By Ben Morse

On March 14, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes come together like never before as the stars of this summer’s big screen blockbuster “Marvel’s The Avengers” face a different kind of adventure in AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 by the celebrated creative team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mark Bagley. As we count down to this action-packed new ongoing series, over the next five days we will get Bagley’s insider insight on bringing these characters to life and also debut exclusive art from the first issue!

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE may be share a cast with “Marvel’s The Avengers,” but it’s set distinctly in the Marvel Universe comic book continuity. However, that doesn’t mean even its creators don’t get influenced by Earth’s Mightiest big screen Heroes.

“It’s hard to divorce [‘Iron Man’ and ‘Iron Man 2’ star] Robert Downey Jr.’s influence from my head when I draw Tony Stark,” admits series artist Mark Bagley. “The good news is that I do terrible likenesses, so I couldn’t make ‘my’ Tony look like Downey if I tried.

“But even before I saw the movies, I saw Tony as a happy go lucky chap with a rapier mind and a serious businessman’s attitude. I’m gonna try and portray him as a generally affable fellow that you know you don’t want to mess with, because he will outthink you and has shown he is willing to put up a fight if need be.”

Likable or not, Iron Man has clashed with his fellow Avengers in the past, most notable when he and Captain America split their comrades down the middle in Civil War. Bagley doesn’t expect events like that to ever truly be left in the past.

“I don’t know if Cap really trusts [Iron Man] or his values,” he says. “I see Stark as an alpha male in any situation but when around Cap and Thor—and he’s confident enough in himself to be ok with that.”

Though the artist feels he has a good handle on the man inside the armor, he confesses that depicting the Iron Man itself continues to be a learning process.

Iron Man by Salvador Larroca

“His new armor is beautiful—and really tricky for me to draw,” says Bagley. “I’m still getting used to [it] and have three or four pieces of reference next to me when I draw it. It can be really sleek, but if you are not careful it can be really clunky looking. I find if I really concentrate on the body beneath the armor, then add the details later, it works out better for me. Though to be honest, that’s true with most [art]: structure first, detail last.”

Fortunately for Bagley, he has plenty of influences to turn to in the way of other artists he admires, including a couple contemporaries.

“When I was a kid I loved George Tuska’s really underappreciated run on Iron Man,” he recalls. “[John Romita Jr.’s] short run was amazing. And Stuart Immonen’s depiction of the armor in FEAR ITSELF was a thing of beauty.”

Check in one more time next week as we wrap up our look at AVENGERS ASSEMBLE with more exclusive art!

Johnny Blaze roars into theaters once more in "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" on February 17, and to mark the event Marvel.com will bring you new stories on ol' Flamehead every day from now until the film's premiere! From looks at the film to looks at the character's rich history, check out Marvel.com every day for everything relating to your favorite Flamehead, and don't miss "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance," in theaters February 17!

By Marc Strom

Every week we'll pick a handful of awesome comics from the thousands available through Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited. From creator spotlights to editor's picks and more, this'll be your spot to find something new and cool.

This week, we're bringing you five of the Ghost Rider's most spectacular and over-the-top adventures to celebrate his upcoming movie, "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance." Gasp as the Rider pulls off daring stunts and faces renegade angels, undead ninjas, cannibal ghosts, and more, all in these five digital gems!

GHOST RIDER (2005) #1

After some time away, Johnny Blaze returns with a vengeance in this six-issue limited series by Garth Ennis and Clayton Crain. Trapped in the infernal realm, the Ghost Rider must find a way to break the endless cycle of torment and get back to Earth...but in order to do so, he'll have to make an uneasy alliance with an angel with an agenda of his own. How will Blaze make his escape? And what evil awaits him once he returns to the land of the living? You'll have to read it to find out!

GHOST RIDER (2006) #6

Johnny Blaze rides into a small town with a big secret in part one of a two-part tale illustrated by legendary horror artist Richard Corben! Writer Daniel Way puts Blaze on the wrong side of the local sheriff while Corben steps in to provide striking visuals including a fight between Ghost Rider and a powerful demon that can give even the Spirit of Vengeance a run for his money.


GHOST RIDER (2006) #20

After discovering that a renegade angel named Zadkiel is responsible for all the pain in torment in his life, Blaze sets out to hunt him down...but first he'll have to cross a highway haunted by a group of cannibal ghosts! Writer Jason Aaron kicks off his striking run on the series with a story that also features nurses touting machine guns and more mayhem than you can believe! With a new purpose, nothing can stop the Rider this time as he blazes his way across America looking for the man who took everything from him.

GHOST RIDER: HEAVEN'S ON FIRE #1

Ghost Riders--and long-lost brothers--Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch join forces with the likes of Daimon Hellstorm and the new Caretaker as the stage is set for their final battle with Zadkiel. Now that the renegade angel has gained control of Heaven, it looks as if nothing can stop him. Blaze will have to go against the full force of Zadkiel's army in order to get to the man he holds responsible for ruining his life, but with a little help from his friends he might just stand a fighting chance.

SHADOWLAND: GHOST RIDER #1

With the clan of undead Ninjas known as the Hand controlling Daredevil, Ghost Rider heads to their castle hidden away in the mountains of Japan. What ensues is an epic battle between Johnny Blaze and the full forces of the Hand, with Daredevil's soul at stake. But Blaze also has a trump card up his sleeve, and once he unleashes it the Hand won't stand a chance...

Hero Up, Squaddies! "Super Hero Squad Online" is now live, and you can tour through Super Hero City as your favorite heroes in the all-new online game! In the coming months, we'll be highlighting the different Squaddies with new character vignettes and screenshots from the game right here on Marvel.com, so check back regularly for all the latest on "Super Hero Squad Online"! 

The classic Daredevil you know and love is on a mission to fend off the baddies of Super Hero City in "Super Hero Squad Online" as the game's newest playable character!

Join Daredevil as he whips around town to take on thrilling adventures and missions all over Super Hero City. The baddies won't see their end coming once Daredevil gets ahold of them. Justice will come and vengeance will be his!

