One of Marvel’s most powerful heroes just officially joined the Avengers for the very first time. Up against the staggeringly powerful villain known as the Living Testament, the survival of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is all down to one long-lost hero.
Captain Beyond Joins the Avengers for the First Time
In Astonishing Avengers Infinity Comic #30 from Steve Orlando and Francesco Archidiacono
Recently in the digital-only Astonishing Avengers Infinity Comic, the Avengers Emergency Response Squad have been going up against Ahmet Abdol – the former Living Monolith and current Living Testament. With the ability to absorb the lifeforce of every being on Earth, the Living Testament’s victory seemed assured… until Elijah Jackson’s Captain Beyond flew in to save the day.
Introduced in 1994’s Marvel Comics Present #148, Elijah Jackson is a former Captain Universe – one of many hosts (including Venom and the Juggernaut) who have bonded with the cosmic force of power known as the Enigma Force. Captain Universe’s powers include the ability to control matter and energy on a cosmic level, a superhuman-level enhancement of strength and speed, flight, healing abilities, and ‘Uni-Vision’ which can be used to perceive the truth in a variety of ways.
Tragically, Elijah suffers from locked-in syndrome and can only move when bonded with the force, which refuses to take a single host for very long. However, with the entire Earth at stake, the Enigma Force has returned to Elijah, granting him a whole new superhero identity as Captain Beyond.
Our Take on Captain Beyond Joining the Avengers
Elijah is a deep-cut character – one who had only starred in a single comic until Astonishing Avengers Infinity Comic #28 brought him back. This kind of return is exactly what makes reading superhero comics rewarding: a character not seen for thirty years finally gets to return to the spotlight.
It’s a joy for fans who enjoyed Elijah and are meeting him again, and a treasure hunt for Avengers fans who just met Captain Beyond and can now search out his origin story.
2025 Saw a Major Expansion of the Avengers
Some Surprise Heroes Joined for the First Time
While Astonishing Avengers Infinity Comic has come to an end with issue 30, the series has made a habit of adding new characters to the Avengers’ roster. Run by Steve Rogers, the team is dedicated to first-response heroism, recruiting any and every hero who can lend a hand. Elektra, Mr. Immortal, Somnus, She-Thing and the Phone Ranger have all joined the team thanks to this new series, with a gigantic Avengers roster assembling to take on the Living Testament.
One of Captain America’s favorite sayings is “once an Avengers, always an Avengers,” so fans can expect to see all these former members turn up in future adventures. That’s doubly true for Elijah Jackson, who is no longer just one of many iterations of Captains Universe, but the Captain Beyond. The Avengers franchise just brought one of Marvel’s most powerful heroes back from obscurity, making them the star of one of the team’s greatest battles of all time.
Astonishing Avengers Infinity Comic #30 is available now from Marvel Comics.