The West Coast Avengers, Vol. 2 #81A (Marvel Comics 1992) Direct Edition

The West Coast Avengers, Vol. 2 #81A is a 1992 Marvel Comics Direct Edition featuring Part 9 of the 19-part Operation: Galactic Storm storyline. In “They Also Serve...,” Earth’s Mightiest Heroes defend Project Pegasus while the Kree-Shi’ar War reaches Earth.

With Avengers teams deployed across Hala and the Shi’ar homeworld, the earthbound heroes are left guarding super-powered Kree and Shi’ar prisoners in upstate New York. Their uneasy watch ends when Imperial Guard members Nightside and Scintilla knock out Mockingbird and U.S. Agent and free their comrades. The remaining Avengers—Falcon, Gilgamesh, Hank Pym, She-Hulk, Spider-Woman, and the Wasp—arrive before the escape is complete, setting up a full-scale confrontation.

Issue Details

• Title: The West Coast Avengers, Vol. 2 #81A
• Publisher: Marvel Comics
• Year: 1992
• Edition: Direct Edition
• Length: 32 pages
• Cover price: $1.25
• Story: Roy Thomas and Dann Thomas
• Pencils and cover: David Ross
• Inks: Tom Dzon

The issue includes cameo appearances by Quasar, Her, Warstar, Neutron, Starbolt, and Hobgoblin of the Shi’ar Imperial Guard. Captain Atlas and Dr. Minerva also play a role in the conflict, while the story continues from Captain America #399 and leads into Quasar #33.

A strong choice for Marvel collectors, West Coast Avengers readers, and fans completing the original Operation: Galactic Storm crossover in single-issue format. The story was later reprinted in the 2017 Avengers: Operation Galactic Storm Epic Collection.