Category: Books

Black Panther Takes Command in New Avengers

New Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel

  The Illuminati are back in 2013 as part of the new era for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Jonathan Hickman will be writing a new Avengers and New Avengers – featuring a new version of the Illuminati.

  This secret cabal working behind the scenes will be Black Panther, Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Doctor Strange and Beast. Black Bolt will return and Namor will be involved.

  In Marvel’s recently announced January solicitations we learn why this secret group convenes: to prevent our universe from colliding with another universe. And we learned Black Panther will lead this new supergroup.

  Black Panther’s homeland was devastated by Namor’s invasion during Avengers vs. X-Men. Hickman says T’Challa’s home will be the focus on the new series. In the original Illuminati stories Black Panther refused to join the inner circle but he will need them in the Marvel now Hickman revealed on Marvel.com.

 “The catalyst is an event in Wakanda with Black Panther, the only man who told the original Illuminati it was a mistake. Something occurs so earth-shattering he sees no other course of action than to call on them,” Hickman teases, “This event is so huge than even the people in the Illuminati who do not currently like each other are forced to put differences aside.”

New Avengers courtesy Marvel

   I’m thrilled to see T’Challa as a central character in the Marvel Now. He’s a single man now. He’s the leader of a broken country and now leader of the biggest brains in the Marvel universe.

 “Black Panther is the lynchpin character of New Avengers. The central character. He’s very important to the Avengers franchise as a whole,” Editor Tom Brevoort explained.

 “Black Panther is certainly the moral center of New Avengers,” adds Hickman.

New Avengers #1 and #2 arrive in January.

By Editor

 

Loki’s Young Avengers

courtesy Marvel

Loki was the inspiration for the assembling of The Avengers. Loki is at it again in this week’s Marvel Now! Point One. Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie set the stage for their upcoming relaunch of the Young Avengers with their story within this mega issue of tales.

On Earth 212 Loki invites Miss America to lunch to recruit her for a mission. When Loki shows her Wiccan he teases that the multiverse would be better off with the son of the Scarlet Witch in it. The feisty Miss America delivers a punch and warning for the trickster.

The art pops. The humor and action are perfectly paced. Loki breaks the fourth wall to ask our help in recruiting his team. If this is what we can expect from the new series then I’m in! I’m eager to see what the arrogant, hot-headed Marvel Boy does to Kid Loki!

Young Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel

By Editor

 

X-Men 2013: New Mutants, Dead Mutants?

Uncanny X-Force #1 courtesy Marvel

New characters, new books and endings pack the January Marvel solicitations out. Here are some of the X-related highlights that might inspire some fan frenziness and frustration.

  Uncanny X-Force #1 Sam Humphries and Ron Garney relaunch the covert team concept with Psylocke in command, Storm sporting a mohawk, Spiral and Puck and new character named Cluster? Any relation to Fantomex aka Charlie Cluster Seven I wonder? Could the X-team be pulling a genetic twist (in the tradition of Loki and Miss Sinister) and giving us a female Fantomex?

  X-Men Legacy #4, #5 In previous issues of this new book by Simon Spurrier Professor X’s son will go to Japan in search of new mutant twins. In this month’s preview two new villains out to destroy Legion: one is in his mind, one is hiding within the X-Men? Could this be an entity like Malice and a new shapeshifter?

  Wolverine and the X-Men #23 The fight with the murder circus continues and the “circus claims its victims!” Does this mean another student of the Jean Grey School will die?

  X-Men #40 is “the end of an era.” Does this mean an end to this title? The tension and distrust has been building and the “security team’s” insecurity may be their undoing.

Thanks to Comic Book Resources.

Cat Fight in Justice League #13

Justice League #13 courtesy DC Comics

  Love Bites! Wonder Woman’s romantic kiss with Superman is interrupted by the bite of a classic villainess reborn!

  The Cheetah roars and rips her away into DC Comics The New 52 this week in Justice League #13. Superman and Wonder Woman’s passionate kiss from last issue leads a hero left alone but the attraction is still burning when they reunite later in the Watchtower.

