January 15, 2010 -
For many months the end of Dark Reign and arrival of Siege has sparked speculation about the future of the Avengers franchise. Marvel writers and editors have long claimed that Siege would once again set a new direction for many of their titles, but fans really didn't know how extensive that change would be.
Today IGN is able to exclusively reveal some of the major changes coming as a result of Siege's conclusion. Marvel has targeted all of its Avengers titles - New Avengers, Dark Avengers, Mighty Avengers and Avengers: The Initiative - for cancellation.
Yeahbutwha?
That's right, this April, Marvel is bringing an end to some of its biggest titles. We have the solicits for these final issues. Check them out below. (And keep scrolling down for the latest Siege solicits and more.)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils by TIM GREEN II
Cover by STUART IMMONEN
SIEGE BLOCKBUSTER TIE-IN!!
The staggering conclusion to the SIEGE arc delves into the Hood's secret relationship with Norman Osborn and how it will affect the stunning outcome.
Plus the fate of the one they call Mockingbird! What you don't see in SIEGE, you will see here!!
32 PGS./Rated A …$3.99
NEW AVENGERS: FINALE
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by BRYAN HITCH
In the wake of SIEGE, an ALL NEW shocking conclusion to the landmark NEW AVENGERS series. NEW AVENGERS is coming to an end…but not without a bang. For the first time ever, series regular Brian Bendis teams up with the superstar artist that reinvented team books for this generation…Bryan Hitch.
The entirety of the Marvel landscape has changed and many Avengers do not know their place in it. But before they can move on, some very important loose ends need to be tied up. A.K.A. it's payback time!! All this and a bevy of super star artists stop by to pay tribute to the work they made famous over the course of this top-selling book.
64 PGS./One-Shot/Rated A …$4.99
DARK AVENGERS #16
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by MIKE DEODATO
SIEGE BLOCKBUSTER TIE-IN!!
Series Finale!! What?! Marvel's number one ongoing series is coming to an end?! What could possibly happen in the last chapter of SIEGE that is so intense as to bring this crazy chapter in Marvel history to a close??!! Well, clearly we can't tell you here but there will be a funeral and the fate of Norman Osborn Will. Be. Decided!!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
MIGHTY AVENGERS #36
Written by DAN SLOTT
Pencils & Cover by KHOI PHAM
SIEGE BLOCKBUSTER TIE-IN!!
SALVATION Pt. 2 of 2 - "WWJVDD"
SERIES FINALE! While the Mighty Avengers are fighting on the front lines of SIEGE, can HANK PYM and JOCASTA stop the Avenger's greatest enemy, ULTRON, by themselves? Or will Pym-Space become the ultimate staging ground for a cybernetic-assault on all of reality? See SIEGE through the eyes of the Avengers with the most to lose!
The Dark Reign is ending, the Age of Heroes is coming, but before that can happen... there's a wedding? And more than one character is thinking, "What would Janet Van Dyne do?" We can't be any more cryptic than that. Trust us, you don't want to miss this one.
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #35
Written by CHRISTOS N. GAGE
Penciled by JORGE MOLINA
Cover by DAVID YARDIN
SIEGE BLOCKBUSTER TIE-IN!!
This is it: the series finale – and the end of the Initiative as we know it! Learn the fate of your favorite heroes, villains... and those who aren't quite sure what they are, but who are going to have to decide in a hurry!
Who will taste sweet victory? Who will know the agony of defeat? For some this is an end -- for others, a new beginning (which you'll be reading about very soon)! Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. is falling...and The Heroic Age is dawning!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
Naturally these titles ending brings up a number of questions. We'd bet good money that these four books will be replaced by four more. But which books? Will some of these simply relaunch with new volumes? Will the adjectives change? Will we finally have one true Avengers team? So many questions... no doubt details will be offered in the near future.
No doubt you want some Siege material. Let's get to the rest of our book solicits.
SIEGE #4 (of 4)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
Variant Cover by GABRIELE DELL'OTTO
Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA
Sketch Variant Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
Sketch Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA
THE MARVEL BLOCKBUSTER OF THE YEAR!!
This double-sized finale brings the Dark Reign to a shattering conclusion and brings with it the bombastic new HEROIC AGE. Every single page of this book is a shocker: Lives are changed. Heroes fall. Deaths. Revenge. Villain comeuppance. And when the dust settles, who will be in charge of the Marvel Universe??
You will find out here and only here. This is the one they will be talking about.
40 PGS./Cardstock Cover/Rated T+ …$3.99
SIEGE: EMBEDDED #4 (of 4)
Written by BRIAN REED
Penciled by CHRIS SAMNEE
Cover by ADI GRANOV
SIEGE BLOCKBUSTER TIE-IN!!
As the SIEGE of Asgard escalates to its final chaotic moments, one man must decide which is more important - living through the day, or getting the truth behind the
story of the century!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
THUNDERBOLTS #143
Written by JEFF PARKER
Penciled by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
Cover by ADI GRANOV
IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT by GREG HORN
SIEGE BLOCKBUSTER TIE-IN!!
Round three of Thunderbolts vs. The Mighty Avengers! Here at the end of SIEGE, everything set in motion by Norman Osborn comes to a fiery resolution—like his prime black-ops force!
It's the cataclysmic end of an era – that sets
the stage for the next big chapter of the most unpredictable book ever!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
THOR #609
Written by KIERON GILLEN
Penciled by BILLY TAN
Cover by MICO SUAYAN
IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT by ESAD RIBIC
SIEGE BLOCKBUSTER TIE-IN!!
The Siege brings Ragnarok to Asgard! The Shining City of Thor and his brothers in arms faces destruction on the greatest scale it's ever suffered, at the hands of Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers. But the Norse heroes have bigger problems, when THOR fights THOR!
The evil Thor clone has come to kill the God of Thunder and take his place. Even if Asgard survives the Siege…will Thor survive Ragnarok?!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
Marvel is also announcing a set of one-shots that will close out Siege and the Dark Reign era. Marvel notes that these one-shots do not carry their final titles. (As a note, this strongly calls back memories of the death of Captain America. Remember then that Marvel simply referred to a series of "Fallen Son" specials, which then evolved into a mini-series called "Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America." Each issue focused on a different hero.)
Here are the book titles:
All of these titles carry a $2.99 price point with the exception of "Fallen," which is $3.99. Marvel provided no solicit text or covers for these items aside from proclaiming all details "Classified."
Let the speculation and waiting game begin. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the Avengers titles being cancelled, what you think Fallen is about and any other observations you have about this news.
Stay tuned to IGN for all the latest on Siege, the last moments of Dark Reign and everything related to the Avengers.