The chaos and carnage unleashed by the Avengers greatest enemy will lead to new beginnings for some fan favorite characters. Marvel reveals the first series to spin out of the Age of Ultron event! Avengers AI by writer Sam Humphries and artists Andre Lima Araujo launches in July according to USA Today.
The team includes Vision, Victor Mancha of Runaways, Hank Pym, a new character named Alexis, a Doombot and Monica Chang. Vision is the “son” of Ultron. Pym is the insane android’s creator. This is a 616 Universe version Continue reading AVENGERS AI
2013 will be the Age of Ultron! Brian Michael Bendis and Bryan Hitch reunite to reinvent the classic Avengers villain in a 10 issue limited series kicking off in March. Hitch draws the first five issues. Carlos Pacheco and Brian Peterson complete the second half of the series. 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 begins with 3 issues in March 2013. The team confirmed tie-in issues in current series and some limited tie-in series.
Vin Diesel as the Vision in Avengers 2? Images of the the android have been posted on the actor’s Facebook page according to ComicBook.com which has fans and bloggers speculating so I thought I’d sound off.
I can picture Diesel as Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy…maybe even as Thanos.
After seeing Prometheus my vision for the Vision is Michael Fassbender.
After seeing Prometheus a second time I went back to a casting dream for a possible Avengers sequel. Seeing Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace together a second time made be think how perfect they would be as the Vision and the Scarlet Witch. This is just the musing of a geek – I have no knowledge and assume Fassbender would not want to play another android.
Avengers Origins: Vision from Marvel.com. Cover by Marko Djurdjevic
Prometheus still of Noomi Rapace courtesy 20th Century Fox
I posted before how both actresses who played The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo could play Wanda on-screen in an X-Men: First Class (Rooney Mara)sequel or Avengers (Rapace) sequel.
Avengers Vs X-Men #6 variant courtesy Marvel
Again – I have no power or knowledge and will probably enjoy what Marvel decides but it’s fun to dream and play casting director!
Michael Fassbender in Prometheus courtesy 20th Century Fox
A truly chilling performance by Michael Fassbender as the android David in a new faux commercial from Weyland Industries, the sinister company in Prometheus and the Alien films. Take a look – even if you think you’ve seen this, keep watching – especially the Rorschach looking symbols peppered in the spot.
Thanks to Digital Spy. Prometheus opens June 8. As I watch this I can’t help but think of Ian Holm telling the crew of the Nostromo the company’s orders in Alien.
As I watch this – I can’t help but also think of how perfect Michael Fassbender would be at the Vision in The Avengers.
Secret Avengers #24 by Arthur Adams courtesy Marvel.com
New creative team. New team leader. New members. New arc. New enemies from an old source. Marvel is releasing the Father Files this week to give fans an idea of what to expect when Rick Remender takes over Secret Avengers.
Remender is revealing the secrets of The Descendants, evolved from the most famous robots and androids of the Marvel Universe. He is revealing to Marvel.com his notes as he prepares to take over the title with February’s Secret Avengers #22.
Today Remender gave us a commentary on the Vision – the basis for the Ultravisions coming to threaten the team.
“In terms of [the Ultravisions’] lineage, there are obviously connections to [original Human Torch] Jim Hammond, The Vision and Ultron,” Remender notes.
“[Real-life scientist] Ray Kurzweil and his research and his theories on the singularity come into play with them the most. Their bodies are less important. The Vision’s body has always been important to him. The Ultravisions are more about consciousness and their consciousness can be saved on a computer the size of a molecule that can then be transferred to another body. They’re un-killable and highly evolved. A lot of my ideas come from what Ray Kurzweil thinks will happen when man bonds with robotics.”
The Vision courtesy Marvel.com
“Here’s a small taste of the Ultravisions’ abilities: Ultravisions can phase seconds forward into time and predict what you’re going to do using ‘Tachyon Fu,’ [and] a Vision and a Jocasta can bond/couple to form a bigger, way-more-powerful robot.”
For more of Remender’s notes on the original Vision click here.
