Marvel promised the new Avengers book would be BIG. Jonathan Hickman and Jerome Opena delivered in a BIG way. Three incredible new villains sought to destroy and remake Earth in the first arc. This week’s final showdown on Mars introduced new team members including Hyperion, Smasher and Captain Universe.
Did Earth’s Mightiest Heroes really stop the “Garden” from growing a new Earth? I can’t wait for the next issue when the Avengers head to the Savage Land. I wanted to share part of this Comics Newsarama exclusive in which we learn more about the origin of the new Hyperion – a powerhouse addition to the team roster.
Young Avengers #1 by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie will pop with amazing style. Marvel will celebrate the relaunch with variant covers by Stephanie Hans, Trent Moore, and this Bryan Lee O’Malley (Scott Pilgram versus The World.)
Marvel.com shared O’Malley’s cool variant showcasing those teenage dreams of the Marvel Now. Could this be the must-have variant of the week?
Kid Loki assembles Miss America, Marvel Boy, Wiccan, Hulking and Kate Bishop for his new team.
Heroes of the Marvel Universe are about to be devastated by the Avengers’ greatest enemy. This March Brian Michael Bendis and Bryan Hitch usher in the Age of Ultron.
Bendis has revealed that Ultron has already won when the series begins. The big question is which heroes will survive the insane android’s wrath? From the new Marvel images is appears Black Widow and Red Hulk are leading the resistance. Before the series is over which heroes will submit or perish?
Deadpool Killustrated #1 A bizarre mash-up as the Merc with a Mouth targets some of the biggest icons of literature? Maybe Cullen Bunn and Wade Wilson can influence kids to read the classics?
The Massive #8 The crew discovers a new nation built upon oil platforms. Is this new “country” the hope Callum and company have been hoping for in the post-Crash world?
Nightwing #8 Will Dick Grayson survive the Joker’s revenge? A critical tie-in before next month’s Death of the Family finale.
Star Trek: Countdown to Darkness #1This all-new series leads into the next Star Trek movie!
Uncanny Avengers #3 The biggest threats to mutants is…the Red Skull? The Captain America villain has been reborn! How will Scarlet Witch and Rogue strike now that they know the horrific secret of the Skull’s new power?
Uncanny X-Force #1 Psylocke, Storm, Spiral, Cluster and Puck? Sam Humphreys and Ron Garney relaunch the book with a brand new covert team in a deadly mission against a former X-Man!
Young Avengers #1 Kid Loki assembles Marvel’s mightiest teens in a brand new series by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie!
Eisner-Award Winning Artist Francesco Francavilla joins Matt Fraction with Hawkeye #10 this April. If you’re not reading this book (you should!) this book is about the Avenging Archer when he’s not an Avenger! This issue kicks off a new storyline
“On HAWKEYE we’ve been blessed with not only one of the biggest writers in comics with Matt Fraction, but also some of the best artists like David Aja, Javier Pulido and now Francesco Francavilla,” said Stephen Wacker, Senior Editor, on Marvel.com. “Though he’s only on the series for issues #10 and #12, Francesco is going to leave his mark on Clint with some of the most beautiful art you’ll see all year!”
And don’t forget to pick up Hawkeye #7 – click here to learn how buying this comic book will help victims of Hurricane Sandy.
It’s not too late to jump on one of the most enjoyable titles of the Marvel Now relaunch. This week’s Indestructible Hulk #3 is the third outstanding example of how great storytelling has made one of oldest icons fresh and fun again.
I definitely have to call this book cinematic. If you enjoyed Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner and the Hulk from The Avengers then you’ll enjoy the ride Mark Waid and Leinil Yu will take on in this new series.
Banner is now working for S.H.I.E.L.D. Bruce gets to be a great scientist. Maria Hill gets a big green W.M.D. After showing up Tony Stark in a battle of the brains with his new invention, Bruce HULKED OUT on Iron Man to prove a point.
Maria Hill has given Bruce a job, a lab and the chance to show Tony and Marvel’s other big brains that he’s their scientific equal (or perhaps better as the series go along!) In this issue Maria recruits Banner’s lab team. Seriously who would want to work for a boss who could become a monster?
While science geeks audition to be part of Banner’s think tank, Bruce goes on a mission against A.I.M. and discovers a technological blast from the past that could pose a new threat. Waid and Yu craft a confrontation packed with action, humor and moments that may inspire a “awesome!” from you.
This is the best issue so far in a new series that’s big on action and fun.
Thanos was behind Loki’s alien army in the movie but in the comic books the super villain once wiped out half the universe.
The comeback of Thanos continues in a brand new limited series Thanos Rising this April by Jason Aaron (Wolverine and the X-Men) and Simone Bianchi. Aaron talks with Marvel.com about why he wants to delve into the origin of the death worshipping God of Titan.
“The chance to do as dark and creepy a story as I’ve ever done for Marvel. This is not a super hero story. There are no good guys swooping in to save the day here. This is the origin story of a very bad dude. A cosmic mass murderer.”
Aaron says the story begins on the day Thanos is born and “things start to get weird right from the get-go” and as for the women who influence the Titan Aaron says “Thanos has dangerous taste in women.”
The series will introduce new characters and classic characters like Mentor, the father of Thanos and show us how Titan “was a sci-fi paradise when Thanos was born. A place without weapons, without the idea of murder. But that all began to change…”
For the entire interview here’s the Marvel.com link.
Thanos killed half the universe in the classic story The Infinity Gauntlet. The gauntlet was seen briefly in the movie Thor. In the pages of the new New Avengers the member of the Illuminati are searching for a lost Infinity Gem. Could these upcoming comic book stories be setting the stage for what we might see in Avengers 2: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes against Thanos?
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
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
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.