Keep your eyes peeled to Marvel.com as we continue to bring you more spotlights on the Squaddies from "Super Hero Squad Online," and vist www.HeroUp.com to play the game yourself!

(click here to watch the video)

Take your Avengers Vs. X-Men experience to the next level with AvX Battle Center!

In this very special video presentation from Marvel.com, hosts Jesse "The Gentleman" Falcon and "Mean" Jeanine Schaefer offer their take on the key battles in the biggest super hero war of all-time! Up first, Battle Center breaks down Captain America Vs. Cyclops, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses and stuff only our highly trained experts know. Find out what strategies these team leaders must utilize and what they need to watch out for as the combat heats up!

Who has the edge when Earth's Mightiest Heroes take on the Children of the Atom? Watch AvX Battle Center before you place your bets and then be sure to pick up Avengers Vs. X-Men starting with issue #0 on March 28!

(click here to watch the video)

AvX Battle Center! BOOM!

Which team will reign supreme? Join the conversation on Twitter with #AvX!

For more on AVENGERS VS. X-MEN, please visit http://avx.marvel.com 

By Ben Morse

When it comes to the ravages of war, even children can’t escape the consequences.

Avengers Vs. X-Men will be no exception to the rule above, as AVENGERS ACADEMY enters the fray beginning with issues #29 and #30 in May, throwing the young students into a conflict bigger than any they’ve experienced while also bringing several familiar mutant faces into the series, and likely not to make friends.

AVENGERS ACADEMY #29 cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli

“Avengers Academy is where the Avengers want to put the young mutants of Utopia when hostilities break out,” explains AVENGERS ACADEMY writer Christos Gage. “They take them into custody and house them at the one facility they know that can handle an infusion of super-powered kids. It’s a bit like Child Protective Services: ‘You’re not under arrest, you haven’t done anything wrong, this if for your own good—but you can’t leave.’

“Needless to say, there are plenty of folks who are none too happy with this turn of events. And if bringing them to Avengers Academy is intended to keep them out of trouble, it doesn’t quite work out that way.”

At the center of the chaos will be X-23, who recently enrolled in Avengers Academy, but has a long history with the X-Men, as the clone of Wolverine, a member of X-Force, and longtime resident of Utopia herself. Laura will find herself caught between classmates and friends past and present, but could also provide a potential bridge between the two.

“X-23 will be in the spotlight,” asserts Gage. “She has a foot in each camp, so the war between the Avengers and the X-Men is naturally going to affect her more than anyone. She joined Avengers Academy in part because she wanted [nothing] of the Wolverine/Cyclops schism. Now she’s caught directly in the middle of another war, and there is no avoiding making the choice this time around.

“You will also see Hazmat, Finesse and Mettle being very involved as well. The core Academy student’s personal histories might well make them feel sympathetic with the mutant kids. But could they be sympathetic enough to turn against their own teachers and classmates?”

AVENGERS ACADEMY #30 cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli

As to who from Utopia will be crashing in Avengers Academy, Gage promises a wide array of guests previously featured in GENERATION HOPE, NEW X-MEN, X-CLUB and elsewhere across the mutant world.

“The Lights [from GENERATION HOPE] are not going to be too happy with the situation,” says the writer. “I enjoyed writing [them], but I also had fun giving some screen time to less high profile mutants like Loa and Crosta. Madison Jeffries and Kavita Rao of the X-Men’s Science Team will act as chaperones of a sort, and Hercules will be around as a guest teacher from the Avengers side. Oh, and he’ll be naked. You’re welcome.”

One last visitor who could be a concern for Avengers and X-Men alike will be the once-leader of the Hellfire Club, Sebastian Shaw, who recently resurfaced amnesiac and seeking redemption in the pages of GENERATION HOPE. Gage teases that Shaw will go toe-to-toe with Hercules, Mettle and more.

“Given where [writer] James Asmus will be leaving [Shaw] as GENERATION HOPE concludes its run, he is most definitely a wild card,” Gage notes. “[That is] if wild cards could absorb the energy of any attack thrown at them and beat you to a pulp.”

Pick up AVENGERS ACADEMY #29 by Christos Gage and Tom Grummett this May to witness the beginning of an AvX tie-in you won’t want to miss!

Marvel is proud to present your first look at artist Marc Silvestri’s explosive variant cover for AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1! Follow the adventures of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in this perfect jumping-on point featuring Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, the Incredible Hulk, Black Widow & Hawkeye! The all-new Zodiac are plotting to take down the Marvel Universe, but who are they? And when you see who’s pulling the strings – no fan is going to want to play catch-up on this series.

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 variant cover by Marc Silvestri

So be sure to pick up AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1, hitting comic shops everywhere and the Marvel Comics app, this March!

Join the conversation on Twitter with #Avengers.

By Ben Morse

On March 14, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes come together like never before as the stars of this summer’s big screen blockbuster “Marvel’s The Avengers” face a different kind of adventure in AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 by the celebrated creative team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mark Bagley. As we count down to this action-packed new ongoing series, over the next five days we will get Bagley’s insider insight on bringing these characters to life and also debut exclusive art from the first issue!

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 inked preview art by Mark Bagley

Thor walks in two worlds. He guards his home realm of Asgard, regardless of its location, and counts himself among the gods of the Golden Realm. However, he also relishes in being one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, standing shoulder to shoulder with his comrades as he will once more in AVENGERS ASSEMBLE.

Mark Bagley finds this dichotomy to be key in structuring his own portrayal of the Thunder God.

“He’s a god with a warrior’s soul,” Bagley relays. “Thor really respects ‘heroes.’ He knows we are just humans and he is a god, but he brings no prejudice to it, just an admiration for those who stand against the wall and defend those who are unable to defend themselves. He counts himself lucky to have companions like [the Avengers].”

However, while Thor might be comfortable with dwelling among mortals, the world surrounding him and those who live there won’t always feel similarly at ease.

“I’m going to try and have him look slightly out of place when in the ‘real’ world,” Bagley discloses. “I don’t know if I can, but I’d like him to look always a bit larger than the space he’s in. A huge regal presence in any room he’s in, with a ‘don’t mess with me’ vibe that drips off him.

