Search Results for: x-men

Avengers Arena, A Villain’s Game-Changer

Avengers Arena #1 courtesy Marvel

  Avengers Arena is one of the biggest surprises to come out of the Marvel NOW relaunch. Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker will take 16 young heroes (including members of Avengers Academy, Runaways and Darkhawk) and throw them into a Battle Royale scenario. The kids are trapped on an island by a classic X-Men villain. Arcade is back and he’s created a new Murderworld for Marvel’s young heroes. This concept sounds like a mini-series or one-shot but Hopeless and Editor Bill Rosemann tells Comics Newsarama this is definitely an ongoing series.

  “Dennis and Kev have thought long and hard about how and why these characters will react to the scenario and the ripple effects their actions will create. Each month — and, yes, this is an ongoing monthly series — they’ll use the creative space to dig deep into the emotions of each character. As to what our cast will look like a year from now, well…”

  “Yeah, this is definitely a long game sort of story. We need the space to explore all the different ways a worst-case scenario like Murder World affects this massive cast. I’m not sure we could have done them justice in a miniseries,” adds Hopeless.

 

Uncanny X-Men #123 featuring Arcade courtesy Marvel.com

I love the villain at the center of this new book. Arcade may not have a great track record for assassinating his targets but he’s definitely a twisted character to enjoy. Rosemann and Hopeless discuss the plan to make Arcade a potent enemy.

“When at his best, Arcade’s creepy façade of a cheery carnival barker is a calculated play that both distracts his targets and also leads his unsuspecting foes to underestimate him. And never forget he began his career by murdering his own father before embarking on a successful run as a freelance assassin. Dennis and Kev both completely understand his potential and knew instantly how to peel off the cheese to reveal his untapped terrifying core. Previously, Arcade always left a way out of his deathtraps, giving his prey a sporting chance, but now… soon everyone will learn that to underestimate Arcade is a deadly mistake,” declares Rosemann.

“Arcade doesn’t get a lot of respect and we all kind of understand why. For the longest time, nobody ever died in Murder World. But despite all of his failures over the years, Arcade is a brilliant guy. Deranged and bizarre, but brilliant. He designed and built all of those crazy death traps,” says Hopeless.

“The scenario Arcade has cooked up in Avengers Arena is a game changer for him. It’s his way of saying, “You don’t respect my reindeer games? Fine. Respect this!”

You could call Arcade the Seneca Crane (from The Hunger Games) of Marvel. The question is who will survive to become the Katniss or Peeta?

 For the entire interview here’s the Comics Newsarama link.

By Editor

The End for Amazing Spider-Man, Wolverine and Captain America & ?

Amazing Spider-Man #700 courtesy Marvel

  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.

By Editor

Captain America for President?

  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-Force in January, 2013.

By Editor

 

 

 

 

New Armor for Iron Man!

 

Iron Man #3 courtesy Marvel

  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.

By Editor

Psylocke Leads New Uncanny X-Force

Uncanny X-Force #1 courtesy Marvel

Earlier Sam Humphries revealed he and Ron Garney will launch a brand new Uncanny X-Force this January. The new book with a new team picks up 6 months after the climax of Rick Remender’s run. The new roster starts with Storm, Psylocke, Spiral and Puck of Alpha Flight. The writer says the action begins when a student is kicked out of the Jean Grey School. Humphries tells Marvel.com why Elizabeth is taking charge as team leader and acts the center of the book.

Uncanny X-Force 17 from Marvel.com. Cover Art by Esad Ribic

“She’s a great character with deep contradictions. Her history is a mess. She’s a survivor who doesn’t fear the darkness. She’s one of my favorite X-Men. And it’s her time. Watch the throne.”

I’ve said before that Psylocke is the new Wolverine. She’s everywhere. Betsy was in the previous Uncanny X-Force and in Brian Wood’s X-Men where she followed Storm’s commands. Humphries points out a moment of Storm’s history to explain her position on his new team.

 “Don’t forget Storm is still the same person who ran off into the Tokyo night and reappeared sporting leather street wear and a mohawk! I see everyone in this book as a wild card, especially Storm. Without saying too much, the events of AvX creates a bond between her and Betsy that will take them into the events of the book together.

  Characters in Uncanny X-Force aren’t always going to be on the same page when it comes to killing. Same goes for some of the other bizarre surprises we have in store. We’ve got a wide spectrum of strong personalities and it’s been fun to decide where they stand on some core values—and how their positions could change over time.”

Alpha Flight #1 courtesy Marvel

I think the biggest surprise about the roster is a short, hairy Canadian adventurer. Not that one with the claws. Puck.

  “I see him as a Canadian Indiana Jones. He’s gone some dark places in his past, and he’s a dwarf, which can present challenges most of us never have to deal with. But he’s also a bad ass who has confronted the darkness with a wry sense of humor, and he has yet to find a situation where being small of stature has stopped him from kicking some butt,” Humphries explains.

The first villain this new team will face is Lucas Bishop. Storm has a history with this X-Man gone rogue.

