The Avengers' New Villains Are Proving To Be Some Of Their Toughest Yet

Warning: This article contains spoilers for "Avengers" #4 by Marvel Comics.

The Avengers are taking on some of their strangest and most powerful foes with the arrival of the Ashen Combine on Earth. However, the Cityslayers are about to live up to their name, causing widespread panic, chaos, and destruction across the world while establishing themselves as major foes for the Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

In Jed MacKay and C.F. Villa's "Avengers" run, the heroes have found themselves against an all-new threat to Earth. After a warning from Kang the Conqueror about upcoming Tribulation Events, mass-casualty tragedies set in the future caused by a group going by the Ashen Combine hailing from The Impossible City. The Multiversal monsters consist of Lord Ennui, a creature who can drain a city's life, Citysmith, who twists cities into his own image, Meridian Diadem, who desires to consume and imprison intelligent beings, The Dead, who controls the dead, and Idol Alabaster, a winged beast who desires to be worshipped. Together they destroy worlds and set their sights on Earth. Readers saw the group attack, and the Avengers send out their best to stop them in "Avengers" #3, but in a new preview for "Avengers" #4, the fight officially begins.

CBR shared an exclusive preview of "Avengers" #4 by Jed MacKay, C.F. Villa, Federico Blee, and VC's Cory Petit, with the first look at the issue immediately following up on the Avengers and Ashen Combine's first confrontation. In the unlettered pages, Thor arrives at the Vatican City, where Idol Alabaster greets him with a sinister smile as the people below have seemingly been converted to worship the creature. The God of Thunder readies Mjolnir, spinning his weapon against his monstrous opponent.

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The following preview page features Thor in action. The King of Asgard chases after Idol Alabaster and sends a powerful blast of lightning at the multi-eyed and winged Cityslayer. However, Thor can only watch in horror as the people below look to the sky after being corrupted by Idol Alabaster. Thor may have not just to fight Idol Alabaster, but the entire city under his control.

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Scarlet Witch takes on The Dead in Sydney, Australia, in the most action-packed preview page. Wanda Maximoff is confronted by the undead but is well-prepared for the attack. She casts a powerful spell as The Dead and his minions get closer. 

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Iron Man gets one of the most challenging assignments in Toronto, Canada. The Citysmith uses his powers to unravel the city and destroy buildings, roads, and structures. He then puts them back together in his twisted way while also using the debris to try to take on Iron Man. The Citysmith can be seen wielding a weapon while preparing to attack Tony Stark. Unfortunately, if the cover for the issue is any indication, Iron Man is about to feel the wrath of what the Ashen Combine's destroyer is all about.

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Besides their terrifying appearances, the Ashen Combine have risen to become some of the Avenger's most formidable foes in just a short time because of their collective powers and lust for destroying cities. The villainous team loves to see worlds unravel, one city at a time. With five members with unique abilities connected to causing current and future mayhem and mega-tragedies (the Tribulation Events), they can split up and wreak havoc worldwide. It forces Earth's Mightiest Heroes to split up while Black Panther and Captain America head to Impossible City. The Avengers are always stronger together, but in this case, they don't have much choice but to take on the Ashen Combine one-on-one. 

While the Ashen Combine's upper-power level is unknown, they have shown they are a force to be reckoned with. And if they're not defeated soon, the planet will suffer grave consequences. One of the scariest things about them is there's so little known about them. Yes, they're powerful and can topple worlds, but their role in Impossible City and whether they can even be taken out is still left to be discovered. In the process, they make for quite compelling new villains.

Check out the cover for "Avengers" #4 by Stuart Immonen, featuring Iron Man in serious trouble against The Citysmith.

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The issue's synopsis reads: "Battle is joined as the Avengers race to combat the Ashen Combine. But with Lord Ennui, the Citysmith, Idol Alabaster, the Dead and Meridian Diadem scattered across the planet, each with their own city for prey, have the Avengers spread themselves too thin? United, the Avengers stand. But divided...?"

Readers can see the Avengers take on the Ashen Combine in "Avengers" #4 from Marvel Comics, out on August 9.