Marvel: Infinity is Coming

Major forces will be at work in the coming months ahead for Marvel, as the House of Ideas cements yet another major event on their list to come well after the upcoming "Age of Ultron" has ended.

Revealed over at Marvel.com and discussed throughout the comicverse, the new big crossover to come will be called "Infinity", and will see the Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy, Inhumans, and the rest battle it out with one of the big baddies of the Marvel Universe itself, Thanos! Penned by Jonathan Hickman and illustrated by Jim Cheung, things start at Free Comic Book Day this year, where readers get a sneak peek of what will be a major storyline that will leave lasting repercussions in the Marvel Universe and ignite a war that will echo across the galaxy for some time to come.

Marvel Teaser: The New Dark Avengers...

Marvel Comics' has been having a busy week releasing all these juicy teasers for November, and the latest one has to do with the return of Norman Osborn and a new iteration of his infamous Dark Avengers! In the aftermath of Secret Invasion, the civilian identity of the maniacal Green Goblin rose to power, usurping control of national security from Tony Stark/ Iron Man and leading the forces of a reformatted S.H.I.E.L.D agency which became known as H.A.M.M.E.R (what that stands for is still shrouded in mystery). Osborn eventually donned the identity of the "Iron Patriot" (an amalgamation of Captain America and Iron Man) and became leader of a new iteration of Avengers, or "Dark Avengers" as they were better known to readers. Now, Marvel is set to introduce them again this November in the pages of New Avengers #18. Check out the teaser pic below, courtesy of Marvel.com and Newsarama.

Yes, who exactly are these new Dark Avengers?

Obviously from the image alone, all we can see is Osborn pointing ala Uncle Sam. Who else will be in the team remains a mystery, but I'm sure it'll have a Hulk, Spider-Man, and Hawkeye judging from the shadowy figures behind the villain. We'll just have to wait and see how this goes down in a few months time. For now, visit the source posts at Marvel.com and Newsarama for additional details.

X-Men Divide and Reform into Two Teams in "Regenesis" come October!

After the events of the X-Men storyline "Schism" conclude and Uncanny X-Men ends with issue #544 on September, a (predictable) reboot will ensue and we will see the birth of two new X-Men comic series come October - namely Wolverine and the X-Men #1 and Uncanny X-Men #1!

Obviously, the split after schism is very real, with Wolverine will be leading his own team of merry mutants (with the new book taking its name after the 2008 animated series "Wolverine and the X-Men"), while Scott Summers/ Cyclops builds his own group in the relaunched "Uncanny X-Men" series. It's not known who's going to who's roster thus far, but the poster above seems to hint (or mislead) us at who will be at Wolverine's team or Cyclops' team. Safe bet is by the time Schism ends, we'll know what the full rosters of both will be.

Overall, it's very reminiscent of the Avengers split after Civil War (with New Avengers and Mighty Avengers), and we'll see a rivalry form between the two teams I bet. For more insight and info on the story, visit the source pots at Marvel.com or Newsarama!

Guess who made it to New Avengers #4?!

Months after I joined iamanavenger.com, a contest where dozens of Marvel's fans could join a contest and submit mugshot photos of themselves, I found myself wondering if I'd be one of the true believers out there who'd be lucky enough to be get their pictures shown in a collage of photos collecting Avengers fans from around the world.

Well, the wait is finally over. After spotting several friends in past issues, my mug has appeared in the last few pages of New Avengers #4!

Yes, this very issue with Spider-Man in the cover is where I'm featured! Check out the page itself right here!


HOOZAH!!! SPOT AND FIND ME!!!XD Oh, and this issue was pretty interesting too in itself. Anybody who enjoys action, magic, and Luke Cage's group of Avengers dare not miss this one!

Comic Book Review: Siege #4

At last, after weeks of delays and anticipation for what's coming next, the final issue of Siege finally hit shops, bringing the early 2010 Marvel mega-event to its conclusion. However, after taking a seat and reading through over 3o pages worth of comic book action, this is all I have to say...









THIS WAS SEVEN YEARS IN THE MAKING?!




Siege #4
Written By: Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrated By: Olivier Coipel

This is it. The final battle for the fate of Asgard and Earth is here. Everything will change once everything is said and done, and how it will affect the entire Marvel Universe remains to be seen.

Oh my god, I don't know what to think anymore.