“I see Thor as six foot six or so, wide and imposing. His helmet and cape help to add mass to his figure.”

To help him cast the Son of Odin’s visual profile, Bagley looks to creators both past and recent for inspiration and guidance.

“John Buscema’s run on Thor really blew me away,” he says. “John Romita Jr. was really something as well. [He] draws everything so stinking well that it is intimidating thinking about taking on a character he did so wonderfully. [And Jack Kirby] wasn’t called ‘The King’ for nothing.

Thor by Olivier Coipel

“I have to [say] I’m a huge fan of [Olivier] Coipel’s recent work on Thor. I love the design of the current costume and the distinct look of Thor’s face that Olivier created. I’m not going to be shy about emulating that at all.”

There’s no official word on every location AVENGERS ASSEMBLE will span yet, but if Bagley has his way, the Thunderer will pay a visit to his most familiar haunts at some point.

“I got to draw Asgard in [FEAR ITSEF: THE FEARLESS] and it’s always fun to tackle something like that,” he notes. “That is so visually different and requires so much thought to design elements to portray the magnificence of that realm.”

As he rounds the corner on the first couple issues of AVENGERS ASSEMBLE, what Thor moment has been the artist’s favorite thus far? One he thinks will surprise fans in at least one regard:

“He wrecks a Humvee—but not in a way you would think.”

Check in again tomorrow when Mark Bagley assembles another Avenger and shares more exclusive art with us!

By Tim Stevens

The following is an excerpted transcript of a family therapy session between the team known as the Fantastic Four. Present are Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), The Invisible Woman (Susan Richards), The Human Torch (Johnny Storm), and The Thing (Benjamin Grimm). There was some discussion of including the Richards’ two children in the session but it was determined that, at this time, it would be preferable for the Four to seek out a therapist especially suited to working with children in an individual and group therapy session to ensure the highest level of care for the children.

The Fantastic Four

TIM STEVENS: Just to reiterate, as you have all made each other aware, I have seen all of you for other reasons at various times. However, even though all of you are in session together now, client confidentiality is still in place. So if there is something you discussed with me that you don’t want everyone else to know, don’t worry, I can’t mention it. By the same token, if there’s something you and I talked about that seems germane to what’s being discussed, I urge you to explain what you are referring to the rest of your family rather than just say to me something like, “It’s like what we talked about next week.” Does that make sense to everyone?

All four of them nod in quiet acceptance of his explanation.

TIM STEVENS: Good, then we can get started. Sue, you initiated this session. Would you feel comfortable telling everyone what made you feel it would be helpful to them and to yourself?

INVISIBLE WOMAN: Well, it’s been a really hard bit of time lately. Between—

Takes a moment to gather herself, continues

IW: —the multiple Reeds and the presence of all those villains in our home and Ben picking up that hammer and Johnny dying, I feel as though we’ve begun to grow apart and we don’t even know it yet.

TS: Thank you for sharing that. What I’m wondering now is if you can just tell us how you are feeling right now? If you had to focus purely on your own needs, not just share an assessment of the state your family, what would you or could you tell us?

The Invisible Woman

IW: I guess I’d say I feel all over the place. My brother died but now he’s alive again. My husband hid things from me but he did it because he thought he could work with the other Reeds to save the world. And I’ve seen the other Reeds so I know I have the best, most human of the bunch. And Ben…it’s just wonderful to have him back, but…that was very scary.

TS: I’m wondering now if anyone else can relate to what she’s saying? Anyone else feel very…ambivalent about what’s happened recently? Or could just share how they are feeling in general right now?

There’s a long pause as everyone processes what they’ve heard. The Thing looks visibly uncomfortable.

TS: Ben, I can tell something is bothering you right now. Would you tell us all about what’s happening for you right now?

THE THING (rubbing the top of his head): Jeez, Doc…I just…Susie been so great with everything. I feel like she’s the only one who’s been…stable lately.

HUMAN TORCH (interjecting): I’ve been perfectly stable.

TT: You know what I’m saying Hothead. I just feel lousy I’m part of the problem.

IW: Ben…

TT: No, no. I know. When I was smashing up New York, I know I was…possessed or whatever. But the thoughts. About you guys hating me, about people thinking I was a monster…they were mine, you know?

MISTER FANTASTIC: I’m sorry Ben that you still feel that way all these years later. I wish I—

TT: Come on, Stretch. That’s all ancient history. That’s what makes me mad at myself. Why am I rehashing all that nonsense?

The Thing

TS: Well, what do you think, Ben? Why might this be happening now?

TT: Isn’t that what we’re paying you for, Doc?

TS (laughs a little): Ok…fair enough. You all wrote a lot about what happened with Johnny and the Negative Zone doorway on your intake forms so I find myself wondering if that incident sparked something for you, Ben. Weren’t you in the middle of a period of not having your strength or durability?

TT: You can say it…I was normal.

TS: As you say. Anyway, that prevented you from taking Johnny’s place, right?

TT: He prevented me from taking his place. But if I was all rocked up…there wouldn’t have been a discussion.

TS: So is it possible that, for once, it wasn’t you being The Thing that made you angry or sad or isolated but the fact that you weren’t? You felt like a monster not because of your appearance but because of what you viewed as an inability to help your friends? Your family?

Things get very quiet again.

TS: I know that’s a lot to hear and to think about so I won’t ask you to really have an answer now. It is something to consider though. That this was not “ancient history” as you put it, but a very fresh, recent pain manifesting itself. Now, Johnny, you’re the focus of a lot of what’s going on with the team and family right now. How are you doing?

The Human Torch

HT: Well, I’m glad to be alive and not been killed and resurrected every few hours, for sure.

TS: Is that all?

HT: I feel kind of weird right now, I guess. Like no one seems to know what to do with me.

IW (jumping in): It’s just so strange, Johnny. You’re my brother and I’m so glad you’re back. But it’s like…it’s like you are a different man, too. I think, for me at least, I’m still figuring out what that means.

