Avengers Standoff: Welcome To Pleasant Hill #1 — First Look

I’m no stranger to small towns, so I can confirm that the pop culture cliche of “idyllic small town with something sinister going on” has at least some roots in reality. The Avengers are about to find that out too, and from the looks of the crossover event heading the team’s way soon, they might learn it the hard way.

Avengers Standoff: Welcome to Pleasant Hill #1 comes to us via writer Nick Spencer and artist Mark Bagley, along with a creepy cover by Daniel Acuna. That cover looks like it might tip us off as to what’s in Pleasant Hill that’s causing so much trouble. A young girl with a Cosmic Cube? Yeah, that might be just a little bit of a problem.

Marvel isn’t commenting on that or the nature of the threat in its descriptions of the issue that kick off the event, preferring to rely on the subtler sell of a community that isn’t quite what it seems. Take a look:

"From the outside, it looks like the perfect small-town community. But underneath the surface, Pleasant Hill has its fair share of secrets. Pleasant Hill is the kind of place where folks look out for each other. Where everyone knows who their neighbors are. But who are you, friend? And what are you doing in Pleasant Hill? The mystery begins this February in AVENGERS STANDOFF: WELCOME TO PLEASANT HILL #1!"

The overall saga runs through the Avengers titles (All-New, All-Different Avengers, Uncanny Avengers, New Avengers) plus Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Captain America: Sam Wilson during March and April, and it pulls in some other titles for a single issue as well. But it starts with this opening chapter, and we’ve got a first look at what’s in store right here.

You Winter Soldier fans should be happy since your guy looks to be prominently involved. Avengers Standoff: Welcome to Pleasant Hill #1 arrives in stores and on digital on February 17.