Tag: Avengers

All-New X-Men Preview

All New X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel

The Children of the Atom are mutating again. Will a blast from the past reinvigorate the future for Marvel’s mutants? In All-New X-Men #1 Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen bring the original five teen mutants from the past in the Marvel Now. Bendis and X-Men Editor Nick Lowe talk about the time twist and how it will affect the mutants on Marvel.com.

In many ways All-New X-Men is a twist on Chris Claremont’s Day of Future Past. Scott, Jean, Hank, Bobby and Warren of the past have arrived in what to them is a horrific future. Their mentor is dead. Cyclops is in prison for the murder. Anti-mutant hate is raging. The X-Men are without a leader. How will the meeting of past and present X-Men affect the mutant and Marvel universe?

“I am fascinated by the power and responsibility of abusing time travel for your own selfish purposes. I do believe it will create a butterfly effect,” Bendis said, “something that happens in All New X-Men will create a cosmic stir.”

After Schism – Logan rebuilt the a school for mutants. I’m a huge fan of Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron. The staff and students of the Jean School will be front and center in the new book.

“The time traveling X-Men will be trained in the Wolverine school is different and unique ways,” Bendis said, “Hate is very interesting to write but someone appreciating you for your differences will be explored.”

All-New X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel

Bendis revealed that the core of the new book is not just old X-Men.

“There’s a lot more going on in the book than just the five coming here,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with modern day Cyclops and who his alliances are with. That will take shape very quickly in the first issue — a very new X-Men idea. What he’s going to do is a completely different shape akin to when the Avengers moved from Avengers Mansion to Avengers Tower.” “There’s new X-Men. We’re not calling it ‘All-New X-Men’ for nothing. There are all new X-Men debuting in our first issue. Brand new characters, you’re welcome Fox. They’re going to be representing a new look at mutants … a very modern take. All this is going on in every issue going forward.”

During his Avengers run Bendis’s stories (“No More Mutants” in House of M, The Dark X-Men and formation of Utopia in Dark Reign) had a huge impact on the mutants. Expect Bendis’s X-Men stories to affect the entire Universe. The

“I want to make the X-Men a part of the Marvel Universe proper,”he said. “you’ll see the X-Men interacting with The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy.”

This is exciting news. The mutants have a stellar (pardon the pun) tradition of conflicts with alien races (The Shi’ar, The Brood, The Skrulls) and there’s a rich history of family connections (The Starjammers, Vulcan, Phoenix – Jean and Rachel, Deathbird) with those alien empires. Bendis is writing a brand new Guardians of the Galaxy series. Maybe we’ll revisit the infamous M’Krann Crystal?

Bendis said he did not want to bring the Professor X of the past into the here and now “I considered Professor X like a wet blanket”

The way this story is structured is that since Xavier won’t be there, he won’t be able to “mind-wipe” the X-Men.

All-New X-Men #4 courtesy Marvel

I have openly said AvX should have been called Operation: Let’s Make Eveybody Hate Cyclops. The leader now sits in prison (for his actions as the Dark Phoenix) even though he was right about the role of the Phoenix Force and the restarting of the mutant race. Bendis revealed how Scott will not be left rotting in prison and off the burner.

“To the world at large, the public doesn’t know Cyclops killed Xavier,” revealed Bendis. “Even though everybody saw it … everybody saw a different thing. To the public, there was a very cool guy named Scott Summers [who changed the world], did it and then suddenly disappeared.” Bendis said Cyclops will become a very public face of a mutant revolution. “When I say these things, it’s not everyone. There are some people who really like him, there are some who really don’t.” The X-Men will be forced to change their roles and everyone has very different ideas on how to handle Cyclops.”

Bendis said to watch out for a certain shapeshifter!

“A very big, positioned antagonist is going to be Mystique,” Bendis said. “She’s going to be very interested in the past X-Men coming here.”

All-New X-Men #1 arrives November 14th.

By Editor

Thanks in part to Comic Book Resources.

HULK Smash For SHIELD!

 

Indestructible Hulk #1 courtesy Marvel

  Indestructible Hulk #1 smashes into the Marvel Now on November 14th. Mark Waid and Leinil Yu take the Green Goliath in a new direction – as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D?

  “The reasons why he is–and exactly the deal he cut to become–an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a mystery that will build out as the story goes,” Waid teased on Marvel.com.

  How do you bring a freshness to an iconic character for new readers while paying homage to the rich past?