TT: Yeah, I wonder…are you the type of guy who I can still prank? Or do I just have to pick on Spider-Man.

HT (laughing): I think we should always pick on Pe—err—Spider-Man. But I’m not that different, I promise.

TS: And you, Reed? You’ve been largely quiet.

MF: I have so many questions for Johnny, but Sue’s made me promise not to bombard him with them.

TS: Such as?

MF: Well, for one, what was being dead like?

IW: Reed!

HT: It’s ok, sis. Honestly, Reed, between the constant resurrections, it’s impossible for me to tell you. I saw lots, but who knows if I was dead or alive when I saw it.

TS: Reed, if we could just stay with you for a moment. How have you been as of late?

Mr. Fantastic

MF: It’s been disconcerting. Seeing the Council made me so hopeful; to gather with people who are literally me seemed so promising. But…they were so reckless and arrogant… We could’ve done so much good.

TS: Was it just the missed opportunities?

MF: Of course.

TS: Nothing else?

MF: What else could there be?

TS: Well, you described them as reckless and arrogant, but you also said, in your own words, they were literally you. Does that bother you? Do you see yourself in them? Do you feel responsible for their actions?

MF: I…they’re not me.

TS: No, of course they aren’t. But they look and sound like you. I imagine that’s hard to process.

Silence

TS (glancing at clock): Well, I can see we are over on time. And I can tell you all have a lot to consider now, so we should wrap up here. Please consider what we discussed and try to keep the lines of communication open going forward. I will see you all soon.

The Fantastic Four will have their next session with Doctors John Hickman and Barry Kitson for February 22.Please see file FANTASTIC FOUR #603 for further information.  

Tim Stevens, MA is a Psy D candidate and practicum trainee at a community mental health center.

(click here to watch the video)

Director Marc Webb & moderator Ralph Garman watching the feed from Rio de Janeiro at the "Amazing Spider-Man" event	Fans at the "Amazing Spider-Man" event in Los Angeles	Director Marc Webb & moderator Ralph Garman at the "Amazing Spider-Man" event in Los Angeles
The "Amazing Spider-Man" trailer launch event in London	The "Amazing Spider-Man" trailer launch event in London	The "Amazing Spider-Man" trailer launch event in London
Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker/Spider-Man) and moderator Josh Horowitz at the "Amazing Spider-Man" event in New York	Rhys Ifans (Curt Connors/The Lizard) watching Andrew Garfield in New York at the "Amazing Spider-Man" event in London	Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker/Spider-Man) at the "Amazing Spider-Man" event in New York
Director Marc Webb at the "Amazing Spider-Man" event in Los Angeles	Rhys Ifans (Curt Connors/The Lizard) at the "Amazing Spider-Man" event in London

One of the world’s most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in "The Amazing Spider-Man." Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel comic book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

"The Amazing Spider-Man" is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance--leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, the Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

Want more comics in the Marvel Comics App for iOS and Android? Your search is over! Check out these comics that just hit the Marvel Comics App and keep coming back every week for new additions to the growing library! That's right, we add new books every week to feed your need for super-heroic entertainment!



Don't have the Marvel Comics App? What are you waiting for?! Download it for iOS and Android!

Here's your official list of comic books hitting the Marvel Comics app today!

Digital Comics On-Sale This Week:

BATTLE SCARS (2011) #4
CAPTAIN AMERICA (2011) #8
CARNAGE USA (2011) #3
DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE (2010) #21
DEADPOOL (2008) #50

INCREDIBLE HULK (2011) #5

IRON MAN 2.0 (2011) #1

IRON MAN 2.0 (2011) #2

IRON MAN 2.0 (2011) #3

IRON MAN 2.0 (2011) #4

IRON MAN 2.0 (2011) #5

IRON MAN 2.0 (2011) #6

IRON MAN 2.0 (2011) #7

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY (2011) #634

NEW MUTANTS (2009) #15

NEW MUTANTS (2009) #16

NEW MUTANTS (2009) #17

NEW MUTANTS (2009) #18

NEW MUTANTS (2009) #19

NEW MUTANTS (2009) #20

NEW MUTANTS (2009) #21

NEW MUTANTS (2009) #37

SCARLET SPIDER (2012) #2

SECRET AVENGERS (2010) #22

THANOS IMPERATIVE (2010) #1

THANOS IMPERATIVE (2010) #2

THANOS IMPERATIVE (2010) #3

THANOS IMPERATIVE (2010) #4

THANOS IMPERATIVE (2010) #5

THANOS IMPERATIVE (2010) #6

THANOS IMPERATIVE: DEVESTATION (2011) #1

THANOS IMPERATIVE: IGNITION 1 (2010) #1

ULTIMATE COMICS NEW ULTIMATES (2010) #1

ULTIMATE COMICS NEW ULTIMATES (2010) #2

ULTIMATE COMICS NEW ULTIMATES (2010) #3

ULTIMATE COMICS NEW ULTIMATES (2010) #4

ULTIMATES COMICS NEW ULTIMATES (2010) #5

VENOM (2011) #13.1

WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN (2011) #5

WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN: ALPHA AND OMEGA (2012) #2

X-MEN (2010) #7

X-MEN (2010) #8

X-MEN (2010) #9

X-MEN (2010) #10

X-MEN (2010) #11

X-MEN (2010) #24

By Ben Morse

On March 14, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes come together like never before as the stars of this summer’s big screen blockbuster “Marvel’s The Avengers” face a different kind of adventure in AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 by the celebrated creative team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mark Bagley. As we count down to this action-packed new ongoing series, over the next five days we will get Bagley’s insider insight on bringing these characters to life and also debut exclusive art from the first issue!

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 inked preview art by Mark Bagley

Even among immortals who command the storm, men wearing suits of armor beyond seeming imagination and legendary soldiers from another era, there has always also been room among the Avengers for “ordinary” people; though being one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes means even without super powers, you’re likely extraordinary in some way.

In AVENGERS ASSEMBLE, two mainstays of the team, Hawkeye and The Black Widow, will stand up right beside the likes of Captain America and Thor, with the title’s artist making sure they never get lost in the background.

