Overview

Still reeling from the new reveals about their lives and shocking betrayal of one of their own, the New Avengers press forward, trying to find a way to trust each other.

All that and The Hood starts his takeover as Kingpin of the super-villains.

So dust off your old Marvel Handbooks, because you will not believe who he is gathering to join him and who he kills to make his mark!

Plus guest-star Deathlok!!!

Overview

WOLVERINE VERSUS THE HOOD!!

LUKE CAGE VERSUS JESSICA JONES!!

What??

The New Avengers try to learn to live and love each other now that they know they cannot trust each other.

And baby Cage's name is revealed!!

(Spoilers)

Wolverine is squaring off against the Hood. Actually he's getting shot at a bunch of times. The Hood tells his partner to take off. He thinks how his reputation will be boosted after killing Wolverine. Wolverine isn't too willing to help out with that. He jumps at the Hood and stabs him in the shoulders. The Hood tries turing invisible but Wolverine's senses can still detect him. The Hood then shoots him several times in the crotch. Wolverine is okay with that saying his will grow back. He asks the Hood if his will. The Hood then transforms into a huge demon. Wolverine still stands up to him and the Hood jumps out through a window. Wolverine goes outside only to find that the Hood is long gone. He heads back inside and wonders if "it" will grow back bigger now.

At Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorium, he lies in bed with the Night Nurse. She is a little put off at his distraction despite all her effort to "entertain" him. She does comment at how she is impressed that he has opened his home to his team. Stephen says that he feels bad he wasn't involved in the Civil War. He feels he should have done something. Night Nurse tells him she is going to her hospice. Stephen asks if she can come back so he can introduce her to the team. She tells him that she already knows most of them from when they've gotten injured. She says that he just wants to show her off. She says she'll call him later.

Clint looks over his Ronin costume. He decides to take a shower. Echo embarrasses herself by walking in on him. He tells her "In or out." Maya bolts out and slams the door.

Iron Fist has Strange look him over. He mentions how recently he's lost some of the Iron Fist power when someone else tried claiming it. He asks if there was a way for Stephen to lock it off. Strange says no. Someday, they both have to give up their power to the next in line.

Spider-Man walks in with Clint and Maya and declares that he is a Skrull. Spidey says it would make sense if he was really a sleeper-Skrull. Luke walks in and asks what he's talking about. Peter says that maybe he's a Skrull and doesn't know it. Perhaps if someone says a magic word like "Mxyzptlk" he'll turn all "skrully." Clint asks why he's so happy that they are being invaded by Skrulls. Peter says he's just happy that they have an enemy that isn't Tony Stark.

They begin to talk about the fact that they have all shown up, except for Wolverine. Peter mentions that he's on "like three other teams" so he'll probably come along eventually. Jessica Jones comes in and says that Luke thinks his baby is a half-Skrull. Luke does not want to get into this in front of everyone. Jessica tells him tough $%#@. He didn't want to talk to her about it in private so they're going to get it out in the open now.

Finally Stephen says that he did some research and there is a spell that will reveal the true spiritual nature of the individual. A vision will be produced for everyone to see. Danny notes that it could be embarrassing. They prepare to do it and Peter asks Cage and Jessica when are they going to name their kid. Luke says they already did. Jessica tells everyone that they named her Danielle Cage. Danny is flattered. Luke tries telling him that they didn't name her after him but rather after Danny Partridge.

The spell is ready. All their true selves are revealed. Luke stands with his satin shirt and tiara. He can live with that. Iron Fist appears as the first Iron Fist in history. He's relieved that there wasn't any cross dressing involved. Jessica is in her super hero outfit. Luke says he knew it. Peter appears as his nerdy self before he became Spider-Man. Maya appears as a female Daredevil. Clint appears as Captain America. He tells them to keep going. Dr. Strange appears a physician. Wolverine walks in just in time to be revealed as a samurrai.

They tell Wolverine that none of them are Skrulls. He says good because they have something new to worry about. He tells them about the Hood and his plan to use a Deathlock to attack Stark Tower. Peter wonders if they should do something about it. CLint says they'll do what Cap would've done, help them. Luke asks them if they remember asking him how they know if they're the good guys, this is how they know. They do "good guy #$%@."

Heading over, they see the other Avengers leave the Tower. Luke wonders if Deathlok is already there. Ronin notices movement below. Spider-Man says they're symbiotes. As they move forward, Echo is hit by one and it begins to crawl up her arm.

Overview

The New Avengers have found a huge clue to the threat that has faced them since the day they banded together. And now just the knowledge of that threat is tearing them apart. What secret could be so damning that it could do to the New Avengers what the Civil War could not??

(Spoilers)

On board the corporate jet of Iron Fist, the team is not at ease with each other after their discovery of a Skrull impersonating Elektra. Finally, Spider-Man decides to break the silence. Being that he is known to chatter in tense situations, he begins the conversation. He puts forth the question of why would an alien race travel across the galaxy to infiltrate a group of ninja assassins. Still no one talks. Wolverine says it's because no one trusts each other anymore. Any one of them could be a Skrull. Peter quickly points out that he is not a Skrull. Wolverine says that the Elektra Skrull most likely came with others and there must be some major plan. His concern is over the fact that her shape-changing abilities were able to fool even his senses. Skrulls could have infiltrated any number of others organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers, the X-Men, etc.

With suspicion all around, Wolverine points out how each of them are suspects. Clint has somehow returned from the dead and no longer uses his bow and arrows, Jessica Drew has numerous allegiances, Echo became a "scourge of the underworld" and Cap is one of the people that could've vouched for her except he's dead, Peter Parker spent his whole life hiding his identity and suddenly revealed it to the world, Luke Cage used to be a "satin-shirt, metal-tiara-wearing" hero for hire, and himself, who is able to be everywhere at once.