 “On the surface of it, its hard. It’s a less human, street-level book, so all the things that worked in Daredevil were harder to duplicate in Hulk. The commonality in the two books is that Bruce Banner, much like Matt Murdock, reaches a point in his life where he realizes the things he’s been doing have not been working. ”

 “What Stan Lee and Jack Kirby did back in the day was they created the world’s first persecuted super hero in the Hulk. Bruce Banner was the seminal morose, tortured super hero. 50 years later, you can go to a comic shop, pick up a random stack of super hero comics, and most of them will probably feature tortured super heroes,” Waid explained.

Indestructible Hulk #3 courtesy Marvel

  Bruce Banner will take command in an effort become known as a man of science instead of the “Hulk Smash” guy. 

  “Banner realized that the Hulk is not something he can stop. It’s something he can control to a degree, but “Hulk happens,” as he puts it. So when he comes out, S.H.I.E.L.D. points him where they want him to go. Think of him as a cannon, not a bomb.”

  Maria Hill will be Banner’s handler.

 “S.H.I.E.L.D. has what they believe is a fairly tight leash on the Hulk, but they’re mistaken. That’s part of the fun of writing Maria Hill and Bruce Banner, they both have different perspectives on the situation.”

  What about those shots of the Hulk in armor? Waid says that’s really intended for Bruce. And as for that floating robot head – who looks like Widget of Excalibur? He’s part of the leash S.H.I.E.L.D. thinks they have on the Hulk.

  Maid said to expect Hulk to fight Attuma, Frost Giants, a new version of Quintronic Man and a big bad secretly behind the upcoming year’s mystery.

 In case you missed an earlier interview – I loved what Waid said about Hulk being his favorite character in The Avengers movie.

 “I can watch the Hulk ragdoll Loki all day.”

 Indestructible Hulk hits November 14th. Here’s the entire liveblog on Marvel.com.

By Editor

New Avengers End Times Cover

New Avengers #34 courtesy Marvel

You may call it a variant cover. I call it a love letter to an epic run.

Marvel gave Comics Newsarama a first look at a ton of gorgeous variants to Marvel Now titles coming in November.

This one is my favorite. David Yardin (X-Factor covers) created this beautiful variant for New Avengers #34. Brian Michael Bendis is wrapping up his 8 year run with End Times.

This cover represents – to borrow a famous line – the best of times, the worst of times for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes: The evil Dark Reign of Norman Osborn, The Secret Invasion of the Skrulls, The Tragedy of Robert Reynolds aka The Sentry and the infusion of new blood. Bendis brought in Luke Cage, Spider-Woman, Iron Fist, Wolverine and Daredevil to make the Avengers franchise new and exciting. The only person missing is the beautiful Jessica Jones aka Mrs. Cage.

By Editor

Punisher Declares War on The Avengers

Punisher War Zone courtesy Marvel.com

Have Earth’s Mightiest Heroes decided to end Frank Castle’s war on crime? How will the unstoppable vigilante respond?

Writer Greg Rucka and artist Marco Checchetto team up for a new 5 part series. Punisher War Zone #1 is out this week and the Avengers are under fire this image from Marvel.com. 

By Editor

Justice League Movie Summer 2015?

Justice League #1 DC Comics, Art by Jim Lee

  The Summer of 2015 could be a superhero showdown between DC’s Justice League vs. Marvel’s The Avengers!

  Warner Brothers is expected to move ahead with a Justice League movie following the result of a battle over Superman rights according to The Los Angeles Times. The studio would shoot next year for a Summer 2015 release. A script is already in the works.

  So what could the big screen roster look like?

  If Man of Steel is a success we can assume Henry Cavill will reprise the role of Superman in sequels and in this Justice League film. Armie Hammer was attached to play Batman in George Miller’s attempt at a Justice League film before his star rose and is said to be a front-runner to play the Dark Knight in this team film.

  The current DC Comics The New 52 Justice League comic book roster also includes Cyborg, Aquaman, Flash, and Wonder Woman (she and Superman are becoming a romantic couple after their passionate kiss in Justice League #12.) Green Lantern Hal Jordan just quit but other Lanterns could join the movie. John Stewart was in the Justice League animated series.

Justice League #3 from DC Comics. Cover by Jim Lee

  Personally I would prefer to see DC Comics Trinity only – Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman – in a clash against Darkseid.

The Summer of 2015 could be Avengers (2) vs. Justice League at the box-office! Marvel’s sequel to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes opens May 1, 2015.

By Editor

Black Panther Takes Command in New Avengers

New Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel

  The Illuminati are back in 2013 as part of the new era for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Jonathan Hickman will be writing a new Avengers and New Avengers – featuring a new version of the Illuminati.

