Acts of Vengeance

Last updated
"Acts of Vengeance"
Marvelage81actsofv.jpg
Promotional image for the Acts of Vengeance series ( Avengers #311 (Dec. 1989) - The Amazing Spider-Man #329 (Feb. 1990)).
Publisher Marvel Comics
Publication dateDecember  1989  –February  1990
Genre
Title(s)
  • Alpha Flight #79-80
  • The Amazing Spider-Man #326-329
  • The Avengers #311-313 Annual 19
  • Avengers Spotlight #26-29
  • Avengers West Coast #53-55
  • Captain America #365-367
  • The Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger (vol. 3) #8-10
  • Damage Control (vol. 2) #1-4
  • Daredevil #275-276
  • Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #11-13
  • Fantastic Four #334-336
  • The Incredible Hulk #363-369
  • Iron Man #250-252
  • Marc Spector: Moon Knight #8-10
  • The New Mutants #84-86
  • Power Pack #53
  • The Punisher (vol. 2) #28-29
  • The Punisher War Journal #12-13
  • Quasar #5-7
  • Silver Surfer #33
  • The Spectacular Spider-Man #158-160
  • Thor #410-412
  • The Uncanny X-Men #256-258
  • X-Factor #50
  • Web of Spider-Man #59-65
  • Wolverine (vol. 2) #19-20
  • Marvel Age #81
Main character(s)
Loki
Doctor Doom
Magneto
Kingpin
Wizard
Mandarin
Red Skull
Acts Of Vengeance Omnibus HC ISBN   978-0-7851-4464-9

"Acts of Vengeance" is a comic book crossover storyline running through several titles published by Marvel Comics from December 1989 to February 1990.

Contents

Publication history

This company-wide fall crossover was centered on the Avengers and Fantastic Four after three consecutive fall crossovers were built around the X-Men and related mutant teams. Promotional materials teased the idea of a wide array of super-villains facing heroes they had never met, or were not part of the heroes' regular rogues gallery.

The core titles of the crossover include Avengers; [1] Avengers Spotlight ; [2] Avengers West Coast ; [3] Captain America ; [4] Iron Man ; [5] Quasar ; [6] Thor ; [7] and Fantastic Four. [8] Major tie-ins included The Amazing Spider-Man [9] among other Spider-Man titles, Uncanny X-Men [10] and the second Damage Control [11] limited series. An epilogue features in Cloak and Dagger ; [12] Web of Spider-Man [13] and in an Avengers Annual. [14] A humorous parody with the character the Impossible Man features in the title Silver Surfer . [15]

A thematic sequel, Acts of Evil, was published in 2019, the 30th anniversary of Acts of Vengeance.

Plot summary

A mysterious stranger (the Asgardian god Loki in disguise) coerces a group of master supervillains to join forces in a conspiracy to destroy the superhero team the Avengers. Loki does this to strike back at his adopted brother Thor, and due to his bitterness that he inadvertently caused the formation of the Avengers. [16] The supervillain team consists of Doctor Doom, the Kingpin, Magneto, the Mandarin, the Red Skull, and the Wizard. Loki also attempts to recruit Apocalypse, Cobra, and the Mad Thinker, but they all decline. Loki also approaches Namor, but he rejects the offer stating he is not a villain anymore.

To assist the master villains, Loki engineers a jailbreak at the Vault. The lesser villains are then directed against heroes (mainly the Avengers and Spider-Man) who have never fought them before, the theory being that the unfamiliarity will act in the villains' favor.

While this does result in some unusual battles, the plan falls apart when the master villains fail to cooperate and instead bicker with each other. An example of this is where Magneto, a mutant and a Jewish Holocaust survivor, attacks the Red Skull, whose Nazi beliefs include a prejudice against mutants, and imprisons him in a buried crypt. The supervillain pawns are defeated by the heroes. A frustrated Loki reveals himself and imprisons the Red Skull, the Mandarin and the Wizard. Meanwhile, Doctor Doom is revealed to have been using a Doombot, the Kingpin makes a timely exit and Magneto is not present. The Avengers track the group and defeat the villains, with Thor forcing Loki to flee back to their home of Asgard. [17]

Loki commits one last act of villainy and fuses three Sentinels to form the robot Tri-Sentinel, so that it can destroy New York City. The Tri-Sentinel is stopped by Spider-Man, who at the time possessed the powers of Captain Universe. [18]

Cast of characters

Heroes

Prime movers

Villain participants

Other villains that Loki tried to get involved as members of the inner circle of major villains (but who turned him down) are Apocalypse, Cobra, and the Mad Thinker.

