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The Avengers in recent years have become Marvel’s premiere brand, largely due to their central focus in the MCU. The team title and the individual heroes who make it up have become the focus of the comic universe as well. But at the same time, they’ve faced overexposure and an onslaught of “ground-breaking changes” spawned from the next big thing marketing strategy that leaves none of our main heroes in their original forms. So while my pitch elevates the cosmic and mutant worlds back up to equal tentpole level, I don’t want to diminish their importance. The real trick is what to do with the legacies. You want to provide high quality books for fans of the movies to read, but you don’t want to just end the current stories unnaturally. So I’ve tried to find ways to balance out the legacies and icons in orbit around the singular Avengers title. Both new and old heroes are in need of finding an anchor point in just what is the core of their character. There’s a lot of complex story-telling going on, but sometimes the essence of our heroes gets lost in the shuffle. These series aim to meld both story and character together to create the ideal series for each of the heroes.
With everything that’s happened with the world’s heroes, lately, it’s understandable to think their public perception may not be the greatest, and their worse off. The infighting of Civil War, the deaths, disappearances, and subsequent replacement of major heroes with new, untested legacies, all add up to a major PR crisis. The culmination of this would inevitably be the reveal of Cap’s Hydra ties. While he will obviously be cleared, everything he’s done will be tarnished. The reveal of one Captain America as manipulated by Nazis while the other (Sam) quitting his divisive hold on the title over the matter will break the connection between the American government and their heroes. The Avengers face a PR crisis, and recruit fresh faces and an international mission to address it, while the mainstays and legacies must both figure out who they really are.
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The Avengers (x2): (W) Greg Pak (A) Kris Anka
Monica Rambeau returns to a leadership position on Earth’s mightiest super-team. Funded jointly by Parker Industries and Bobbi de Costa’s fortunes, the team has been consolidated under one tent and is bigger and better than ever, with a world-wide mission truly embodying "Earth's Mightiest Heroes". Monica has longed for years to take back the command of the Avengers, and now she has vast resources and an unlimited roster at her fingertips. So…what comes next?
The world has lost faith in its brightest heroes, so now seems an excellent time to bring back Monica/Spectrum as the new face of the team. As a series concept, I draw inspiration from Justice League Unlimited: A broad, rotating cast of heroes to keep things colorful. Several high profile recurring team members, however, will include Ironheart, who Monica personally seeks out to mentor and bring into the Avengers fold; Vision, who is one with the computer systems of the new Avengers Tower; Nightcrawler and Iceman, who represent the mutants new, inclusive place in society; Hawkeye, finally getting a second chance; and Living Lightening, getting a much deserved comeback and also some romantic goings-ons with Iceman. It’s an epic series that, after several disjointed, short-term runs, aims to define The Avengers for a new generation.
Secret Avengers: (W) Cullen Bunn (A) Greg Smallwood
The Secret Avengers are back! Black Widow has assembled a team of some of Marvel’s stealthiest and most ruthless heroes to take on the nitty-gritty black ops work and stop world-class threats before they become tomorrow’s news. On the lineup are Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes), White Tiger, American Eagle, Silk, and a decidedly unwilling to join Nighthawk. Their first mission? Stop Roderick Kingsley from finding a way to manufacture symbiotes. To help them, they turn to their final recruit, legless war hero Flash Thompson. Just when he thought his superheroic career was over, he’s dragged back in. By the time the team is finished, the Life Foundation symbiotes will be back and Flash will have to choose: Does he want to be Venom again? What are the ramifications if he says no?
I crafted this series in the classic Secret Avengers vein, and selected a series of well-suited heroes who didn’t make my cut for solo titles (Plus White Tiger, who is here in part to boost her personal book). They’re diverse, both ethnically and in their personalities, making for great story material and potential conflicts. If I had to pick one specific star for the story, I’d say Flash, but in the hands of a talented writer like Bunn, who crafts dark characters incredibly well, anyone could prove to be the breakout star.
Captain America and Falcon: (W) David F. Walker (A) Daniel Acuna
Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson are in a rough spot. The name of Captain America is a mess. Steve may have been freed from his cosmic cube-altered past but finds that no one trusts him. Not the least of which is his ex-partner, ex-Captain America Sam Wilson, who is Falcon once more after the devastating fallout of Steve’s Hydra reveal. Now they both set out on the road on individual journeys of self-discovery, journeys that are destined to intersect. A new battle is coming, and if America is going to survive, Steve and Sam must become brothers once more.
