The Uncanny Avengers become targets of the classic X-Men villain Apocalypse in the next arc. The immortal mutant played a huge role in Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force run even though he didn’t appear in his iconic form. Remender tells Marvel.com how Apocalypse factors into the next arc Ragnarok Now.
“Well the important thing was to find a way to mix the A and the X. And that was a lot of work. So I threw out most of my outline for the sequel to the Dark Angel Saga. And I kept the four most important things that I was excited about and the things that most closely tie in to characters like Wolverine or Sunfire, characters that have been tainted by this and manipulated by [Apocalypse]. So as I was building [the story], it was important to find how it was an X-Men story and also Continue reading Uncanny Avengers vs. Apocalypse!
A God possessed. Cataclysmic clashes. Twisted history. Social commentary?
The most unexpected villain comeback since…
The finale of Red Skull versus Marvel’s newest dream team hits like Thor’s hammer in this week’s Uncanny Avengers #4. Rick Remender and John Cassaday are relentless storytellers!
Here’s what you need to know:
In the aftermath of Avengers vs. X-Men, Captain America realized the Avengers have not done enough to help protect the mutant race. Steve and Wolverine form a new squad of Avengers and X-Men (including Thor, Scarlet Witch, Rogue) working together with Havok as team leader.
A reborn Red Skull stole the brain of Professor X! Together with his army of freak S-Men the Nazi mastermind telepathically orchestrated a series of brutal attacks on mutants. As this finale begins Thor is under the Skull’s control. Havok continues his rise to becoming a major superstar in the Marvel Now. Alex Summers and Scarlet Witch take a beating against the power of the Thunder God but Havok proves he has the mettle to lead this team into the future. Scarlet Witch may be on the road to redemption but Wanda gets to hex out and we see just how her dark side Continue reading Super Villain Showdown in UNCANNY AVENGERS
Will Marvel’s new supergroup be destroyed by one of their own? The God of Thunder appears to be a hero possessed on the cover of this week’s Uncanny Avengers #4 courtesy Marvel. This is the big finale of the first arc by Rick Remender and John Cassaday.
In the aftermath of Avengers vs. X-Men Captain America and Wolverine assembled Thor, Rogue, Scarlet Witch and Havok to fight the power of a reborn Red Skull.
Rick Remender launched first Marvel Now book in a big shocking way. The Red Skull stole Professor Xavier’s the brain and turned it into the ultimate mind control weapon . I’m not ashamed to say I exclaimed “OH My GOD!” when I saw the villain holding the Professor’s brain over his desecrated head.
Uncanny Avengers #4 courtesy Marvel
The Red Skull has been using the Professor’s power to incite anti-mutant hysteria turning ordinary citizens into obsessive and violent vigilantes. The villain’s mysterious S-Men have been enforcing his agenda. While the team may have survived the S-Men so far now one of their own could be turned against them!
Uncanny Avengers #4 courtesy Marvel
The battle to stop the Red Skull’s war on mutants continues in the streets of New York as one member of the team switches sides! You could call the reborn Nazi scientist the Omega Skull since Continue reading UNCANNY AVENGERS vs.THOR?
Rick Remender launched Uncanny Avengers (Captain America, Wolverine, Thor, Havok, Rogue, Scarlet Witch) in a big shocking way: a reborn Red Skull armed with the brain of Professor Xavier. I’m not ashamed to say I screamed when I saw the super villain holding the Professor’s brain above his desecrated head.
Uncanny Avengers #4 courtesy Marvel
The battle to stop the Red Skull’s war on mutants continues in the streets of New York as one member of the team switches sides! You could call the reborn Nazi scientist the Omega Skull since Continue reading UNCANNY AVENGERS Thor Turns Evil?
Madness takes Manhattan! Manipulated mutant hate erupts! Only a select unit of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Children of the Atom can stop the wrath of the reborn Red Skull!
Was Uncanny Avengers #3 worth the wait?
YES!
Red Skull is using the brain of Professor X to incite mutant hate. The villain’s strange S-Men help fan the flames of hatred and violence as everyday citizens turn on each other and one iconic hero’s will is tested. Havok and Captain America clash. Wolverine’s reaction upon learning of the Red Skull’s heinous act is classic. Rick Remender and John Cassaday pack this chapter with big character moments and an epic twist as an Avenger turns.
Rick Remender launched Uncanny Avengers and said goodbye to Uncanny X-Force and Secret Avengers. Uncanny Avengers was the first book in the Marvel Now relaunch featuring a team of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Children of the Atom. How will the events of his previous series affect those characters who are now part of the Uncanny Avengers?
