AVX Versus Cover by Adam Kubert
Today we take part in another exciting edition of Marvel’s Next Big Thing press call! On today’s docket: AVX Versus, a tie-in to 2012’s Avengers vs. X-Men event! We’re talking to editors Axel Alonso, Nick Lowe and Tom Brevoort.
A six-issue limited series, AVX Versus is all about the epic violence. Each issue sees two large-scale fights between individual Avengers and X-Men with widescreen art by the industry’s top talents. Two creative teams and two massive battles per issue. Brevoort calls it the “least essential but potentially highest selling book in the event.”
Issue one hits in April.
Bout one: Iron Man vs. Magneto by Jason Aaron & Adam Kubert
Bout two: Namor vs. Thing by Kathryn & Stuart Immonen.
When asked whether Versus serves as an alternative to previous experiments like Frontline or Imbedded, the editors agreed that this is the polar opposite approach. While the main title will see its fair share of brawling, Versus is the venue for fan-favorite moments similar to pro wrestling’s most spectacular pay-per-view specials.
Alonso suggests that if any book were made for an oversized collection, it’s Versus.
Readers can expect the kind of fan-favorite match-ups often debated by diehards, and though the editors are tight-lipped about exact bouts beyond the first issue, pairings like Rogue and Ms. Marvel aren’t off the mark. Fights will mostly consist of one-on-one skirmishes, but when we asked about the potential for third wheels to come barreling in with steel chairs, Brevoort conceded that creative teams aren’t restricted to keeping each fight entirely symmetrical.
So, who’d you like to see clobber who?
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SOLD!
^ THAT!
AVX? i’m sure at some point the Predator will show up to defeat all.
Very simple idea that could potentially be a mindless, explosive cash cow but its an idea I’ve not come across and to be fair even if it is a mindless, explosive cash cow that’s not a given negative. The talent behind it is really enough for me to trust there will be some meat on the bones of this set-up. Its nice to have a different take on how to structure a story or mini series. Shame its another tie-in/spinoff
At least they are calling it the least essential. They could have easily hyped it the other way.
Props to Marvel for coming out and saying this is non-essential.
Damn. I was expecting a video game tie-in.
Me too but honestly that’s bound to happen isn’t it?
I was all excited, until I saw who’s fighting who.
Ahh, that’s only the first issue though…I’m sure the rest of the fight card will be revealed as we get closer April.
you don’t want to see Mags whoop on stark!? That’s ALL i want to see!
Seriously? AvX Vs? So that’s Avengers vs. X-Men Versus, then? Worst titled, redundant name ever?
Even the promo looks like a fighting game screen. I sort of love the honest approach here.
And at the end of the day, that’s some top-tier talent they’re putting on the book.
Here’s hoping they don’t make it 4 bucks.
I can tell you they know exactly what kind of book this is and they’re embracing it. Sounds like a lot of fun.
Not in my world.
This reminds me quite a bit of DC Vs. Marvel.
Too bad there’s an even number of bouts. That just means that each side will win six matches and it’ll be a draw.
maybe they’ll let the fans vote on who they think should win like they did with Marvel VS DC. i remember filling out an actual ballot at my LCS for that event. it blew my 12 year old mind
“Reminds me quite a bit of DC vs Marvel”
You know that isn’t a good thing right?
Speak for yourself oh trolly one, I happened to enjoy the heck out of Marvel VS DC, just for the novelty of it.
Well that must make the hosts trolls too since they did a video show on Marvel/DC crossovers and said ‘Marvel vs DC’ was terrible.
@TheNextChampion – nobody’s perfect! 😉
I just hope the actual event has some direction, because putting mindless stuff out like this doesn’t give me any confidence. Nor does Marvel’s recent track record when it comes to the broad Marvel U status quo changers.
(I’m not knocking people who are into this shit, I’m just worried we’re going to get another ship without a rudder like Fear Itself, World War Hulk, and even Secret Invasion in AVX Proper)
Well if you are going to do something like Avengers vs X-men you may as well have fun with the thing. So on that basis, I approve of Versus. Marvel fully admits it is non-essential and just for fun, which sounds good to me.
One of the few comic books which could easily make a killer videogame everyone would buy. Like Marvel Super Heroes but with modern hardware. Capcom could make some good money, just take out all the Street Fighters from UMvC3 and replace them with random Marvel fan service and they’ll be printing money.
agreed. Almost every capcom character is cheap and overpowered as hell anyway!
these do kinda sound like fun. Stupid playing in the sandbox, lots of punches back and forth fun.
how bout:
Thor vs Juggernaught
Spiderman Vs. Beast
Captain America vs. Cyclops.
also that masthead treatment keeps making me think of OG G.I. Joe cartoons.
I like all of these though I’d probably swap out Beast for the Age of Apocalypse Nightcrawler to fight Spidey.
