New Avengers (2004) #49 (2nd Print Tan Variant)

2nd appearance of Dark Avengers (Team)


NOTE: Came out same month as Dark Avengers #1 (March 2009), but Dark Avengers #1 was published Jan 21, 2009 while New Avengers #49 was published Jan 28, 2009.


Dark Reign Tie-In

A Helicopter lands at the Raft maximum security prison. Out then steps Osborn, Cage, Venom and Bullseye. The former personally interrogates two Skrull prisoners, demanding to know the Skrull-Jarvis' whereabouts. When neither respond, Osborn signals for Venom to eat one of them. The Skrull then cracks, stating that he doesn't know what that is but confesses that they have a meeting place, which is where the Skrulls planned their invasion.

Some time later, the Skrull-Jarvis, carrying Danielle, enters the warehouse, where he finds Cage, sitting inside, demanding his daughter, promising not to hurt him. The Skrull attempts to barter her for the release of the war prisoners, to which Cage says that this isn't a swap. Reluctantly, Skrull-Jarvis gives her back. But just then, a bullet shoots through his skull, killing him and reverting him to his true form. The shooter from far away is Bullseye.

Next day, at Avengers Tower, the Cage family is reunited. However, Cage isn't intent on pulling his end of the bargain, bringing out the crowbar he took off the Wrecker, which he uses against Bullseye and Venom. A disappointed Osborn points what would happen if his daughter found out how dishonorable he is, enraging Cage to the point that he jumped out the window and crashed hard to the ground.

Back at the Avengers hideout, the New Avengers rejoice the Danielle is unharmed.; Captain America didn't know that Danielle was a baby. Wolverine asks Cage why he didn't take Osborn down; he responds that he's not going down that road; Wolverine states he would have. Just then, there is an announcement of the new Avengers team, lead by Norman Osborn as the Iron Patriot. This enrages Clint Barton, who knows historically that when the world go down, someone takes advantage of it. Already, the bad guys have stolen their name and twisted it. He declares that they will stop this, as the Avengers, who take back their name.

2nd Printing Billy Tan B&W Variant