Marvel's upcoming issue of Avengers suggests that the team's youngest member may be its most powerful.
In Avengers #52, Earth's Mightiest Heroes are on the run from the Multiversal Masters of Evil, a conglomerate of villains from different realities. During their attempt to find a moment's rest, Captain America and Captain Marvel encounter a group of Deathloks, time-traveling cyborgs who protect the multiverse. As the Captains brace themselves for a battle with the artificially-augmented assassins, the Deathloks explain that they have come to ask the greatest Avenger of the era for help. Humbled, Captain America attempts to accept their plea, but the Deathloks clarify that they have actually arrived to see Starbrand, who they call, "The great multiversal Polaris."
Starbrand is a mantle that has been passed around various heroes across Marvel's history. Traditionally, the bearer of "Star Brand" wields nigh-infinite power and can use energy blasts, super strength, flight and invulnerability as part of their arsenal. The current Starbrand is a young girl named Brandy, who received the powers at birth. After the death of Brandy's mother, the Avengers collectively adopted the child and began to raise her. However, when Phil Coulson and Mephisto warped reality during Marvel's 2021 Heroes Reborn event, Rocket Raccoon and Groot raised Brandy instead. Though the Avengers were eventually able to reset reality back to normal, Starbrand returned noticeably older, with a full recollection of her childhood in the alternate timeline.
While the Deathloks can ask Starbrand for help, Marvel's preview for Avengers #52 suggests that it may be too little, too late. Upon arriving on Earth, Black Skull and Ghost Goblin, two Multiversal Masters of Evil members, attack and kill the Deathloks. Naturally, this provokes a counterattack from Captain America and Captain Marvel, who instruct Brandy to stay behind. Still, the issue's solicit text suggests that Brandy isn't out of the fight quite yet, teasing, "no one's ever seen anything like the Starbrand unleashed!"
Outside of the pages of Avengers, the multiverse's most powerful heroes fight to survive in Avengers Forever. Written by Jason Aaron and drawn by Aaron Kuder, the book stars a variant of Tony Stark who becomes Ant-Man, an adventurer with size-changing abilities and an android ant. Alongside Earth 616's Robbie Reyes, aka Ghost Rider, and an ensemble of Avengers variants, Tony's team battles against the Black Skull and his army of War Machines, who have conquered Earth-818 on the Multiversal Masters of Evil's behalf.
AVENGERS #52
- JASON AARON (W) • JUAN FRIGERI (A) • Cover by JAVIER GARRÓN
- VARIANT COVER BY LOGAN LUBERA
- THE ALL-NEW MASTERS OF EVIL ARE HERE!
- The Death Hunt continues as super-psychopaths the Black Skull and Ghost Goblin invade New York City to slaughter Deathloks and anyone who gets in their way, including Captain America and Captain Marvel. But the bad guys didn’t plan on having to face the world’s most dangerous young Avenger. Believe us — no one’s ever seen anything like the Starbrand unleashed!
- 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Source: Marvel Comics