Marvel’s Next Big Thing: Rick Remender Reveals UNCANNY AVENGERS New Members

Uncanny Avengers #5 Cover by John Cassaday

With one issue released and fans anxiously awaiting the next issue from the Marvel NOW! flagship book, Uncanny Avengers, Marvel Comics hosted a press conference today to begin the hype around Uncanny Avengers #5, coming in Feburary 2013. Uncanny Avengers writer Rick Remender was joined by editor Tom Brevoort to break the important bits of news related to the series:

  • Issue #5 features interior art by guest artist Olivier Coipel.
  • The issue adds three more characters to the roster: Sunfire, The Wasp and Wonder Man.

With the pertinent bits of news out of the way, Remender and Brevoort helped paint the picture of what fans can expect from Uncanny Avengers with these cast additions and how the entire run is shaping up. In terms of the new team members, Remender outlined the various roles they will play:

  • Sunfire – known as a loner and not a “joiner” of super teams, Sunfire is recruited for a very specific mission by Wolverine. Brevoort described this mission as a “samurai” mission. Remender also expanded on Sunfire’s motivation as seeing the call to join the Avengers as something very different than joining the X-Men, which he’s turned down time after time over the years.
  • Wonder Man – coming off of the major character development done by Brian Michael Bendis in his Avengers run, Wonder Man will continue his pacifist ways, while leveraging his previous Hollywood experience to help the Uncanny Avengers handle public relations.
  • The Wasp – back from dead recently, The Wasp will be helping to not only bankroll the team, which has no formal government support, but also work towards helping the reputation of mutants around the world, or at least trying to.

Remender elaborated on the mission that the Uncanny Avengers will be working towards, bringing together humans and mutants, but of course it’s a mission that doesn’t always go smoothly. Known for long term story planning, Remender revealed that as of now they’ve broken the first 20 issues of the series story-wise. The first story arc, which ends at issue #4, combined with this stand alone issue #5 will really set the stage for what that long term story arc will be–it will reveal what the Red Skull, Kang and Apocalypse are doing and why the Uncanny Avengers will need to stop them.

In talking about the new team members, as well as the team in general, it’s clear that Remender’s dialed in with a reverence that is very familiar post his run on Uncanny X-Force. Bringing that sense of character development and relationship building, while facing an evil threat, Remender commented “These people are becoming a family and they have to face something bigger than the Avengers or the X-Men have ever faced.” Expanding on that, Remender laid out how the backgrounds and origins of each of these characters bring something unique to the table. The challenge of a pacifist Wonder Man is highlighted by his long relationship with Scarlet Witch, which is made more complex by her current rift with Rogue, who has a sketchy history with the Avengers in general, and so on for each character.

Another item of note that came up was the approach with artistic duties. After slight delays in the initial issues, the question of whether an alternating artist would be joining John Cassaday on the book was asked. Tom Brevoort didn’t confirm that there would be, rather saying to stay tuned to future announcements, leaving that open to interpretation. Brevoort did confirm that issue #2 is at the presses and issue #3 and #4 are continuing on schedule.

 

Comments

  1. Yay! Love Sunfire! Love Wonderman! Love Wasp (or at least her EMH incarnation…I haven’t seen her in comics in so long it will feel all new I’m sure). Love Coipel (A LOT)!

    But, are those thigh pouches I spy on Wonderman?

    • you must be seeing something i’m not

    • @TheFyl: He is referencing the red bands you can see on Wonder Man’s thighs. They are raised meaning not simply a different shade on the fabric of his costume for a design or anything. This means they are either bands or belts which could be holding pouches OR this could be a West Coast Avengers days throwback and they could be mini-jet thingies. He used to need those to fly, but ever since Busiek brought him back as an “ionic being” in his Heroes Reborn Avengers era, they have kinda just tossed flight into his power set. It would be neat to have some WCA referencing in Uncanny Avengers, but I don’t know how they would work it in terms of continuity.

    • Oh yeah, he doesn’t have a belt…those could well be jets…I would think attach jet rockets to thigh straps would inevitably cause some “riding up” issues. Jet powered moose-knucle FTL.