As for the announced bouts – Thing vs. Namor doesn’t seem to fit.
Luke Cage vs. Wolverine
Scarlet Witch vs. Kitty Pryde
as long as we get an epic Squirrel Girl vs somebody fight….
who’s the Black Widow supposed to fight? Seems like it would be unfair against any mutant.
who are we all kidding…this is being developed into a video game as we speak.
Definitely sounds like fun.. ya!
Marvel! Don’t you dare even pretend Capcom isn’t sitting in the corner with folded hands chuckling quietly!
I’m a little confused.
“Each issue sees two large-scale fights between individual Avengers and X-Men with widescreen art by the industry’s top talents.”
“Alonso suggests that if any book were made for an oversized collection, it’s Versus.”
So is this series going to published in a larger format?
Doesn’t sound like it.
I think we can infer that “widescreen art” means it will be akin to the Bryan Hitch on Authority and Ultimates style. Don’t expect nine-panel grids here.
Regular format comic issues with big panels to emphasize the action. Think Bryan Hitch. The kind of book you’d want to see collected in an over-sized hardcover. That’s not the confirmed plan for the collection, but Alonso is saying that it’s begging for that treatment.
Ahh. Gotcha. Thanks, fellas.
Sounds like a real rock ’em, sock ’em, knock down, drag out, no holds barred, irresistible force meets the immoveable object type of slobberknocker.
On the other hand, at 10 pages per bout (assuming it’s a standard 20 page comic) how epic can these fights be?
From what I can speculate (cause speculation totally doesn’t typically completely ruin these events…) this isn’t a story book as much as its the designated fisty-cuffs ring. The story proper goes on in the main title, and this is where you can see some more detail about exactly where who punched whom.
It’s very surprising to hear this concept. But, it is not strange. We’ve all been reading Marvel superheroes fighting for years. Hell, I remember a discussion of pro-wrestling’s similarities to comics on this very site not too long ago, and the comparison is in fact made by Marvel editorial. We man not all be convinced to buy it, but none of us can really take issue with the idea.
Emma Frost has a left arm in the preview image.
That’s a good sign.
ooooh marvel is fighting dirty, they already had me at an avengers/x-men event because that took me back to my childhood, but now we are getting issues dedicated to brawls? I curse the plight of my credit card this summer. On a side note I think this will work well for this event, but I hope it doesn’t get inserted into every event marvel does for now on.
That cover treatment reminds me of classic GI Joe.
I was right. There is a similarity between this AVX art and the box art for the GI Joe dvd sets http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=gi+joe+dvd&x=0&y=0
It sounds like they’ve made a comic book JUST FOR ME!*
*not really
Captain America Vs. Snoopy as the Red Barron?
you’d check that out would’t you? =)
After my initial eye-roll and sigh I thought about it a little more and realized that, if done right, these could be some fun comics. Here’s hoping Cap knocks the crap out of Cyclops.
Cap is the heavy favorite against Cyclops. Who is the favorite in the Magneto vs. Iron ManI? I want Magneto to destroy Iron Man.
@fox HELL to the YES! If mags doesn’t put up a ‘W’ in that brawl, i’m going to lose my falcon mind!
Unless the main event is significantly different than how most big events play out, this seems redundant and kinda dumb. I dunno. Maybe I’m just growing up or something.
What’s that? Comics are for kids?
Paul, any chance you’ll write up some sort of pre-bout analysis?
Sounds fun and there’s some good talent attached! Luke Cage vs Colossus.
Wait, wait, wait… Avengers Versus X-Men: Versus. Surely you’re shitting me.
However, I do like that cover treatment. If Cyclops looks a little…. constipated.
You know what would’ve been a better title for this? “Avengers Vs. X-Men: FIGHT!”
And Shang Tsung should be centered behind them, sitting in a throne.
Flawless Victory
there are a few x-men i’d love to see suffer from a FATALITY.
(im looking at you cyclops and emma frost)
I’m tempted, but he said it himself, this book is perfect for an over-sized edition.
I hope the final fight is Thor vs. Wolverine and it ends in a manly hug.
And all of the beer.
Or…It’s a drinking contest instead of a fight!
The absolute best thing about that cover is that there are no Wolverine and the X-men characters in it! Keep them out of it!!!!
Yeah, you’re right. It’s only the stuffed shirt snooty X-Men, none of the fun ones.
Pass.
Okay, so I’m interested in just two issues of this series:
– Moondragon vs. Professor X, the Battle of the Bald, all happening in telepathic space; and
– Wolverine, the X-Men vs Wolverine, the Avenger, written by Jason Aaron, Scott Snyder and featuring Grant Morrison.
Magneto VS Iron Man. Now that’s what I’d like to see. Magneto crushing Iron Man like an empty can of coke… “K.O.!!!”
yes!
