Avengers #392

[iamrman]

The villain stands revealed!

Writers: Bob Harras, Terry Kavanagh

Artist: M.C. Wyman

Inler: Tom Palmer

That’s too many Swordsmen!

These two were originally meant to be Wanda and Vision's kids, but that never came to pass for whatever reason. Like most of the people that appeared in The Crossing, they were later revealed to be Space Phantoms all along.

What even happened to the alternate reality Swordsman? The last time I remember seeing him was early on during the Busiek/Perez Avengers.

EDIT: A quick Google reveals that the alternate Swordsman and Magdalene departed Earth-616 for parts unknown after a team-up between the Avengers and the Squadron Supreme. So there's no wonder why I forgot about it.

Comments

[mazway_75]

Ah, yes a sequel to the Celestial Madonna storyline Avengers writers keep thinking the equivalent to Dark Phoenix Saga when most fans don't know it. And meant to set up another storyline that never happened thanks to Heroes Reborn.

[scorntx]

So "the crossing" just refers to them time travelling?


With the hindsight of the later retcon about this Mantis being a Space Phantom, it does become a little hilarious that Immortus brainwashed them to impersonate Mantis and does such a shoddy job of it.
She's not even calling herself "this one"! Next she'll be running around dressed like a Wild West showgirl or something...
Five seconds of research, Nate. You met Mantis, you should know what she talks like.

... random terrible thought, but could you imagine if someone were stupid / mad enough to try and do something like this with the MCU Mantis?

[iamrman]

*random terrible thought, but could you imagine if someone were stupid / mad enough to try and do something like this with the MCU Mantis?*

For the love of God, don't encourage them! Next they'll be doing the Marcus Immortus/Carol Danvers thing.

[starwolf_oakley]

And Kurt Busiek went to all the trouble to "fix" this in AVENGERS FOREVER by saying "Immortus was running a scam on the Avengers for reasons." I think the reason was Immortus knew the Avengers were going to "mysteriously vanish" because of Onslaught.

The Crossing led to "Teen Tony Stark" for a short while, also ending at Onslaught. "Teen Tony Stark" was also the concept in Iron Man: Armored Adventures animated series that ran from 2008–2012.

...Comic books are weird.

[scorntx]

Per Avengers Forever, Immortus was doing this because the Time Keepers foresaw the Avengers becoming the vanguard of an all-conquering human empire, and thought the best way to stop this was wipe out humankind entirely.
Immortus tried interceding, which led to a whole bunch of things, and by the time of Operation: Galactic Storm the Time Keepers were losing patience with him, because no matter what he did that future kept happening.
Knowing about Onslaught, Immortus figured if he kept the Avengers busy until then they wouldn't have time for anything else, so he gathered up some Space Phantoms and brainwashed them to think they were an evil Mantis and future versions of the Avengers' kids, while he pretended to be Kang.

And in fairness to him, it more or less worked.

All perfectly not confusing.

[sabertoothlotus]

Wait, I thought Immortus WAS Kang... or a version of him, at least.

[scorntx]

Indeed he is.
So this scheme has Immortus pretending to be himself for... reasons?

[jlbarnett]

a past version of himself for the reason that Kang just likes the challenge of a fight, while Immortus is a plotter so him being around means games are being played

[dan_ingram]

"All perfectly not confusing."

Are we supposed to pretend that The Crossing would ever be anything but? Even if it had somehow reached it;s natural conclusion?

[zachbeacon]

I always found it funny that Teen Tony is such a punchline among fandom when Marvel later used it as the basis of a two-season show.

[mastermahan]

WICCAN: I'm vaguely insulted the Space Phantoms thought I'd actually wear a goofy Mohawk ponytail like that.

SPEED: Speak for yourself. I'd totally do fake me.

[zachbeacon]

You know its a Space Phantom because THIS fake Swordsman is that gross green apple flavor and not the normal lime.