Marvel announced Avengers #0 at Comic-Con San Diego as the prelude that launches all the All-New, All-Different Marvel Now Avengers books.
The cover revelation started a big debate: who is the mystery man observing the different teams?
Is he hero, villain, human, alien, machine?
Before we reveal our theories let’s dive into some Avengers history to speculate on the future of the new Marvel.
All-New, All-Different Avengers by Mark Waid is the flagship team book that will guide the post-Secret Wars Marvel Universe. How long is Waid planning on staying, how far out has he plotted?
Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers, New Avengers plan had a intricate, plots within plots endgame that revealed Doctor Doom as the cause of the incursions that ultimately led to the destruction of the Marvel Universe and Secret Wars.
Who could be “the Observer” watching the different Avengers teams on a bank of monitors?
Here are our prime suspects:
Tony Stark. Duh. The futurist was behind Hickman’s Avengers World status who pushed to expand the roster and get bigger to face the big threats. Invincible Iron Man by Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez will be the flagship book of the Fall relaunch. If Bendis is on a book you know it’s important to the overall Marvel game-plan. Stark is on Waid’s Avengers team but the writer has pointed out this team will have access to Stark’s billions and resources. Stark has a history of being a force behind the scenes (Avengers World) and taking charge (Civil War/The Fifty State Initiative.) Sam Wilson may be team leader/front and center but Tony takes a backseat to no one and will have a strong influence on the Marvel Now.
Steve Rogers. The elderly former Captain America is still playing an active role. Even in Hickman’s epic Avengers finale, Rogers suited up to take down Tony. Rogers may not be able to physically fight the way he used but he’s still a master at strategy and living beacon of heroism to inspire the other heroes.
Baron Zemo. Citizen V was featured on the first All-New, All-Different Marvel Now promo art. The former leader of the Thunderbolts (a team of villains masquerading as heroes) has turned up in an official announcement yet. Maybe the old Captain America rival and one-time leader of the Masters of Evil is the observer watching his opponents? Radioactive Man was the villain of the All-New, All-Different Avengers Free Comic Book Day issue and he was a member of the Masters of Evil so this could have been a sign.
Doom? The Fantastic Four ended and so far Marvel’s First Family is split up. Johnny Storm will be with the Uncanny Inhumans. Ben Grimm will be soaring with the Guardians of the Galaxy. There’s no new Fantastic Four book listed in this Fall’s relaunch so far. The conflict between Doctor Doom, Reed Richards and Susan Storm Richards is at the heart of Secret Wars so we won’t know what happens to the cosmic triangle until the Fall. Doom had the power to take shards of the dead Marvel multiverse to create his Battleworld. Will Doom survive or be reborn to menace the new Marvel Now?
Who do you think the mystery “Observer” is on the Avengers #0 cover?
By Editor