The Next ‘Avengers’ Assemble In May From MacKay & Villa
by Tony Thornley
With one years-long Avengers epic ending this spring, the next is set to begin with superstar creative team Jed MacKay and CF Villa. It already promises to be an event that will change the entire Marvel universe.
MacKay dropped some major hints about what’s next in December’s Timeless, as Kang the Conqueror battled a new group of foes across time. Now, Captain Marvel leads a familiar line-up that includes Captain America, Black Panther, Thor, Iron Man, The Vision, and Scarlet Witch. This group stands assembled after they’re gifted with knowledge of the Tribulation Events, a series of large-scale disasters that will cause upheaval all over the Marvel Universe.
MacKay and Villa were a force to be reckoned with on Black Cat and they’re joined by comics legend Stuart Immonen on covers. The story promises to be full of heroic battles, new villains, and some incredible moments. It all begins in issue #1, as the Avengers face Terminus and the first tribulation event- the fall of the Impossible City!
From Marvel’s press release:
The Star. The Icon. The Witch. The Construct. The God. The Engineer. The King.
The world is ever in peril, and a new team of Avengers mobilizes to meet any dangers that dare threaten the planet. But when Terminus attacks, a new and insidious danger rears its head: one that the Avengers know all too well, and one that comes to them in the most dangerous of guises – that of a friend.
“I’m extremely excited to be launching the latest chapter of AVENGERS with my old Black Cat teammate C.F. Villa!” MacKay expressed. “I grew up on the Avengers, weaving in and out of their 60s and 70s exploits as a kid, and having the opportunity to plot the course of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is a rush, especially coming from the street-level and/or weirdo niche I’ve been working in over the last couple of years. This is big, loud Avengers stuff—nothing in this story should ever feel small or inconsequential, and our lineup reflects that. Heavy hitters and iconic Avengers are to the fore—The Tribulation Events are coming, and only the Avengers can take them on.”
The line-up is classic and iconic, but given MacKay’s past work, we can’t help but wonder if there are additional cast members waiting to be seen, like two characters he’s made his mark on- Moon Knight and Black Cat. Regardless, this is the most excited we’ve been about the Avengers in some time. It feels like the sort of high concept Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have lacked since Secret Wars.
Check out the cover to Avengers #1 above and pick up the issue in May!