Generation Hope: The End

  Following up on the news that Generation Hope is coming to an end. Writer James Asmus reveals new details about the final showdowns among team members today on Marvel.com.

  “Kenji finally makes a stand against Hope, but he won’t be doing it alone,” Asmus teases the events in the final two chapter of the series beginning with issue #16.

  “On top of that, I tried to confront and forward as much as I could—the love triangle between Martha, Kenji and Laurie; Hope’s decisions to control her team; Hope’s ultimate decision about Sebastian Shaw; Gabriel and Pixie’s romantic turmoil and more!”

  “All the characters on Utopia that the team has been interacting with are pulled into the last two issues and I tried to create a claustrophobic, paranoid horror story for issue #16 that boils over into an all-out wrap for the series. It’s certainly not timid.”

Generation Hope #17 courtesy Marvel.com

   The big question is which kids will survive the showdown and be thrown into the AVX conflict.

  “I know where things are headed and let me tell you, Hope is going to be front and center,” the writer says. “People are going to be very surprised by what happens.”

   Asmus has a message for the devoted readers of Generation Hope.

  “I also can’t say enough about the fans of the book. This was my first real experience with a truly engaged pack of dedicated readers. I was nervous about incurring their wrath if I wrecked the book. But the fans were incredibly game and vocally excited for so much of what we’ve been doing—and I can’t fully express how happy that’s made me. I hope they’ve fallen in love with at least one of these new characters in the Marvel Universe, and [that] I’ve reminded them how great and terrible it is to be a teenager again.”

   I was lucky to meet James on his first con – Emerald City Comicon. You should read his stories in the X-Men: Manifest Destiny collection. He has a Nightcrawler story that will make you sigh.

  Takeshi Miyazawa will join Asmus as artist on the final arc of the series.

  For his entire interview click here.

Cyclops Secret Weapon for AVX?

The Sentry #5 courtesy Marvel.com

  This is the final year of Brian Michael Bendis on The Avengers, which includes the upcoming Avengers Versus X-Men fight fueled by the return of the Phoenix Force.

  The Sentry/The Void could be a key factor in all three of these Marvel events.

Warning: There are potential spoilers of previous Marvel events you may not have read.

  Robert Reynolds is one of Marvel’s most powerful and tragic characters. Bendis made the The Sentry (Robert Reynolds) and his evil alter ego The Void a central character of his Avengers run until Bob was struck down by Thor in the finale of Siege. At Bob’s memorial service his computer companion CLOC said he was preparing for The Sentry’s eventual return. A section of The Void was held in Emma Frost’s mind until Cyclops locked it away in a sealed part of his mind.

New Avengers #8 courtesy Marvel.com

  Will Bendis bring The Sentry back as part of his final Avengers arc? Can Cyclops use The Void (should he even tap into that evil force?) against the Avengers in AVX? Is The Sentry/The Void possibly the only power that could counter the Phoenix Force? What if the entity bonded with a resurrected Robert Reynolds?

  You can read more about The Sentry and The Void at his Marvel.com bio.

AVX Doctor Strange Makes Magik Vanish!

X-Infernus courtesy Marvel.com

  The Avengers and X-Men go to war in April over the return of the Phoenix Force. Marvel has revealed stunning AVX teaser images of potential fights. We’ve seen matchups based on strength, fighting ability, and mutant powers but what about magic?

  I know it may seem unfair to have an older man fight a young woman but since we’ve already seen the Emma Frost versus Hulk teaser, I’m going there. I want Doctor Strange to make Magik vanish…for good!

  I envision a scene inspired by Uncanny X-Men #136 in which Professor Xavier psionically threw down with Dark Phoenix. The psi battle lasted a few panels but the way John Byrne illustrated Chris Claremont’s vision for the showdown was epic.

Magik courtesy Marvel.com

  The Magik I loved from the early New Mutants and the reborn little snowflake who died from the Legacy Virus is long gone.  Magik (after so many reboots) is a member of the Extinction Team in Uncanny X-Men and serves as the teleporter. Given her own dark nature and demonic connections it’s only a matter of time before Illyana will become the Darkchilde again.

  Illyana is nearly as dangerous as the host of the Phoenix force. If you’re going to eliminate the threat of the Phoenix, you should excise the evil potential inside Magik.

Defenders #1 courtesy Marvel.com

  Doctor Strange lost his mojo and is guilt ridden from events in New Avengers but he’s getting it back in the new Defenders book. Many of Marvel’s cosmic entities consider Strange to be on their level in terms of his power.

  Doctor Strange versus Magik would be a mystic battle for the ages but maybe their combined power could tame the Phoenix?

Here’s the Magik Marvel bio if you’d like to learn more. To learn more about Dr. Strange here’s his Marvel bio.

AVX: Colossus Versus Red Hulk!

 

Uncanny X-Men #11 AvX tie-in courtesy Marvel.com

  A Colossal Juggernaut versus the Red Hulk! Marvel revealed the latest Avengers Versus X-Men mighty matchup to io9! Greg Land created this head butting impact cover to Uncanny X-Men #11 – an AvX tie-in.

  Colossus (fueled by the Cyttorak) versus Red Hulk in what Marvel is calling “Cyclops leads his X-Men in to their toughest battle yet.”

  I’m cheering for Colossus on this one!

AVX: Secret Avengers Suicide Space Mission!

 

Secret Avengers #26 cover by Alan Davis on MTV Geek courtesy Marvel.com

  Maybe some Avengers won’t be alive for the big fight against the X-Men? Marvel gave MTV Geek this spectacular cover image and a foreboding press release for Secret Avengers #26.