“For my part, Uncanny Avengers is almost the inverse of Uncanny X-Force, but it’s a continuation in a lot of ways. You’ll be fine as a new reader to read Uncanny Avengers, because I’ll make sure and set everything up, but I’ll be frank — if you’ve read X-Force, Uncanny Avengers is going to be a much richer read for you, because when you see characters popping up from “The Dark Angel Saga” — while I’ll explain them to new readers — I can’t give the same level of depth and context as if you had read the book. One of those things is obviously dealing with Wolverine’s part in the “Dark Angel Saga,” and what happened with Warren and Evan, but also dealing with the ramifications emotionally of Wolverine’s state of mind after what happened with Daken. That’s not something I plan on leaving in the past. To me, that’s the new defining moment for what’s going to haunt Wolverine, and haunt his decisions. That’s definitely something that I’ll continue to be building on,” Remember told Comics Newsarama.
Uncanny Avengers #5 courtesy Marvel
Havok, Thor, Captain America, Scarlet Witch and Rogue will be joined by Sunfire, Wasp and Wonder Man in issue 5. The writer reveals why these old-school favorites made the cut.
“I knew I wanted Sunfire. With Deadpool, I had the opportunity to write insanity on a team; and with Fantomex, I got to write that suave, sort of aloof, sarcastic dick. But with Sunfire I get to write an unmitigated, unapologetic, asshole. But a hero. A guy who’s going to put his life on the line — but a guy who’s been through hell. I really think Sunfire should have been one of the original cast members of X-Force, given all he’s been through. He’s been mind-twisted, he’s been a Horseman, he’s been a Marauder… he’s just been a mess. And it was all because he never joined the X-Men. He was always on the fringes. He was never a joiner. And he still wouldn’t be, but for the Avengers, there is a prestige to that, and that prestige to have a representative from Japan take a spot on this worldwide force for good. He’s a character who likes his honor, and his ego is definitely something that’s always in play.”
Remender has confirmed that Kang and Apocalypse will be the villains of the second arc: Ragnarok Now.
For the entire interview here’s the Comics Newsarama link. Thanks to the always insightful Albert Ching.
Sunfire the Avenger? That may inspire exclamations of “YES!” or “say what?”
Children of the Atom are moving up to join Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Captain America recruited New Mutants Cannonball and Sunspot to Avengers (by Jonathan Hickman.) Sunfire will join Uncanny Avengers in issue 5. Professor X invited the Japanese mutant to join his cause back when Storm, Nightcrawler, Wolverine and Colossus were the all-new, all-different X-Men. Sunfire said no and Shiro Yoshida’s heroic career has gone to hell. Sunfire even became a Horseman of Apocalypse.
Sunfire, Wonder Man and Wasp will join Rick Remender’s Uncanny Avengers lineup. The writer talked about why this fallen hero made the team and his search for redemption with Marvel.com.
“First off, it’s the “what if?”of it all. Here’s the one guy who refused Xavier’s invitation to be part of the “All-New” X-Men. He was the guy who was like, “oh this is the coolest era of the X-Men coming up? No thanks, I’ve got stuff to do.” And then he pops up once in a while and he’ll be involved, but he’s such an [expletive]. He’s just an [expletive]. He’s just like “shut up stupid people, dear god you Western morons,” and I’ve never really had a chanceto write just such an unabashed jerk.
Uncanny Avengers #5 courtesy Marvel
And he’s also crazy powerful. I know in the Age of Apocalypse version, his body is gone and he becomes a living being of energy, of fire. But I don’t think we need to turn him into that, necessarily. Power level wise, he can nuke a city. And you put Sunfire on the team, he’s a very powerful character, and he’s also someone that should have been one of the X-Men, but refused it, and he’s someone that’s at the lowest point of his life; really, he should have been on X-Force. He would have been a perfect addition to that squad. He’s been a Horseman, Mr. Sinister has manipulated him, he’s been a Marauder, he’s lost his legs and has had them returned, he’s lost family members; he’s gone through so many changes.
His core belief that Japan is the center of the universe was skewed and he lost who he was. He’s broken. So when we find him, he’s purposeless, shattered, manipulated and broken, which was attractive to me in taking that angle with him; he’s that tone of damaged and probably going to do some crazy things and is way more powerful than anyone else that we’ve seen in that situation. Shiro, to me, is an opportunity to make good on what could have happened in Giant-Size X-Men #1, when he declined to join the team. Now that Xavier’s dead and here’s this guy that’s lost his honor, it’s an opportunity to redeem himself as well.”
Remender says Wolverine recruits Shiro to the team. It will be exciting to see how Sunfire reacts if he encounters his former master. Apocalypse and Kang are the villains of the next Uncanny Avengers arc.
For the entire interview here’s the Marvel.com link.
You just can’t keep a mutant cyborg from an alternate future down for long! Cable is back but he’s getting a rough reception in the Marvel Now. The son of Cyclops will become one of the world’s most wanted. Dennis Hopeless and Salvador Larroca launch Cable and X-Force this week. Domino, Forge, Colossus and Dr. Nemesis join Cable on his new misadventures. Hopeless and Editor Nick Lowe shared his take on the team and shared preview art on Marvel.com.
“You get dropped smack dab in the middle of a pretty horrible situation on the first page of Cable & X-Force #1. You see our X-Force team and a bunch of dead bodies. They’re surrounded by the Uncanny Avengers who have just arrived on the scene. Things do not look good,” said Lowe.
