With Nova and Starlord presumed dead at the conclusion of this year's Thanos Imperative limited series, and DnA's attention turned terrestrial with projects like Iron Man/Thor and Heroes for Hire, the future of Marvel cosmic has felt far from certain. The exception has been the promise of a Rocket Raccoon and Groot mini teased in San Diego with a phenomenal Mike Mignola cover.
And then there's that rumor…
The war drums have been pa-rum-pa-pum-pumming for months now about a potential 'Cosmic Avengers' title from the writing team of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. We even caught a glimpse of the team roster in Thanos Imperative. Not just a revolving team of ragtag misfits like the Guardians of the Galaxy or a faceless police force like the Nova corps, but a bona fide lineup of galactic avengers.
These are the Annihilators, a team consisting of Beta-Ray Bill, the Silver Surfer, Quasar, Gladiator and Ronan the Accuser.
Marvel has announced a new limited series called Annihilators with art by Tan Eng Huat. It's only four issues, but If the mini does well enough we might see more of them. Oh, and that Rocket Raccoon and Groot story? That's part of the Annihilators book too. Each issue will feature a full-length chapter of the Annihilators story as well as a full-length Rocket Raccoon and Groot story drawn by Timothy Green III. The Mignola image will serve as a variant cover for the first issue.
Here's what both writers had to say:
“It’s another long term cosmic dream that we’ve tried to develop and move towards, and it’s finally happening,” says an excited Abnett of ANNIHILATORS. “It’s a new cosmic team and it’s all heavy hitters. It’s the ‘Cosmic Avengers’—as the fans called them—seen in Thanos Imperative. They’re probably the single most powerful Marvel team ever.”
“We picked the top flight, first class heroes,” adds Lanning. “The wish list; the A-grade, to contrast with the mavericks and misfits of [GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY]. This is the anti-Guardians, though their primary role is the same, and they’re essentially the Guardians’ legacy.”
“It’s a double header—another Marvel first,” exclaims Lanning. “A full-length Annihilators story and a full-length Rocket and Groot story in big double-sized issues! From the biggest scale cosmic to the wackiest, and the Rocket and Groot stuff is really funny. Tim’s artwork has us rolling on the floor every time it comes in.”
“Considering himself a failures after what happened to the Guardians, Rocket is aimlessly kicking around and gets drawn into a madcap and very swashbuckling adventure that ties into his past and Groot’s too,” elaborates Abnett. “Revelations! Surprises! Woodpeckers! It’s all here!”
Annihilators debuts in March 2011.
Stoked!
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I’m so behind on reading all of the Marvel Cosmic titles it’s not even funny – but I enjoy it when I do get around to it. This miniseries has sparked my interest enough that I will be grabbing up the missing trades I haven’t read and get caught up (hopefully) in time for this miniseries.
Very stoked!
why not capitalize on Avengers-mania and call them the Cosmic Avengers? it’s not as if Captain Steve calls his team SECRET Avengers? or Cage calling his team NEW Avengers. come on DnA, call them COSMIC Avengers!
Not really what I was hoping for but it’s Cosmic and done by the best so I’ll take it! I wish the Rocket and Groot mini was still on so I could have more than one Cosmis title but…I’ll take it any way I can get it.
I really don’t like this whole ‘Cosmic Avengers’ tag I’m seeing on the different sites though. Let’s just leave the whole “Avengers” thing out of this and keep Marvel Cosmic on it’s own.
I’m VERY eager to jump on board with this and look forward to a lot more in this corner of the Marvel Universe!
BLUE BLAZES!
Looks like a great jumping on point too, if anybody’s skittish about all the continuity. It seems like more than just a new chapter. Almost a new volume.
@RahUniQue A very good point.
That’s good advice @Paul — advice I’ll be heeding. Who else would feature a book starring a tree and a raccoon?
Sorta bummed by the lack of Nova & Star-Lord, though! Isn’t Nova still a ‘Secret Avenger’?
I definitely don’t want to miss this.
Just to be sure, this would be solicited in January Previews right?
For those of us who have missed all of the cosmic events, what’s the reading order? I haven’t read Cosmic Marvel since the original Annihilation mini-series.
@Kirkerson Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanos Imperative, January’s Thanos Imperative: Devastation.
You can apparently read TI: Devastation and then jump right into Annihilators.
Ronan the Accuser AND Beta Ray Bill on the same team? WELL LOOK WHAT I’M GOING TO BE READING IN MARCH.
Thanks, @PaulMontgomery!
Does the War of Kings stuff have anything to do with this?
@redlibertyx i’d say it’s HAMMER TIME! ( yeah…i said it. )
I miss Star Lord *sniff*
@RahUniQue Hopefully they will never be called Avengers, since they would be avenging something. Being called Annihilators means Annihilation which swerves back into previous territory (Annihilus). I’m betting on tons of action from this one.
