Month: September 2014

Blowing Up The Marvel Universe-part three

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What started as a two-part column has morphed into three. Sometimes good ideas cannot be contained. So here we have the final entry in my recreation of the Marvel Universe, hope you enjoy.

For the second part look here.

When we last left our intrepid heroes (I just always wanted to write that)…

As the RISE event continues it is clear the world needs its heroes. A great danger has risen in the Savage Land while the worlds premier superteams still stand down. The fifth week re-introduces some old favorites:

Daredevil

While other heroes deal otherworldly threats, someone must protect the common man. Daredevil is just that someone.

Nightcrawler

Kurt Wagner has lost his friends, he even lost his life. He never gave up hope.

X-Force

Cannonball and Dani Moonstar bring together X-Force once more in search of their one-time mentor Cable.

Rocket Raccoon

Rocket (do not call him a Raccoon) is one of a kind, and he plans on staying that way. While not saving the other Guardians Rocket will take any job if the price is right..

The entire rebuilding of the Marvel line has been building to this point. One of the things I wanted to do with this reboot was pare down the seemingly thousands of X-books and Avenger related titles. I wanted to break things down to their barest essentials.

As the world of men faces a dire threat the worlds greatest heroes return from their self-imposed exile. Week six commences:

The Uncanny X-Men

Scott Summers returns from space to lead the team he was born to lead. Who will make up this new team of X-Men?

Ryder and Vaughn

Quasar was the Protector of the Universe, but he couldn’t save his best friend. Now he crosses galaxies to bring Nova back.

The Avengers

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes return with Hawkeye at the helm. Iron Man, Scarlet Witch and Thor stand at his side as they forge a new team of Avengers.

Finding their way past the guilt of past failings the heroes of the Marvel Universe return to where they belong. Between the people they have pledged to protect and that which threatens them.

When it comes to a choice of them or no one, these heroes will always make the right choice. They will RISE.

It was a fun ride, but difficult. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

 

Blowing Up the Marvel Universe-part two

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This is the second part of my column relating my own way of restarting the Marvel Universe, you can find the rest here
Putting a universe back together is a gargantuan task. While looking to the future you must respect the past. That brings us to week two:

Fantastic Four

The first family of the Marvel Universe returns-battered but still standing.

A Man Called Doom

Some call him Lord and Master, others call him monster. For one and all he will forever be known as Doom.

Captain America

He is a hero from another time, is this former soldier running out of time?

The Invincible Iron Man

As Tony Stark struggles with guilt and self-doubt the Mandarin makes his return.

The Black Widow

Natasha Romanov was not always a Super Hero, a fact that she is about to be reminded of…

Dr. Bruce Banner-the Incredible Hulk

He is the scientist, he is the Monster. For once he can be both at once. Watch out world.

The picture starts to come into focus as the 2nd issue of RISE arrives. Heroes begin to determine if there is a place for them in the world they failed, as new threats begin to gather. When taking things apart like this you cannot simply go back to the status quo. Things must change, decisions must be made as we enter week three. New heroes step up while the familiar faces find their way.

Excalibur

The sword is drawn…that sword is Excalibur. Kitty Pride brings Captain Britain, Nightcrawler and Rachel Summers back together to protect their world.

Ms. Marvel

Kamala Khan is still discovering what it means to be Ms. Marvel and to be a hero

New Warriors

Justice, Speedball, Kid Nova, Spider-Girl, White Tiger and Reptil come together as the New Warriors. If the Avengers wont do their job then the Warriors will.

Captain Marvel

Carol Danvers remembers the previous Captain Marvel, she only hopes she can live up to that legacy.

Gambit

Remy LeBeau is used to being the one stealing things, when an ancient treasure is stolen from the Thieves Guild Gambit must take action.

The Young Marvels

Kevin Green is the new hero Prime. He joins Ms. Marvel, Patriot, Hulkling and Kate Bishop as the New Marvels trying to find their way as heroes without a net.

With the Avengers and the X-men still nowhere to be found teams begin to form to fill the void as we enter the fourth week former allies come together once again.

The Defenders

Doctor Stephen Strange, Namor, the Silver Surfer and the Incredible Hulk come together once again to battle other worldly threats. How long will it last this time?

The Invaders

Captain America is an Avenger-no more. The Invaders are his team now. Joining him is Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier. Who else will answer their call?

X-Factor

The government-sponsored mutant team is back. But who exactly is the new team?

The InHumans

Black Bolt has returned when the InHumans need him most.

The end is within sight. A few more tweaks and we will have seen the Marvel Universe rise from its own ashes.

Hopefully in part three I can stick the landing.

 

Blowing Up the Marvel Universe-part one

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Marvel Comics has their usual big events coming up. Avengers/X-Men Axis, Time Runs Out follow quickly after Original Sin. There are rumblings. There are suggestions. The popular thought is that Marvel Comics is thinking of doing a company wide reboot. After all DC Comics managed to do a mostly successful one with their New 52. So Marvel taking a shot at one would not be a surprise.

So how should we proceed…

Don’t call it a Reboot…

This should simply be a reset. We are not rebuilding the wheel here, we do not need to build the universe over from scratch. Keep all of the previous continuity. That was the mistake DC made. Fans wondered what counted and what did not. Problems can be fixed through the stories without saying that this or that never happened. They do it all the time in the comic book world so why not here and now.

So start with a tragedy, not something born of some super-villain. Something born of everyday life-natural disaster, political conflict, terrorism, pick one. The heroes failed. They had one job, protect the everyman and woman out there from harm. They did not. They failed and they only have themselves to blame. Everything falls apart. No more X-men, no Avengers. The world turns.

After the fall, heroes must RISE.

Start with an eight issue bi-weekly event series titled RISE. It would tell the story of the heroes coming back from the brink to once again do the jobs they were meant for.

During the first week of the event series I would start releasing new series slowly. A few at a time, until you have the starting line of books released. Here we go…

Tales to Astonish

an anthology series telling stories from across the entirety of the Marvel Universe. With the ongoing feature-Old Man Fury.

The first issue would feature a story about Old Man Fury(the original Nick Fury) and Samuel L. Fury battling the supernatural force of nature Fury in an epic tale that has to be called “A Boatload of Fury’s”

Illuminati

They broke it, now is time for them to fix it. The Illuminati were the shadows manipulating things behind the scenes. They thought they knew best. They were wrong. Now they are back to make up for past mistakes. Only thing is…what is the Red Skull doing with them?

The Amazing Spider Man

Peter Parker is the most pure, most human of the heroes. How does he balance being a hero with dealing with how they all have failed?

Thor-God of Thunder

Even Gods can fall. For all his power some things are beyond even Thor’s reach.

FireArm

Alec Swan was once an elite special agent, now an P.I. He lost friends when the heroes failed. Even now he continues to be drawn into the heroes world, whether he likes it or not.

Deadpool

Wade Wilson is the Merc with the Mouth. Mad, bad and dangerous to know. He may be crazy but we still love him.

Guardians of the Galaxy

They may protect the galaxy but Earth is still Peter Quill’s home. Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Groot and even Rocket Raccoon definitely have an interest in the little blue planet.

Now we are rolling downhill. Just getting started. So how exactly do you rebuild and entire comic universe? Check out part two to find out…