This is a huge week for fans of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes by Jonathan Hickman. Avengers is his big team book starring your favorites and exiting new additions to the roster like Shang-Chi, Cannonball, Sunspot plus brand new versions of Captain Universe, Smasher and Hyperion. The action of the new series started on Mars with the introduction of three new aliens who wanted to transform Earth – even if it killed everyone already living on it – and now the threat comes from a different universe – a New Universe!?!
You don’t need to know about Nightmask, Starbrand and Marvel’s short-lived line of comics from back in the day. Just know that Hickman has unleashed some thrilling Continue reading AVENGERS Worlds Collide!
Age of Ultron just kicked off! Marvel is giving us ominous clues to the shocking, possibly Marvel Universe changing finale in the June previews. Hank Pym’s monstrous creation returned and conquered Earth in Age of Ultron #1. Only a handful of heroes are left to stand against the humanity hating A.I. and his army of robots.
In June’s Age of Ultron #9 heroes are forced to “make the most controversial decision of their lives” and in issue #10 “the biggest secret in comics will be revealed to you! An ending so confidential…even the artists of this book don’t know what lies on the final pages.”
Marvel COO and comic book legend Joe Quesada returns to draw “a sequence that people will be talking about for years.”
Marvel COO and acclaimed artist Joe Quesada will pencil the final pages of Age of Ultron #10. Quesada joins an all-star team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artists Bryan Hitch and Carlos Pacheco on the finale of the epic series that just launched this week. Marvel shared this Age of Ultron #10 cover by Brandon Peterson.
Ultron has won. The greatest Avengers villain has defeated almost all of Earth’s heroes. A massive cityship hovers over the ruins of Manhattan. Heroes are missing. Sadistic gangs own the streets. Brian Michael Bendis and Bryan Hitch thrust us into this brutal new reality in Age of Ultron Book One.
The star of this book is Clint Barton. Hawkeye fans will love this issue as the battered Avenger fights his way through this horrific new world on a very personal mission. Imagine Rick Grimes from The Walking Dead, Wolverine Continue reading AGE OF ULTRON: Hawkeye in Hell!
Jonathan Hickman just created the most dangerous hero in the Marvel Universe in this week’s Avengers #7.
More dangerous than Hulk. More than Thor. More than The Sentry.
Hickman is transforming what would call a failed experiment from the 1980’s and turning into a fascinating, thrilling storyline for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes that will shake the foundation of Universe 616.
You don’t need to know your comic book history to enjoy the current storyline but if do remember the New Universe then it adds layers of intrigue and awe to see what Hickman if crafting.
Some of Marvel’s fan favorite creators delivered some big news and (kinda) answered some burning questions in the Marvel: Next Big Thing panel at Emerald City Comicon.
Here are some quick hits:
Captain Marvel will crossover with Avengers Assemble kicking off with a one shot called Avengers: Enemy Within #1 all by Kelly Sue DeConnick in May.
FF: What happens when Goth kids join the Future Foundation? I think that was a teaser and not a joke but the rapid-fire wit of Matt Fraction you never know! He did confirm he just wrapped a Medusa centered issue.
Hawkeye: Fraction will unleash assassins on the Avenging Archer, we’ll meet his “loser brother” and see Clint Barton on vacation.
Morbius: Joe Keatinge said Spectacular Spider-Man will guest star in issues 6 and 7.
Deadpool: Gerry Duggan said issue 7 will be a stand-alone issue and Wade an Tony Stark will cross paths.
Ultimates: Sam Humphries teased the birth of the West Coast Ultimates! The team roster introduces Ultimate versions of Wonder Man, Tigra, Vision, Black Knight and Quake.
Uncanny X-Force will have a showdown with Bishop in the subways under Los Angeles. Humphries said he’ll reveal where the time-lost, rogue X-Man has been then Fantomex times three! Then Humphries a big major villain that longtime X-Men fans will be familiar with
Indestructible Hulk: Mark Waid revealed how a one-shot with Walt Simonson turned into a major arc with the Green Goliath and Thor fighting Frost Giants. Later Waid addressed the degrees of rage you might get from when the Hulk…Hulks out!