@Kirkerson It goes Annihilation, Secret Invasion (tie-ins), War of Kings, Realm of Kings, Thanos Imperative. There are miniseries associated plus many issues in the main Nova and Guardians series tied into these story lines. As Paul pointed out, the Devestation issue in January will probably recap everything or provide what you need. Check this list I found on Amazon for a more detailed idea.
Excited about this series. Less excited by the Tan Eng Huat art. Wasn’t that big of a fan of him when he did Punisher. Hopefully, he’ll do some good cosmic stuff.
SWEET! The Thanos Imperative was fantastic and I bet this will be too.
Thanks @Neb. Sounds like I have some holiday reading to do.
YES! This couldn’t be more perfect if it had the Slingers on the team. More Quasar in double sized cosmic DnA goodness? Make Mine Mutha@#$%in’ Marvel!
So who is gonna be the first to die? (and then be resurrected)
i haven’t been reading the cosmic marvel, is the Quasar Wendall Vaughn? i thought he was killed.
Anybody else worried that they’re just gonna reprint the 1995 series Star Masters series with new covers. That team consisted of Quasar, Beta Ray Bill and Silver Surfer along with some other purple and blue characters. http://marvel.com/universe/Star_Masters
I tend to think it would sell better (at least #1) if it were called Cosmic Avengers, but that would be a small impact marketing decision. The Annihilators can become a new tv or movie property, and is a better new trademark.
I’m really stoked but I could’ve sworn that DnA said they were off cosmic after Thanos Imperative except for RR and Groot. As such I hope Marvel didn’t push this on them and they end up phoning it in. Everything they’ve done so far has been so kick-ass I’d hate for this to be a letdown. Anyone know if this is the case or am I talking out of my ass as per usual?
@kmob181 I remember reading that in addition to Heroes for hire and the Rocket Raccoon and Groot series they had a secret project they weren’t allowed to talk about. this must be it
One of my favorite set of stories out there was DNA’s marvel’s cosmic series. I am so glad they are double packing this.
Now this is what im talkin about! I wish they would call the book cosmic avengers, them’s two words that are awesome all by themselves and even awesomer together!
would be infinitely appreciative of a ‘marvel cosmic’ video podcast!?!
I was so excited for this finally come about! Then I suddenly read who the artist was:
Tan Eng Haut…..TAN ENG HAUT!!!
Then I suddenly got depressed and realized this is gonna be ugly as sin. No thank you Marvel.
@TheNextChampion you don’t like his art? i looked up his work and i thought it looked cool. oh well, to each his own.
@RahUniQue: It’s ugly. Trust me, seeing random pages isn’t doing him justice on just how bad of an artist he is.
@RahUniQue I like Tan Eng Haut, too. I remember his stuff for the (short-lived) John Arcudi version of Doom Patrol back in the early 00’s, and I liked that quite a bit. His more recently stuff (Ghost Rider, I think), I haven’t liked as much, but I think he’s got really unique, quirky style, and this could be a fun book.
“Annihilators” sounds like a villain team name from the 90’s or something. I do like the team members though. (Except Quasar. He’s always bugged me for some reason.) I’m in for Rocket Raccoon either way.
I really like Tang Eng Huat, he’s a very adaptable artist. His Ghost Rider was so so, but I loved his Punisher and Doom Patrol issues. He’s really a perfect fit for this type of book.
Is it March tomorrow?
if they make this Cosmic Avengers, then they should make the Hawkeye & Mockingbird/Widowmaker/Hawkeye mini into West Coast Avengers. They could just pick up where they left off in the 90s at like 103 or something, right? That would surely keep it from getting cancelled.
This team has some BAMF’s on it, and i love me some ronan action
BUT…
It needs a hot chick
@daccampo yeah i remember that Doom Patrol stuff. have to go check out this Ghost Rider work.
@daccampo/comicbookchris/RahUniQue: To each his own. But from what I’ve seen of him (Deadpool, Ghost Rider, Punisher, Thor: First Thunder, AND Moon Knight)….it looks like shit.
But that’s just me.
Is the Silver Surfer story that is coming out soon(?) in continuity and will it lead to this I wonder, because I believe they’ll overlap.
I’m really excited about this.
Jesus, TNC, take a deep breath… And chill out a bit on the hatin’.
Oh I nearly forgot about Silver Surfer: In Thy Name! That was probably my favorite series that he did. Being as this is a similar setting, I wonder if this series will look like that? I’m now really looking forward to this.
I’m IN LIKE FLYNN!
I was just thinking about Silver Surfer the other day. He’s a herald again for Galactus right? How did that happen? I’ll go look it up on wikipedia.
@Roi – Thanks man. That’s great to here.
@magan3D – Oh my god, YES! That is flippin’ brilliant! All they have to do is cancel one of the currect Avengers books to make room for it… I vote for Adjectiveless.