“Hawkeye is the cocky buccaneer of the team—always has a smile on his face and is ready at a moment’s notice to write a check his butt can’t cash,” says Mark Bagley. “Natasha has earned her place on the team and [writer] Brian [Michael Bendis] will treat her thusly. She certainly isn’t going to be the ‘chick’ character.”

This will not be Bagley’s first experience with the Avenging Archer in particular, as he chronicled his adventures for several years in THUNDERBOLTS. However, Clint Barton has evolved tremendously since then, all the way to his brand new outfit.

“I’m taking [that] all into consideration of my approach to him this time around,” says the artist of Hawkeye’s modified look, which nods to his counterparts in the Ultimate Universe as well as “Marvel’s The Avengers” as influences. “I’m drawing him leaner than I did before, with cosmetic changes of a different haircut and stubble on his chin. Really though, the biggest difference is that it has been a long time since I drew him, and my approach has evolved over time.”

The Black Widow promises to hold her own as the sole female member of the book’s initial core cast. Natasha Romanov has always relied on a combination of cunning and brutal physicality, so Bagley will be honing her visual appearance to reflect proficiency in both.

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 cover by Mark Bagley

“[She is] sexy as hell, period,” he notes. “I see her as buxom, but not soft in any way. A real athlete’s body couple with confidence and grace.”

As you can see from the preview page above, Hawkeye and Black Widow will pair off for action immediately in AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1, and they’re already providing their artist with some of his favorite scenes:

“There is a nice couple of panels where Hawkeye looks in a rearview mirror, sees something coming at him, pops out of the vehicle window and shoots off a couple of arrows at something that is clearly way out of his league.”

Check in again tomorrow when Mark Bagley assembles another Avenger and shares more exclusive art with us!

This April, prepare for the biggest super hero war in comics history as Marvel is pleased to present your first look at AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #1! From the powerhouse creative team of Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron, Matt Fraction, Jonathan Hickman, Ed Brubaker, John Romita Jr., Adam Kubert and Olivier Copiel comes a groundbreaking event pitting Earth’s Mightiest against the X-Men with the entire Marvel Universe at stake. Cyclops and his team believe the arrival of the Phoenix Force will save mutantkind, but Captain America is convinced it will destroy the world! But who is right? Don’t miss out on all the action in AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #1 in comic shops worldwide and on the Marvel Comics app this April!

Which team will reign supreme? Join the conversation on Twitter with #AvX!

For more on AVENGERS VS. X-MEN, please visit http://avx.marvel.com  

Marvel is proud to present your first look at AGE OF APOCALYPSE #1, from the creative team of Dave Lapham and Roberto De La Torre. Spinning out of UNCANNY X-FORCE, the Amazing X-Men and the human resistance must fight tooth and nail to end the tyranny that has left their world ravaged! Continuing Apocalypse’s war on humanity, Weapon X leads the genocide that rains down upon this dimension, eliminating any who stand in his way.

“This new Age of Apocalypse book does the impossible – it revolutionizes an old concept without a reboot,” explains Senior Editor Nick Lowe. “If you’ve been reading Uncanny X-Force, you know where this is coming from and you’re already in. If you’re an Age of Apocalypse junkie, this builds on the alternate universe’s mythology is fascinating and troubling ways. And if you aren’t either and just want a ground-breaking, easy-entry book that will challenge everything you know about the X-Men, there hasn’t been a better jumping on point.”

Can anyone stop the evil Weapon X and who are the X-Terminated? Find out in AGE OF APOCALYPSE #1 with a cover by Humberto Ramos and Dean White that no fan can miss, hitting comic shops everywhere and the Marvel Comics app, this March!

Johnny Blaze roars into theaters once more in "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" on February 17, and to mark the event Marvel.com will bring you new stories on ol' Flamehead every day from now until the film's premiere! From looks at the film to looks at the character's rich history, check out Marvel.com every day for everything relating to your favorite Flamehead, and don't miss "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance," in theaters February 17!

By Jim Beard

A blazing skull atop a leather-clad, motorcycle-riding figure--it’s not an image that’s easily forgotten once witnessed. Caught between Heaven and Hell, the Ghost Rider roars into town and everything seems to go to blazes, the result of his quest to bring vengeance to wrong-doers and rid the world of evil. Sometimes he succeeds; other times the line between good and evil blurs and the Ghost Rider must choose a path that may further stain his everlasting soul.

First Ride

Ghost Rider vol. 1 #1

Johnny Blaze worked as a motorcycle stunt performer for the Crash Simpson Stunt Cycle Extravaganza and looked to its owner as the father he thought he’d lost along with the rest of his family. When Crash grew deathly ill, Johnny made the mistake of trying to sell his soul to Mephisto to save his surrogate father’s life. While Mephisto cured Crash's cancer, he died shortly thereafter in a stunt. Mephisto attempted to take Johnny’s soul in payment, but ultimately unable to snatch such a pure soul, he grafted a powerful demon onto it instead, transforming poor Johnny into a blazing, nightmarish figure.

Ghost Rider’s origin may be found in ESSENTIAL GHOST RIDER VOL. 1.

Blazing Champion

Ghost Rider #81

Now known as the Ghost Rider, Johnny turned it around on the Devil and attempted to use his new-found demonic powers for good. After trial and error he began to control the hellfire within him and used it to become a kind of super hero. His subsequent adventures brought the Ghost Rider into contact with many different entities, including other super heroes and eventually into a team called the Champions. All the while, Johnny worried that his fiery activities would sully the goodness of his sweetheart, Roxanne.

After many harrowing missions against the forces of evil, Johnny ran into a man without a soul, Centurious. Immune to Ghost Rider’s hellfire, Centurious captured Johnny’s soul in a crystal and revealed that it was a demon named Zarathos who’d inhabited the young man’s body all along. This situation created an internal struggle between Johnny and the demon, but Centurious attempted to end that clash of wills. Zarathos shattered the crystal, freeing Johnny and the other souls trapped within; its owner reformed the crystal, though, and drew the demon into it, freeing Johnny Blaze from the curse of the Ghost Rider.

