Way back when there was only one X-Men book…seriously just one!
There was an X-Factor (the original 5 X-Men reunited) and the New Mutants (with a just introduced Cable, future founder of the first X-Force) but only one X-Book and Chris Claremont was at the top of his game with a thrilling, socially relevant epic.
At my local comic book shop’s 38th Anniversary I picked up the X-Tinction Agenda hardcover (at 38% off thanks to Zanadu) and relived the exciting epic I haven’t read since the original issues first hit shelves.
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.
I am THRILLED to share this news! Two of Marvel’s Finest, Fiercest Females will star in a brand new Marvel Now series! Comics Newsarama reports that Fearless Defenders will star Valkyrie and Misty Knight in a follow-up to Fear Itself: The Fearless.
I have been sharing my hope that Valkyrie of The Fearlessand The Defenderswould live on in the Marvel Now. Now I guess we’ll see if they are two great concepts that taste great together?
Cullen Bunn (Venom, Wolverine) will write the new series with Will Sliney on art. Bunn scripted the excellent Fear Itself: The Fearless 12-part series that I may have posted over and over that I LOVE. I think Misty Knight kicks ass but I absolutely love Valkyrie so you can imagine my excitement!
Fear Itself The Fearless #9 courtesy Marvel
According to the CN story – Dani Moonstar of the recently endedNew Mutantshas found a home in the Marvel Now – YES! Dani was once a Valkyrie and recently made a deal with Hela during the SIEGE saga. More female characters will joining the team too.
“The basic idea of the book is that Valkyrie is choosing a new team of Valkyrior, and she’s been asked to choose all these women from the heroes of Midgard, instead of from Asgard. She has completely failed in this task. [Laughs.] Valkyrie has been unable to choose anyone that she feels is worthy to be one of the hosts of the shield maidens. So she just hasn’t done it. She’s dropped the ball,” Bunn tells CN.
“Because she’s not done what she said she would do, nature — or supernature, as it is — abhors a vacuum. The absence of the Valkyrior has opened the door to something terrible. Something awful is waking, and Valkyrie finds that it’s really her fault that she’s put everything at risk.”
Fear Itself The Fearless #2 courtesy Marvel
Bunn had heroes and villains after Valkyrie in the earlier limited series but he’s plotting new enemies for her and Misty in the new series.
“Yeah, in the first issue I’m introducing a couple of new villains. One of them is, in my mind, the nastiest villain to ever come into the Marvel Universe. She is absolutely ghastly. At her very core, she is a horrible, horrible person, and she is capable of some really deplorable things that we’ll be seeing.
We’re creating a new team, and I felt like it would be important to create this mastermind-type character who’s coming in to be the main antagonist for the foreseeable future for the team. She’s not the only villain you’re going to see, and you’ll some other Marvel Universe villains, but she is new, and I wanted people to believe she is a challenge for Valkyrie. Look at Valkyrie — she’s a very powerful character. This woman is definitely going to be a challenge for Valkyrie, and she’s going to be that challenge without having any powers whatsoever.”
Fearless Defenders arrives in February 2013. I’m loving the Mighty Mark Brooks cover art up top!
Never fear! New one word teases are here! Marvel revealed a new title by Cullen Bunn (Wolverine, Venom) and Will Sliney is coming in February 2013. What could FEARLESS mean?
I hope this means a title starring Valkyrie! Why? I absolutely loved Fear Itself: The Fearless in which Bunn was one of the architects (along with Matt Fraction.) This 12-part epic starred Valkyrie on a mission for Odin that took her across the Marvel Universe and against some of the biggest heroes and villains. Valkyrie even defied the Avengers and X-Men to recover lost Asgardian artifacts.
Valkyrie has been a member of Rick Remender’s Secret Avengers team but I think it’s time Valkyrie to assume the leadership role in her own series or with her own team (maybe with former Valkyrie and New Mutant Dani Moonstar?)Matt Fraction’s Defenders has ended so perhaps this is a relaunch of the non-team team – maybe Val reuniting with Hellcat? Stay tuned!
