Marvel's Annihilation Scourge Features Return of Classic Cosmic Location

Marvel's Annihilation Scourge mini-event kicked off Wednesday with an Alpha one-shot, laying the groundwork for the stories to come in the coming weeks. While Annihilus and Blastaar have long been advertised as major parts to the event, Annihilation Scourge Alpha #1 also managed to include some surprise appearances, including a nod to one of the biggest cosmic stories told in Marvel history. Full disclosure, spoilers up ahead for Annihilation Scourge Alpha, proceed with caution if you have yet to read the issue!

In Alpha, readers find out something has been attacking the loyalists to both Blastaar and Annihilus, both characters who are vying for control over the otherworldly Negative Zone. It gets to a point where the two cosmic baddies believe that the other camp has been killing their soldiers and eventually, the two fight. That's when it's revealed neither side is at fault; rather, inhabitants from the Cancerverse have found their way into the Negative Zone and are infecting the soldiers and warriors that serve both Blastaar and Annihilus.

Not only that, but the Revengers — the Cancerverse's evil version of the Avengers — have also found their way into the dimension, really wreaking havoc on the forces that live within. More surprising than anything, however, might be the fact the Revengers and the infected Negative Zone forces seem to be receiving commands from the Golden Guardian of Good himself, The Sentry.

Fans that have kept up with Marvel's cosmic stories will recognize the Cancerverse from the late 2000s to early 2010s cosmic stories that began with the original Annihilation and ended with The Thanos Imperative and Annihilators. At the time, a massive bomb launched during War of Kings lead to a rip in space, allowing inhabitants of the Cancerverse to enter into Earth-616. To settle things, both Star-Lord and Nova (Richard Rider) ended up sacrificing themselves and entering the Cancerverse to seal "The Fault," as the heroes called it.

Fast forward a couple of years and Nova managed to escape the Cancerverse and resume his role in the Nova Corps. Coincidentally enough, the Human Rocket is a major player in this new Annihilation Scourge event and will presumably go up against those from the Cancerverse once again, really bringing the story full circle.

Annihilation: Scourge Alpha #1 is now available at your local comic shop.