  This secret cabal working behind the scenes will be Black Panther, Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Doctor Strange and Beast. Black Bolt will return and Namor will be involved.

  In Marvel’s recently announced January solicitations we learn why this secret group convenes: to prevent our universe from colliding with another universe. And we learned Black Panther will lead this new supergroup.

  Black Panther’s homeland was devastated by Namor’s invasion during Avengers vs. X-Men. Hickman says T’Challa’s home will be the focus on the new series. In the original Illuminati stories Black Panther refused to join the inner circle but he will need them in the Marvel now Hickman revealed on Marvel.com.

 “The catalyst is an event in Wakanda with Black Panther, the only man who told the original Illuminati it was a mistake. Something occurs so earth-shattering he sees no other course of action than to call on them,” Hickman teases, “This event is so huge than even the people in the Illuminati who do not currently like each other are forced to put differences aside.”

New Avengers courtesy Marvel

   I’m thrilled to see T’Challa as a central character in the Marvel Now. He’s a single man now. He’s the leader of a broken country and now leader of the biggest brains in the Marvel universe.

 “Black Panther is the lynchpin character of New Avengers. The central character. He’s very important to the Avengers franchise as a whole,” Editor Tom Brevoort explained.

 “Black Panther is certainly the moral center of New Avengers,” adds Hickman.

New Avengers #1 and #2 arrive in January.

By Editor

 

Inside Avenger Black Widow’s Ledger

The Avengers courtesy Marvel.com

  Joss Whedon and Scarlett Johannson made the Black Widow just work beautifully in The Avengers. Natasha Romanoff is deadly, gorgeous and damaged. She is haunted by the red in her ledger. At New York Comic Con Marvel revealed the Widow’s past will be explore in The Widow’s Ledger storyline.

 

Avengers Assemble #12 courtesy Marvel

  Avengers Assemble writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and artist Pete Woods kick off the new arc jumping from the film.

  “Oh, it was absolutely inspired by the ‘Marvel’s The Avengers’ movie,” confirms DeConnick. “As soon as the Widow said the line, ‘I have a lot of red in my ledger,’ I was like, “Holy crap. I want to see that movie!’”

  “This is a story about debts, among other things, and there’s a coolness, an almost clinical remove to the way in which Black Widow keeps score,” says DeConnick. “Now, add Jessica Drew and Clint Barton to that mix and it all gets messy. Suddenly the Widow’s well out of her comfort zone. 

  “I love how preternaturally cool Natasha is; not cool like rock star cool, cool like temper-less, controlled. In that way she’s the opposite of the character I’ve been writing most of late; Carol Danvers is quick-tempered, explosive. Natasha is patient, chill, calculating.”

  Go inside The Widow’s Ledger starting with Avengers Assemble #12.

By Editor 

Red Skull Returns or Recast in Captain America Sequel?

Captain America: The First Avenger promo art courtesy Marvel.com

The Red Skull is enemy number one in the Marvel Now revamp. Rick Remender and John Cassaday brought back the Captain America villain in Uncanny Avengers #1. The mad scientific genius has an anti-mutant agenda and a shocking weapon to execute it. The Red Skull’s sickening act inspired this reaction from me.

The Red Skull was a huge presence in the Winter Soldier epic but if the character makes it back on the big screen – it may be with a new actor. Hugo Weaving may not reprise the role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Weaving tells Collider about appearing in the Cap or Avengers sequel.

“I did that for Captain America.  I think the tendency, with those films, would be to probably not bring a villain back.  They might for The Avengers, but I didn’t think I’d be in Captain America 2 or 3.  I don’t think Red Skull will be there.  And it’s not something I would want to do again.  I’m glad I did it.  I did sign up for a number of pictures and I suppose, contractually, I would be obliged to, if they forced me to, but they wouldn’t want to force someone to do it, if they didn’t want to.  I think I’ve done my dash with that sort of film.  It was good to do it and try it out, but to be honest, it’s not the sort of film I seek out and really am excited by.  As an actor, to do all sorts of different films is great.  It stretches you in different ways.  But, I increasingly like to go back to what I used to always do, which is to get involved with projects that I really have a personal affiliation with.”

In The Winter Soldier storyline the Red Skull is assassinated at the very beginning but there’s a twist I won’t reveal (Ed Brubaker Cap fans know how awesome it is!) so Weaving could do the job in the studio with just his voice.

Maybe Cap will face the Red Skull’s sinister daughter, Sin, and her man, Crossbones. I hope Weaving returns.

By Editor