Tag: Avengers

Guardians of the Galaxy by Bendis

 

Guardians of the Galaxy #1 courtesy Marvel

  Marvel is aiming for the stars with Guardians of the Galaxy. A movie directed by James Gunn is in development. The publisher has recruited three superstars for a brand new Marvel Now series. At New York Comic Con Marvel announced Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven will create a new Guardians of the Galaxy series premiering in February 2013. The third superstar? Iron Man.

  Guardians of the Galaxy will spin out of Avengers Assemble with a team of Star-Lord, Groot, Rocket Raccoon, Drax, Gamora and Iron Man. Bendis tells Marvel.com he’s been digging into the book’s history as he prepares to blast them into the Marvel Now.

  We were talking about the characters, what they want and their reliability. I dug up some of their origin stories, particularly Peter Quill’s origin story, which as I tweeted recently I had come across, and decided that it was, for my money, as good as Superman or Spider-man’s origin—it was just no one knew it! It was literally a two-page story in MARVEL PREMIERE about 34 years ago, and I just really really liked it. As the movie was getting closer, and more drafts were coming in, they called me and said “Listen, you were so excited during the Guardians movie calls, we need to get this book back in the public eye. We really want to make it more a part of the Marvel Universe.”

  Sometimes the cosmic books are in their own little corner—and sometimes that’s charming, but it’s a lot of the reason that they don’t have a bigger audience. I had voiced how cool it would be, and how easy it would be, to guide them closer to the center of the Marvel universe, to be almost part of the Avengers franchise instead of off on their own. I was talking about it as a fan, more just like what I’d like to see, and then they called and said that they really want to do this book, how about you and someone like Steve McNiven? Steve and I worked together years ago on NEW AVENGERS, and I was just waiting patiently for my turn to work with him again. And I said, “I’ll tell you what, if you get Steve McNiven, I’ll do it.”

  In terms of the cinematic Marvel Universe – Tony Stark is the biggest gun. Bendis is the guy who recruited Wolverine and Spider-Man for the Avengers. Bendis explains why Stark is joining this team.

  “It’s more about that he’s a futurist, and he’s an explorer, and he’s a scientist, and an adventurer. You could certainty see Tony getting to a place in his mind where number one, he needs a vacation more than anyone on the planet. But number two, more like a working vacation, and thinking, you know what, I kind of hit a ceiling with my technology. I want to go out and explore some new stuff and see things from a new perspective, and really look at the Earth from a new perspective, and come back and see if that doesn’t help him break past whatever ceiling he’s hit with his work.

  And plus, we’re going to have some fun with Tony trying to live out his William Shatner/Captain Kirk space-girl fantasies. So Tony will come out here to be part of the Guardians, to explore the ideas that the Guardians had put in his head during AVENGERS ASSEMBLE, that the Earth is a very important part of the cosmic civilization for the next generation. So Tony literally needs to go out and look at it from their point of view to see what he can do to help. And so he gets to have space adventures, he gets to live the William Shatner/Captain Kirk, he gets to explore, he gets to invent, and Tony gets to see the world from a different perspective.

  When Tony’s with the Avengers, he’s always top dog, alpha male, he’s always kind of in charge. Here, he’s going to be a fish way out of water. Even though he’s been to outer space a few times, this is living in outer space, which is a completely different thing. And basically living on a pirate ship!”

Avengers Assemble #6 courtesy Marvel

  In The Avengers movie Earth now has its Mightiest Heroes but it has become a target to alien races. That awareness is part of the premise of this upcoming series Bendis explains.

  “As far as what the premise of the book is, we hinted at it a little bit in AVENGERS ASSEMBLE, that it’s very clear to the cosmic civilizations of the Marvel universe—which is the Kree, the Skrulls, the Badoon, and the Chitauri—they all are looking at Earth. Earth seems to be a very important element; it’s literally the center of the universe. Here we have this one-of-a-kind amalgam of super heroes and Guardians and alien technologies and mutants, and it’s just this smorgasbord of powers and choices.