I will always hold a special place in my geeky heart for the New Mutants. This extended family of mutants is reaching a milestone again. The latest volume ends with this week’s New Mutants #50. Dani Moonstar, Magma, Sunspot, Warlock and Cypher welcomed X-Man in this latest version of the team based on San Francisco. They sided with Cyclops in the Schism event, chose to live in a San Francisco neighborhood in an effort to integrate better with normal humans.
I consider the New Mutants and the Teen Titans the comic book kids who never get to grow up. In some ways I would love to see Sam, Dani, Roberto and Shan become the X-Men. In the real world these young heroes would already taken the leadership role. But this is comics and I’m also a guy who would cry if Wolverine, Storm and Cyke really did retire to a mutant retirement center.
What will happen to the New Mutants in the Marvel Now?
Sunspot and Cannonball are becoming part of Jonathan Hickman’s huge roster for The Avengers.
Dani Moonstar may have lost her mutant ability to cast illusions but she always has been in touch with her Asgardian connection as a former Valkyrie. Dani made a deal with Hela that turned the tide of Siege. Even without powers, Dani has proved herself to be a born leader and teacher. Dani has even infiltrated the Mutant Liberation Front. Dani would make an excellent S.H.I.E.L.D. agent or Secret Avenger at some point.
Warlock and Cypher would be perfect as rookie agents for S.W.O.R.D. Doug’s abilities and Warlock’s background could make them good resources for Abigail Brand’s mission to protect earth from alien invaders.
Magma – the fiery female may need to consult with Doctor Strange after her recent romantic encounters with Mephisto. Dating the Devil can be hazardous to more than your heart!
In the aftermath of AvX new mutants are being born so we could expect a new volume of the New Mutants starring brand new mutants.
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.
Astonishing X-Men #54 Susan Hatchi reveals her mutant connection. The new villainess has already blown up Wolverine and the rest of the team is infected with her nanobombs in their blood. Can former New Mutant Karma escaped Hatchi’s control to save her team.
Batman Incorporated #0You need an international army to fight a global terror network like Leviathan. See how Bruce Wayne recruited his worldwide team of crimefighters in this origin issue.
Happy #1 A hit man’s world of murder, sex and corruption – not your usual Christmas tale. Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson team up for this new Image mini-series of an unjured assassin on the run from the cops, the mob and connected to a killer Santa.
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 # 5 Captain Picard is faced with an impossible choice that could save or damn the universe. Only Doctor Who may be able to convince the Captain to team up with his greatest enemies.
Talon #0A new hero in a new series spinning out of the Batman: Court of Owls epic! Calvin Rose is the only man to escape the Court of Owls. Can this former assassin live a normal life and become a hero? The Court is back and they’re after their prize killer.
The New Mutants graphic novel cover courtesy Marvel.com
The New Mutants aren’t so new anymore but Dani, Sam, Roberto, Rhane and Xi’an will hold a special place in the hearts of many comic book fans. Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod gave us this next generation and future X-Men. Unfortunately these heroes are caught in the comic book paradox. In the real world these kids should have grown up to succeed Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine and company as the X-Men. These characters are so strong and loved that they will always find a home in the Marvel universe.
Dani Moonstar lost her mutant powers but none of the qualities that make her a great hero. The current New Mutants book is coming to an end. Karma is currently featured in Marjorie Liu’s Astonishing X-Men. Wolfsbane has been a star and become a mom in Peter David’s X-Factor. Will those characters and titles continue in the Marvel NOW relaunch?
In Liu’s Astonishing X-Men Karma has been the victim of a new villain and I hope Liu gets the chance to give Xi’an redemption and maybe a chance at love like Northstar did. I can’t imagine a month without Peter David’s X-Factor but Breaking Points sure seems like he’s wrapping up his run.
New Mutants #13 courtesy Marvel
I really love Dani as mentor of a New Mutants squad in New X-Men. Dani is a great leader, Valkyrie and I love her best as a teacher. I’d like to see Dani and Rhane join the Jean Grey School as teachers.
Could these young heroes face a darker future in the Marvel NOW? Legion is becoming the star of a brand new X-Men Legacy. Professor X’s son may try to recruit the mutants he once faced in their original series.