The original Ghost Rider’s adventures can be found in ESSENTIAL GHOST RIDER VOL. 1-4, and CHAMPIONS CLASSIC VOL. 1-2.

Resurrecting the Ghost

Ghost Rider vol. 4 #1

Freed from Zarathos, Johnny Blaze wandered for a while, unsure of what path to take in his life. He discovered the existence of a new Ghost Rider, a man named Danny Ketch, and joined with him for several adventures once he realized that Zarathos had not returned in a new form. Eventually, Johnny would also discover that he had a brother he’d wiped from his memories…Danny, the new Ghost Rider. Together, they rode out against menaces, but, in some strange cosmic balance, Johnny lost his beloved Roxanne to a demon attack.

Trying to start his life anew, Johnny began to transform into Ghost Rider once again. He eventually discovered that a reconstituted Zarathos inhabited his body, but he attempted to make the best of it. Soon, those noble intentions would be shattered when a group of demons snatched up Johnny and took him straight to Hell to honor his long-ago pact with the infernal realm’s master.

These exciting tales may be found in GHOST RIDER: DANNY KETCH CLASSIC VOL. 1-2 and GHOST RIDER: ROAD TO DAMNATION.

To Hell and Back

Ghost Rider vol. 5 #20

Johnny Blaze, ever the clever and resourceful soul, eventually escaped from Hell, but returning to Earth proved to be no walk in the park. Back in the mortal realm, the Ghost Rider encountered many obstacles including the incredible Hulk, the angel Zadkiel and his own brother Danny, the other Ghost Rider. He also discovered an entire team of Ghost Riders from many different nations, and with them found himself in the middle of a war between Heaven and Hell.

Sadly, there’d be no rest for Johnny Blaze after that ultimate showdown. Killed in a battle against the ninja Hand clan and their strong magic, Ghost Rider received a reprieve from Heaven and returned to vanquish his enemies with an angelic host by his side. Finally, he then believed he’d been freed from the curse of the Ghost Rider. Time will tell if that’s true, or simply another cruel joke on poor Johnny Blaze.

Johnny’s later trials and tribulations may be found in GHOST RIDER BY DANIEL WAY ULTIMATE COLLECTION, GHOST RIDER: HELL BENT AND HEAVEN BOUND, GHOST RIDER: THE LAST STAND, GHOST RIDER: TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, and GHOST RIDER: HEAVEN'S ON FIRE.

Ultimate Ghost Rider

Ultimate Comics Avengers 2 #3

In the Ultimate Universe, Johnny Blaze and Roxanne Simpson ran afoul of a gang of bikers who killed the young man and then tried to make a deal with the devil for power. They received their power, but Johnny made his own deal to save Roxanne and then trained for twenty years to become an instrument of revenge: The Ghost Rider.

The Ghost Rider sought out each member of the gang to kill them, but they’d all become very powerful men in business and politics. Johnny’s demonic hunt put him into conflict with the Ultimate Avengers, a battle that led to their initial defeat at the hands of the Ghost Rider. Ultimately, Johnny completed his cycle of revenge and, gaining Roxanne once again, agrees to continue as the Ghost Rider in the service of the Devil.

The Ultimate Ghost Rider can be found in ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS: CRIME & PUNISHMENT.

By Ben Morse

On March 14, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes come together like never before as the stars of this summer’s big screen blockbuster “Marvel’s The Avengers” face a different kind of adventure in AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 by the celebrated creative team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mark Bagley. As we count down to this action-packed new ongoing series, over the next five days we will get Bagley’s insider insight on bringing these characters to life and also debut exclusive art from the first issue!

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 inked preview art by Mark Bagley

Since he made his first smash on the Marvel Universe, forces from the military to various villains to the Avengers themselves have sought to capture and contain The Hulk, generally with limited success. AVENGERS ASSEMBLE artist Mark Bagley has similarly found nailing down the Green Goliath to an ongoing challenge, albeit one he rises to with vigor.

“Drawing The Hulk really pushes me outside of my comfort zone as an artist,” he admits. “I think I naturally tend to have an easier time with slighter figures, so it always takes me a while to get comfortable drawing The Hulk if I haven’t done so in a while. I look forward to having a chance to really settle on a consistent look to him.”

Along with writer Brian Michael Bendis, Bagley will be responsible for integrating The Hulk into the Avengers as a regular member of the group he helped found but quickly parted ways from in a fit of characteristic rage, rarely having looked back over the ensuing years.

“He’s had so many personality shifts over the years, from raging inarticulate monster, to a scientist’s brain in the [body of a] beast, to innocent childlike victim of the world,” Bagley says of The Hulk. “It’s gonna be interesting to see how Brian and I portray him as a member of the team. I would say it goes against the nature of the character, but as I said, there have been so many deviations from the Hulk’s original theme that I think we have some wiggle room here.

“It’s early yet, but I think I’m getting a pretty good handle on him. Our Hulk is capable of being calm, almost contemplative, while just beneath the surface, just behind the eyes is the creature, just ready to rage.”

Fortunately for Bagley, he’s got assistance in improving that grasp of the character not only from Bendis, but a variety of artistic influences as well.

The Hulk by Paul Pelletier

“I loved every version [Jack Kirby] did as he evolved the character’s look,” he recalls. “I’m especially fond of the version he drew for a short while that had slightly hairy arms and [a hairy] chest. Both Buscemas [John and Sal] did great versions. Paul Pelletier has been doing some great work with the character lately.”

As Bruce Banner continues his struggle to balance his warring personas, the artist conveying his adventures will similarly strive to find middle ground between the Hulk’s most explosive actions and comparatively restrained moments.

“In the first issue [of AVENGERS ASSEMBLE] there is a small panel where he casually lifts a Humvee in one hand while gently rescuing a soldier in his other,” previews Bagley. “I think it has a nice sense of scale and decent visual acting.