“Cable and X-Force have tried to stop something really bad from happening and it’s gone as bad as possible. Cable has one last job to pull before he can retire from being a crazy time-hopping Askani’son. It goes awfully,” says Hopeless, “Cable comes up the team and he’s the one they have to trust, even though he doesn’t say much.”
For fans of Hope Summers this is the book to watch. Lowe confirmed Cable’s adopted daughter will play a huge role in the book.
“The crux of my original pitch and the emotional core of the book is that Cable and Hope both want to be done with the craziness and live normal lives, but neither are very good at it,” said Hopeless of the mutant messiah and her father.
“Hope plays a unique role early on. She’s not strictly a member of the team, but in my mind, Cable doesn’t think of this as X-Force, just people who can help him with a problem. The news call them X-Force, which Cable finds asinine,” says Hopeless of the team name.
Cable and X-Force #2 courtesy Marvel
You can see Cable has a new look including an eye patch but the disease that’s cursed him since birth is gone.
“Cable no longer has the T/O virus. His arm is messed up and he’s never had to use his powers like this. He recruits Forge to help him with that, and we’ll explain why he’s not quite as crazy any more,” explains Hopeless.
Cable’s team will be on the run from Marvel Now’s newest supergroup.
“The supporting cast is basically the Uncanny Avengers. If this book is ‘The Fugitive,‘ they’re Tommy Lee Jones,” Nick Lowe explained.
Cable and X-Force #1 courtesy Marvel
“In my mind, Havok is the reason the Uncanny Avengers get pulled into this and become obsessed with finding Cable. Things have gone bad for the Summers family. His brother is in jail and now his nephew appears to be a terrorist. Rick Remender has made it very clear to me many times that they are not jackbooted thugs. There’s an interesting dynamic between the two teams,” said Hopeless of the crossover elements.
“Early on, the Uncanny Avengers are the big problem. The situations that lead to the job are less villain-based, more ‘something awful is going to happen and we have to stop it.’ We’ll roll into who caused this situation as the series continues,” he adds.
Cable has one of the most complicated backgrounds in comics. Personally there are moments when I love him and when I wish he’s stayed dead.
“Cable is an interesting character because his past is so varied. He’s not a guy who likes to talk about his feelings, but here he’s the guy with all the answers. He’s a complicated sort of guy. He’s a person who wants to make the world a better place and be a good father to his daughter, but he’s also really good at using big guns and breaking into military bases. We’re going to play with all his incarnations.”
I love this description – it’s a good way to explain who Cable is:
Cable and X-Force #1 courtesy Marvel
“Cable is Steve McQueen in the body of the T2 Terminator. He’s a super hero version of Parker. I tried to surround him with interesting characters who are really good at solving a certain kind of problem, but they don’t get along. There are some elements of the classic X-Force, but it’s wrapped around a crime story and an emotional story about a father and his daughter.” – Dennis Hopeless
Every incarnation of X-Force has had an outlaw element.
“We wanted to take the idea of X-Force as the intense paramilitary X-Men book to a new level,” said Lowe.
There will also be a new Uncanny X-Force in the Marvel Now. The X-Editor explains the difference:
“Cable & X-Force is about fugitives on the run from the Marvel Universe, criminals and murderers as far as the world can tell. Uncanny X-Force deals with the dark underbelly of the Marvel Universe and a lot of moral quagmires.”
Warpath was the angry big rebel in the first X-Force. After AvX Colossus is free of his demons but full of hate and anger.
“Colossus ends up on the team partially because where he is as a person after AvX. Things are not great. He gets sucked into all this in a way that is very much not what he plans or what he wanted,” explains Hopeless.
“Colossus is the muscle. A veteran. A guy who doesn’t get shaken under pressure,” adds Lowe.
It will be nostalgic to see Nathan and Domino together again. She was part of his Six-Pack team of mercs before joining his first X-Force.
“Domino can get you in and out of any situation,” said Hopeless, “Their relationship is interesting. They were together at one point and since then have both been through a lot. Cable was in the future for years and had a wife who died. Domino calls him on his crap, but they’re not going to jump in bed together just because they’re in the same room.”
Cable and X-Force #3 courtesy Marvel
After a long run on Invincible Iron Man Salvador Larroca is back with the Children of the Atom. You can definitely see how his style has evolved – a mix of his X-Men era and what he developed on Iron Man which is perfect for Cable and his crew.
“We talked about what roles the characters would play and then let Salva loose on the new costumes. We knew we wanted to limit the color palette and have them look not too much like super heroes, but keep the trappings. Cable needed a big mech arm because the loss of the T/O virus ravaged his body,” explains Lowe of the new designs.
“There is a story reason for why most of the characters are wearing what they are and why they have the tech they do. Salva deserves all the credit,” adds Hopeless
Hopeless confirmed the X-Force teams will interact.
“If you’ve got Cable in one book and Bishop as a villain in the other, that’s a big deal,” said Lowe.
For the entire liveblog here’s the Marvel.com link.
