#Comics NEWS! Marvel NOW

About a year ago, DC revamped their entire linupe of published comics, brands and overall look of their characters.

Now comes the obvious answer from Marvel Comics, which follows basically in the grand lines the same idea.
Revamping their publications and current titles.
Like the New 52, the current creative teams will shuffle from one book to another.
Newcomers will join as writers and artists as well.
And also like the New 52 it means canceling/stopping all current books by November.

Which sucks!
I remember when DC started over last year I lost various on-going series I was loving. Like Red Robin, Doom Patrol, Booster Gold, etc. And it isn't just about the characters, I also love several artists/writers I was following such as Keith Giffen (moved to Omac, and then...?), DeMatteis, Amanda Conner, etc.

Well the same goes with this "MARVELnU".
No more Avengers Academy (one of those rare books I was still following at Marvel..), etc.
But on another hand it means a clean state for Deadpool or Hulk - characters that really need a new breath.
No more Daniel Way! Yay!
But Thor and Iron Man seem to be going into new directions as well.. oh oh..

This "reboot" comes fresh off the recent Avengers Vs. X-Men event which saw the Phoenix/Jean Grey plucking characters out of their time and shuffling stuff around.
Unlike DC's New 52, it was said this wouldn't be an actual reboot (but, hey, they said that at DC as well a year ago, "it's going to be a soft reboot" and all that.. so...)

It will also be handled quite differently it seems, from what Axel Alonso and Joe Quesada said.
The idea is to launch new series every month, it seems Marvel wants to offer new #1s all the time so the current lineup is only about ~30 books but more will come later on, and more will be canceled all the time too (!).

Anyway, let's have a look at the books announced so far:

INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #1
MARK WAID (W) • LEINIL FRANCIS YU (A&C)
Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA
Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
ARTIST VARIANT by WALT SIMONSON
Blank VARIANT Cover also available
Sketch Variant by JOE QUESADA
Design Variant by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
Hulk - Indestructible force more weapon than man. Banner – smartest man alive. Combined they are the Strongest, Smartest Weapon on the planet! And NOW! the INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK is an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.!

A new state for Hulk is exactly what he needed!
After all the mess with the Red Hulk and the various gamma characters running around.
Hulk finally treated has the ultimate weapon, combining the smartest man and the strongest force? Do want!

UNCANNY AVENGERS #1
RICK REMENDER (W) • JOHN CASSADAY (A&C)
Variant Covers by ADI GRANOV, DANIEL ACUNA, SKOTTIE YOUNG & TWO MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Sketch Variant Cover by JOHN CASSADAY & TBA
Deadpool Call Me Maybe Variant by TBA
Uncanny & Avengers Variants also available
Blank Cover also available
ALL NEW ONGOING!
• THIS IS IT! The greatest era of the Marvel Universe starts here! From the ashes of AvX an all-new, all-different Avengers assemble!
• Captain America begins his quest to create a sanctioned Avengers unit comprised of Avengers and X-Men, humans and mutants working together – so why is Professor Xavier’s dream more at risk than ever?
• The first attack of the most loathsome villain in history will quake the Marvel Universe forever!
• The funeral of one of Marvel’s greatest heroes!

An Avengers composed of superheroes and mutants? Finally, about time!
Since I saw Spidey and Wolverine joining the team back in the early 2000s, I always thought why they couldn't bring back Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch full time to balance the number of mutants more equally on the team. (then House of M happened, etc.)

ALL-NEW X-MEN #1 & #2
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • STUART IMMONEN (A&C)
Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA
Sketch Variant by JOE QUESADA
Variant Cover by TBA
Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Blank Cover Variant also available (#1)
Issue Two Variant Cover by TBA
It’s a blast from the past as the original five students of Professor X – Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel and Beast – are plucked from the past and brought to the present. But what they find, the state that their future selves are in and the state of Xavier’s dream, is far from the future they dreamed of. And how will the X-Men of the present deal with their past coming crashing forward?

This is where the confusion will start with this reboot revamp.
On one hand you have "young" mutants like Cyclops and Jean Grey and Best, and then you have those "older ones" hich history depends on their interactions with the previous such as Storm or Kitty Pride...
But on another hand it's Bendis so it might be interesting nonetheless.

