By: Jacob Elyachar
Warning! Spoilers Ahead!
Recently, Marvel Comics began phase one of its company-wide relaunch plan.
This relaunch decision comes out of the finale of Avengers vs. X-Men, where both teams were able to put aside their differences and defeat the Phoenix Force. However, there were some major ramifications including the death of Professor X and the return of the mutant race.
Today’s article focuses on three of Marvel’s most popular titles: Uncanny Avengers, All-New X-Men and the Fantastic Four.
Expect the cast of “Uncanny Avengers” to expand after the team tackles the Red Skull. (Artwork by John Cassaday & Laura Martin; Property of Marvel Comics)
Uncanny Avengers-Rick Remender & John Cassaday (Creative Team)
Uncanny Avengers picks up with the pieces of Avengers vs. X-Men where Captain America is beginning to pick of a team of both human and mutant superheroes to show a united front. However, Captain America’s longtime nemesis: the Red Skull is taking steps to eradicate the Mutant Race. Within two issues, Remender and Cassaday have delivered one of the best stories that I have ever read from the House of Ideas, due to Remender’s strong scripts and Cassaday’s brilliant artwork. A+
Coming soon: After the Uncanny Avengers deal with the Red Skull, expect them to get new teammates in the forms of Wasp and Sunfire plus old threats from both the Avengers and the X-Men’s pasts will be back to tackle the merged super group.
The classic Stan Lee/Jack Kirby “X-Men” line-up find themselves in between warring X-Men groups in the new flagship title. (Artwork by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger & Marte Garcia & Property of Marvel Comics)
All-New X-Men- Brian Michael Bendis & Stuart Immonen (Creative Team)
All-New X-Men is the new flagship title of Marvel’s Merry Mutants. This story is about how the classic line-up of the X-Men (Cyclops, Beast, Iceman, Angel and Jean Grey via the 1960s) traveled to the future to stop the present day Cyclops from bringing on a mutant civil war. So far, the former New Avengers creative team has done an incredible job setting up the story and inciting readers to pick this book up. A-
Coming Soon: It’s Cyclops versus Cyclops, when the classic line-up meets the remains of the Extinction team in battle. Meanwhile, Mystique tries to brainwash the Lee/Kirby X-Men to join the dark side.
The new creative team of “Fantastic Four” send the team to space to find a cure to heal Reed Richards’ arm. (Artwork by Mark Bagley, Mark Farmer & Paul Mounts; Property of Marvel Comics)
Fantastic Four-Matt Fraction & Mark Bagley (Creative Team)
The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine returned with a new creative team and a brand new story. The Fantastic Four and their children will be heading into space to search for a cure to heal Reed Richards’ arm. However, Franklin Richards advises against it as he foreshadows the team in dire danger when they go to space. Fraction’s story telling has gotten so much better since his days on Uncanny X-Men while Bagley’s artwork has also improved as well as the former Amazing Spider-Man penciler clearly drew several important historical elements of Marvel’s First Family into the book. This will be a book to watch. B+
Coming Soon: Fraction and Bagley will take the Fantastic Four to new planets as they meet new characters during their space adventure. Plus, readers will find out why the Invisible Woman is considered a messiah to an uncanny alien race.
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