  Look at it from a distance, say from the Kree’s point of view. Earth is very scary because it’s got all these things and it almost looks like a cauldron of craziness. It’s only one generation away from being able to join the cosmic civilization. From this point, it looks like they’re either going to be this warring tribe of barbarians with laser guns, or they’re going to be able to join us.

  And it becomes clear to the leaders of the other civilizations that Earth isn’t being left alone to develop itself. Every five minutes, there’s some kind of alien interaction on Earth that is damaging to Earth’s development. Like the Skrull attack, the Kree experiments on us—there [are] all these things going around and Earth isn’t being allowed to be just Earth. If this continues, if people keep poking at it or attacking it, when Earth is able to join the cosmic civilizations, they’re going to come at us as a war tribe.

  We have two choices: We can either blow the Earth up and put ourselves at war with Asgard; or we can make a new rule, and the new rule is that no one is allowed to touch Earth. You’re not allowed to touch it. You’re not allowed anywhere near it, and if you do, you’re breaking the number one cosmic law.

  Peter’s father, who is the King of Spartax, asks Peter to lead the Spartax army to guard Earth, because Peter is half-Earthling. Peter doesn’t trust his father, and he’s right not to trust his father, so instead he takes the Guardians and makes them in charge of protecting Earth without him touching it. Tony is going to be involved in a very large terrorist attack on Earth that happens in the very first issue, and from that will decide to join the Guardians in this endeavor.”

Bendis confirmed S.W.O.R.D. (SHIELD of outer space) will appear in the first issue.

For more of his interview and Steve McNiven here’s the Marvel.com link.

Secret Avengers of SHIELD

Secret Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel

Agent Maria Hill assembles a powerhouse roster for a new Secret Avengers by Nick Spencer and Luke Ross. At New York Comic Con Marvel revealed plans for a new Secret Avengers #1 debuting February 2013. The team will include Phil Coulson, the new Nick Fury, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Mockingbird, Hulk, Winter Soldier, and a brand new Iron Patriot.

  “These operatives were hand-picked by S.H.I.E.L.D. based on a number of factors,” revealed Spencer. “Some have experience in black ops missions. Some have military training. Some are walking weapons of mass destruction. The combination is a potent one, and a veritable dream team for these kinds of assignments. But I should also say they’re not the only ones. A big part of the fun is anyone can get the call. And then forget they got it, once the mission’s done.”

Spencer says the mission debriefing will take fans back to the awesome Secret War limited series by Brian Michael Bendis.

  “In Secret War, we saw Nick Fury used mind-wipe/memory plant tech to bring together a team of super-powered operatives to take down an off-the-books threat,” he reminds. “The end result of that mission was a full-scale disaster, and essentially set off a chain of events that ripped S.H.I.E.L.D. apart. But now that there’s a new S.H.I.E.L.D. up and running, there’s already interest in re-visiting this initiative. Because at the end of the day, there are limits to what their own agents can do—they need high-powered operatives to tackle high-powered threats. They need Avengers.”

Spencer explains how this team’s missions will differ from Jonathan Hickman’s book.

  “As I said, this is S.H.I.E.L.D.’s team, so the kinds of threats they deal with look very different from the ones the core Avengers team might come up against,” Spencer says. “These are rogue states, terrorist groups, arms dealers. The missions are often diplomatically sensitive and highly classified. They’re working in a world with a lot of gray in it, making tough decisions in order to prevent war and protect the peace.”

Any guesses on who’s under the helmet of the new Iron Patriot suit?

Op/Ed: Mindwipes are never good S.O.P.

For more of Nick Spencer’s interview here’s the Marvel.com link.

By Editor

Clark Gregg for SHIELD TV Pilot

Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson in The Avengers courtesy Marvel

At New York Comic Con Marvel announced Clark Gregg will reprise his role as Agent Phil Coulson in the SHIELD live-action television pilot by Joss Whedon. Gregg played Coulson in Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor and The Avengers.

