The Avengers, Vol. 1 #345A (Marvel Comics 1992)

As issue #5 of the sprawling "Operation: Galactic Storm" crossover, this 36-page Direct Edition captures the exact moment the Avengers fracture into three independent deployment zones across the galaxy.

Written by Bob Harras and drawn with pencils by Steve Epting alongside ink work from Tom Palmer, this 1992 release pivots the storyline from planetary protection to coordinated interstellar warfare. After Thor, Quasar, Sersi, and the Vision successfully disrupt the Shi’ar advance near Earth, Captain America gathers more than twenty active members to execute a divided operational directive. The chapter locks in the event’s signature structure by routing Tony Stark and Steve Rogers to Kree-controlled Hala, dispatching Simon Williams and Wanda Maximoff toward Chandilar to parley with the Shi’ar High Command, and retaining the balance of the team to secure Earth's airspace.

Publication Specifications and Narrative Anchors

• Title: The Avengers, Volume 1, Issue #345A
• Format: 36-page Direct Edition released in 1992
• Core Creative: Script by Bob Harras, interior illustrations by Steve Epting, finishes by Tom Palmer
• Story Continuity: Immediate follow-up to Wonder Man #7, establishing the crossover bridge into Iron Man #278
• Cross-Pollination Spotlights: Majestrix Lilandra, Deathbird, Imperial Guard member Her, and Hobgoblin

Collectors charting the Kree-SHi’ar diplomatic breakdown will recognize this volume as the structural pivot where the roster officially expands beyond Earth-bound missions. The deliberate separation of duties drives subsequent titles forward, ensuring every character arc remains anchored to a specific theater of conflict. Order this direct market printing to preserve the original formatting and creative presentation without depending on retrospective omnibus editions.