D. employee followed Nick Fury through the passage, while another identical man waited outside the office.
• At a secret base, Nick Fury revealed nutrient tanks containing bionic copies of himself and prepared one as a sacrificial pawn before a voice identical to his own spoke up.

Nick Fury confronted a Skrull impostor in his secret base and tried to stop the alien’s infiltration, but both were shot during their fight. A second Skrull arrived, copied Nick Fury’s appearance, and prepared to kill the dying director as the first Skrull’s plan continued.

• Nick Fury recognized the intruder as a Skrull and learned that Skrulls were infiltrating Earth and that the Mad Titan might send people there.
• The Skrull attacked Nick Fury, and both were hit by laser beams after trying to use the same tactic against each other.
• The wounded Skrull revealed that Nick Fury’s message to the Avengers had been blocked and that he had survived the attack by a narrow margin.
• Nick Fury tried to rise and kill the Skrull but collapsed from his wounds and regretted not choosing a stronger enhancement.
• Another Skrull entered, copied Nick Fury’s appearance, and was told to take over his position and use the androids.
• The first Skrull died, and the impostor who looked like Nick Fury stomped toward the wounded Nick Fury’s head.

A Skrull posing as Nick Fury worked with Alexander Pierce to preserve S.H.I.E.L.D. and sent Coulson away to build a covert team that could approach the Avengers. After S.H.I.E.L.D. survived an effort to abolish it, the interim president proposed that the Avengers take turns guarding him, leaving officials and the Avengers stunned.

• Nick Fury learned that Rumlow had faked his death and spoke with Alexander Pierce about using their connections to keep S.H.I.E.L.D. intact.
• Nick Fury told Coulson to leave S.H.I.E.L.D. and establish a separate secret team, offering him a Helicarrier, a base, and funding.
• The interim president took office and began rebuilding the White House and the New Statue of Liberty while trying to abolish S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Nick Fury, Hydra, and Skrull channels helped block the abolition, and S.H.I.E.L.D. remained an official organization with reduced funding.
• The interim president proposed that the Avengers take turns serving as his personal bodyguards, shocking officials and the Avengers.

The Avengers rejected the interim President’s demand that they serve as his bodyguards, wary of losing their freedom, exposing their identities, and appearing to dominate the government. Tony Stark agreed to build remotely controlled armor for the task, while Nick Fury rallied the official agencies to pressure the President into forcing the Avengers to comply; the plan passed despite General Ross’s objections.

• Johnny Storm and the other Avengers angrily dismissed the demand, and Steve warned that refusing to respond could let official agencies turn public opinion against them.
• Martian Manhunter cautioned the Avengers against acting rashly, and Steve rejected Peter Parker’s suggestion to send Vampires and Werewolves as bodyguards.
• Tony Stark proposed building two remotely controlled suits of armor to represent the Avengers, and the others approved his plan.
• Nick Fury urged the official agencies to exploit the demand to pressure the Avengers and find their weaknesses, while General Ross warned against targeting their loved ones.
• Nick Fury called a vote, and despite General Ross voting against the operation, eighty-five percent supported pressuring the President to force the Avengers to provide bodyguards.

The Avengers rejected the acting President’s demand for bodyguards and met the official agencies at a stadium, where Steve and Tony Stark challenged their claims to handle extraordinary incidents. As Nick Fury pressed the Avengers to surrender their authority, Tony presented a suit of armor and demanded that S.H.I.E.L.D. share its own secrets in return.

• The acting President asked the Avengers to protect him, while the official agencies planned to use the request to pressure and target them.
• Tony Stark revealed his armor was ready and agreed to confront the agencies, with Martian Manhunter warning that General Ross could be troublesome.
• The Avengers and official agencies gathered at a stadium, where Steve told the acting President that protecting civilians took priority over guarding him.
• Nick Fury proposed that S.H.I.E.L.D. protect the President in exchange for reconsidering the Avengers’ authority over extraordinary incidents.
• Tony Stark accused the agencies of failing to handle extraordinary incidents and appeared in his armor after Nick Fury challenged the Avengers to demonstrate their power.
• Nick Fury criticized the Avengers for withholding their technology, and Tony Stark countered by demanding access to the Tesseract and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s research.