Luke begins to smile as he has stated before that someone was pulling their strings including the way they were brought together. Jessica says they should take the body to Tony Stark. The others do not agree. Luke even says that out of everyone, Stark is the best candidate for being a Skrull. Jessica says that since he's the biggest cop on the planet, he's the only one they can go to. If he is a Skrull, then he already knows the Elektra Skrull is dead. She suggests they take the body to see his reaction.

Peter suggests going to the media. The others say that even if it gets printed, it'd just be used to make a mockery of them. They begin to think about who else besides Stark has been acting "Skrully" lately. They think that many of the recent events such as the Secret War, the Civil War, Scarlet Witch, the Raft break out, could be because of the Skrulls.

Suddenly the plane losing its powers. (This is most likely due to the battle the Mighty Avengers are having in New York City with Ultron). The plane is going down. Wolverine yells that if anyone can fly, they're getting out of the plane. He throws Spider-Woman out. Dr. Strange tries mutters some sort of spell to cushion the plane while Luke tries to balance the weight. Spider-Man exits the plane to make a web-cushion in the front. Iron Fist is able to find a golf course to land on.

The plane smashes into the ground. Most of the team is unconscious. Spider-Woman walks up to the wreckage. Wolverine, still slightly injured, sees Jessica approaching the Skrull body. He tells her to leave it but she blasts him instead over and over. She picks up the body and walks away...

Overview

Continuing directly from the pages of NEW AVENGERS #37: The Hood's gang of super-criminals takes the fight right to the Avengers’ door!! Its wall-to-wall action and the end of an era for one Avenger and a major defection for another.

This double-sized issue ties into or wraps up threads from Civil War, World War Hulk, both Avengers titles and the upcoming Secret Invasion!! Avengers writer Bendis welcomes rising star Carlo Pagulayan on his Avengers debut...

Spoilers

Maria Hill recieves word of the break-in at the Raft. When she sees the list of those missing, she realizes that it's every single person they just brought in from the "bank think in Jersey." The Raft wasn't prepared for a mystical break out.

In Tigra's apartment, she is visited by the Hood and some of his new teammates. Holding a gun to her head, he demands to know where the "new" Avengers are otherwise he will kill her and her mother. She says they are in Dr. Strange's house. Even though it appears to be boarded up, everyone in the Initiative knows that's where they are. They just can't prove it. She tells them in the hopes that they will go and get their butts kicked.

At Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorium, Jessica, Danielle, and the Night Nurse are enjoying some tea and gossip. The team arrives from a successful mission. They're all beat. Suddenly Dr. Strange collapses and orders no one to touch him. Outside, The Hood and all the bad guys he's gathered stand waiting to attack. They're still not sure if the Avengers are really there. The Hood tries using his powers to peer through the illusion. Then Spider-Man is spotted leaving. As soon as he's out, his spider-sense goes off and he rushes back. Yelling, "They're Here!" no one knows who exactly he's talking about. He grabs Danielle and takes off. Luke has no idea what Spider-Man is doing and gets ready to follow him. Clint notices that the protection seal on Strange's place is turning into leaves. Chemistro was able to change the properties of it. Jessica catches up to Spider-Man and her daughter, cursing the whole way. He tells her there was no time to explain. He tells her to take Danielle and get as far away as possible.

Inside, the Avengers think they are still under Strange's spell that prevents outsiders from seeing or hearing them. The gunshots directed at them tell them otherwise. The Hood enters and shoots Strange several times in the chest as he lies on his bed. Wong takes on the Hood. Jigsaw gets Jessica and Danielle in the sights of a sniper rifle. He is stopped by Spider-Man. Night Nurse tells Wong that Stephen isn't breathing. Luke is outright ticked off that they came after his baby.

As the fight is setting off fireworks, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents become aware that something is going down. The Hood is about to shoot Iron Fist from behind when he is attacked by Tigra. Night Nurse tells Wong they need to call someone. Stephen is dead. Then his eyes light up. Getting up slowly, he tells them (again) not to touch him. It looks like the Avengers are simply too outnumbered. Strange appears, growing larger and begins chanting some mystical spells. Everyone in the room is frozen in a painful scream. Wong is speechless after witnessing this. Night Nurse tries going to Stephen, who is unresponsive. Wong finds a book he was looking for. Going to each Avenger, he says a chant and touches each one. Painfully, they awaken.

Stephen begins to explain what he has done. Lately he has used darker magics. He was arrogant and thought he could handle them. He says he has failed them as he had failed helping Bruce Banner. He can no longer be the Sorcerer Supreme. He has to atone for what he's done. Apologizing again, he says he has to leave. WIth some waves of his hands, he disappears.

Ms. Marvel and her Operation: Lightning Storm agents arrive. She asks where Jessica and the baby are. Luke says he's not sure, out there somewhere. Carol, reluctantly, tells him to go find them. Surprised that she's not going to arrest them, she then calls the helicarrier requesting Brother Voodoo and a clean up crew to take care of all the bad guys. She's asked what about the rebel Avengers. She says they got away. She turns to her agents telling them that's what happened. One argues that he can't go along with it. She reminds him that she's stronger than he is. Luke thanks her. She asks what they'll do next. He has no idea.

The Hood managed to escape. Talking to himself (or maybe his demon) he says he did everything he was told to do. Then he says that now he knows how to stop them.

Outside Stark Tower, Jessica, with Danielle crying in her arms, desperately tries to get someone to let her in. She's ready to register in order to protect her daughter.