Avengers Annual #23

"Blood Wraith”. An invasion by 6th century marauders interrupts a peaceful evening at Avengers Mansion! Out of the blue medieval warriors attack Crystal, Hercules, and the Vision! What do these men from the Middle Ages want? Only the most important object from their time…the Black Knight's ebony blade! But the bloodthirsty blade is not to be found at the Avengers headquarters! It's at Whitman Manor near the nation's capital! Once Sersi and the Black Widow repel the invaders in New York, the Avengers rush to Washington D.C. to protect the dangerous artifact! However another pair of 6th century robbers are already there! When the menacing duo subdues Victoria Bentley and Seth Dolan, the Black Knight's squire has no choice but to brandish the ebony blade himself! And in that split second the Bloodwraith is born! Can Earth's Mightiest Heroes contain the savage Bloodwraith? Or will the cursed ebony blade begin a new rampage in the 20th century? First appearance of the Bloodwraith. Appearances by Lockjaw, Luna, Marilla, Chandu, Le Sabre, Maha Yogi, and Mongu. Avengers Lineup: Black Knight, Black Widow, Crystal, Hercules, Sersi, and the Vision. Second feature: One-page pin-up of Crystal vs. the Anti-Vision by Michael Avon Oeming. Third feature: One-page pin-up of Magdalene by Michael Avon Oeming. Fourth feature: One-page pin-up of the Anachronauts by Dan Panosian. Fifth story: "A Gamble With Time" Script by Roy Thomas, Jean-Marc Lofficier, and Randy Lofficier. Pencils by Al Milgrom. Inks by Mark Steckbauer. Terminatrix and the Anachronauts travel back to the 6th century to correct an anomaly in the time-space continuum involving the ebony blade. Flashback cameos by Merlin and Kang the Conqueror.