After all the time spent on comic-altering events like Avengers Disassembled and Civil War, we get a lackluster ending that's more disappointing than it is anti-climactic. I enjoyed the build up the first few issues... and now we get THIS ENDING?! Forgive me for saying this, but I don't have the heart to describe the events in great detail other than point out the flaws and predictability this entire issue gave out to its readership. Squandering Loki and Norman Osborn's villainy was one thing, but turning the Sentry into the Void and giving him a send off like that?! Preposterous. Look, I'm all for the Heroic Age and the return of Captain America and the Avengers to prominence and all, but it really could have been done in a more convincing manner. I feel cheated, and absolutely disappointed that everything built up in Civil War has gone down the drain, becoming nothing more than a passing mark in the oh-so-flawed continuity of the Marvel Universe. What's more, all the evil and corruption Norman Osborn has spread through the Dark Reign has quickly dispersed in a mere four issues, and it sucks just to think that everything is "back to normal" just like that. This is worse than bringing a dead character back to life so effortlessly (Captain America Reborn, I'm looking at you), and it makes me wonder how things would have been if careful planning and better storytelling were involved.

Brian Michael Bendis did a number years ago when he broke the Avengers and sent their entire ranks into a spiral of comic book hell. He rocked our world by introducing an all star cast in New Avengers, and spearheaded several tales and events that would see them thrown into different situations resulting in epic stares and showdowns. I find myself utterly speechless at the way he capped Siege, and it's sad to note that while I'm glad good guys finally get their absolution from all the superhero registration hubbub, I'm not convinced by the transition to the Heroic Age. Like I said earlier, I feel cheated by the way this issue presents itself, and all that mattered in the political landscape of the Marvel Universe suddenly falls off the window.

Bendis has been known to be a dialogue centric storyteller, but none of that is felt here in Siege. It's as if Marvel just wanted to end the confusion and attract new readership by presenting the Heroic Age, unflawed and full of innocence again. Seeing the plan of making Asgard the final staging ground between good and evil just didn't really grab me much in the beginning, and seeing how everything goes after the smoke cleared is just displeasurable. I wanted to see a final battle worth talking about. Instead, all I'm gonna be talking about is how an omnipotent entity like The Void could have his ass kicked so easily by... A Hellicarrier?! Not only that, but Loki himself has a change of heart... and dies a pathetic death? Everything here is a fleeting moment, and if it wasn't for the heroes getting their victory handing it to Osborn's ass the way he deserves it, I wouldn't be paying attention to Siege at all. Olivier Coipel's art is still striking, but even that can't save the fact that this issue, or the entire Siege for that matter, is all about the hype for quick change, not superb storytelling.

Since the end of Siege brought about the end of the previous core Avenger titles, you may want to catch up on those as well, including the one shot epilogue books - New Avengers Finale #1 and Siege Epilogue: The Sentry Fallen Sun. These and the other tie-ins are not required reading if you just followed the bigger tale, but they expand the story in great detail and see how the heroes deal with certain issues in the aftermath of the fall of Asgard. Now that the Heroic Age is coming, expect a new number of Avengers related books to hit shelves starting next week, and while I'm happy to see new team ups and the good guys back in the saddle, it all feels repetitive and not too exciting anymore (save for the Secret Avengers, which is written by Cap scribe Ed Brubaker). I'll probably put my Avenger radar on standby anyways, but for what it's worth. Siege #4 just didn't deliver to my expectations. Hopefully for you reading this, it will be different.

Rating - 3/10

New Avengers Update: The Thing Is A New Avenger!

Like the rock and heart that bears his heroic presence, The Fantastic Four's very own Benjamin Grimm explodes into the Heroic Age as the newest member of Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen's New Avengers! It may come as a surprise to some who are reading this, but the ever-lovin' blue eyed Thing has been featured in the teaser poster of the Heroic Age, so that should have clued us in on his enlistment to the group. One of Ben's closest hero friends, Luke Cage, happens to be the leader of the new team, so that gives him enough of a reason to join in. Also, The Thing IS also an original member of the older Avengers teams, having served in the now defunct West Coast Avengers and holding a reservist membership that allows him to answer the call when Earth's Mightiest Heroes are needed. Well, whatever the case, we can finally say that the "New" New Avengers are heroes who are doing double time... for the sake of mankind!

New Avengers redebuts on June as part of the Heroic Age!

New Avengers Update: Here's Jewel In Your Eyes!