“The Hulk you during that transformation is dependent on Banner’s mental state at the time when the transformation happens. So sometimes you get cookie monster hulk, sometimes you get a whirling cyclone of death, and you never know which one you’re gonna get…Banner. I could write Banner the rest of my life. He’s an untapped well of potential, that guy.”
One of Marvel’s biggest bad guys got a cameo in the finale of The Avengers movie but he’s the star of a major comic book event this year. When Thanos was revealed and he gave that evil smirk the audience either exclaimed “who’s that?” or “oh —-!”
The bad guy wins! No plotting and scheming. No long-term planning. Ultron wins! Marvel heroes lose. Fans enjoy!
Enter the Age of Ultron this week from Brian Michael Bendis and Bryan Hitch. When this 10 issue series kicks off the classic Avengers enemy has defeated Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Only a handful of survivors are left to stand against the android. Bendis and Executive Editor Tom Brevoort talked about the scope and impact on the entire universe on Marvel.com.
“Age of Ultron is about Ultron, one of our biggest villains ever, finally fulfilling his destiny, which is taking the Earth. From the very first page, Ultron has taken the Marvel Universe and everything is changed. There is a shocking amount of destruction and devastation. It started in Avengers, but it’s meant to be a Marvel Universe book. It starts everyone,” said Bendis, “This was never supposed to be my last Avengers story, it was always meant to be a Marvel Universe event.”
Age of Ultron #1 courtesy Marvel
In past events we’ve seen the slow buildup of the enemy. The writer explains that this time – it’s very different: “What would it be like to wake up one morning and have one of the Marvel Universe’s biggest villains have just taken over? How will people react?”
“This isn’t a story where the Skrulls are invading. We cut right to the chase. We’re already past that and Ultron is already here. He’s already put his footprints on the landscape. You’re immediately thrust into the heart of crazy events and things are going a million miles an hour,” adds Brevoort.
Age of Ultron #1 courtesy Marvel
The editor and writer confirmed this happens in continuity in the contemporary Marvel NOW! Marvel Universe.
You probably won’t need the back story but the creators say the seeds of this epic go back to the first arc of Mighty Avengers by Brian and Frank Cho, but the most direct prologue is Avengers #12.1, aka a Free Comic Book Day issue.
Age of Ultron #1 courtesy Marvel
“Tony Stark knew the next time Ultron came back we wouldn’t be ready. This is that time,” said Bendis.
As soon as you say Ultron you immediately think of Vision, Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne but the new threat from the metal madman will affect every Marvel hero.
“It’s fair to say this is an Avengers Vs. X-Men level event. That doesn’t mean we won’t be doing other things later in 2013, but it’s Brian, Bryan, Brandon, Carlos and all the ingredients needed for a big deal project,” said Brevoort.
“If you go back to the earliest Ultron stuff, he has severe daddy issues, even for a Marvel character, and they all have daddy issues. His logic is that the only thing standing in the way of the Earth being what it can be is humanity. I’m kind of obsessed with artificial intelligence in the real world and why people are scared of it. If there were a Marvel Singularity, it would be from Ultron. This is the moment technology takes over in a hostile way,” said Bendis.
Age of Ultron #1 courtesy Marvel
“To write a story like this is incredibly scary, because Ultron coming at us with everything he has is the end of the Marvel Universe. We’re doing it,” said Bendis, “This ending is a whopper. And I’ll go ahead and say it: You can’t guess it. I’m involved in it and even I am going ‘Really?'”
“I could not be more excited for this book to hit the stands. Literally not a day has gone by over the last year where people haven’t asked me when it was coming. I know that people are looking forward to it, so to finally debut it and for it to be, I imagine, much more than people thought it was going to be, is great. It’s beautiful. It takes one of Marvel’s classic villains to a level he’s never been before, takes the heroes to a place they’ve never had to go, and ends in a way you will never guess,” said Bendis.
Age of Ultron#1 arrives this week with 2 more issues this month. For the entire liveblog here’s the link.
