Peter Quill is a hero Marvel hopes you will learn to love as much as Tony Stark or Steve Rogers. In this week’s Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1 Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven introduce us the young man who will become Star-Lord in a prelude story I loved.
Guardians of the Galaxy and Star-Lord are old concepts that have been reworked with some degrees of success over the years. Bendis and McNiven inject the Star-Lord mythos with excitement, fresh energy and feeling. This is not a Star-Lord story. This is the story of Continue reading Before He Was A Guardian of the Galaxy
Have the stars aligned for Marvel in the search for Star-Lord? Chris Pratt (Zero Dark Thirty, Moneyball, Parks and Recreation) is in talks to play Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord) in the James Gunn directed Guardians of the Galaxy according to The Hollywood Reporter Heat Vision.
Judgement in the stars for the Armored Avenger! Tony Stark rockets into space in this week’s Iron Man #6. In this new arc Tony could face judgement for a cosmic crime in TheGodkiller.
Kieron Gillen talked about Iron Man’s team up with Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Trek fantasies, and Tony paying for his actions in Avengers versus X-Men with Marvel.com.
“Tony Stark is in space. Issues #1-6 are why he leaves. This is the story between Tony leaving Earth and hooking up with the Guardians of the Galaxy,” Gillen explains.
Cyclops went to prison but I believe Iron Man is in part to blame for the destruction caused by the Phoenix Five. It was Tony’s invention that deflected the Phoenix from Hope and into Scott, Emma, Colossus, Magik and Namor.
“What Tony did to the Phoenix during AvX catches up with him,” Gillen explains, “Tony is having a crisis of his beliefs. Fans know it’s because of AvX. Newcomers may be lost. We catch up here.”
Guardians of the Galaxy #1 courtesy Marvel
Space adventures are a big part of the Marvel Now with a brand new Guardians of the Galaxy series and movie on the way. The ultimate futurist will be part of the new space age.
“Tony is living his James T. Kirk fantasies. That’s how I put it, that’s how he puts it. He thinks he’s in a space opera, then it all turns badly,” Gillen teases, “Not only does Tony try to live out his Kirk and Han Solo fantasies, he’s keenly aware he is doing so. He wants to make out with a green lady. There’s a lot of space bar flirting in issue #6. Maybe he gets his Kirk moment, maybe it goes awesomely wrong.”
The Armored Avenger may meet the Guardians but don’t expect his fellow Mightiest Heroes around.
“You know how the Hawkeye book is about Hawkeye when he’s not in the Avengers? Iron Man is about Iron Man when he’s not with the Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s a question of what space means in the Marvel Universe. Brian Bendis and I are on the same page.”
A brand new Guardians of the Galaxy will blast off next month. It’s part of the Marvel/Disney big expansion off the company’s sci-fi heroes. All-New X-Men writer Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven will steer the new comic book series. James Gunn will direct the big screen film and the search is currently on for the actor to play Star-Lord. Bendis revealed on Marvel.com how these space-faring heroes will connect to teams on planet earth and the connection to the 2014 movie.
“This will be the most surprising chapter of Marvel NOW! This is a brand new #1 that starts these characters off in a place for new readers but doesn’t rob them of what made them great in the first place. It’s also a great place for you to hop on and see why we’re excited for these characters to be in a movie and why it’s as good a franchise as Marvel has.”
“This ties into a lot of things already happening in the Marvel Universe. The things that have happened on Earth in the past few events have had a butterfly effect through the galaxy. The abuse of time travel, the use of the Infinity Gems…these things have costs.”
“If you’re looking at Earth in the Marvel Universe from a distant, it looks like an insane asylum! It’s a place where the Phoenix Force doesn’t destroy the world, where Galactus doesn’t feed. It’s the scariest place anywhere to the rest of the galaxy! Wait until Earth joins the cosmic community…”
Guardians of the Galaxy #3 courtesy Marvel
For the newbies…Peter Quill has an alien father but was raised on Earth. The young man who will become Star-Lord eventually meets up with various aliens (Rocket Raccoon, Drax, Gamora, Groot.)
“I wrote Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1 without anybody asking me to, I love the characters so much. Starlord’s origin is a hidden gem. I repeated it in a Marvel retreat and it was nice to see even guys like Dan Slott didn’t know it. It’s as good an origin as Spider-Man. This is why you care about this guy.
They all have father issues or are the last of their species. It’s a universal thing not to like the world you’re born into and not having to be a part of it.”
“Peter Quill’s father is basically the king of the galaxy, but I’m of the belief that the guy who won the war is just the biggest [expletive].
“Every Marvel comic is science fiction on some level. As I was working this, I pulled out every sci-fi book that meant something to me on some level. I have so many that I truly love. I want to see what I was looking at and what drove me crazy; it was always the character and the artwork. That’s the philosophy I applied toward this book.”
In The Avengers movie Earth became a bigger target because its mightiest heroes defeated an alien army. Bendis revealed the first enemies his team will encounter.