Issues and events

The following issues are listed in chronological order:

The following issues are approximately in reading order:

Note: Iron Man #250 has the "Acts of Vengeance!" logo on its cover, but has nothing to do with the crossover.

Collected editions

TitleMaterial collectedPublished dateISBN
Acts of Vengeance OmnibusAvengers #311-313, Annual #19, Avengers Spotlight #26-29, Avengers West Coast #53-55, Captain America #365-367, Iron Man #251-252, Quasar #5-7, Thor #411-413, Mutant Misadventures of Cloak And Dagger #9, Amazing Spider-Man #326-329, Spectacular Spider-Man #158-160, Web of Spider-Man #59-61March 2011 978-0785144649
Acts of Vengeance Crossovers OmnibusFantastic Four #334-336, Incredible Hulk #363, Punisher #28-29, Punisher War Journal #12-13, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #8-10, Daredevil #275-276, Power Pack #53, Damage Control #1-4, material from Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #11-13, Web of Spider-Man #64-65, Wolverine #19-20, Alpha Flight #79-80, New Mutants #86, Uncanny X-Men #256-258, material from X-Factor #50August 2011 978-0785144885
Acts of Vengeance: AvengersAvengers Spotlight #26-28, Avengers #311-313, Quasar #5-7, Iron Man #251-252, Avengers West Coast #53-55, Mutant Misadventures of Cloak And Dagger #9, material from Captain America #365-367, Thor #411-413, Avengers Annual #19, Avengers Spotlight #29February 2020 978-1302922733
Acts of Vengeance: Marvel UniverseFantastic Four #334-336, Incredible Hulk #363, Punisher #28-29, Punisher War Journal #12-13, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #8-10, Daredevil #275-276, Power Pack #53, Damage Control #1-4, material from Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #11-13September 2020 978-1302923105
Acts of Vengeance: Spider-Man & the X-MenAmazing Spider-Man #326-329, Spectacular Spider-Man #158-160, Web of Spider-Man #59-61, 64-65, Wolverine #19-20, Alpha Flight #79-80, New Mutants #86, Uncanny X-Men #256-258, material from X-Factor #50June 2021 978-1302923112

Related Research Articles

<i>Secret Wars</i> 1984–1985 Marvel Comics limited series

Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, commonly known as Secret Wars, is a 12-issue American comic book crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Jim Shooter, with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton. It was tied in with a similarly-named toy line from Mattel and a role-playing game of the same name from TSR, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avengers (comics)</span> Comic book superhero team

The Avengers are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1. Labeled "Earth's Mightiest Heroes", the original Avengers consisted of Iron Man, Ant-Man, Hulk, Thor and the Wasp. Captain America was discovered trapped in ice in issue #4, and joined the group after they revived him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firelord (character)</span> Comics character

Firelord is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impossible Man</span> Fictional character

The Impossible Man is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Fantastic Four #11, and was created by writer Stan Lee and writer/artist Jack Kirby. The Impossible Man has been featured in other Marvel-endorsed products such as action figures, arcade and video games, animated television series, and merchandise such as trading cards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absorbing Man</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

The Absorbing Man is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and writer-artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #114, in the Silver Age of Comic Books. Carl Creel has the power to absorb and become any material he touched. Originally a supervillain, in later years, he has reformed into more of an antihero.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Gruenwald</span> American comic book writer (1953–1996)

Mark Eugene Gruenwald was an American comic book writer, editor, and occasional penciler known for his long association with Marvel Comics.

