Marvel reveals 3 new teaser images for This Is WAR coming in October.
courtesy Marvel.com
Iron Man is taking bullets.
courtesy Marvel.com
Spidey is down with a gun with to his chest.
courtesy Marvel.com
Black Widow is in the cross-hairs.
The publisher promised more will be revealed at the Amazing Spider-Man panel at Comic Con International. Other teasers include Captain America, Thor and Wolverine. All are Avengers so far.
The biggest theory going around is that this could be the Ultron War – Brian Michael Bendis’s swan song on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes?
Marvel teased that the final chapter of the AvX first act would be a game changer. After reading Avengers vs. X-Men #5 I was left stunned and surprised.
WARNING
SPOILERS AHEAD
IF YOU HAVE NOT READ AVX #5 STOP READING NOW
SERIOUSLY
HERE IT COMES
OK – I DID WARN YA!
Iron Man made have showed off why he’s a genius badass but he made a serious miscalculation. The Phoenix Force was meant to bond with Hope but it’s now bonded with five of the most powerful X-Men: Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Colossus and Magik. The Avengers now have to deal with five cosmic powered mutants who were already pretty ticked off at them – guess we know why Marvel has been teasing No More Avengers.
Avengers vs X-Men #6 courtesy Marvel
“The mutants are now the Earth’s mightiest heroes, capable of doing all this cosmic-scale, epic (stuff). And the Avengers are scrambling to keep up and keep things in perspective,” writer Matt Fraction told USA Today. “They’re wildly evolving the world overnight. They’re doing the work of a Phoenix, only instead of one there’s five and each one has their own personality and thoughts, and things are great at first. But they’re the X-Men. They’re going to stop getting along at some point, and batten down the hatches.”
“There’s a specific reason it resonates that it would be these five,” Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso added. “It has to do with what our master plan for these characters has been for some time.”
Avengers vs X-Men #6 interior art courtesy Marvel
Thanks to Comic Book Resources for the quotes and preview images – you can read and see even more there.
I feel like you really have to read Uncanny X-Men #13 this week too. I have to wonder if the Five Lights (the mutants of Generation Hope) were intended to be the Phoenix Five instead of the adult members of Cyke’s Extinction Team. Maybe Kieron Gillen’s use of the extinction team moniker was appropriate because Cyclops and company certainly have the power to destroy and reshape the human race.
As I read this week’s AvX issues I could help think back to Greg Pak’s Warsong and Endsong epics. I hated them – hear me out – because the stories were so gut wrenching the watch because I loved these characters – which is the sign of great writing. I sense we’re going to that kind of storytelling with act two.
John Romita Jr deserves huge accolades for his final chapter in the epic. The smaller cast in the moon battle allow the artist to show his best work of the story so far. The determination of a scorched Wolverine, the fear in Hope’s eyes, Tony Stark’s sense of awe as he tries to kill a God like force are standout moments.
The act one twist takes us into new territory (maybe darker shades of House of M?) The writers have shown us anything can happen next.
Matt Fraction at AvX party @ Excalibur Comics photo by Kyle Helstien of Happy Robot Photography
Avengers vs X-Men #5 Two rival super hero teams battle on the moon. One team fights for the survival of their face. One team fights for the fate of the Earth. The Phoenix Force arrives for the fiery climax to Act One. Who becomes the host of the cosmic entity and how does this lead into the next act: No More Avengers?
Before Watchmen: Minutemen #1 One of the most controversial decisions in recent comic book industry. DC Comics is going back into the Watchmen universe to tell new prequel stories with some of the biggest names in comics on board. Love or hate the idea – it’s time to judge the story. This is the first series focusing on the team of heroes from the 1940’s that led to the Watchmen.
Earth 2 #2 Classic Silver Age heroes reborn. Fan favorite Alan Scott is now reintroduced as a gay super hero and the only Green Lantern of this world. This issue reveals the origin of this world’s Flash, Jay Garrick and the threat that would wipe out this alternative Earth.
Harbinger #1 Pete is a young guy struggling to make it. Toyo Harada is a billionaire with a global empire. Both share a mental based power that could reshape the world. A kid off the streets is offered the alliance of a lifetime with a man who has everything…but there’s got to be a catch! Valiant Comics is back. Harbinger was my favorite book and Harada was the best villain of that universe.