The actor is the voice of Principal Coulson on the Ultimate Spider-Man series.

Maybe the clever agent used his life model decoy in the his encounter with Loki in The Avengers? Phil Coulson recently joined the Marvel comic universe in the Battle Scars mini-series.

By Editor

HULK Smash Marvel Now

 

Indestructible Hulk #3 courtesy Marvel

  Mark Waid talks about his upcoming relaunch of the Hulk at New York Comic Con. Indestructible Hulk finds Bruce Banner working with SHIELD and finding a way to channel the smashing power of the Hulk.

 Waid says the green goliath was his favorite character in The Avengers movie.

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

 The new take on Hulk is similar to how he evolved on the big screen. Hulk isn’t just smashing randomly but being directed.

 “As Hulk destroys, Banner builds.”

With Banner back in control a fan asked how vocal the Hulk will be.

“We don’t want Cookie Monster Hulk but we don’t want super eloquent Hulk. Put it this way, he doesn’t speak aloud a lot. …He hits with his words as hard as he hits with his fits.”

 Leinil Francis Yu is the artist on Indestructible Hulk smashing into stores next month.

For more of the Marvel Liveblog click here.

By Editor

Avengers vs. Zombies!

 

Marvel Universe vs. The Avengers courtesy Marvel.com

  This week Jonathan Maberry is taking you back to a horrific future filled with heroes turned zombies. The man behind Marvel Universe vs. The Punisher and Marvel Universe vs. Wolverine returns with Marvel Universe vs. The Avengers.

  What’s left of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes fights to survive a plague ravaged planet. Maberry tells Marvel.com the horror hits home for Hawkeye.

  “The story is intensely personal, as all stories of great cultural trauma,” the writer asserts. “These are horror stories, and MARVEL UNIVERSE VS THE AVENGERS takes the horror down to a very personal level. We are no longer witnessing the world’s hurt or the cultural hurt, we’re inside the head –and heart—of a man who is experiencing the most personal kind of hurt.”

“The story is told from Hawkeye’s perspective, but most of the big guns are there: Thor, Hulk—red and green versions—Iron Man, Giant Man, Luke Cage, Black Widow, Mockingbird, Spider-Man, and others,” reveals Maberry. “We also check in on the kids at Avengers Academy. The events in these four issues cut a bloody swath across the entire Avengers landscape.”

Leandro Fernandez is the artist on this four part series. Part One is out this week. For more of his interview here’s the Marvel.com link.

By Editor

Avengers Revealed: New Mutants, Black Panther, Illuminati

 

Avengers #4 courtesy Marvel

  A new era for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes begins this December. New writer Jonathan Hickman and Editor Tom Brevoort revealed the future of the Avengers in today’s Next Big Thing on Marvel.com.

 Avengers #1 kicks off a 3-part Avengers World story establishing the team’s mission statement with Jerome Opena on art.

  “We will see the back story of how Iron Man and Captain America have been quietly building a contingency plan for the day that comes in issue #1,” Hickman teases of the huge event that requires a bigger team that will reflect our modern world.

  “One of the first things we all agreed on is that the roster should look more like the world. So far we’ve seen the biggest and most iconic characters, but as we reach issues #7 and #8, we’ll see more new characters and characters we’re reviving or recreating. Eventually there will be 24 characters. 12 will be either female or minority characters,” said Hickman of the growing roster.

  Hickman will be writing a new New Avengers – a new version of the Illuminati. This new secret cabal working behind the scenes will be Captain America, Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Beast. Black Bolt will return and Namor will be involved. 

 “It’s about the guys who quietly, secretly run the world. It’s thematically much different than Avengers. The plan I’ve worked out is that the Avengers are the utopian Avengers, the ideal ones we want, whereas the New Avengers are real world, they live in the dark, apocalyptic world as it is,” revealed Hickman. 

 “The books will work in tandem. You don’t have to read both, but they are two sides of the same coin. Two different stories,” he added. 

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

New Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel

 “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.”

