Artist Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead) and Writer/Artist Tony Daniel (Batman, Detective Comics) will appear at the 2013 Emerald City Comicon. This will be Daniel’s first appearance at the Seattle event. I had the pleasure of interviewing Daniel at Fan Expo Vancouver earlier this year.
Uncanny Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Adi Granov returns to Emerald City Comicon. The Iron Man movie concept artist and co-creator of Iron Man Extremis provided the cover for the Monsters & Dames charity book this year. I’m thrilled to see what Granov will create for next year. I have to get this Uncanny Avengers Granov variant for him to sign! Fingers crossed.
Natalia Tena (Harry Potter films, Game of Thrones) is the latest celebrity guest (Patrick Stewart, Billy Dee Williams, Walter Koenig) to join the 2013 ECCC lineup.
The Marvel NOW relaunch continues with the end of long running titles only to be relaunched later.
The Marvel December solicitations include Amazing Spider-Man #700. The milestone issue will be the final issue.
Wolverine #317 and Captain America and Black Widow #640 (which I think is the original numbering for the Captain America series but who can tell at this point?)
Wolverine is joining Uncanny Avengers, All-New X-Men and his Wolverine and X-Men book will continues. Black Widow will be part of Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers relaunch. Captain America will be part of Uncanny Avengers, Avengers and a brand new solo book by Rick Remender.
No word yet on a new book or creative team for Spidey. For me the biggest Marvel NOW surprise is two new X-Force books (Cable & X-Force, Uncanny X-Force) that don’t include Logan.
America is divided. There’s a fight for power. Voters have a choice. Sound familiar? In this bitterly divided United States voters choose a war hero to lead them…a SUPER war hero!
SPOILER WARNING!
IF YOU HAVE NOT READ ULTIMATES COMICS ULTIMATES #15 AND #16 YOU MAY WANT TO STOP READING THIS POST
SERIOUSLY
OK HERE IT COMES
America in the Ultimate Comics Universe (published by Marvel Comics) has been brutalized by super villain terrorist attacks, occupation by giant Sentinel robots. The nation has been split into independent feuding states. The Ultimate Comics United States was divided and fell.
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #16 courtesy Marvel
One man will unite the country – President Captain America?
In this week’s Ultimate Comics Ultimates #15 voters will elect Captain America to become President of the United States. Can the super soldier unite the broken nation and lead it into better days?
How did the creators come up with this major status quo change? Writer Sam Humphries tells Marvel.com.
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #16 courtesy Marvel
“Jonathan Hickman, my predecessor, very generously gave me all his notes for the title. There was a line in there about making Cap the president. It was an intimidating idea to pitch to Marvel, especially on my first big book. But the more I talked about it with editorial, the more we all became convinced it was the right story to do.”
Humphries explains how this game-changing story will play out.
“Cap is a soldier, not a politician. He’s not trying to make a career change. He’s answering the call of the people. They want him to do a job—unite America—and he’s going to do anything he can to do it.”
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #16 courtesy Marvel
What kind of President will Steve Rogers be?
“This isn’t the first time Cap has answered the call of an America in crisis. He’s not going to let the presidency change who he is; he’s going to do the job he was elected to do.”
This is the same comic book line that killed most of the X-Men and Fantastic Four, has the U.S. defeated by its foreign enemies and inspired the alien warrior seen in The Avengers movie. Humphries explains why this election could only happen in this universe.
“In the Ultimate Comics Universe we do stories with iconic characters you can’t find anywhere else—in the Marvel Universe, the movies, video games, anywhere. President Cap fits that definition by shaking up Steve Roger’s status quo in a radical fashion, and hopefully getting to know him in new ways.”
For more of Humphries interview here’s the Marvel.com link.
In the Marvel Comics Universe Captain America is still leader of The Avengers and not entering politics.
Humphries (Higher Earth, Fanboys vs. Zombies) is launching a brand new Uncanny X-Forcein January, 2013.
The final chapter of AvX is Cyclops (in Dark Phoenix mode) against the Avengers and X-Men. It appears Scott will survive the showdown to appear in All-New X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis. Will the modern-day Cyke be at war with his younger self?
All-New X-Men #4 courtesy Marvel
Bendis is bringing the original five X-Men into the here and Marvel Now. Comic Book Resources has the exclusive first look at the covers for All-New X-Men #3 and #4 by Stuart Immonen featuring Cyclops against Cyclops.
