Remender on Uncanny Avengers vs Uncanny X-Force

Uncanny Avengers #3 courtesy Marvel
Uncanny Avengers #3 courtesy Marvel

Rick Remender launched Uncanny Avengers and said goodbye to Uncanny X-Force and Secret Avengers. Uncanny Avengers was the first book in the Marvel Now relaunch featuring a team of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Children of the Atom. How will the events of his previous series affect those characters who are now part of the Uncanny Avengers?

“For my part, Uncanny Avengers is almost the inverse of Uncanny X-Force, but it’s a continuation in a lot of ways. You’ll be fine as a new reader to read Uncanny Avengers, because I’ll make sure and set everything up, but I’ll be frank — if you’ve read X-Force, Uncanny Avengers is going to be a much richer read for you, because when you see characters popping up from “The Dark Angel Saga” — while I’ll explain them to new readers — I can’t give the same level of depth and context as if you had read the book. One of those things is obviously dealing with Wolverine’s part in the “Dark Angel Saga,” and what happened with Warren and Evan, but also dealing with the ramifications emotionally of Wolverine’s state of mind after what happened with Daken. That’s not something I plan on leaving in the past. To me, that’s the new defining moment for what’s going to haunt Wolverine, and haunt his decisions. That’s definitely something that I’ll continue to be building on,” Remember told Comics Newsarama.

Uncanny Avengers #5 courtesy Marvel
Uncanny Avengers #5 courtesy Marvel

Havok, Thor, Captain America, Scarlet Witch and Rogue will be joined by Sunfire, Wasp and Wonder Man in issue 5. The writer reveals why these old-school favorites made the cut.

  “I knew I wanted Sunfire. With Deadpool, I had the opportunity to write insanity on a team; and with Fantomex, I got to write that suave, sort of aloof, sarcastic dick. But with Sunfire I get to write an unmitigated, unapologetic, asshole. But a hero. A guy who’s going to put his life on the line — but a guy who’s been through hell. I really think Sunfire should have been one of the original cast members of X-Force, given all he’s been through. He’s been mind-twisted, he’s been a Horseman, he’s been a Marauder… he’s just been a mess. And it was all because he never joined the X-Men. He was always on the fringes. He was never a joiner. And he still wouldn’t be, but for the Avengers, there is a prestige to that, and that prestige to have a representative from Japan take a spot on this worldwide force for good. He’s a character who likes his honor, and his ego is definitely something that’s always in play.”

Remender has confirmed that Kang and Apocalypse will be the villains of the second arc: Ragnarok Now.

For the entire interview here’s the Comics Newsarama link. Thanks to the always insightful Albert Ching.

By Editor

X-MEN Ends

X-Men #40 courtesy Marvel
X-Men #40 courtesy Marvel

A final story for an X-Men book this week following the announcement of a brand new X-Men by Brian Wood and Olivier Coipel coming in April. There were some great arc during the latest volume of the (adjectiveless) X-Men.

This week’s X-Men #40 by Seth Peck is the beginning of the final arc as the current “security team” collapses. The David Lopez cover is beautiful and haunting and a perfect tribute to the end of his volume.

This current volume of X-Men began with Curse of the Mutants by Victor Gischler in which the team faced off against vampire sects and a confrontation with Dracula. The team joined Spider-Man for an adventure against the Lizard and formed an alliance with the FF and Doctor Doom in the Bermuda Triangle.

X-Men #30 courtesy Marvel
X-Men #30 courtesy Marvel

My favorite arc was Blank Generation by Brian Wood and David Lopez that featured Storm, Psylocke, Domino, Colossus and Pixie and introduced the concept of Proto-Mutants. This is must read for fans of Storm. The storytelling was in the spirit of the Chris Claremont/Paul Smith era. You didn’t need to read every other X-book. It was a small team solving a big mystery.

When Wood left I thought that was it. Seth Peck wrote an offbeat two-part arc starring Domino and Daredevil. In this final issue Peck shows the final moments for this version of the team.

By Editor

Guardians of the Galaxy Are “Cosmic Avengers”

 

Guardians of the Galaxy #2 courtesy Marvel
Guardians of the Galaxy #2 courtesy Marvel

  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
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
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.

Guardians of the Galaxy #1 blasts off next month.

By Editor

HULK vs. THOR

Indestructible Hulk #6 courtesy Marvel
Indestructible Hulk #6 courtesy Marvel

  Two titanic talents team up for a clash of titans in Asgard! Legendary Thor writer/artist Walter Simonson is joining Mark Waid for an upcoming arc of Indestructible Hulk guest starring Thor in April. Expect Banner’s trip to Asgard to be a SMASH!