KIERON GILLEN (W) • GREG LAND (A&C)
Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA
ARTIST VARIANT COVER by ADI GRANOV
BABY VARIANT cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Sketch Variant by JOE QUESADA
Design Variant by CARLO PAGULAYAN (#1 & 2)
Blank Cover Variant Also Available (#1)
Tony Stark—Iron Man: Technological visionary, wealthy playboy, unparalleled engineer, and armored Avenger. His greatest invention becomes his greatest mistake. Iron Man must act fast…and Tony Stark must build faster! The lethal techno virus Extremis is out in the wild and out for grabs to the highest bidder! It’s up to Tony Stark to contain it and that means creating a new suit of armor…NOW!

So this is the new look of Iron Man for this decade?
Why? Specially with such beloved popular movies around at the moment, where is look was a carbon exact copy of his then-actual appearance?
Also, gold and black? Ew...
And I see we're back with the extremis virus...again..

THOR: GOD OF THUNDER #1 & 2
JASON AARON (W) • ESAD RIBIC (A&C)
Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA
BABY VARIANT cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
ARTIST VARIANT COVER by Daniel Acuna
Sketch Variant by JOE QUESADA
Design Variant by ESAD RIBIC
Variant Cover by TBA (#2)
Blank Cover Variant Also Available (#1)
Throughout the ages, the gods of the Marvel Universe have been vanishing, their mortal worshippers left in chaos. NOW! the Mighty Thor follows a trail of blood that threatens to consume his past, present and future selves. The only hope for these ravaged worlds lies with the God of Thunder unraveling the gruesome mystery of the God Butcher!

Really hyped for this one.
I'm a big fan of Thor.
Jason Aaron on the book? I'm hoping for a return of bearded long-haired "metal" 90s Thor!
I'm just sad we lost Kid!Loki, Loki's previous recent form which was awesome from a story-telling point of view.
This might be worth a look.

AVENGERS + X-MEN
Coming later this year, A+X will showcase an array of Marvel's top characters, including Wolverine, The Hulk, Captain America and Cable to start. On the creative side, Jeph Loeb, Dan Slott, Dale Keown and Ron Garney will be among early contributors, per Marvel Senior Editor Nick Lowe.

So this will be one of the "new titles".
An upcoming anthology (think "DC Comics Presents: Deadman/Dial H for Hero/etc." at DC)
Only big name creators though? I'd hoped for more young blood to have a go at some obscure characters here instead.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #1
RICK REMENDER (W) • JOHN ROMITA JR (A&C)
Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA
Sketch Variant cover by JOE QUESADA
BABY VARIANT cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
ARTIST VARIANT COVER BY Ryan Meinerding
Design Variant by JEROME OPEñA
Blank Cover Also Available
Thrust into a bizarre, inhospitable world far from home, the all-new, high-adventure, mind-melting, tough-as-nails, sci-fi, pulp-fantasy era of Captain America is NOW! With no country and no allies, what’s left for the Sentinel of Liberty to protect? The Saga of Dimension Z begins here!

New debut for Captain!
Back to being a man "out of his time" again.
Romita Jr? I hope he brings up his A-game on this one, most of his latest work on, say, Hulk have left a lot to desire... (Kickass excepted)

X-MEN: LEGACY #1 & #2
SIMON SPURRIER (W) • TAN ENG HUAT (A)
Cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO
Variant Cover by KAARE ANDREWS (Issue #1)
Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Blank Cover Variant Also Available (#1)
Variant Cover by TBA (#2)
Legion, the most powerful and unstable mutant in the world and son to Professor Charles Xavier, has killed gods and reshaped the face of the universe. NOW! in the aftermath of Avengers vs. X-Men, Legion will finally attempt to conquer his demons and embrace his father’s legacy!

Sounds like the main book dealing with the fallout from Avengers Vs. X-Men (like the JLA or the upcoming Phantom Strange are at DC regarding Flashpoint).

FANTASTIC FOUR #1
MATT FRACTION (W) • MARK BAGLEY (A)
Cover by MARK BAGLEY
Artist variant by DAVE JOHNSON
Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA
Sketch Variant by JOE QUESADA
F4/FF Connecting Variant Cover by MARK BAGLEY
Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Blank Cover Variant Also Available
Four adults. Two kids. One “car.” NOW! begins a journey through all of infinite time and space.