  The real stars of this issue are the Cheetah, Wonder Woman and Tony Daniel! The Batman/Detective Comics writer creates a savage showdown between the Amazon and her friend turned mortal enemy in Central Park. The title splash page should be a poster on the walls of Diana worshipping geeks. By the end of the issue the team is in the Congo tracking down the villainess when she attacks and Geoff Johns leaves us with a savage cliffhanger. Johns and Daniel transformed a villain with a silly past into a badass with a ferocious future!

  Writer Jeff Lemire joins Johns on the backup story with Steve Trevor drinking after being dumped romantically by Wonder Woman and professionally by the Justice League. The appearance of another hero sets the stage for Trevor’s comeback in Justice League of America #1 coming soon.

By Editor

Inside Avenger Black Widow’s Ledger

The Avengers courtesy Marvel.com

  Joss Whedon and Scarlett Johannson made the Black Widow just work beautifully in The Avengers. Natasha Romanoff is deadly, gorgeous and damaged. She is haunted by the red in her ledger. At New York Comic Con Marvel revealed the Widow’s past will be explore in The Widow’s Ledger storyline.

 

Avengers Assemble #12 courtesy Marvel

  Avengers Assemble writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and artist Pete Woods kick off the new arc jumping from the film.

  “Oh, it was absolutely inspired by the ‘Marvel’s The Avengers’ movie,” confirms DeConnick. “As soon as the Widow said the line, ‘I have a lot of red in my ledger,’ I was like, “Holy crap. I want to see that movie!’”

  “This is a story about debts, among other things, and there’s a coolness, an almost clinical remove to the way in which Black Widow keeps score,” says DeConnick. “Now, add Jessica Drew and Clint Barton to that mix and it all gets messy. Suddenly the Widow’s well out of her comfort zone. 

  “I love how preternaturally cool Natasha is; not cool like rock star cool, cool like temper-less, controlled. In that way she’s the opposite of the character I’ve been writing most of late; Carol Danvers is quick-tempered, explosive. Natasha is patient, chill, calculating.”

  Go inside The Widow’s Ledger starting with Avengers Assemble #12.

By Editor 

Nightwing Takes On Lady Shiva

 

Nightwing #13 courtesy DC Comics

  Lady Shiva makes her DC Comics The New 52 debut going up against Dick Grayson this week. Legendary creator Tom DeFalco unleashes the assassin on Gotham City during this two-part story in Nightwing #13 and #14.

  DeFalco told The Bat Signal on Comic Book Resources how he got to be the writer to bring back the martial arts master.

  “You know, I’m not really sure. I think we had a big discussion — the people I was talking with were Brian Cunningham and Katie Kubert, and the three of us sat around and tossed out all sorts of possibilities and discussed different characters, what would be interesting, which character should we use, this or that. I remembered Brian said at one point, “You know, the character I always loved was Lady Shiva.” And then Katie talked of a different character with a ponytailed weapon. She described it to me and I said, “Wow, that is a really cool weapon!” [Laughs] So Brian made the call to give Shiva that other character’s weapon to make her more a visual threat. Then, I guess Brian discussed it with Mike Marts and the other Bat people and we decided to go with Lady Shiva.”

  Lady Shiva was part of Dick’s past. The femme fatale appeared briefly in last month’s origin story in Nightwing #0 and “this Lady Shiva is very different, but has the same traits in this completely new version of the character.”

 Artist Andres Guinaldo will join DeFalco on the story.

By Editor

All-New X-Men #1 Preview! New Mutants?

All-New X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel

  Brian Michael Bendis will bring the original five X-Men into the Marvel Now. How will the teen Scott, Jean, Hank, Warren and Bobby react to seeing how Xavier’s dream turned nightmare?

  The original five may be the focus on the All-New X-Men book but this preview art by Stuart Immonen stars the modern day X-Men formerly known as the Phoenix Five.

  Cyclops, Emma Frost and Magneto may no longer be under the influence of the Phoenix Force but they still looked ominous as the confront the mystery woman. Bendis has confirmed this is not Rachel Summers.

  The other preview piece shows Cyke and Magik  in a war zone protecting a young man in glasses we’ve seen in an earlier #1 cover.