<i>Maximum Security</i> (comics)

"Maximum Security" is a comic book story line and crossover event that ran through a three-issue self-titled limited series and individual issues of the other titles published by Marvel Comics with a cover date of either December 2000 or January 2001. In it, a multitude of alien civilizations that had previously interacted with Earth join forces to prevent humans from interfering further with galactic affairs. To accomplish this, they designate Earth as a penal colony.

<i>Uncanny X-Men</i> Comic book series

Uncanny X-Men, originally published as The X-Men, is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of superheroes called the X-Men, a group of mutants with superhuman abilities led and taught by Professor X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mjolnir (comics)</span> Hammer of the god Thor in the Marvel Comics universe

Mjolnir, known more formally as Mjölnir is a fictional magical weapon appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as the principal weapon of the superhero Thor. Mjolnir, which first appears in Journey into Mystery #83, was created by writers Stan Lee and Larry Lieber and designed by artists Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott.

<i>Secret Wars II</i> 1985–1986 Marvel Comics limited series

Secret Wars II is a nine-issue comic book limited series and crossover published from 1985 to 1986 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Marvel's then editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and primarily pencilled by Al Milgrom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stranger (Marvel Comics)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

The Stranger is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey Gargoyle</span> Fictional comic book character

Grey Gargoyle is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrecker (comics)</span> Fictional Marvel Comics character

The Wrecker is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Awesome Android</span> Fictional character by Marvel Comics

The Awesome Android is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #15 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juggernaut (character)</span> Marvel Comics character

Juggernaut is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men #12 as an adversary of the eponymous superhero team. Since then, he has come into conflict with other heroes, primarily Spider-Man and the Hulk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fresh Start (comics)</span> 2018 relaunch of comic book publications by Marvel Comics

Fresh Start is a 2018 relaunch of comic book publications by Marvel Comics, following Marvel Legacy.

References

  1. ↑ John Byrne  ( w ), Paul Ryan  ( p ), Tom Palmer  ( i ). The Avengers ,vol. 1,no. 311-313(December 1989 - January 1990). Marvel Comics .
  2. ↑ Dwayne McDuffie , Howard Mackie , James Brock ( w ), Dwayne Turner , Al Milgrom , James Brock ( p ),Chris Ivy, Don Heck , Roy Richardson ( i ). Avengers Spotlight,vol. 1,no. 26-29(December 1989 - February 1990).Marvel Comics.
  3. ↑ John Byrne ( w ),John Byrne ( p ), Keith Williams , Paul Ryan  ( i ). Avengers West Coast ,vol. 1,no. 53-55(December 1989 - February 1990).Marvel Comics.
  4. ↑ Mark Gruenwald  ( w ), Kieron Dwyer , Ron Lim  ( p ),Danny Bulanadi ( i ). Captain America ,vol. 1,no. 365-367(Mid-December 1989 - February 1990).Marvel Comics.
  5. ↑ Iron Man #250 - 252 (Dec. 1989 - Jan. 1990)
  6. ↑ Quasar #5 - 6 (Dec. 1989 - Feb. 1990)
  7. ↑ Thor #411 - 412 (Dec. 1989 - Jan. 1990)
  8. ↑ Fantastic Four #334 - 336 (Dec. 1989 - Jan. 1990)
  9. ↑ The Amazing Spider-Man #326 - 329 (Dec. 1989 - Feb. 1990)
  10. ↑ Uncanny X-Men #256 - 258 (Dec. 1989 - Feb. 1990)
  11. ↑ Damage Control vol. 2, #1 - 4 (Dec. 1989 - Feb. 1990)
  12. ↑ Cloak and Dagger vol. 3, #9 (Dec. 1989)
  13. ↑ Web of Spider-Man #64 - 65 (May - June 1990)
  14. ↑ Avengers Annual #19 (1990)
  15. ↑ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #33 (Jan. 1990)
  16. ↑ Avengers #1 (Sep. 1963). Marvel Comics
  17. ↑ Avengers West Coast #55 (Feb. 1990). Marvel Comics
  18. ↑ Michelinie, David (w), Larsen, Erik (a). The Amazing Spider-Man #329 (Feb. 1990). Marvel Comics
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.