When War of the Realms erupts this summer, it may start thanks to the events that have been brewing in the pages of Thor for the past several years, but the event's battlegrounds will extend far beyond the borders of Asgard.

When the Dark Elf known as Malekith extends his vision of conquest to Earth, Thor and his compatriots will obviously do their level best to stop him. But with the Rainbow Bridge, aka the Bifrost, having recently been destroyed, Malekith's goal of invading Earth with a minimum of Asgardian interference will come a reality, forcing Earth's various heroes to step up in order to stave off an invasion years in the making.

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“I have been building towards War of the Realms for the entire duration of my Thor run. So we're talking six years and 80-something issues and counting,” Thor writer Jason Aaron said of the event. “This is a war that covers the entire globe and involves the biggest heroes of the Marvel Universe.”

And so it shall. Below, CBR has the exclusive first look at the cover art and solicitation information for four of the War of Realms tie-ins set to debut in April alongside the core miniseries. In addition to issues of Thor and Asgardians of the Galaxy, the X-Men and Punisher will also find themselves battling their own contingents of Dark Elves, frost giants and other Norse creatures and beings.

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WAR OF THE REALMS: PUNISHER #1 (of 3)

  • GERRY DUGGAN (W) • MARCELO FERREIRA (A)
  • Cover by JUAN FERREYRA
  • CONNECTING REALMS VARIANT COVER BY MARKO DJURDJEVIC
  • VARIANT COVER BY TBA
  • VARIANT COVER BY TBA
  • PUNISHER: AVENGER OF MIDGARD!
  • The War of The Realms has brought monsters to the streets of New York City, but New York has a monster all its own…Frank Castle, A.K.A. THE PUNISHER! And he’ll be damned to Hel if he’s going to let a bunch of Ten Realms tin-pot tyrants terrorize his town. But given he’s one man against an army of monsters, Hel might soon have him! The War of Realms is about to meet Marvel’s One Man Army. Expect Punishment!

WAR OF THE REALMS: UNCANNY X-MEN #1 (of 3) 

  • MATTHEW ROSENBERG (W) • PERE PEREZ (A)
  • Cover by DAVID YARDIN
  • CONNECTING REALMS VARIANT COVER BY MARKO DJURDJEVIC
  • VARIANT COVER BY WHILCE PORTACIO
  • VARIANT COVER BY John  Tyler Christopher
  • The War of the Realms has come to Midgard…and Westchester! Malekith’s forces are invading Earth, and the heroes of Earth are joining with the heroes of Asgard to fight them back! Who better to lead the X-Men into that war than their very own Valkyrie, Dani Moonstar?
  • LEGACY #635

THOR #12

  • JASON AARON (W) • MIKE DEL MUNDO (A/C)
  • ASGARDIAN VARIANT COVER BY TBA
  • WAR OF THE REALMS TIE-IN!
  • Fatherly love is not something with which Loki Laufeyson is terribly familiar. Still, you’d think that with the Frost Giants invading New York in Malekith’s WAR OF THE REALMS, he’d find some quality time to spend with dear old deadly Dad. And he will. But not in the way you’d think…

ASGARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #8

  • CULLEN BUNN (W) • MATTEO LOLLI (A) • Cover by GERARDO SANDOVAL
  • ASGARDIAN VARIANT COVER BY TBA
  • WAR OF THE REALMS TIE-IN!
  • Bit by bit, the Dark Elf King Malekith has been taking over the Ten Realms. Now at last every realm has fallen save one: Midgard. The invasion has begun, and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will need all the help they can get. The Asgardians of the Galaxy join the battle for the Tenth Realm!

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