Matt Fraction left Thor for this!
I might give this a look!
Love the new look for the Fantastic Four, kinda in-between their recent FF-white costumes and their regular blue ones. 

FF #1
MATT FRACTION (W) • MIKE ALLRED (A&C)
Variant by TBA
F4/FF CONNECTING VARIANT COVER BY MARK BAGLEY
Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Blank Cover VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
Blank Cover Variant Also Available
We have seen the future and it will be fantastic! In the absence of the Fantastic Four, a substitute Four, hand-picked by the real deal--Ant-Man, Medusa, She-Hulk and Miss Thing--stand ready to guard the Earth and the nascent Future Foundation for four minutes... NOW! what could possibly go wrong?

MATT FRACTION! And MIKE ALLRED! On an all-new "FF" book starring Ant-man, Shulkie and more! Anyway, great creative team, nice pitch and great cast of characters. (Miss Thing?
I know which book I'll be sticking with! (specially with Avengers Academy out... sigh..)

DEADPOOL #1-2
GERRY DUGGAN & BRIAN POSEHN (W) • TONY MOORE (A)
Cover BY GEOF DARROW
Variant Cover by CHRIS BACHALO
Young Baby Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Design Variant by TONY MOORE
Blank Cover Variant Also Available (#1)
Issue Two Variant Cover by TBA
Dead former United States presidents, from George Washington
to Gerald Ford have been resurrected, and that’s BAD. The Marvel heroes can’t be the ones to stop them, someone is needed with the reputation, skills and plausible deniability to take out these com-monsters in chiefs...NOW! is the time for Deadpool… In Wade We Trust!

So this is the new Deadpool?
Two comedians writing and Tony Moore on the art? Alright!
Sign me up!
In a-non-Danial-Way-Wade I Trust!!

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #9
KELLY SUE DECONNICK (W) • STEFANO CASELLI (A)
Cover BY STEVE MCNIVEN
Variant Cover by Joe Quesada & Bobby Rubio
Movie Variant Also Available
ALL-NEW CREATIVE TEAM WITH ALL-NEW OUTSIZED ADVENTURES!
• Kelly Sue Deconnick (CAPTAIN MARVEL) and Stefano Caselli (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN) team up to tackle the titanic tales YOU DEMANDED! And in continuity to boot?!
• Two scientists. Two giant egos. One wears a tank. One is a tank. Tony Stark and Bruce Banner are SCIENCE BROS!
• When a fellow bigbrain goes missing, wanna bet who can find him first? It’s Amazing Race, Avengers-style, as Iron Man and Hulk form their teams and embark on a global manhunt with the ultimate prize at stake…bragging rights!

The other Avengers book, which won't get canned unlike the rest of the line. Sort of to "bridge" the Marvel Then and Now!

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #646
Written by KATHRYN IMMONEN
Penciled by VALERIO SCHITI
Cover by JEFF DEKAL
Variant Cover by PHIL NOTO
• AN ALL-NEW JOURNEY BEGINS WHEN KATHRYN IMMONEN AND VALERIO SCHITI BRING YOU...SIF: THE BERZERKER?!
• She may be a “Lady,” but girly ain’t her style! Known by many names: lover of Thor, sister of Heimdall, defender of Asgard...Sif is the ultimate faithful...sidekick?! Immortal, please.
• When the latest crop of beasties beset Asgard, it’s business as usual for our sword-slingin’ heroine as she leads the battle charge—but that no-holds-barred zeal for glory may be the very thing that brings the realm down around her winged helm…!

A second Thor book? And starring Sif no less!
Awesome!
Love the tiny tweaks to her recent look.

So this is Marvel's New 52, heh? :P
I could get behind that~

~

Some books will continue for a little more though before closing up, such as miniseries and a couple of titles.
Such as Red She-Hulk, Venom, Dark Avengers, etc. But why bother? I mean, you choose those, really? Over fun bright series?
Dark Avengers, But not Avengers Academy? (Yeah, I'm upset about this one!)