Marvel's Next Big Thing: The New Dark Avengers!

From a Live Chat moderate by Ryan Penagos, Editorial Director of Marvel.com (Agent M) and Assistant Editor Ben J Morse (UltimateKidNova). They transcribed their conversation with Brian Michael Bendis, because let's face it, BMD is breathing the "rarified air", and is too big to have direct contact with.

UltimateKidNova:
"Something very cool happens with AIM that gives Norman the opportunity to put together a new Dark Avengers. Some new, some old, some reinvented. There will be a Thor, a Hulk, a Spider-Man, a Hawkeye, and some scary technological stuff beyond even Tony Stark." -Brian Bendis



UltimateKidNova:
Madame Hydra, Gorgon and more will be working for Norman Osborn.



UltimateKidNova:
"Not everybody is going to be available for the roster following Fear Itself, particularly in the Avengers book. Two new team members will be classic Avengers, one will be a relatively new character." -Brian Bendis


UltimateKidNova:
The New Avengers will be dealing specifically with the Dark Avengers, while the Avengers have to handle the reconstituted HAMMER.


UltimateKidNova:
The two teams will come together by Spring of 2012.


Agent M:
@Jacob That would be The Iron Patriot! Norman Osborn in an Iron Man suit!


UltimateKidNova:
"I went all the way down into the basement where Marvel's most esoteric characters live and Warren Ellis hangs out to pick the Revengers." -Brian Bendis


UltimateKidNova:
Brian does not see Norman, Gorgon, Madame Hydra, etc. as "thrilled to be on the same team." He likens them to an all-star rock band that has problems once they go on tour.


UltimateKidNova:
"Tom Brevoort helped with this, but all the Revengers are heroes in their own right or mind who have reason to be disgruntled and genuinely believe in Wonder Man's point of view." -Brian Bendis

UltimateKidNova:
"I've met a lot of people who are successful because they're too crazy not to be, but then that crazy is what gets them kicked out the door." -Brian Bendis

UltimateKidNova:
Superia will also be among the power players of the new HAMMER


UltimateKidNova:
@Matt Finney Yes, that [Hammer] will be at the center of both New Avengers and Avengers in the coming months


UltimateKidNova:
"Norman is stepping back into shoes he left behind, but shoes that have changed in size, form and function. It's possible the people who have come to believe in his ideas will realize he's more valuable as an ideal or a martyr than as a reality." -Tom Brevoort


UltimateKidNova:
"Spider-Man will be front and center in the middle of this." -Brian Bendis

UltimateKidNova:
"I was talking to [Amazing Spider-Man writer] Dan Slott the other day and he said every day that Norman Osborn is not in jail is a day his life is more difficult. He can't just find and punch this guy. It has to carry into the Spidey books." -Tom Brevoort


UltimateKidNova:
"New Avengers is more a gathering of friends and family, Avengers is more of an appointment or call to arms." -Brian Bendis

UltimateKidNova:
"There will be larger teams with small pocket mission-specific teams." -Brian Bendis

UltimateKidNova:
"We're stacking the deck for the movie." -Tom Brevoort

UltimateKidNova:
"Norman Osborn will get his hands dirty. This support system could be just what he needs. Even if he becomes the Green Goblin again, it will be the perfect Green Goblin. A Norman who is not crazy is the one you need to be afraid of." -Brian Bendis


UltimateKidNova:
"I don't see Wonder Man as a villain, I see somebody who has taken a step back, looked at his life, seen some things he sees as mistakes and decided the Avengers was one of those mistakes. I promise I'm not trying to ruin the character." -Brian Bendis

UltimateKidNova:
Daniel Acuna will be the new regular artist of Avengers while John Romita Jr, heads off to another special project with Brian


UltimateKidNova:
Mike Deodato will remain on New Avengers


UltimateKidNova:
"No direct role for the Secret Avengers initially, though Steve Rogers may need some of those characters here and there. Eventually, going into 2012, we will see Secret Avengers braid back into the other books." -Tom Brevoort


UltimateKidNova:
"Avengers Academy will be dealing with its own new status coming out of Fear Itself. They won't initially be involved with HAMMER War, but will be involved with Avengers stuff down the line." -Tom Brevoort

So look's like the major teams in Marvel will be The Avengers, New Avengers, Dark Avengers, HAMMER, and Wonder Man's Revengers. Seems like an awful lot of heavy hitters in the Marvel Universe. Can't wait to see the inevitable clashes.