Warning! Spoilers ahead for Avengers #52
In the latest issue of Marvel Comics' Avengers, the ultimate version of Red Skull reveals he's grown tired of his rivalry with Captain America after killing so many versions of the Super Soldier across the multiverse. A part of the new Multiversal Masters of Evil assembled by Doctor Doom and Mephisto, their recruited Red Skull is actually known as the Black Skull, a variant of the Nazi supervillain who bonded with the Venom symbiote on his own dark world. However, he and the Ghost Goblin have arrived at Earth-616 in this new issue, giving the Black Skull a new opportunity to kill Steve Rogers.
In previous issues of Avengers, it's been revealed that the Multiversal Masters of Evil have been destroying Earths and their respective Avengers one by one, saving Earth-616 for last at the request of the demon lord Mephisto and the Council of Red, a coalition of united Mephisto variants. However, it seems as though the time has come for the Masters to begin their assault on 616 and its greater significance among the other Earths. While dark versions of Wolverine, Killmonger, Thor, and the Phoenix were all featured previously, Black Skull and the Ghost Goblin make their debut in the new Avengers #52 from Jason Aaron and Juan Frigeri, attacking Captain America, Captain Marvel, and the young girl, who recently gained the power of the Starbrand, the Avengers have named Brandi.
Despite the three Avengers being aided by a team of multiversal Deathloks dispatched by the mysterious Avenger Prime, the power of the Ghost Goblin and Black Skull is initially too great in this new issue. Although Ghost Goblin is having a great time in his attempts to kill more Avengers as the Masters had across countless worlds, the Black Skull is less than enthused facing Captain America. Apparently, constantly winning battles and killing multiple versions of Steve Rogers several times over has resulted in the Skull becoming bored with his arch-foe.
While it certainly looked as though Rogers was about to meet his demise in this issue, regardless of the Black Skull's boredom, the two Masters of Evil weren't expecting to face the power of the Starbrand. Viewing her as an Avenger that should no longer exist in the multiverse, the villains retreated and Black Skull left Rogers to fight another day. However, it's very likely that Captain America will soon get a rematch against this powerful version of the Red Skull once both teams are assembled to inevitably fight each other all at once.
The idea that the Red Skull would become bored with Captain America after killing so many variants of the Super Soldier is a super dark concept. As such, it certainly seems as though this variant is the ultimate version of the Red Skull, having beaten so many versions of Rogers again and again, world by world. Even so, here's hoping the Captain America of Earth-616 has what it takes to bring him down as Marvel's Avengers continues.