Appearing in "And the Rocket's Red Glare!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Dire Wraiths
- Rocketeers (Host for a Dire Wraith) (Main story and recap)
- Dr. Woodrow Cather (Host for a Dire Wraith)
- General William Bridges (Host for a Dire Wraith)
Other Characters:
- Beyonder (Referenced)
- National Security Council (Mentioned)
- Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff)
- Lockjaw
- Bova (Mentioned)
- U.S. Army
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Synthezoids
- Titanians
- Birds
- Dire Wraiths (Main story and recap)
- Kree (Mentioned)
- Skrulls (Mentioned)
- Inhuman Dogs
Locations:
- Milky Way (Main story and recap)
- Solar System (Main story and recap)
- Earth (Main story and recap)
- North America (Main story and recap)
- United States (Main story and recap)
- Florida
- The Cape
- Kennedy Space Center
- Banana River
- The Cape
- Washington, D.C. (Mentioned)
- California
- West Virginia (Only in recap)
- Clairton (Only in recap)
- Florida
- United States (Main story and recap)
- Europe
- North America (Main story and recap)
- Earth (Main story and recap)
- Solar System (Main story and recap)
- Dark Nebula
Items:
Vehicles:
- S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier (Only in flashback)
Events:
- Secret Wars (Referenced)
Synopsis for "And the Rocket's Red Glare!"

The Avengers respond to a suspected extraterrestrial sabotage at the Kennedy Space Center and encounter a group of terrorists called the Rocketeers, who escape the ensuing battle under cover of a disabling mist. Unknown to the heroes, the Rocketeers were actually disguised alien Dire Wraiths, and are now in the heroes' very midst, under the guise of space center technicians.
When the Dire Wraiths stage a second assault on the facility, the Avengers deduce their true identities and capture them. However, one of the Dire Wraiths, disguised as a senior scientist, Dr. Cather, escapes in an experimental ion-drive rocket. Unbeknownst to its passenger, the rocket's drive engine is an unstable experimental model and is about to explode.
Meanwhile, Quicksilver and Lockjaw are in Transia to pay Bova a visit. They are stunned when they come across the smoldering remains of her home.
Solicit Synopsis
It's a great month for Rom fans! The Avengers face the eerie, insidious menace of the Dire Wraiths... and what chance do Earth's Mightiest Heroes have against an entire alien swarm? and there's even more - because this month's tales is really two stories in one.