Fear Itself

A forgotten evil from Asgard invades Earth and plunges humanity and the Avengers into terror and fear, in one of Marvel's biggest crossover events of all time!

Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and the Avengers are Earth’s Mightiest Heroes — but even they know fear. And when a powerful and ancient evil overtakes our world, each hero must make a sacrifice to save the Earth. But as the Serpent’s mystical hammers transform friend and foe alike into unstoppable agents of destruction, as terror takes hold and the Serpent’s power grows, as Odin prepares to burn the Earth to cinders to save his people — it’s not these sacrifices the Avengers fear. It’s the knowledge that no matter what price they pay, this battle may be unwinnable. Heroes will fall, gods will die, and fear will rule the day — as the hammer falls!

COLLECTING: Fear Itself: Book of the Skull (2011) 1; Fear Itself (2011) 1-6, 7 (A story)

Having established his reputation as an emerging talent with his work on Last of the Independents, Matt Fraction launched the critically acclaimed Immortal Iron Fist with co-writer Ed Brubaker and artist David Aja. He subsequently collaborated with artist Salvador Larrocca on Invincible Iron Man, premiering the same month as the blockbuster film. Also a talented filmmaker and graphic designer, Fraction became one of Marvel’s most popular writers. His credits include Uncanny X-Men, Thor and its successor The Mighty Thor, the blockbuster Fear Itself, and the relaunched Defenders. Fraction teamed with David Aja for the Eisner Award-winning Hawkeye. Beyond Marvel, his acclaimed creator-owned work includes Sex Criminals, Casanova, ODY-C and November.

Award-winning artist Stuart Immonen began his comics career in 1988, having worked for most of the industry’s major publishers — including Marvel, DC, Dark Horse and Image — in the decades since. In addition to 2011’s Fear Itself, he has illustrated such high-profile Marvel series as Ultimate Spider-Man, Thor, Incredible Hulk, Avengers and the cult-favorite Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. After joining forces with Mark Waid to inaugurate Marvel’s digital Infinite Comics line, Immonen penciled All-New X-Men in the Marvel NOW! era before taking on the ultimate blockbuster project: Star Wars.