Warning! Spoilers for Shang-Chi #2 by Marvel Comics
The Cosmic Cube is up for auction and some of the biggest villainous organizations in the Marvel Comics Universe are about to put in some massive bids for the reality-altering artifact. In a new preview for Shang-Chi #2, Hydra, A.I.M., and the Hand are among those who put down billion-dollar offers for the Cosmic Cube as it's being sold to the highest bidder.
The Cosmic Cube is one of Marvel's oldest powerful artifacts, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #79 back in 1966. The object, which has the ability to manipulate both mattery and energy, debuted 25 years before the Infinity Stones and has remained a consistent presence in the comics ever since. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Cosmic Cube was changed to be called the Tesseract, as it housed the Space Stone. It was last seen transporting Loki across time in his Disney+ series. In the comics, it has always been its own separate item from the Infinity Stones.
In Shang-Chi's current ongoing series, he's taken control of the Five Weapons Society in an effort to change it for the better. However, when he investigates criminal activity among some of Marvel's most dangerous organizations, he'll end up at an auction for the Cosmic Cube. In new previews for Shang Chi #2 by Gene Luen Yang, Dike Ruan, Triona Farrell, and VC's Travis Lanham, (H/T Adventures in Poor Taste), the new villain Lady Iron Fan is seen auction off the Cosmic Cube at the opening price of four billion dollars.
The bidding features representatives from A.I.M. (still in their hilarious rectangular helmets), the Hand, and HYDRA. The bidding reaches nine billion dollars before Shang-Chi (representing the Five Weapons Society) bids a remarkable twenty billion.
But even a 20 billion dollar bid doesn't appear to be enough. Shang-Chi is perplexed when the Hand makes a thirty billion dollar bid, as his intel told him they didn't have nearly that kind of money. Lady Iron Fan has to warn bidders making a false bid could be deadly.
As the bidding is about to close, Captain America arrives at the scene to stop the Cosmic Cube from falling into the wrong hand. His surprise appearance will lead to a fight between Shang-Chi and Steve Rogers.
Shang-Chi and Captain America are both trying to prevent the Cosmic Cube from falling into the wrong hands. However, the pair are taking two totally different approaches in doing so, leading to conflict between the two heroes. Can Shang-Chi or Captain America get the Cosmic Cube away from the Hand, Hydra, and A.I.M. before it's too late? Shang-Chi #2 is in comic book stores later this week.
Check out the full preview at AIPT