  In Marvel’s The Avengers Hulk famously sneaked in a sucker punch on the Odinson. In Indestructible Hulk #2 Bruce showed up Tony Stark in the labs of SHIELD and by unleashing the Hulk on Iron Man. Could the reinvigorated and bold Bruce be testing his power by going after the God of Thunder?

  Mark Waid told Marvel.com how the first arc leads into the second and Banner’s mission:

  “Bruce Banner learned a lot about his new crew of assistants; as he points out, their common denominator is that they all have a big secret in their lives—a “hidden self,” if you will –and the secret one of them is harboring is what makes the mission to Jotunheim, land of the Frost Giants, a priority for Bruce.

  On the face of it, Banner claims that he’s taking his crew to Jotunheim in search of a specific element that exists only at Frost Giant temperatures. But Bruce has a hidden motive, as well. The real fun of it is how Bruce and his team get to Jotunheim in the first place; it’s a nifty piece of applied science, if I do say so myself.”

  Banner reports to Maria Hill now so obviously SHIELD has an interest in the journey to Asgard.

  “S.H.I.E.L.D.’s buying in to Bruce’s search for the Frost Giant metal—the scientific applications are myriad—but it’s one of Bruce’s assistants who has the most to lose or gain, and you’ll be surprised at the who and the why.

Indestructible Hulk #6 smashes into comic shops this April! For more of Waid’s interview here’s the Marvel.com link.

By Editor

Comic Book Picks for January 16, 2013

Batman #16 courtesy DC Comics
Batman #16 courtesy DC Comics

Batman #16 Bruce is about to confront the Joker in this critical Death of the Family chapter. The Joker’s plan is finally revealed inside Arkham Asylum. Is Batman ready the showdown? Are you ready to see what the Joker has waiting inside?

New Avengers #2 Marvel’s biggest brains gather to plan for the death of the Earth and everything? Black Panther assembles Namor, Reed Richards, Iron Man, Black Bolt and Doctor Strange but have the new Illuminati already given up?

Saga #9 The sci-fi space opera switches focus from the bounty hunter whose been track the star-crossed lovers of the series. The Will make have his own romantic hands full with an alien temptress.

Savage Wolverine #1 Logan. Shanna the She-Devil. The Savage Land. Frank Cho. That should be a ’nuff said but in just in case: Dinosaurs. SHIELD. Shanna by Cho!

X-Factor #250 Lords of Hell battle to control Earth. Will the heroes of X-Factor Investigations sacrifice themselves to stop the Hell On Earth war?

By Editor

Batgirl and Joker’s Wedding?

Batgirl #16 courtesy DC Comics
Batgirl #16 courtesy DC Comics

You’re invited to an unholy union! Barbara Gordon’s wedding to the Joker in this week’s Batgirl #16. The Death of the Family storyline hits Batman #16 and Batman and Robin #16 this week too.

The Gordon family is on hand to watch the nightmare nuptials. As you can see in this Comics Newsarama preview the Joker has plenty of “best men” to back up the ceremony. Can Barbara save her family and escape the Joker’s bizarre plot? Gail Simone has been building towards this moment since the new series started.

Batgirl #16 courtesy DC Comics
Batgirl #16 courtesy DC Comics

Will Barbara get revenge against the villain who crippled her and can she survive the enemy in her own family?

By Editor

Shanna “Matches Wolverine’s Savagery”

Savage Wolverine #1 courtesy Marvel
Savage Wolverine #1 courtesy Marvel

In this week’s Savage Wolverine #1 the X-Men journeys to the Savage Land in a brand new series by writer/artist Frank Cho. The creator tells Marvel.com once he knew the setting he knew Shanna the She-Devil had to be in the book.

  “Once I decided on the Savage Land setting, everything clicked into place. I needed a female lead that can keep up with Wolverine and match his savagery. And Shanna fit that bill.

The writer/artist explains why Shanna is the perfect co-lead for this story.

  “It was easy. I made Shanna a complete badass just like Wolverine. I also “enhance” the character and have her “bond” to the Savage Land. I’m not going to give anything away but Shanna gets a complete and total upgrade in issue #4 by an unlikely Marvel character.”

  Savage Wolverine #1 is out this week. Logan takes the kids from The Jean Grey School on a field trip to the Savage Land in Wolverine and the X-Men #25. A new Wolverine series by Paul Cornell and Alan Davis hits later this year.

By Editor

Hugh Jackman as THE WOLVERINE in Japan

The Wolverine courtesy Marvel
The Wolverine courtesy Marvel

Congratulations to Hugh Jackman for winning a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical for his role in Les Miserables but it’s this role that has fans excited.

In this photo from Marvel.com Hugh Jackman is ready to fight in a scene from The Wolverine. Jackman is ripped and looks like he’s ready to fight a squad of ninjas! The new film is based on the classic story of Logan in Japan by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller.

The Wolverine is let loose July 26.

By Editor