“[But] I love drawing him doing things bigger than life. [Longtime Hulk artist] Herb Trimpe drew him lifting an entire castle out of the ground and flinging it—yeah, it makes no sense, but it did look great.”

Finally, when asked about how he’d be outfitting The Hulk as an Avenger, Bagley said he would not be straying from the norm:

“As long as we’re dealing with a brutish form of him, The Hulk works best in torn pants. I know Sal Buscema had him in trunks for years, but I’d rather not.”

Check in again tomorrow when Mark Bagley assembles another Avenger and shares more exclusive art with us!

You’ve read his amazing adventures in comic books and seen his spectacular stunts on the big and small screens. Now, get ready to experience Spider-Man like never before on the all-new storybook app, Spider-Man: An Origin Story, now available for your iPad or iPhone. As the first release in the new Marvel Reads storybook app line, Spider-Man: An Origin Story combines classic storytelling with state-of-the-art interactive features for only $3.99!

Designed to appeal to Spidey fans of all ages, Spider-Man: An Origin Story retells the now classic story of how Peter Parker transformed from a shy teenager to the super hero everyone knows and loves today.  The app integrates brand-new illustrations with immersive music and sound effects to bring to life Spider-Man’s world and fan-favorite characters like Flash Thompson, Aunt May, and Uncle Ben.  There’s also a series of mini-games that allows you to step into Spidey’s boots and overcome challenges that only Spider-Man can!  

Last, and most certainly not least, the story is narrated by none other than one of Spider-Man’s creators, Stan “The Man” Lee!  With the Spider-Man: An Origin Story app, you can experience the webhead’s first adventure with the aid of one of Marvel’s leading storytellers describing every web sling and Spidey sense tingle that our hero experiences!

Swing into adventure and excitement by purchasing Spider-Man: An Origin Story for only $3.99 on iTunes today!  And stay tuned to Marvel.com for updates on future releases in the Marvel Reads line.

By Jim Beard

We’re charging up for the onrushing Omega Effect event which spreads out over three Marvel titles—AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #6, DAREDEVIL #11 and THE PUNISHER #10—this April. Mark Waid and Greg Rucka, the two gentlemen responsible for the writing end of the story, find their hands full with Spider-Man, Daredevil and The Punisher scrambling to stop the Marvel Universe’s leading crime organizations from securing the Omega Drive. With the info contained therein, one could blow the lid off of just about every single bit of criminal activity on the planet.

To celebrate the release of Omega Effect, we’re checking in with both writers and asking them a few pointed questions about this titanic team-up and their own writing relationship with each other on the story. We’ve already talked with Mark Waid, so up now: Greg Rucka!

AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #6 cover by Steve McNiven

Marvel.com: Greg, what’s it like working with a writer like Mark Waid? Why’s he a great person to collaborate with on a project like Omega Effect?

Greg Rucka: Mark is, in my opinion, one of the best writers comics has ever seen. I’m a bad student of the medium and I don’t know a better way to say it. I loved comics but I was never the guy who growing up with them would [say] comics was it. I had a passion for them, loved them, but my depth of knowledge and my experience in reading them is really insignificant compared with so many other people out there in the medium. And there are a lot of people in the medium who came and got into the industry and work in the industry, and these are people who were raised on comics and loved comics. Comics are their religion. To such an extent, that they don’t know anything else.

And that’s a detriment. Your ability to name every single variation of Kryptonite and every first issue in which it appears is a great pop quiz skill, but is not a great writing skill, all right? So just because you can do that doesn’t mean you know how to write. It doesn’t make you a good writer. The same way you if want to write for movies, you don’t only see movies, you know what I mean? You have to actually pick up books and read them as well.

Mark is one of the very rare examples of somebody who’s love of comics and of the nature of collecting comics, of pursuing them, all of that is wedded with the knowledge and the skill set of being a writer, a teller of stories. That sounds so simple and you would think it is and it’s not. And it’s actually really very hard. So, when I am reading a Mark Waid script—I’ve had the good fortune of reading his scripts off and on over the last decade or so, and watching how his writing and his script style as evolved—[he] never forgets that he’s writing a comic, he never forgets what the purpose of the comic is, he never forgets the visual aspect. He is always in service of the comic story and his skill is remarkable in life. And I think nowhere is more evident than in the current DAREDEVIL. His work on DAREDEVIL right now is so visual if that makes sense. And then when we think about the craft involved, I mean, that book is incredibly dynamic visually. It’s the story of a blind man and you never ever get to forget that Matt is blind. So I think [Mark] has some extraordinary skills.

DAREDEVIL #11 cover by Marcos Martin

Marvel.com: Okay, that said, how do you see yourself in what you do on PUNISHER?

Greg Rucka: I come from a prose background. I come from short story background and that led me into novels. So, I try to remember my visuals. My scripts tend to always be far more concerned with the emotional movement of a story than with the visual movement of a story [to the extent] of being a detriment. This is something I do try to address.

I’m working on the PUNISHER issue for Omega Effect right now. And I spent all morning working myself into contortions because I’m trying to figure out how to visually get across the information I want to get across rather than just have somebody say it. And I put myself in a hole. I was talking to Mark about this yesterday. The fact is that we set up a book about The Punisher where Frank doesn’t talk a lot, so that the means of getting readers up to speed is completely not fair. And if I try to put it there [for Omega Effect], it’s going to be glaring. This is a totally different thing. I spent today trying to doing a lot of “How would Mark do this?”

Marvel.com: We’re to understand there’s a new person in Frank Castle’s life named Rachel Cole who perhaps defies easy categorization. Mark Waid says she figures into what he calls the “emotional heart” of Omega Effect. What can you tell us about her?

Greg Rucka: One of the things that Mark had said very early on is that, to Matt Murdock, Frank is a lost cause. A lot of what I think Mark is doing is refreshing Daredevil right now; Matt is sort of “Happy Matt,” for lack of a better phrase. He has made an active decision to be happy, I would point out. As opposed to just deciding “Oh all that other bad stuff never happened—no I’ve just decided to ignore it.” So, when faced with Cole, and Rachel and Frank really come together in THE PUNISHER #9, Matt looks at her and thinks, “Well, I screwed up with Frank but maybe I can save this one.” And it provides a very interesting emotional center to what we’re doing here.