  2. I’m feeling good about this series, and everything in the press release sounds great. One item makes me scratch my head, though: issue #5 coming Feb. 2013? Somehow, I get the feeling that it’ll be more like April or May 2013 by the time this issue hits the stores.

    *looks over at John Cassaday* <_<

  3. I’m feeling good about this series, and everything in the press release sounds great. One item makes me scratch my head, though: issue #5 coming Feb. 2013? Somehow, I get the feeling that it’ll be more like April or May 2013 by the time this issue hits the stores.

    *looks over at John Cassaday* <_<

  4. I don’t really care for this line up, current or new. Which probably means I’m going to drop it soon. But damn, knowing that Coipel is doing art makes it so much harder to drop it…..Damn it Marvel. You got me. I’ll see it through until Coipel, but after that I’m not sure.

  5. I like it

  6. Yeah, Coipel!

    The new additions seem strange to me, but I trust Remender implicitly.

    Remember those interviews about the new cover style and how they were gonna change the way comics were sold and shopped? Yeeeeah. Good times.

  7. LOL, I love how Havok is supposed to be the leader, but in every promo image and cover Marvel puts out Cap is in the center and Havok is off to the side.

    Good to see Sunfire be used. I always had a soft spot for him for some reason.

  8. Holy crap! Scarlet Witch and Wonder Man were always on my fantasy X-men team in the 80’s. Real excited to see what Remender will do with Wonder Man.

  9. I always thought that Wonder Man and Wasp were underdeveloped characters with potential. One of Remender’s strengths is exploring the psychology of his characters, so I expect that he will be able to make Wondy and Wasp interesting. I wonder how a pacifist superhero will play out, though. It’s interesting that Remender is including two Avengers that Bendis had shunted aside for years during his Avengers run.

  10. Love Sunfire and Wonder Man. Might be tempted to pick up this one issue.

  11. Anyone else think Cap’s shield looks too tiny in that cover?

  12. I feel odd saying this but…this has to be the worst cast of characters ever assembled. Not only that but the character designs are easily some of the worst I’ve seen, there’s a reason Sunfire and Havok stopped wearing those outfits years ago (at least Wonderman is not in his coat).

    I absolutely loved Remenders Uncanny X-Force and Secret Avengers and I loved Cassaday on Astonishing X-Men, but I find myself having to really push myself into picking this series up.

  13. What in the fuck is a Wonder Man? I’d give him one issue, and end it with his inevitable suicide.

  14. Am I alone in thinking that the wasp is a stupid character? Why does she keep making her way into books?

  15. When and how did Janet come back? I have not been reading current avengers or AvX..

  16. All the hub bub over the character line up. I’m of the mindset that if the writer is good, it really don’t matter which toys they’re playing with, so all the “I love [writer/artist] but this line up rabble rabble rabble” is weirding me out.

    I’m more concerned about the shipping. I think I may have been spoiled by double shipping. I want to be one of those “Ooooh take your time, please!!” people… BUT I WANT MARVEL NOW NeeeeeeeeoooooOOOOOOOW (<–Veruca Salt moment)

  17. If written well, this team can be very powerful together. Luckily, we have Rick Remender as the writer so you know that this will be fantastic! And having Olivier Coipel as the guest artist just makes this a must-have issue!

    I met Olivier Coipel at DragonCon 2010 and he seemed to really enjoy interacting with his fans. He was very nice. He was signing comics, sketching, and taking pictures with his fans. You’ve got to respect that, especially considering the volume of people he would have to be around during a con.

    Now Brian Pulido on the other hand……he was an a$$h0le.

  18. I have little interest in most of these characters, but I see that as a good thing. This gives Remender a chance to make me care about ’em. Cant wait to read this issue.

  19. Am I the only one that thinks it’s odd to be promoting the 5th issue of a comic that has only had one issue come out? I mean, I know comics is constantly looking toward the future, but to start the hype machine so far out just seems a bit weird to me.

    Glad to see that people excited. Not reading this myself, as I took Marvel Now as a chance to cut down the pull list. Hope this turns out good for fans.

  20. When did Havok get back form space jail?