Invincible Iron Man #518 Tony Stark may be celebrating a victory in The Avengers and Iron Man 3 on the big screen but there’s a new man in the armor in the comics. The new Iron Man blasts in after the Spymaster leaves a bloody trail in Stark Resilient and Marvel is teasing the assassination of Tony Stark?
I use this photo because Matt Fraction is the writer of AvX #5 and Invincible Iron Man #518.
It’s awesome yet a little scary to see Rogue cut loose and tap into a dark side of her power in X-Men Legacy #267. This AvX tie-in issue is a thrilling showdown between a squad of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and teachers at the Jean Grey School.
Rogue and Iron Man trade memories while trading punches. The Armored Avenger taunts Rogue about their last clash. Back in the classic Avengers Annual #10 Rogue was still a bad girl and took on the entire team at Avengers mansion at the direction of Mystique. It’s cool to see Rogue use a darker aspect of her power to kick She-Hulk and Iron Man’s arrogant a—-. For a longtime fan who knows the price Rogue paid for her past crimes seeing this is bittersweet.
I’ve been wondering when Kitty Pryde would join the fight and this issue Kitty’s quick action reveals an advantage that turns the tide in the fight. Rogue may have wanted to stay out of AvX but this battle has made her eager to take on more Avengers.
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 courtesy IDW Publishing
America’s Got Powers #2 Super teens compete in the world’s biggest reality game show. A kid who thought he’d only be comic relief has the chance to be the ultimate hero. This is an action packed cautionary tale that skewers our obsession with youth, reality television and media manipulation.
Batman Annual #1 Forget Ar-NULD – this Mr. Freeze is not joke. The ice-cold criminal makes his New 52 debut. How it he connected to the of Court of Owls? Is Freeze an ally or a target for assassination.
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who Assimilation #1 Two of the biggest science fiction franchises together! The Captain Picard and crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise and Doctor Who join forces when Borg and Cybermen form an unholy alliance threatening the galaxy.
Wolverine and the X-Men #11 Will the Red Hulk turn Iceman into crushed ice? Kid Gladiator takes on the Avengers! Which side will Logan’s students choose in the war between Avengers and X-Men? They better choose quick. Gladiator and the Shiar Death Commandos are headed for Earth.
X-Men Legacy #267 Rogue vs She-Hulk was just a warm up! When Avengers showed up at the Jean Grey School to put the students under house arrest it didn’t sit well with the X-Men. I love Rogue but can she defeat Iron Man?
The director of the first two Iron Man movies will not direct Iron Man 3 but Jon Favreau will be back on-screen. Favreau will reprise his role as Happy Hogan, sidekick/bodyguard/chaffeur to Tony Stark, according to The Hollywood Reporter Heat Vision.
Shane Black is directing the Armored Avenger’s third solo film. Filming began this week in North Carolina. No word on how big his role will be but good to have him on board.
This August Marvel’s secret society reunites against the threat of the Phoenix Force. The preview for New Avengers #29 given to Comic Book Resources teases the return of the Illuminati.
Tony Stark, Professor X, Reed Richards, Namor and Doctor Strange gathered in secret over the years to protect Earth. This secret history was created by Brian Michael Bendis on his Avengers run. The group disbanded after the split decision to forcefully send the Hulk into space.
From the cover by Ron Garney is appears Captain America is joining the super group. This is the first hint that Professor Xavier will join the Avengers vs X-Men conflict.
James Badge Dale will play a villain named Savin in Iron Man according to Deadline. Robert Downey Jr reprises his role as Tony Stark with Shane Black directing. Rebecca Hall is in talks to join as a scientist. Guy Pearce will play Dr. Aldrich Killian. Ben Kingsley is on board. No definitive word on his exact role but some have speculated he could be playing arch-enemy The Mandarin.
Dale will be seen in The Lone Ranger and World War Z. He starred with Michael Fassbender in Shame. He starred in HBO’s The Pacific.
The story is based on Iron Man Extemis by Warren Ellis and Adi Granov which involves the creation of nanotechnology that gets in the hands of terrorists.