Kieron Gillen and Greg Land leave Utopia and Uncanny X-Men to steer Tony Stark into the Marvel Now. Stark has all the best toys. Gillen shared some armor Stark will sport in the upcoming relaunch. The writer tells Marvel.com Tony will debut two new suits in December’s Iron Man #3 and #4.
“In the first and second issues, we go and see the modular nature of the suit,” explains Gillen. “The ultra-high tech joust of the second issue is especially a showcase for the ‘Ooh, I think I’ll have that arm, with the fancy UV Laser’ style of storytelling.
“But sometimes you can’t just fiddle with the details. Sometimes you have to commit to a problem, and that’s what the suits in issues three and four are showcasing.”
Vibro, Firebrand and Living Laser attack Tony. Stark faces these old foes with his new stealth armor.
courtesy Marvel.com
“The stealth suit [is] shown here in tasteful black, though its chameleonic tendencies can move that in any direction he wants,” shares Gillen. “It maxes out its light-bender, includes lots of holograms, lots of hacking and still keeps a little repulsor and strength if needed.”
Gillen’s keeps up the action with the debut of a brand new heavy-duty battle armor.
Iron Man #4 courtesy Marvel
“[Issue #4] showcases the sort of suit which starts where War Machine leaves off,” Gillen boasts. “Frankly, if I was asked to re-launch Power Pack, I’d somehow manage to work a mini-gun in there, so it’s no surprise that there’s some manner of Gatling device attached to this genuinely brutal piece of machinery.”
courtesy Marvel.com
Iron Man #3 and #4 blast into comic book shops this December.
Chris Evans as Captain America in Marvel’s The Avengers courtesy Marvel Films
Chris Evans will play the First Avenger again in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Fans of the comic book know this sequel will be based on the story by Ed Brubaker in which Steve’s best friend is back from the dead as a brainwashed assassin.
“Oh, I am fully up to date with my comics. I know all about it. Kevin Feige was talking about [Winter Soldier] when we were filming the first Captain America and well before The Avengers. During the first Captain America we were talking about potential futures and, you know, I don’t want to give too much way,” Evans tells Collider.
Some of the scenes Evans shot for The Avengers showing Cap adjusting to the modern world was cut but may turn up in the Captain America sequel.
Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger courtesy Marvel.com
“A lot of that stuff [that was cut] is for Captain America 2. That is his story. It is him trying to on a personal level adjust to the fact that everyone he knows is gone and the whole Peggy Carter of it all. There are a lot of things that he kind of has to come to terms with. So I don’t know. I am excited to kind of see flashes of the first Captain, if you know what I mean, and to see his memory of what we now know as an audience of who he was.”
Evans adds that he’d like for Steve to appear in Thor: The Dark World.
“[Chris] Hemsworth and I even talked about that. I would love to do a little thing in Thor 2. It is obviously going to be tricky trying to work out the plot, the reason why I am not there to help him, and why he is not there to help me. But the best thing about Marvel is that, like I said, the movies were so good and we had such a good time making them.”
Captain America: The First Avenger opens April 4, 2014. Sebastian Stan returns as Bucky Barnes, Anthony Mackie plays the Falcon and no word on a love interest for Cap. Here’s hoping Sharon Carter aka Agent 13 will appear in the film.
Avengers #30 Love in war. AvX may be an epic with huge battles and ramifications but it’s also about heart and relationships. This tie-in focuses on the romance of Hawkeye and Spider-Woman. Can two emotionally damaged heroes like Clint and Jessica make it work in the damaged world shaken by the Phoenix.
Nightwing #0 The New 52 origin of Dick Grayson revealed. From orphan to sidekick to his own superhero identity.
Spider-Men #5How will Peter Parker return to his own world? How will it end between Peter and Miles Morales? The story that brought together Spider-Men of two worlds comes to a shocking end.
True Blood #5The secret history of the villain that terrified Bon Temps and his connection to Eric Northman’s maker – Godric.
Thanos: The Final Threat #1 He’s the cosmic villain behind the war in Marvel’s The Avengers movie and Avengers Assemble series. Experience Thanos at his evil best in this masterpiece by Jim Starlin. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes must stop Thanos from using the Infinity Gems to seize power and satisfy his mistress, Death. This includes the classic Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2.
The Red Hood and Red Robin will team up against the Joker in Teen Titans #15 by Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth. Batgirl will guest star and Batman artist Greg Capullo created this creepy image. This is not the final cover.
The Joker has committed such horrible acts against Bruce, Barbara and Jason – it’s difficult to decide who I want to deal a brutal dose of retribution against him!