Ironheart: (W) Brian Michael Bendis (A) Stefano Caselli
Tony Stark’s body is out of commission and is business is collapsing around it. In the middle is Riri Williams, who has been thrust into the forefront of the Marvel Universe with not nearly enough preptime. With help from the not always helpful A.I. that is all that remains of Tony Stark, can she pull off an epic ruse to save Stark’s legacy? And as the world moves on without him, is it worth saving? Riri must decide soon just who she wants to be? The All-New Iron Man or something entirely different?
Thor, God of Thunder: (W) Jason Aaron (A) Oliver Coipel
The Odinson is back in Asgard, and he’s none too happy about all that has transpired. And Jane Foster, hammer in hand, isn’t about to step away from her position. There’s no love lost between this ex-couple, but they’re going to have to work together to face a new wave of threats to the 9 Realms. Aaron has been doing great work on Thor, so as long as he’s willing to stay I see no reason for him to stop. Copiel is viewed by many as “THE” Thor artist, so bringing him in here makes for an attention-grabbing team. Keeping Thor firmly rooted in the 9 Realms with epic, LOTR-style adventures is key, don’t fall into the pitfalls the MCU has seen by grounding the God of Thunder on Earth.
Captain Marvel (W) Gail Simone (A) Sana Takeda
Marvel has taken some interesting steps in trying to elevate Carol Danvers to the A-List and with her movie fast approaching, they need to get their game together, fast. They don’t necessarily seem quite sure of what they want her to be. So we can play with that with this book. What does SHE want to be? Does she want to be the hard soldier ready to make the tough calls and operate the moral grey zones or does she want to be the colorful, public icon of optimism. Does she want to be Earth’s greatest hero, or travel forth to protect the cosmos? To help really launch the oft-struggling title off the ground, I’ve attached the powerhouse pair of Gail Simone and Sana Takeda to craft a definitive series for Carol.
Black Panther (W) David F. Walker (A) Kenneth Rocafort
I get that Coates’ current run has seen a lot of acclaim. Me? It seems like it’s found a new way to irk me with each new issue, and I know I’m not alone on that. In a perfect world, Christopher Priest could come swooping back in to save the day, but if my memory serves me right, he’s signed an exclusive deal with DC. So the next best thing is David Walker. Coates has been manipulating the world of T’Challa to tell stories he wants to tell regardless of the world he’s using to tell them. This is the reverse of a strong comic writing plan. Understanding the character and their world comes first, then the story must be formulated based on that foundation. When Walker takes over, he’ll have a lot to do to restore Wakanda to its former glory, especially with Coates hell-bent on making the kingdom a republic. But with his unique range of writing talents and brand of commentary, I think he has what it takes to put The King back on top again. (And hopefully return Hunter to prominence, because I hate how he’s fallen into disuse. He could in fact prove vital to undoing the new “Wakandan Republic”. Along for the ride is masterful artist Kenneth Rocafort, who drew one heck of a Black Panther in his run on Ultimates.
Peter David returns behind the pen of The Incredible Hulk, but there is no Bruce Banner in sight. In the aftermath of his death, Amadeus Cho and Jennifer Walters are the only Hulks left. Until they’re not. A new Red Hulk is in play and a mystery man who looks a lot like Banner is involved. The gamma-powered duo brings together an ensemble of past Hulk allies, included the recently de-powered Rick Jones, Doc Samson, and Betty & Thunderbolt Ross. They don’t all trust each other, much less like each other, but if they’re going to solve the mystery of Banner’s seeming return from the dead, they’re going to have to work together. Part of me feels I should have left Pak on the book, his current take with Cho-Hulk isn’t bad. But the new title needs revitalized, and I think that David’s return could do just that.