“The threat of the first arc is that the Spartax Empire is an empire of conquerors, and the Earth is the sexiest jewel in the galaxy. There will be a lot of complicated plays for Earth, you can’t just come in and invade it if Galactus, the Phoenix and the Skrulls couldn’t do it. They have to be smart. That includes manipulating Starlord and the Guardians into a place where they won’t be an issue.”
Guardians of the Galaxy #1 courtesy Marvel
Bendis is also writing the Age of Ultron event and the brand new Uncanny X-Men and All-New X-Men so expect the storylines to weave into Guardians.
“When you see what’s coming to the book in its second arc, you will be shocked. The fallout from Age of Ultron lands directly in this book.”
“Iron Man joins the team right from the get go, which is exciting and show that the Guardians are really the cosmic Avengers.
The Guardians will be out in space a lot, but there’s something about them trying to protect the Earth but not belonging here and needing to understand it. Earth is in the first two issues.”
“A crossover with the X-Men is absolutely going to happen. The All-New X-Men have a lot to answer for. You know who’s not excited for Jean Grey to be back? Everybody who saw her as Dark Phoenix.”
“Marvel Studios has been developing the Guardians movie for years. I was not the most focused member of the Creative Committee on these characters, but looking at them with eyes wide open and became so excited. When it came time to think about putting this book out, they called me because I sounded like a mental patient talking about the possibilities of Peter Quill.”
For the entire liveblog here’s the Marvel.com link.
Marvel Now continues with more new relaunches and brand new series in 2013 but this year will mark the return of the Avengers’ greatest enemy!
Age of Ultron! No planning. No build up. The robotic menace hase already won on page one of Age of Ultron. The long-awaited epic series reunites Brian Michael Bendis and Bryan Hitch.
Young Avengers! Kid Loki gets a new group of young heroes together to kill Wiccan? The Scarlet Witch’s son and his boyfriend Hulkling and Kate Bishop are joined by new recruits Miss America and Noh-Varr. Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie (Phonogram) are the new creative team on the new Young Avengers coming January 23.
Marvel Goes Cosmic and Gets Spacey! Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven relaunch Guardians of the Galaxy with new member Iron Man. Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness blast a brand new Nova series with a new young hero under the helmet.
Fearless Defenders! Cullen Bunn assembles Marvel’s finest female heroes in a brand new series starring Valkyrie, Misty Knight and Dani Moonstar! I’m hoping he’ll bring back Hellcat for a reunion with Val!
Superior Spider-Man! Apologies to hardcore Peter Parker fans but imagine how much fun this could be? Feel the ick when Doc Ock kisses MJ! Root for Otto to get busted or is it possible you could end up rooting for this new “hero” in the suit?
Uncanny X-Men! Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo relaunch the flagship X-book starring Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magneto and Magik after the finale of the first arc of All-New X-Men starring the original X-Men.
In 2013 NOVA #1 blasts into the Marvel Now with a new hero under the helmet. Jeph Loeb revealed his pans for the new Nova and how all the cosmic heroes are important to the Marvel’s future on Marvel.com.
“Ed McGuinness and I are huge Nova fans, particularly of the Nova Corps. When we read Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s Thanos Imperative, it was amazing and heartbreaking. It was the end of Nova. We rose up for the Nova fans, who know are legion, and came up with an idea that we brought to editor Steve Wacker, who championed our cause, and Sam Alexander was born.”
“We’ve seen where Sam is present day in AvX and Point One. He’s the only Nova that he knows about. We’ve seen the responsibilities of taking on the helmet and being Nova. The legacy of Rich Rider will hang a heavy shadow.”
“We’re going to go back six months to where Sam was an ordinary kid living in a small town in Arizona, never believing there was anything beyond his backyard. Now his backyard is the entire universe.”
Nova #2 courtesy Marvel
Loeb likens the new NOVA to another teen hero with great power and responsibility:
“If we’re lucky, we’re taking on the type of stuff Peter Parker did in the earliest Spider-Man stories trying to be a super hero and a normal kid.”
“That story of Sam Alexander being 16 years old and already having given up is something I think people can relate to. But in the Marvel Universe, when we’re at our worst, that’s when the hero comes forward.”
Marvel is betting big on their space-faring heroes. Guardians of the Galaxy will be a movie and new series by Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven.
“The relationship between Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy is very important to where we’re going. Brian Bendis and I have talked about it since the beginning. It’s on the first page of the first issue. It’s really cool to see Ed drawing the Guardians.”
“It will be a little bit of a surprise who Sam is up against in this first arc, but it’s very much in the world of Nova, yet a bit next level. By the end of the second issue you’ll know what’s at stake, who the villains are and what will be threatening all of Earth.”
Nova, Gamorra, Rocket Raccoon courtesy Marvel
You could call Richard Rider (the original Nova) Marvel’s eternal teenager until recently. Loeb explains the difference between Rich and Sam:
“What would you do if you found Iron Man’s armor and Tony Stark wasn’t around to explain how it worked? After Thanos Imperative, there is no Worldmind, there is no Nova Corps and there is no Rich Rider.”