  Hickman recently sent the Fantastic Four to Wakanda. It looks like Hickman was planting the seeds for his upcoming Avengers run.

  “Going into Fantastic Four, Jonathan hadn’t even wrapped up Secret Warriors. Going into this, people know from FF what a big thinker Jonathan is and how he plays the long game. It’s an even bigger canvas here,” explains Tom Brevoort.

  “My Avengers pitch probably could have gotten approved as is on its own, but if I hadn’t done FF, I don’t think there’s any way my New Avengers would have gotten approved. I think it’s gonna be a sleeper hit. It’s so cool. I’m so jacked that I get to write it,” revealed Hickman.

 Some of the most surprising and exciting additions to the new team are New Mutants Sam Guthrie and Roberto Da Costa.

 “You’ll get an issue where Cannonball and Sunspot get to spend time with Captain America,” Hickman revealed, “I’ve always really liked them. I wish it was more complicated than that. I pitched a Bobby and Sam in Mojoworld book, and somehow it got made.”

One reason I love Sam and Bobby getting this “promotion” is that they never got to rise up to true X-Men status.

  “Cannonball and Sunspot are at least chronologically younger characters. It’s always good to have those types of figures in Avengers to bring a fresh viewpoint. That said, they’re also established Marvel characters,” Brevoort said, “When Brian Bendis brought Luke Cage and Spider-Woman into the Avengers, they weren’t the most popular characters, but they had legitimacy. I think it will be the same thing with Cannonball and Sunspot.”

 “When we get to 24 characters, their will be several subgroups of characters, and one tier will be a group of younger, more idealistic people like Cannonball and Sunspot,” Hickman explained. 

New Avengers courtesy Marvel

 Hickman confirmed the logo with the Avengers A and the Omega symbol is the logo for the New Avengers.

  “Avengers is the day book and New Avengers is night. Avengers is how we want the world to be, New Avengers is how it is. One book is about life, one is about death. The logos reflect all this,” he said. 

  The new era begins in the aftermath of AvX, bad blood and old rivalries between some heroes.

  “I don’t think people will be surprised to learn that even as these guys go about their job, some will grow to hate one another,” Hickman explained,  “This is not a cheery happy story. This is the ‘Death Avengers.'”

  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.  

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

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

  Hickman explained the leadership hierarchy of this new Avengers.

  “Cap is in charge, of course, and he has two vice-captains in Captain Marvel and Iron Man. For bigger stuff, it splits into three teams. There are other factions within that, but generally, that’s the command structure. In New Avengers, they all think they’re in charge and none of them are,” explains Hickman. 

 Hickman confirmed Avengers will start with the 3 big arcs then 3 stand-alone stories and he’s creating new villains. Mr. Fantastic and Beast will be on New Avengers. Hyperion will be part of the team. Eden Fesi of Secret Warriors will be in the Avengers.

 Avengers #1 and #2 arrive this December. New Avengers #1 and #2 arrive in January.

 For the entire liveblog here’s the link.

By Editor

 

Avengers End Times Begins With the Return Of…

 

Avengers #31 courtesy Marvel

  End Times are in sight as Brian Michael Bendis leaves the Avengers family for the Children of the Atom. The End begins with the return of an Avengers turned enemy.

  Avengers #31 is the penultimate issue of the end of the Bendis era. Comics Newsarama shared this preview art featuring the return of Simon Williams. Wonder Man formed The Revengers, attacked the team, trashed the mansion and tower.

 Does Simon’s return mean a new attack or an effort to heal old wounds?

  In an earlier interview Bendis told Marvel.com this final storyline meant a change in the status quo.

 “Well, many years have gone by. This status quo has been around for eight years. It’s quite a lengthy amount of time for any status quo in any comic of any company. So it’s certainly a good time for me to wrap up certain story-lines, to make my final statement on some of these characters. Some characters will be moving on to a new chapter in their life, and other characters will be deciding what it means to be an Avenger. Not all the characters will survive this last story.

