With a cover drawn by In Hyuk Lee, which appeared to be straight out of a horror movie, New Avengers #31 led to a major reveal by Marvel Comics through the storytelling of Jonathan Hickman. This issue from 2015 also broke down the individual factions that involved the Avengers at that particular time. These are the S.H.I.E.L.D. Avengers (Steve Rogers, Hawkeye, Maria Hill, War Machine, Invisible Woman, Captain America, Captain Marvel), the Illuminati (Beast, Hulk/Doc Green, Reed Richards, Black Bolt, Black Panther, Captain Britain, Amadeus Cho, Iron Man, Doctor Strange), New Avengers (Sunspot, Cannonball, Smasher, Manifold, Black Widow, Spider-Woman, Shang-Chi, Validator, Pod, Zebra Kids, A.I.M.), Multiversal Avengers (Hyperion, Odinson, Starbrand, Nightmask, Abyss, Ex Nihilo) and the Cabal (Namor, Thanos, Black Swan, Terrax, Maximus, Proxima Midnight, Corvus Glaive). A few of these powerful characters from different factions were involved in this story.
Doctor Strange escaped an attack on his world by ending up in the Library of Worlds. He learns from the Black Swans that the great Rabum Alal is coming for his world. Alal is the master of the Black Swans and they serve him without questioning his intentions. Strange is met with Sisters who are guarding the main entrance and many doors after this leading in many different directions. Ultimately, Strange's magic fails him in his quest to complete his mission and he comes face-to-face with Alal. It turns out he is quite familiar with Alal, as well as having dealt with many of the Avengers in the past. Noticing that one of his disciples is the Molecule Man, Strange is quite surprised to find out that Alal is actually Doctor Doom!
Kev Walker and Frank Martin artistically create the mystique involved around this storyline. The Ivory Kings and the Beyonders are preparing for the upcoming apocalypse and I am afraid that I am going to have to track down these past issues to read about the outcome!