Look at the naysayers already too concerned with predictible worries like “mindless” and “marketing tool”, who cares? If you don’t like it don’t read it, seeing this all-star mash up collide should be fun at the core cause in the end they’re own titles will go on, most likely. I wanna see thing clobber anyone and Thor smash Namor over the head w his hammer, Cyclops will blast Cap, blocked by shield, shield smash to Cyclops face. This could go on forever and think Cable does matter,lol, his last solo run was good and I really enjoyed Second Coming as it served as the trilogy ending if the Messiah Complex/War, didn’t think he’d be back so soon but hope he kills someone for good, make room for some other great characters nit being used and stick to someone’s death like Gwen Stacy and finally Vulture, (just not Bucky or Thor,cause I like them but too late). Winter Soldier should be good, him and Black Widow make for good stories.
the meaningless “smashy smashy” attitude of Fear Itself can make anyone dubious of a book that clams to be nothing but smashy-smashy.
I said it was potentially mindless and a marketing tool but I never said it was a bad thing or that I was against it. While I like a book that has something more interesting to say I sometimes just like superheroes cos they punch good.
an interesting facet of these “battles” is that one of the characters has to get their asses kicked…..and then be teased about it…inside comics and in the real world. You’d think there will be some losing of “street cred” within the Marvel U for the losers.
Thing vs Namor!? That’s the match I’ve always dreamed of!
Just read the first 20 issues of Fantastic Four. they fight every other issue.
Even if that’s true, when I think of Namor vs anyone it would be against Reed or Sue.
When FF first started, Stan and Jack went back and forth between Doom and Namor being the main villain for the team. In the early issues, Namor was really the main adversary they went against. Doom became their arch-enemy later on when his backstory got filled out more and linked with Reed and Ben’s. Early days, it was really more Namor. Plus, Namor would rarely fight Sue, as he was in love with her.
I personally can’t wait for:
Triathlon vs Magma
How much wikipediaing did it take to you to come up with that pairing?
@PraxJarvin: Quite a bit…..Also, the list on wikipedia for Avengers and X-Men members is ginormous!
Thor v Storm
Vision v Danger
Wolverine v Wolverine
Rulk v Jugger-Colossus
Rogue v Ms. Marvel
Squirel Girl v Broo
Avengers Versus X-Men Versus.
This title brought to you by the Department o Redundancy Department.
Why doesn’t anyone wants to see Howard the Duck beat up somebody?
Let’s say Howard the Duck versus versus the Beyonder versus. And make a sequel to that story…
Comics needs more Howard the Duck. Good to see I’m not the only one that thinks this.
Spider Baby vs whoever was in the closet.
Jarvis vs Chun Lee.
Hercules vs Wolverine’s old brown costume.
Doctor Druid vs a box of pretzles.
X-man vs the ghost of 90s past.
Liefeld Hawkeye vs Movie Hawkeye.
D-man vs U-GO Girl.
Marvel’s drum beating vs my lack of interest.
this event vs what ever Rick Remender & Jeff Parker are doing at the time (i’ll bet on the later to win).
I kinda like this idea. I mean, leave the story progress and characterization to the pages of the main book, and the more indepth combat stuff for the side book as a focus. If its actually done right, sure, it’ll be fun for what it is. I’m down.
SQUIRREL GIRL VERSUS DOOP.
Wolverine vs Batman. Wait, no.
Wolverine vs Jarvis. No no no!
Wolverine vs Squirrel Girl. These are physical matches right? Its not chess matches or baseball games right?
Also they need to scrap the whole prestigious artist thing and just use stills from marvel vs capcom 3.
They did Wolverine vs Squirrel Girl in New Avengers recently. The runty Canuck got his ass kicked its fair to say
I know they’ve been building up the X-Men versus Avengers thing a bit- as mentioned multitude times in Uncanny X-Men (and previously), but this is so gimmicky. I know, publishing is tough, gotta do something, but really?
I’d like to see an old school publisher cross-over, like Dr. Strange Vs. John Constantine or something. That would be cooler. More cool. Whatever.
Or maybe X-Men vs. Avengers. When you put one team first in the ‘x vs. x’ equation, doesn’t that mean they’re playing at their home venue?
How about
Wolverine vs Wolverine?
Storm vs Storm?
beast vs Beast?
So basically it is UFC for Marvel? With no real tie ins to this series (I realize it ties into the upcoming event), past story lines, point ones or continuity?
That is basically all I want.
Ok, i could be wrong here but this feels kind of like Civil War.
Like many others, I’m putting this in the “so dumb it might work” category. (have to admit I’m looking forward to it, though)
WAIT WAIT WAIT
so Cable doesn’t kill the Avengers?
