Following the events of Avengers: Armageddon, Mephisto's deals have been rendered void, and that's caused all manner of issues in the Marvel Universe. In this week's Avengers #1, Spider-Man learned that he once made a pact with the devil to save his Aunt May.
That controversial story played out in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man during the events of "One More Day." After unmasking in Civil War, May Parker was put in the crosshairs of The Kingpin's assassin and, with her life on the line, Peter Parker and Mary Jane offered their marriage to Mephisto in exchange for saving her.
It worked, and neither Peter nor MJ were left with any recollection of what happened. Avengers writer Chip Zdarsky has suggested he isn't setting out to undo "One More Day," but addressing it in this way is bound to lead to Spidey discovering what he gave up.
As Spider-Man rallies a new team of heroes, in Avengers #4, Mephisto assembles his own legion of villains to take down this burgeoning team of Avengers. Enter Mephisto's Sinister Six, with Abomination, Sabretooth, Kraven the Hunter, Carnage, and the Green Goblin all joining the devil’s side. It’s Hell on Earth for a sinister showdown, and for Spider-Man, everything is at stake.
It's an intriguing lineup, and many fans are already wondering whether that's Harry Osborn beneath the Green Goblin's mask. After all, Norman Osborn once made a deal with Mephisto that saw his son's soul end up in Hell, so perhaps Zdarsky is going to figure out a way to fix the end of Nick Spencer's Amazing Spider-Man run (which was plagued by editorial interference).
"I’m beyond excited to finally have Avengers #1 out in the world!" Zdarsky said today. "It’s obviously gorgeous thanks to Marco and Matt, but I’m hoping it’s also funny and exciting and gets readers excited for what’s to come!"
As for what comes next, Zdarsky teased the scope and scale of his run on the title. "Avengers is the story of the Marvel Universe, and it’s a wild one, with big twists and reveals. There’s a lot coming, and I hope everyone loves reading it as much as I love writing it!"
Check out this first look at Mephisto's Sinister Six from Avengers #4 below.
AVENGERS #4
Written by Chip Zdarsky
Art and Cover by Marco Checchetto
On Sale 2/10