Battle of the Atom is underway! X-Men from the future, past and present collide in fight to save future of the mutant race as part of the 50th Anniversary. Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron and Brian Wood are the “Professor X’s” of the current X-books and co-writers working together on this crossover.
As part of the 50th Anniversary we looked back at the top 10 greatest X-Men stories but I wanted to look ahead. These next recent stories by the Battle of the Atom writers are strong contenders to join that impressive pantheon Continue reading Future Greatest X-MEN Stories
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.
Uncanny X-Men #1 is out and we know the identity of the X-traitor (no spoilers here) so I thought it was a good time to revisit my burning questions!
Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo launched Cyclops’s revolution in a brand new Uncanny X-Men. It’s not quite the Avenging X-Men concept I predicted but this is Xavier’s dream with a darker edge.
Scott and Emma are paying a price for their actions in Avengers vs. X-Men.
Uncanny X-Men #1 marks the next revolution in mutant evolution!
Cyclops, Magneto, Emma Frost and Magik began recruiting new mutants in All-New X-Men. The mission continues in this week’s new Uncanny series by Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo. Bendis and Editor Nick Lowe previewed the new volume of Uncanny X-Men on Marvel.com.
“In All-New X-Men, we’ve been able to lay out what the X-Men universe looks like now. We’ve shown in a way what Uncanny X-Men will look like. After the first arc of All-New X-Men concludes with issue #6, Uncanny kicks off with Cyclops, Magneto, Emma Frost and Magik trying to save new mutants across the world.”
“Chris Claremont made X-Men a revolutionary piece about the differences between us. Times have changed and we’re going to see where that fits now.”
“We have existing characters at their darkest points mixing with fresh new characters looking at the Marvel Universe in a new way.”
“When I was doing two Avengers titles, they succeeded because they existed in the same world but were so different. That’s what we’re getting with All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men.”
“I’m a big believer that when people go through large changes in life they alter their appearance, whether they realize it or not. Super hero uniforms are a great way to explore that. This is a great way to express that Cyclops, Emma and Magneto are in a very different place with a very different perspective. Cyclops is the face of what he calls the mutant revolution, taking a harder stance than ever before.”
Uncanny X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel
The former White Queen has evolved from villainess to hero. Bendis says Frost’s signature look will evolve.
“Emma Frost has evolved immensely over the last 10-15 years. Once she was just this outfit and this look, now there’s so much going on with her. She’s taking a leap into a different direction, and I think her costume design will be the most controversial. It’s no longer just how guys wanted to see her. It’s who she sees herself as. I teach. If I showed up wearing Emma’s outfit, people would be startled. But I could pull it off.”
Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo relaunch Uncanny X-Men this week.
At one point I thought Scott would be on the road to redemption but now we know Cyclops is not trying to make up for his actions in Avengers vs. X-Men. The new mutant population boom has the fallen leader inspired to save his race – by any means necessary. Magneto, Emma Frost and Magik join Scott on his missions to recruit young mutants and protect them from a world that fears and hates them.
“You will discover in the very first issue of ALL-NEW X-MEN exactly where Scott Summers’ head is at. Of all the X-Men that feel it is their job to further the legacy of Charles Xavier, no one feels it more strongly than Scott Summers,” Bendis told Marvel.com.
A comic book event so big it deserves a big trailer! Marvel has premiered this sneak peek for what could be the biggest story of 2013! Age of Ultron #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Bryan Hitch! The greatest Avengers villain (in my opinion) takes over! Evil wins. The machine monstrosity and his army of robots have conquered Continue reading AGE OF ULTRON Trailer
Creating new mutants is hard. For every Gambit, there’s a Maggot. Brian Michael Bendis took on the challenge of writing the X-Men just when the mutant race is booming again with new mutants.
Cyclops, Magneto, Emma Frost and Magik have been recruiting new Children of the Atom for his revolution in All-New X-Men. We’ve met healer Christopher Muse, time manipulator Eva Bell and shape-changer Benjamin Deeds. The teens are now at the covert Charles Xavier School.
Ahead of next week’s Uncanny X-Men #1 Bendis talked about the new recruits on Marvel.com. Eva, Benjamin and Christopher’s lives have suddenly changed but they’ll be looking back.
“They’ll be doing that right away. “Can I go get my stuff? Can I go talk to my mom?” A lot of Australians seem to be very happy that Eva’s from Australia. I wasn’t aware that there was such a dearth of Australian heroes. I got so much happy mail and tweets from Australian people. We will be going back to the Gold Coast in issues #2 and #3 of UNCANNY X-MEN to find out what the deal with Eva is. I like Eva a lot. I like writing her a lot. For people who liked Jessica Jones and Maria Hill, I think they’re going to get a kick Continue reading New Mutants of Uncanny X-Men
Cyclops has become the new Magneto. The mutant race has been reborn. Scott Summers will do anything to make sure the new mutants are safe. The new mutant revolution begins in the upcoming Uncanny X-Men #1 by Brian Michael Bendis.
Magneto has been the X-Men’s archenemy, ally, enemy again but when Cyclops united the endangered race on Utopia Erik pledged his allegiance to him. During Avengers vs. X-Men Erik was Scott’s ally, sounding board and mentor. Bendis explains why Magneto is on Cyclops’s team.
“I think that having Magneto there lets everybody know that Cyclops isn’t messing around. Cyclops is talking a good game, but when you’re standing there next to Hitler, it has people pay very close attention to what you’re saying. He says he doesn’t want people to be scared of him, but then why are you standing next to this guy? I think that Cyclops likes having this tough father figure around. I think it’s just the way he’s wired. Continue reading Is Magneto the Uncanny X-Men Traitor?