“Thor leads a secret team of Avengers on a suicide mission to stop the Phoenix by any means necessary.”

Rick Remender and Renato Guedes provide story and art. This cover is by the legendary Alan Davis. Majestic comes to mind when I think of his art!

So far Secret Avengers #26, New Avengers #24, New Avengers #26 (Iron Fist as the Phoenix)have been the only tie-in AVX books revealed so far…but this is a crossover event so stay tuned!

Avengers Versus X-Men #2 Cover Revealed

Avengers Versus X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel.com

  Hope is at the center of the battle on the cover Avengers Versus X-Men #2. Marvel revealed the amazing cover by superstar Jim Cheung today.

  Iron Man and Magneto are in the foreground. It appears Wolverine (with claws ready to slash) is leaping for Hope (who appears to be in a fiery light, is she hosting the Phoenix?)

  This cover fuels the fan fire to many points raised so far:

  – Matt Fraction said Tony Stark was making a new armor with a specific foe in mind. Last week’s AvX teaser images included an Iron Man versus Magneto fight by Adi Granov.

  – Which will Wolverine choose? On AVX #1 Logan appears to be on the Avengers team going into battle against the X-Men. In this image Logan is clearly going in for the kill – aiming for Hope.

  – The Phoenix Force is heading to Earth in search of a human host. Emma Frost has seen the Phoenix image surround Hope before and some call Hope the mutant messiah so she seems to be the likely candidate for the entity.

 Marvel included this description along with the image:

“With the opening salvo fired, the time for talking is over and in Avengers Vs. X-Men #2, allegiances are decided upon as quickly as they are broken. What side does Wolverine choose and what decision will Hope make that may turn the tide of the war… just as it begins?”

Comics Newsarama made more interesting points based on the cover.

 

Uncanny X-Men Writer: Sinister, Cyclops and AvX

Uncanny X-Men #5 cover courtesy Marvel.com

  Kieron Gillen has resurrected old villains on the new Uncanny X-Men title featuring Cyclops and his Utopia based Extinction Team.

  In a new interview by Comic Book Resources featuring fan questions – the British writer tackled classic villains and upcoming events.

  Why did Gillen kick off the relaunched title with Mister Sinister?

   “I wanted a classic heavyweight X-Men villain and Sinister was simply the only one with the appropriate level of gravitas who wasn’t already elsewhere in play. Magneto is with the team. Apocalypse is busy over in “X-Force.” Sabretooth was already involved in plans you’ll be aware of now (and would be annihilated in a millisecond if he went up against the Extinction team, to be honest). Who else but Sinister? No one, that’s who. So I tried to work how I could do something that was entirely new yet true to what I sawa as the core of the character (mutants as research material, Victoriana, scheming and manipulating, upgrading of self, sinister-ness), and ended up with Sinister is a System — Sinister is a species and someone whose idea of an escape route is to blow off his own head.”

  On Cyclops becoming the Magneto of the 21st century?

“I think his current position is that he’s willing to pretend to be more like Magneto to get what he wants — which is no one to fight and kill each other. It’s a specific tactic for a specific situation for a specific timeframe. From Cyclops’ position, it’s a case of keeping mutants alive until Hope does whatever Messiah-y things she’s born to do — if embracing the fact they are feared is a short-term compromise he thinks is the best solution. Cyclops is synthesizing various philosophies. There may be more Magneto in there than previous, but it’s not the dominant strand by any means.”

  This is an excellent question: Would Cyclops recruit Daken to replace Wolverine?

 “It’s certainly something that could happen — but I don’t think Scott would trust Daken. He’s got a lot of reformed villains on his team, but he’s more convinced by their reasons for being there than the ever-sociopathically manipulative Daken.”

Uncanny X-Men preview art courtesy Marvel.com

   Gillen says Storm and Namor will play big roles in the Avengers Versus X-Men tie-in issues and Magic “comes under hard focus in my AvX issues.”

  For the entire interview click here.

 Uncanny X-Men #5 is out today featuring a new threat to the mutants: Tabula Rasa.

Captain America and Cyclops in AVX Variant

Avengers Versus X-Men #1 variant courtesy Marvel.com

  Fists are flying in the latest AVX reveal from Marvel. Ryan Stegman created this Avengers Versus X-Men #1 variant showing the two team leaders in battle.

  This is the press release with the image – which includes a big clue*:

  “This April, the biggest names in the industry pit the largest super hero franchises against one another for the biggest war in comics history in Avengers Vs. X-Men! To celebrate this blockbuster event, Marvel has your first look at the Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 Stegman Variant by red-hot artist Ryan Stegman! The Phoenix Force is headed towards Earth and Captain America is determined to prevent the destruction of the whole world by stopping it. But when word gets to the X-Men that the Phoenix is returning, Cyclops will do anything he can to save it…including going up against Earth’s Mightiest! But who is right? Will mutantkind be saved or will the world be annihilated? Don’t miss out on all the action in Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 in comic shops worldwide and on the Marvel Comics app this April!”

AvX #1 cover by Jim Cheung courtesy Marvel.com

   When AVX was unveiled we learned that “a shocking decision related to the return of the Phoenix Force” is what triggers the conflict.

  *I could be wrong but isn’t this the first time we’ve been told that Captain America is determined to stop it and Cyclops will do anything to save it? Scott has demonstrated he’s willing to make sacrifices and take drastic steps to protect his fellow mutants so could this mean the Phoenix is targetting Hope?