Marvel is not resting bringing readers what to expect now. Er…Avengers Now, that is. Avengers #1 & #2 will debut this December with New Avengers #1 & #2 coming up in January. I took note of comments from New Avengers writer Jonathan Hickman and editor Tom Brevoort. Marvel said that you don’t have to read both books, but each will have a different side of the same coin.
Hickman describes both books: “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.”
Jonathon seems ready to unveil his latest work to the readers. “[…] 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,” Hickman says.
“If I come on the book and people don’t love it, I’ll have failed. I have a responsibility to Marvel to sell copies and a responsibility to the fans to entertain them.” These are the words of a professional who isn’t a born quitter. Brief editorializing from me: I haven’t read Hickman’s work so I’ve no investment as either a fanboy or a hater.
“The Avengers are the utopian Avengers, the ideal ones we want,” Hickman said. “The New Avengers are real world, they live in the dark, apocalyptic world as it is.” He also reveals, “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.”
The not-so-genial New Avengers/Illuminati, or the “Death Avengers” as Hickman calls them will consist of:
- Black Panther, the “central character,” “lynchpin” (Brevoort) and “moral center” (Hickman)
- Captain America
- Iron Man
- Doctor Stragne
- Mr. Fantastic
- Beast
- Hyperion
- Some involvement from Namor and Black Belt
Brevoort assures that these Avengers will not be a lame group: “[…] the Avengers are the A-team of the Marvel Universe, the best of the best, all of that will be there. There are no B-players in Avengers.”
The Avengers (NOW!) will have:
- Captain America
- Vice-captains Captain Marvel and Iron Man
Jonathan assures that “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 will have an issue with Cannonball and Sunspot teaming with Captain America. Jonathon reasons, “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.”
Tom Brevoort backs Hickman’s decision: “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.”
Hickman plans to have a growing roster with split squads: “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.”
“This is a new day, a new direction, the next step for the Avengers,” Hickman says, but is that the case with YOU, devoted comics fan?