The New Avengers - Vol 2 - #24 - 2012 - AvX! - (VFN+)

The prologue to an era-defining war. Hot on the heels of dismantling Norman Osborn's H.A.M.M.E.R. network, Luke Cage's squad gets absolutely no time to celebrate. The New Avengers #24 serves as a crucial, ground-level tie-in that bridges the gap into the massive "Avengers vs. X-Men" (AvX) crossover event. Written by Brian Michael Bendis with stunningly intense visuals by Mike Deodato Jr., this issue beautifully captures the quiet, agonizing tension right before a global storm hits, focusing heavily on the personal sacrifices of superhero parenting and a terrifying cosmic prophecy.

The issue acts as a deep breath before an absolute war. In the wake of their hard-fought victory over the New Dark Avengers, the team returns to the shattered remains of Avengers Mansion. However, the atmosphere instantly shifts from exhausting relief to pure, unadulterated panic. Captain America (Steve Rogers) and Iron Man (Tony Stark) arrive to brief the street-level squad on an impending apocalyptic threat: the world-burning Phoenix Force is officially heading directly toward Earth, and its suspected host is the young mutant Hope Summers.