All-New X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel

 Are these new mutants?

 Captain America and Wolverine are trying to heal the wounds of AvX with the creation of Uncanny Avengers but maybe Cyke, Emma and Magneto are not willing to give in the the new world order of the Marvel Now?

All-New X-Men #1 arrives November 7th.

By Editor

The Return of Jean Grey by Bendis

All New X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel

Will a blast from the past rekindle Xavier’s dream in the Marvel Now? The five original X-Men will be brought into the here and now in All-New X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. The original teens arrive to see their mentor killed by Cyclops. Their future is a nightmare. Imagine how the young Jean Grey will react when she learns the truth of how her life turned out?

The return of Jean has been teased for years but the idea of the original pre-Phoenix Jean was a surprise. Bendis talked with Marvel.com about how he sees this Jean Grey of the past.

  “I think she’s the quintessential X-Man. I think that’s why everyone gravitates to her so much. Her powers are unique; her powers are something she has to work on, something she has to control. Every time her powers build, it sets a new set of problems for her, and at the same time, a new set of goals and challenges that make her a better hero, And we know, as fans, that she has met with tragedy a couple of times, because of the rocky road of the mutants and the X-Men. In this story that I’m telling, we’re going to meet a Jean that is fully aware of everything that has happened to her, more than any of the other X-Men, and now we get to see how that information will inform her choices as a human, and as a mutant, and as a person, and as a girl going forward.

  It’s a very interesting challenge as a writer. I literally cannot stop writing her. It is absolutely fascinating. We know that Jean is a sweetheart, and we also know that Jean has an incredible edge to her. How will that edge manifest itself, knowing everything that she knows about the destiny of her life?”

All-New X-Men #5 courtesy Marvel

This is perhaps the biggest reveal – this Jean is not just pre-Phoenix but this is Jean before her mutant power manifested.

  “I don’t want to spoil too much, but when we meet Jean in this story, she is specifically brought here when she’s not telepathic, so it would make it more palpable for her to understand what’s happening. But the event of bringing her here unlocks her telepathy earlier than it had prior. She gets a shock to the system discovering that Scott Summers killed Professor Charles Xavier, and that she had died. She is witness to everything at once, so it’s not just elements of her life that is shocking her, it’s the accumulation of all of it.

  It’s literally like reading a Wikipedia page as fast as you can. It’s not just the facts of her life, but it is experiencing all of the emotions at once. Love from someone like Wolverine that she cannot reciprocate, to discover the rise and fall and rise and fall of Scott Summers, all of this happens to her in a flash. That I think is going to be the most shocking thing. It’s literally just her seeing Scott Summers standing next to Magneto. Remember, when they were 16, Magneto was Hitler. That’s what we’re gunning for.”

I loved this next question and response because I remember the relationship between Jean and Ororo during the Chris Claremont era. How will young Jean react to the modern-day X-women like Storm who was adult Jean’s closest friend.

  “And that’s not a best friendship that teenage Jean can reciprocate right now. But what you do get is her gravitating very strongly to Kitty Pryde because they are very much of the same cloth. And that’s what I’m saying: Jean Grey is now Jewish because I’m writing her [Laughs]. No, I’m joking. But it’s not just the other females. It’s a smorgasbord of species and mutations. Remember the original five X-Men, they’re all still pretty human looking, but walk into the Wolverine and the X-Men book, and half those kids are alien looking, if not full on alien. So it certainly is an eye opener.”

X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel

Bendis talks about how knowing Jean’s future history is part of the challenge of writing this young Jean in the Marvel Now.

  “She is the one that everyone wants back the most, and what’s great about this situation. She is the most interesting of the group. They’re all interesting, but because she will have the knowledge. Even if she tells them, “here’s what happens to us,” they’re not going to feel it like she feels it. She is just so interesting to write, Most of us that have read a Jean Grey story know that her dark side is a real thing, and seeing her pushed to limits like this will be interesting for people to see. Will she hold it together? Does she want to hold it together?”

  All-New X-Men arrives November 7th. For more of his interview here’s the Marvel.com link.

By Editor