THE PUNISHER #10 cover by Marco Checchetto

Rachel’s got a very specific story here. Her arc has a beginning, middle, and end. The book is called THE PUNISHER and people right now, I think, are thinking, well it’s not really about Frank, but Frank is sort of a presence in it. Everything that happens is about Frank because of his effect on everything makes it about him. So, Rachel’s story, her whole story is entirely ruled by her association with Frank and his presence in her life.

Marvel.com: We asked Mark Waid about how he looked at Spider-Man, Daredevil and the Punisher as characters and the phrase “id, ego and super-ego” came up. Is that how you think of them also?

Greg Rucka: I do not. That’s because I don’t tend to apply Freudian standards to my writing [Laughs]. That’s not to say it’s an incorrect assessment, but it’s not one that I’m terribly interested in. I don’t go there. It’s something Mark himself brought up a couple weeks ago, and I think it’s valid. But, I tend not to approach characters in that sort of archetype. I’m much more interested in them as characters I guess; that’s not demeaning [Mark’s opinion], it’s just [not] my value.

I was talking to [editor Steve] Wacker yesterday about a bit [in the story], and there’s no way to do it because it’s a film bit rather than a comic bit; it really relies on motion. But I really love the idea of how skittish Spider-Man is around Frank. This is all set up at the end of the first issue, and [they say,] “we all have to press each other for X amount of a plan” and for Peter it’s just watching the fuse burn down. It’s only a question of when. It’s not if, it’s when is Frank going to come off the rails on this thing. And being able to sort of play with that and try to show it—I’m still trying to figure out if the visual is there.

Marvel.com: Speaking of visuals, regular PUNISHER artist Marco Checchetto is providing some incredible continuity on Omega Effect by drawing all three parts of the story.

AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #6 inked preview art by Marco Checchetto

Greg Rucka: He’s amazing. I got pages this morning and they’re just phenomenal. I love working with him and I love how effortlessly he is sort of jumping almost between styles, you know? I mean the AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #6 pages look different than the PUNISHER #10 pages. I don’t have another way to put it. They do look different. And it’s not that it’s a different artist at all, it isn’t, and it’s not that it’s not clearly Marco—there’s something else there. I don’t know how to put it [Laughs].

Marvel.com: So you’d say he’s got chameleon ability in his art.

Greg Rucka: Absolutely. And yet it still is unmistakably Marco. I love what he’s doing. I, in all honesty, the more I see from him, the more I love it. I certainly don’t want to undermine anyone else [because] I am consistently fortunate in that I get to work with great artists, but every issue that I don’t get to do with Marco, I kind of find myself saying, “Well, oh, I wanted Marco to draw this.” Does that make sense? That’s not me going, “this other artist can’t draw.” You know? Marco’s story telling is just delightful. I really, really like it. It’s got this dynamic and when you get to write 50 of the Hand swarming up the side of a building and then you get to see Marco draw that, it’s like “Aw, man! That’s awesome!”

Marvel.com: That allows us to segue into Omega Effect’s villains. Looking at the five distinct criminal organizations in the story, do you think they stand at different levels in the Marvel Universe or will they all end up in the same boat at the end of the story?

Greg Rucka: The power is the issue because they’re all holding each other at bay. That’s sort of what starts this off. There has been a stalemate in effect for a certain amount of time and Daredevil knows that isn’t going to last and so he’s going to uncork it. You know, the Exchange, featured in THE PUNISHER, factors into the story and frankly, of all the factions in Omega Effect, they’re the “weakest,” but they’re also acting as brokerage. So, I wouldn’t rate one more than the other; they’re all there to make everybody miserable.

AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #6 inked preview art by Marco Checchetto

Marvel.com: We’ll wrap this up with same final question we asked Mark: The team-up in comics was once a much stronger “event” in comics—what do you feel is its status with today’s readers?

Greg Rucka: Wow. I don’t know. I suppose there is a marketing value to it. I mean, maybe you’ll pull people over from one book to another, if they’re engaged by the story. But I think part of the nature of a crossover, the abusive crossovers I should say, is that readership has come to believe that actually, they don’t really matter much. There’s a lot of sound and fury and it signifies nothing. How is this going to change anything in the books? And even when we’re told, you know, “Nothing will ever be the same!”

I honestly don’t know what it means [now] to the readership. Except maybe they’re probably more fed up. I will say that for what I am doing in THE PUNISHER, [Omega Effect] came along at a perfect time. This is the right story to be telling at this point in the overall story that I want to tell. And this actually sets up stuff that I have planned about 12 issues down the line that will actually bring Matt Murdock back in. And it has Peter Parker as well.

I think the biggest detriment [of a crossover] is that a lot of people will say, “Well, it’s a stunt,” and there have been a lot of stunts in the industry lately. I’m not sure that’s different than 20, 30 years ago, but I do think that there is a sort of stunt fatigue. That said, we’re telling this story because this made sense. This was not simply an issue of “How can we put these three characters together?” and let’s hammer something into place. This is Mark doing the Omega Drive story, and this led us very organically to, “Wow, Frank would really, really, like to get his hands on that and what he could do with that could be pretty impressive.” And then that by definition sort of led to the policy of “Under no circumstances do you give Frank the nuclear launch codes; especially if you are Peter Parker or Matt Murdock.” Because you know what he’s going to do and there is a moral obligation there to not let him.

AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #6 inked preview art by Marco Checchetto

Marvel.com: It sounds like the best, truest definition of an event.

Greg Rucka: I hope so! I sincerely hope the readers say, “It’s a good story, and I want to read it. I want to know what happens here.” That, more than anything, else is what matters. And that’s the other thing: Mark and I are on the same page about this; we want to tell a good story. I have to say I’m really excited about it and I think it’s going to kick all sorts of tail [Laughs]. It’s been a lot of fun to write, and that’s always awesome.

Omega Effect begins in AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #6, on sale April 11