Time’s up for the Marvel Universe in Avengers #35

Very quietly, there’s been a threat lurking under the surface of the Marvel U that’s set to threaten every character in it. And it’s about to come to the fore.

This September, it all comes crashing down as Earth’s Mightest Heroes face judgment day – and today, Marvel is proud to present your first look at the oversized AVENGERS #35! The star-studded creative team of Jonathan Hickman, Jim Cheung, Dustin Weaver, Nick Bradshaw and Paco Media fast-forward 8 months, to the battle worn Marvel Universe of tomorrow – and the bleak future facing our heroes. Peer into May 2015, heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe stand at the precipice, and utter decimation looms.

Incursions by parallel Earths from other dimensions have increased in number! To save both universes, one Earth must be destroyed each time! Until now the Illuminati have dealt with this problem in secret. But 8 months from now, the secret is out! The Avengers and the Illuminati are willing to go to war over what must be done – but how could this all have happened?

“In addition to setting the table for the astonishing climax of Jonathan Hickman’s run, we’ll also be providing a glimpse into the immediate future of many of our characters, and what changes await them over the next 8 months of publishing,” says Executive Editor Tom Brevoort in an interview with Marvel.com. “This isn’t some maybe-future, this is the real deal, what’s awaiting the Marvel Universe in the coming year.”

As this epic, oversized issue jumps forward into the future, what has become of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? With the war between the Avengers and the Illuminati at its peak, who will be left to fend off the Final Incursion? And what will happen if they fail? The clock is ticking and your questions will be answered this September in AVENGERS #35!

Just the starting point for this one (it’ll be 8 months in the making after all) Time Runs Out is going to be absolutely massive. Hinted and teased at for what feels like years (and it might be, now that I think about it.), the time and space ‘issue’ that’s been plaguing Marvel’s heroes is finally coming around to be dealt with.

As you see in the preview above, it’s something that some of the biggest forces around are at odds about too with the Avengers battling the secret cabal of heroes that is the Illuminati. Just what the repercussions of this monster crossover event will be is certainly still shrouded in mystery, but I’m personally hoping it brings some longstanding oddities and plot lines to a close and ‘restarts’ the Marvel Universe, for lack of a better term.

Either way, I’m looking forward to September 17th. That’s when it all starts up in Avengers #35. The beginning of the end, or just a new beginning period? Find out what to expect in 2015 this October.