“Bishop is the man she remembers, but not the man she remembers. He was abandoned in the year 6300 AD. The dude has been alone, thousands of years in the future. A man goes through a lot of changes trying to get from 6300 AD to the present day. It is going to be an ugly reunion all around,” explains Humphries.

Humphries explains how his new Uncanny X-Force will differ from Cable and X-Force by Dennis Hopeless.

  But we’ve also got two books with two very different focuses. To put it simply, UNCANNY X-FORCE are the hunters, and CABLE AND THE X-FORCE are the hunted. Will the two books intersect? Well, one book has Cable as a leader, and one has Bishop has a bad guy. There’s a volatile history there that could be powerful enough to draw in both teams.”

Humphries ends with explaining how he will deliver on the Uncanny.

 “How can I say this without spoilers? I take the title of “uncanny” very seriously, just like I do the mandate of “ultimate” over on ULTIMATES. My job is to tell a story about mutants that you can’t find in any other X-book—and that’s what you’re going to get. After the first arc, even the so-called “Uncanny” X-Men are going to find these mutants very, very uncanny. And [editor] Nick Lowe might start dodging my calls.”

For more on the perhaps lesser known members of this team:

What the Puck? I highly recommend John Byrne’s original Alpha Flight run with Eugene Milton Judd as the small guy with a big tragic past.

Longshot #6 courtesy Marvel

Stuntwoman Ricochet Rita was transformed into Spiral by Mojo back in the original Longshot series. Spiral was last scene in Matt Fraction’s Sisterhood arc of Uncanny X-Men.

By Editor

Uncanny Avengers Preview: Red Skull’s New Power?

Uncanny Avengers #3 courtesy Marvel

  Members of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the Children of the Atom team up against a reborn Red Skull. Marvel shared this stunning cover and teaser for Uncanny Avengers #3 by Rick Remender and John Cassaday.

  From the teaser: The Red Skull has new powers and is using them to incide anti-mutant violence around the world. Is Cap’s classic foe now a telepath? Scarlet Witch and Rogue make a shocking discovery. The team faces the might of Red Skull’s S-Men.

 I’m thrilled to have John Cassaday (artist on the Joss Whedon Astonishing X-Men era) back at Marvel. I really love Cassaday’s artistic take on the characters and his almost Steranko vibe on the covers.

Uncanny Avengers #3 is out this December.

By Editor

 

Magneto’s Wrath in AvX Aftermath!

 

AvX #4 courtesy Marvel

  Kieron Gillen (Uncanny X-Men, soon to be Iron Man) explores what happens right after the final chapter of Avengers vs. X-Men. What will be the fate of the mutant leader and race? Marvel revealed this variant cover to AvX: Consequences #4 by Mark Brooks.

  Magneto is full of rage. Erik pledged his allegiance to Scott and admired what he build on Utopia…until the Phoenix took control. Will the reformed Master of Magnetism go back to his more villainous ways in the aftermath of AvX #12?

  Scarlet Witch will join Rick Remender’s Uncanny Avengers to fight a reborn Red Skull and his anti-mutant agenda. I hope Magneto joins his daughter in the fight. I just hope the crafty and cunning Quicksilver finds a home in the Marvel NOW too.

By Editor

LGBT in the Marvel NOW?

Astonishing X-Men #51 courtesy Marvel

Northstar made Marvel history, generated a ton of media attention and sold a lot of comic books. Jean-Paul’s wedding to Kyle Jinadu in Astonishing X-Men #51 was a huge success story. But will Northstar and Kyle’s story continue in the Marvel NOW? What about other GLBT characters in the relaunch?

Faithful followers of this blog have been sharing their concern over the fate of GLBT characters in the upcoming relaunch. So based on their suggestions and a Marvel NOW tally of announcements so far here are some great characters that will hopefully survive and thrive in the relaunch.

Striker: Several members of the soon to be departed Avengers Academy will graduate and appear in the recently announced Avengers Arena but Striker is missing from those kids.

Wiccan and Hulkling’s romance was a fan favorite element of Avengers: The Children’s Crusade. Wiccan does appear on the cover of the an upcoming Marvel Now Point One issue. Anole is a background character as a student of the Jean Grey School in Wolverine and the X-Men. The romance of Rictor and Shatterstar has been a fan favorite storyline in Peter David’s X-Factor which sure seems like it’s ending with the current Breaking Points arc.

X-Factor’s Shatterstar and Rictor courtesy Marvel.com

One fan’s idea is a team of all GLBT characters. A storyline in which GLBT heroes use their powers to patrol and prevent bullying could have strong potential. I think it’s important to have more than just an all-gay cast. I remember how much I enjoyed Anole and Rockslide’s team up in the X-Men: Manifest Destiny series. Wiccan and Hulkling have always had the support of their straight friends in the Young Avengers.

Hopefully there will be more Marvel NOW announcements about books with GLBT characters. (I really hope Marjorie Liu’s Astonishing X-Men run continues and Peter David on X-Factor.) The publisher has shown a commitment to showing diversity in the Marvel Universe. It is the comics business. Publishers are willing to invest in GLBT characters and stories if readers invest in the books. You have the power.

By Editor