She's been seen on the sidelines and is the wife of heavy hitter Luke Cage, but Jessica Jones finally steps out of the shadows and reassumes her heroic identity of Jewel, making her debut as the newest member of the New Avengers! Jessica has been a star in her own right thanks to her own series "Alias", but Brian Michael Bendis sends her back to the forefront as a New Avenger, fighting alongside her husband and their teammates in the latest incarnation of the team, which debuts this June as part of the Heroic Age! Watch out for it!

New Avengers Update: Wolverine Is A New Avenger!

Like clockwork, Marvel has announced the third member of the New Avengers team set to debut on June, and it's none other than the feral mutant hero, Wolverine! I guess everyone could see this coming, but the X-men's lone wolf warrior will once again join the ranks of Earth's Mightiest Heroes when the Heroic Age graces us! The question is, will he and his teammate Spider-Man do double time with the other Avengers team set to appear this May? We'll have to wait for clarifications from Bendis himself, but what's important now is that Logan returns, and he's the best there is at what he does... period!

Spider-Man... New "New Avenger"!

Marvel and Newsarama have unveiled the second member of the "New" New Avengers roster set to debut this June... And it's none other than your friendly neighborhood, web-slinging hero - The Amazing Spider-Man! No stranger to the team set up and being a member for quite time already, Spidey has always been a fan favorite, valuing heroics and responsibility like the lovable hero that he is. He's been a great asset to the newest iteration of Earth's Mightiest Heroes since they formed after Avengers Disassembled, and his presence here was expected to say the least. However, he also appeared in the cover to AVENGERS #1... could he be doing double time like his teammate Luke Cage, who was also announced for NA but will be appearing in THUNDERBOLTS as well? I guess time will tell, as things get more wild in this bright, upcoming Heroic Age!

New Avengers #1 debuts on June. Watch out for more members to be announced!

The Return Of... The New Avengers?!

I'm surprised by this announcement as anybody, but it appears that Brian Michael Bendis is not going to back down with the series just yet!

As reported in Marvel and Newsarama, the NEW AVENGERS are returning with a relaunch of issue #1 as part of the Heroic Age. However, it will not be released alongside the other new titles, AVENGERS and SECRET AVENGERS, and will have its debut instead on June this year. As you can see from the teaser above, the first inductee and probably the de facto leader of the group will be none other than Luke Cage, who's no stranger to leadership since he led the underground, unregistered New Avengers team after the events of Civil War. Cage, who's "Never Backed Down From A Fight", will also be appearing in Thunderbolts in a leader capacity as well, so it should be interesting to see him juggle his time between the two teams. It's nice that another team makes their presence known... but that means it's 3 Avengers titles on the horizon already!

New Avengers will be written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Stuart Immonen. More info in Newsarama via the link.

Goodbye, Avengers Titles...

Yes, you read right - we're saying goodbye to ALL the main and current Avengers titles, and I wasn't aware of this piece of news until later this evening, but if you're reading this now, I'm quite as shocked as many of you who care are.

Apparently, Marvel is going to pull the plug on all four current Avengers titles this coming April - namely "New Avengers", "Mighty Avengers", "Dark Avengers", and "Avengers: The Initiative", as reported in an article at Newsarama. This comes just around the time their major crossover, Siege, finishes and wraps up the whole Norman Osborn vs Asgard deal.

I for one am surprised by this move, considering that writer Brian Michael Bendis was responsible for dismantling the flagship Avengers title during 2004's "Avengers: Disassembled" and ushering in the new age of Avengers titles in the following years to come. After disassembling the original team, he introduced "The New Avengers", a new team of heroes led by mainstays Captain America and Iron Man that comprised of heavy Marvel hero hitters like Spider-Man, Wolverine, Luke Cage, and Spider-Woman to name a few. It was literally a dream team to say the least, and the roster would remain united until the 2006-2007 Marvel Event called "Civil War", where the hero community literally split right down the middle, bringing about the start of divisions and separate teams of Avengers, fighting for different causes and beliefs in the age of the Superhero Registration Act. It wasn't until the "Secret Invasion" of the Skrull empire that all these teams briefly united to fight the common threat.

That alliance, however, also proved to be temporary, as things went from bad to worse when Norman Osborn took over, forcing most of the heroes into hiding and creating his own twisted version of the avengers known as the "Dark Avengers". Donning the identity of the "Iron Patriot", he leads his ragtag team of crazies and criminals, with some clothed in familiar costumes of famous heroes.

Now that the "Siege" has begun, we can only wait and see what events transpire that will lead to the finale and closure of these major flagship titles and books. With the Heroic Age in the horizon, I foresee a brighter future for Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Avengers Assemble!