 I’m losing some babies. I’m losing some characters that mean the world to me. So when you add up all the elements that I just described, that is the status quo change. A lot is going to happen in the next four issues. Some great celebratory things, some tragic things, all setting the stage for my friend Jonathan Hickman, who has his own status quo to try to achieve. I’m going to do the best I can to make that happen,” he told Marvel.com .

For more of his interview and preview art here’s the link.

By Editor

 

 

AvX is Operation Hate Cyclops! Updated

Avengers vs X-Men #11 courtesy Marvel

Spoiler Warning:

This Op/Ed followup should not be read unless you’ve read Avengers vs. X-Men #12.

   Avengers vs. X-Men could be retitled Operation: Hate Cyclops. When AvX was first announced I was on fully on board with Cyclops and the mutants. I posted “Cyke Is Right!” on my blog and all over rallying my fellow X-Men fans. X-Men were my first comic book and I’ve always identified with them. Captain America and the Avengers were yanking away the one Hope the mutants had to save their species.

The architects of AvX turned the greatest hero and leader in comic books into an arrogant, power mad egomaniac. The Marvel masterminds even did the unthinkable – turn me against Scott! I’ve actually rooting for the Avengers. Cyke was right. Now I’m not so sure.

AvX is a dark and critical chapter in Scott’s life. The man Professor Xavier chose to lead the mutants has never had it easy. He’s been put in incredible scenarios against impossible odds and faced tragedy after tragedy. His fellow mutants have constantly been under attack and he’s been forced to make tough calls without a single Avenger coming to his aid. That’s what I love about him.

Scott Summers must always been in control. Holding back his optic blasts is a symbol of the life Scott has been forced to lead. Professor Xavier made him team leader. Cyke pushed himself to be a better leader while the other X-Men got to laugh and escape from training at Harry’s Hideaway. Scott is always living in the Danger Room.

Scott has lost Jean, Madelyne, Nathan. Cyke has held firm despite insults from Wolverine and wavering support from longtime friends. He’s a better X-Man than any mutant…including Logan.

Avengers vs. X-Men #11 courtesy Marvel.com

In AvX #11 the Phoenix possessed Cyclops and Emma Frost turn on each other because there can be only one. AvX appears to be the end of a powerhouse Marvel romance. Grant Morrison slowly separated Scott and Jean and paired Cyke with the reformed Emma Frost during his New X-Men run. Joss Whedon united Scott and Emma as the mutant power couple in his Astonishing X-Men epic. As much as I love Jean, Emma is the one true woman for Scott.

The Phoenix Force is now divided between Scott and Emma. Scott has been transformed into arrogant cosmic level zealot. The God-like power of the Phoenix Force has twisted Scott’s intense dedication to save his race. Emma’s behavior is now dangerously similar to the Dark Phoenix. The reformed White Queen has always kept her ruthless streak and it’s been necessary and easy for her to slip back into the role of a villain (Dark Reign & Dark X-Men Saga) to use it for the sake of saving the mutants.

I kept hoping Scott and Emma’s extreme and ruthless behavior was a result of having slivers of The Void (The Sentry’s evil alter ego) in their minds. It was these two mutants who sacrificed to trap the Void when the Avengers couldn’t stop him. I wanted some excuse so it would be easy to redeem Scott and Emma for their actions. Alas, I can blame the Phoenix Force but isn’t the entity just feeding off and empowering the emotions and motivations existing in my favorite Marvel power couple?

Avengers vs. X-Men #12 courtesy Marvel

Cyclops betrayed Emma and stole her Phoenix Power, killed Professor X, became Dark Phoenix and began burning the earth. In this week’s final chapter Hope and Scarlet Witch (with an assist from Jean Grey?) forced the Phoenix out of Scott. The leader of the X-Men now sits in prison as the most hated man in the Marvel Universe. Cyclops is taking all the blame even though he was right about Hope, The Phoenix and how to save the mutant race.

Every hero falls. Every fan loves redemption. I hope Scott and Emma survive AvX to rise to greatness again in the Marvel NOW.

By Editor