If this book came out in the 80s, I would have been all over it. Now, not so much.
P.S. I’d love to see Iron Man v Colossus.
Ultimate War.
Ultimates vs X-Men.
Thor vs Storm. Colossus vs Iron Man. Hawkeye shoots a nuke arrow. Good fun.
Every now and then comics need to do something that is just plain fun.
Hopefully we’ll see it announced soon.
which team is logan going to be on?
All of them
all both of them?
I’m really happy for everyone who is looking forward to this event. I hope it’s everything you want it to be and more.
I expect X-Vengers to launch off the back of this event.
If I may quote Ryan Davis: “Why does Cyclops have 5 fingers and no thumb?”
Because he’s a mutant?
Big two comic readers have gotten to old and cynical. My inner 12 year old i’s really looking forward to this.
If you really want ALL of your big two superhero books to be thought provoking masterpieces of storytelling you really ought to be directing more of your reading elsewhere.
Very well said. I actually would pick this up except I won’t be reading the main Avengers vs X-Men series, so the fights will be totally pointless for me. If I was reading the mini, no doubt I would devour these.
this is not the thing the comics industry needs, this is really embarrassing for marvel.
I really don’t understand what Marvel’s doing. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like just yesterday they were quickly scrambling to go back to lighthearted comics after Civil War, Secret Invasion and Dark Reign. Now we’ve got the Dark Avengers back, Shattered Heroes and Super Heroes warring against Super Heroes again? Not stoked. Seems incredibly forced.
I can’t speak to the Dark Avengers or Shattered Heroes items, but I don’t think there’s any cause to say Avengers vs X-Men doesn’t feels forced. Here’s my evidence:
-You’ve got Cyclops’ Extinction team basically telling the world “We’re powerful enough to do whatever the eff we want, but we want to help you puny humans, whether you like it or not!”. I could see the Avengers getting a little concerned about that.
-You’ve got the Scarlet Witch back on the table in some way over in Children’s Crusade. At the very least, the issue of what to do with her brings the X-Men and the Avengers into disagreement.
-You’ve got Cable messing with the Avengers over in X-Sanction. Even though he may be acting alone, it’s a safe a bet that the X-Men might back him up a little bit, right?
-And Hope has some kind of tie to the Phoenix Force and all the reality-threatening cosmic power that can come of that. Certainly sounds like something Earth’s Mightiest Heroes might want to take care of, no?
So if those events do contribute to Avengers vs X-Men, I’d say it’s developed pretty naturally. And Marvel has been making statements to the effect that even though there will be plenty of throwdowns, the event itself isn’t just about the fighting.
ergh…that should say “but I don’t think there’s any cause to say AVX feels forced”. Proofreading, Schmoofreading.
Does Cyclops have 5 fingers and no thumb?
I would love to see Spider-man take on Cyclops but that probably won’t happen.
Black Widow vs Doctor Nemesis
Wow, Tom… I hope you aren’t a lawyer because your evidence doesn’t prove anything. Of course Marvel has to justify their numbers to their parent company. Any company that doesn’t want explanations for profits and losses generated by their products is at best living on borrowed time (and may even be criminally negligent).
But to a larger point, my evidence doesn’t prove anything either because….AVX has not been published yet! Maybe it shakes out due to the things I mentioned, maybe not. The point is we don’t know, and are merely speculating.
You say “Cyclops and Cap wouldn’t fight each other to this degree” — to what degree? The story won’t even begin for another couple months! We have only the faintest idea what this story is all about. Who’s to say if it develops organically or not?
If you want to second guess Marvel’s publishing motivations, that’s fine. But I don’t think it’s unreasonable to at least let them publish the damn thing first, you know?
Ha! I never noticed that before with Cyclops till now.
I think this could be fun especially if they let the artists go all out creatively with the fights. I might grab a few of these depending on the match ups.
As for the main event title I am still waiting to see how I feel after the first issue.
iron fist vs betsy braddock
gambit vs spiderman
but it looks like thor is back so I wish it was magneto vs thor or namor vs thor
i think spider-man would smash seven shades of shit outa gambit. the only question is what outfit he’ll wear while doin’ it.
however, me & remy from the same area, so i feel compelled to root for him.
but, i like the avengers more than the x-men.
i like spidey more, nonetheless, should i give moral support to a yank(ha!)
-team spidey
a lot of people thought cap and iron man would never fight to the extent to which they did. and civil war was excellent.
i dont know if i care about this event yet, but im making a valid point
I really want to see Uncanny X-force vs. Secret Avengers.
@Tom: I wouldn’t hold your breath, when I find myself not liking a particular book I let it go and focus on the ones I enjoy or seek out new ones. It may sound strange to some folks, but I just don’t have the time or inclination to be bitter about something as inconsequential as a comic book.
is it real thor or ragnarock?