“We’re telling the story of a 16 year old kid. You can tell a very dark and adult story about that, but that’s not the story we’re telling. From the beginning, Nova was a fun character. Rich Rider loved being Nova. We want to keep to the spirit of that character. You don’t get to be a rocket and not smile about it at some point.”
NOVA #1 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness launches this February.
For the entire liveblog here’s the Marvel.com link.
Marvel is aiming for the stars for their next big comic book and comic book movie franchise! James Gunn is reportedly been hired to direct Guardians of the Galaxy. Now the search for a star to play the leader: Peter Quill aka Star-Lord.
Joel Edgerton, Lee Pace, Jack Huston, Eddie Redmayne, Jim Sturgess are in contention along with Garrett Hedlund and James Marsden as options according to Deadline.
How important is Guardians of the Galaxy to Marvel? Brian Michael Bendis. The writer of Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man and now All-New X-Men is writing a brand new Guardians of the Galaxy series with superstar artist Steve McNiven and Iron Man is joining the team.
Peter Quill is the son of a human mother and alien father raised on Earth who leads a ragtag group of aliens on adventures in deep space. In the comics the Guardians and Avengers have worked together so expect a cinematic tie-in, especially given the appearance of Thanos.
Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables) matches the look of Peter Quill but my gut goes for Garrett Hedlund (Tron) because once he becomes Star-Lord he gets a little grittier.
I’m still hoping Dwayne Johnson will play Drax the Destroyer.
The Children of the Atom are mutating again. Will a blast from the past reinvigorate the future for Marvel’s mutants? In All-New X-Men #1 Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen bring the original five teen mutants from the past in the Marvel Now. Bendis and X-Men Editor Nick Lowe talk about the time twist and how it will affect the mutants on Marvel.com.
In many ways All-New X-Men is a twist on Chris Claremont’s Day of Future Past. Scott, Jean, Hank, Bobby and Warren of the past have arrived in what to them is a horrific future. Their mentor is dead. Cyclops is in prison for the murder. Anti-mutant hate is raging. The X-Men are without a leader. How will the meeting of past and present X-Men affect the mutant and Marvel universe?
“I am fascinated by the power and responsibility of abusing time travel for your own selfish purposes. I do believe it will create a butterfly effect,” Bendis said, “something that happens in All New X-Men will create a cosmic stir.”
After Schism – Logan rebuilt the a school for mutants. I’m a huge fan of Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron. The staff and students of the Jean School will be front and center in the new book.
“The time traveling X-Men will be trained in the Wolverine school is different and unique ways,” Bendis said, “Hate is very interesting to write but someone appreciating you for your differences will be explored.”
All-New X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel
Bendis revealed that the core of the new book is not just old X-Men.
“There’s a lot more going on in the book than just the five coming here,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with modern day Cyclops and who his alliances are with. That will take shape very quickly in the first issue — a very new X-Men idea. What he’s going to do is a completely different shape akin to when the Avengers moved from Avengers Mansion to Avengers Tower.” “There’s new X-Men. We’re not calling it ‘All-New X-Men’ for nothing. There are all new X-Men debuting in our first issue. Brand new characters, you’re welcome Fox. They’re going to be representing a new look at mutants … a very modern take. All this is going on in every issue going forward.”
During his Avengers run Bendis’s stories (“No More Mutants” in House of M, The Dark X-Men and formation of Utopia in Dark Reign) had a huge impact on the mutants. Expect Bendis’s X-Men stories to affect the entire Universe. The
“I want to make the X-Men a part of the Marvel Universe proper,”he said. “you’ll see the X-Men interacting with The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy.”
This is exciting news. The mutants have a stellar (pardon the pun) tradition of conflicts with alien races (The Shi’ar, The Brood, The Skrulls) and there’s a rich history of family connections (The Starjammers, Vulcan, Phoenix – Jean and Rachel, Deathbird) with those alien empires. Bendis is writing a brand new Guardians of the Galaxy series. Maybe we’ll revisit the infamous M’Krann Crystal?
Bendis said he did not want to bring the Professor X of the past into the here and now “I considered Professor X like a wet blanket”
The way this story is structured is that since Xavier won’t be there, he won’t be able to “mind-wipe” the X-Men.
All-New X-Men #4 courtesy Marvel
I have openly said AvX should have been called Operation: Let’s Make Eveybody Hate Cyclops. The leader now sits in prison (for his actions as the Dark Phoenix) even though he was right about the role of the Phoenix Force and the restarting of the mutant race. Bendis revealed how Scott will not be left rotting in prison and off the burner.
“To the world at large, the public doesn’t know Cyclops killed Xavier,” revealed Bendis. “Even though everybody saw it … everybody saw a different thing. To the public, there was a very cool guy named Scott Summers [who changed the world], did it and then suddenly disappeared.” Bendis said Cyclops will become a very public face of a mutant revolution. “When I say these things, it’s not everyone. There are some people who really like him, there are some who really don’t.” The X-Men will be forced to change their roles and everyone has very different ideas on how to handle Cyclops.”
Bendis said to watch out for a certain shapeshifter!
“A very big, positioned antagonist is going to be Mystique,” Bendis said. “She’s going to be very interested in the past X-Men coming here.”
