Marvel’s second Civil War is coming to an end and with it, the current roster of its signature superhero team, the Avengers. As a part of the new Marvel NOW! launching this fall, the Avengers welcome back Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and Hercules as they leap into the time stream to fight Kang the Conquerer.
Here’s the new line-up: Captain America (Sam Wilson), Thor (Jane Foster), The Vision, The Wasp (Nadia Pym), Hercules, and Amazing Spider-Man (Peter Parker).
Mark Waid, who is currently writing All-New, All-Different Avengers as well as Black Widow, is staying on as writer while Mike del Mundo will step up as artist. Taking over for Adam Kubert, Mundo is perhaps the most exciting addition to the series. Kubert is a great talent, but Mundo’s distinct painting is absolutely refreshing.
The elephant in the room The Avengers #1 hints at is the fate of Tony Stark. He’s not part of the new Avengers, neither is he part of any known book when Marvel NOW! launches. What’s going to happen to Tony Stark?
The finale to Brian Michael Bendis’s Civil War II will be delayed into 2017 but Marvel NOW! kicks off November. There will be two Iron Man books, and neither will star the famous billionaire industrialist. Infamous Iron Man will star Victor Von Doom wearing the Iron Man armor, while Invincible Iron Man will see MIT student Riri Williams adopt the mantle Ironheart with her own dorm-built power suit built from Stark’s leftover tech. Miles Morales looks ready to kill Captain America, but Cap might not be the only casualty when Civil War II comes to an end.
Below is the Alex Ross cover of The Avengers #1, which features the new team arranged in classic Avengers-cover heroic poses.
Here’s Adam Kubert’s variant cover, which is a little darker and puts Vision front and center.
Here’s a panel preview featuring Mike del Mundo’s unique illustrations, with the Avengers fighting a Frost Giant in what looks like Central Park. Could these Asgardian beasts be sent by Kang?
Here’s another shot of the fight, with the Avengers battling a dragon-like Frost Giant. (If that is a Frost Giant!) Check out Hercules’s big-ass gun: What does an Olympian god need a weapon like that for? Must be courtesy of Tony Stark, who is still missing in these previews.
Marvel will launch Marvel NOW! in November.