Sunspot (W) Al Ewing/Brian Michael Bendis (A) Giuseppe Camuncoli
Tony Stark is off the board for now, so someone has to be the world’s newest beloved billionaire, playboy philanthropist. And Bobby de Costa asks: Why not me? With the freshly reformed forces of AIM and the Hellfire Club at his disposal, Bobby is now the richest man in the world. But juggling all those hats isn’t easy, so it’s time for Sunspot to reunite with the New Mutants! Bringing his old teammates onboard makes life a lot easier for Bobby, but housing a bunch of mutant heroes, including his best friend Cannonball and his alien wife & child just might be a recipe for trouble. The best kind of trouble, that is. Mad science, high class business, and old-fashioned superhero action combine in this brand new series, telling one of the most important new stories in the Marvel line! Sunspot is connected to everything, and as a book has its thumb on the lifeline of the new editorial direction and where the whole line is leading to!
For the creative team, I’m kind of torn, namely on the writer. Al Ewing has really been driving Sunspot’s recent character arcs, so he seems like the clear choice to take on this next step in the journey. However, this is the book that is supposed to be the “new Iron Man”, not in the sense of legacy, but fulfilling the archetype, as Tony Stark and Riri Williams are very different characters. That said, I intend Sunspot to be a central character to the direction I’m steering the Marvel universe, and his book is therefore a big deal, and I don’t know if Ewing will grab enough attention. So I’m tempted to stick Bendis here, despite his hit and miss track record.
Thunderbolts (W) Charles Soule (A) Andrea Sorrentino
With the government’s trust in superheroes at an all-time low, Henry Peter Gyrich resurrects the Thunderbolts program, a superteam that they can fully control. Gyrich recruits John Jameson out of depressed obscurity to lead the team, viewing him as someone the people will trust but whom he can easily manipulate. He pressures John to become Man-Wolf once more, but the former astronaut refuses, for now. Alongside Jameson are successful Thunderbolts “graduates” Radioactive Man, Songbird, and Fixer. Their mission? Mold a team of powerful, combative personalities into an effective force the American government can use to protect their interests.
Initial team members include Thunderball, who is genuinely repentant, looking to put his genius to good use rather than just smashing things with brute strength; Jack O’ Lantern, the unstable, murderous wild card; Overdrive; the blue collar crook; and an assortment of expendable Serpent Society card-carriers and other washed-up ex-villains. When it becomes apparent that the team of villains may not be the easiest to control or the best to represent America, Gyrich delves into more devious recruitment methods, setting up marginalized heroes for crimes and then inlisting them into the program. His first two targets: Mania (whose father was murdered by her now-teammate Jack) and Puma. But as the team’s personalities and missions combine to a boiling point, some of the “good guys” just might break bad.
Wonder Man and Beast (W) Chip Zdarsky (A) Erica Henderson
Few characters have been so screwed over by Marvel in recent years as Wonder Man and Beast. Two of the most playful, fun-loving heroes around, who were at one point Marvel’s closest equivalent to the iconic Blue/Gold duo, have been reduced to morally complicated, morose stumps. Hank’s scientific misdeeds have grown too long to list, while Simon’s overcomplicated arcs have left him unrecognizable as his past self. This comic aims to fix all that. With nowhere left to go, they turn to each other. As they head forth on a round-the-world journey of rediscovery, Simon tries to recapture his stardom, Hank tries to be cool again, an ensemble of guest stars (Squirrel Girl, Howard the Duck, Hercules, etc…) stop in, and all manner of hijinks ensue in this bromance adventure by comedic masterminds Chip Zdarsky and Erica Henderson!
Astonishing Ant-Man (W) Nick Spencer (A) Britteny Williams
Nick Spencer has had two stellar runs on Ant-Man, both cut tragically short. But it’s ridiculous to think that one of Marvel’s current franchise stars doesn’t have a book of his own in the publishing schedule. So let’s dive back into the eternally complicated life of father/daughter crime-fighting duo Scott and Cassie Lang, Scott’s stressed ex-wife, and her disapproving cop boyfriend. Add two ex-supervillain employees, a cranky boss, and an ensemble of eccentric blue collar rogues, and you’ve got the Marvel universe’s most dysfunctional family. And that’s before the complicated duo of Janet Van Dyne & Nadia Pym crash in with the bad news someone is hunting down everyone connected to Pym Particles. And the only chance for answers lies with Hank Pym who is not only missing and not on speaking terms with anyone, but also happens to be bonded with Ultron. Hijinks ensue.
So that's my take on the Avengers corner of the Marvel Universe! As always, I love feedback, so feel free to leave all thoughts, comments, complaints, etc... in the comments below!