Marvel Announces Dark Reign; Marvel Noir

[GrnMarvl14]

Source.

Brian Bendis was the special, surprise guest during Marvel Comics' presentation at Diamond Comics Distributors' retailer summit in Las Vegas Nevada Monday evening. After thanking retailers for the success of this summer's Secret Invasion, Bendis announced the Marvel event that follows that storyline will be called Dark Reign, which will focus on the "after effects" of Secret Invasion, and will include several Marvel Universe titles that will feature "Dark Reign" trade dress.

More specifically Bendis went on to say the post-Invasion Marvel Universe will feature a complete change in his Avengers family of titles, including Bendis leaving Mighty Avengers with issue #20 and the launch of a new title Dark Avengers, with art by Mike Deodato.

The fan-favorite but sometimes controversial creator told the retailer audience that if they thought Internet readers have been mad at him before that they should watch out for the post-Invasion fallout as he expects "loads of sh*t" to head his way.

His Spider-Woman series with artist Alex Maleev is also still in the works, and the creators duo plan a long run on the title.

Bendis went on to apologize for the lateness of his ICON series Powers, and spoke briefly about the deal for a TV show adaptation that he would help write and that should be officially announced soon.

Among the other Marvel projects announced...

Ultimate Avengers by Mark Millar, scheduled for an early Marvel 2009 debut. Fans that have been around for a few years may recall that very early on in the development of the Ultimate Universe, the title that would become The Ultimates was originally referred to as "Ultimate Avengers".

The Amazing Spider-Man #600 creative team was not announced, but promo art shown to retailers apparently featured an image of the "classic" Mary Jane with Peter Parker and a caption asking what "really" happened at Spider-Man's wedding.

Marvel Noir is an upcoming new line that explains those four b&w teaser images the publisher has released over the last few months. The line will apparently launch with a title featuring the X-Men, with Spider-Man and then other characters/properties to follow.

This was only a brief recap of the projects announced to retailers Monday evening. Expect much more detail here at Newsarama Tuesday.

Anyone else get the feeling that Secret Invasion doesn't have a happy ending?

And Marvel Noir. It MIGHT be good, but I HATE reinventing ideas just to fit a popular trend. Though it CAN'T be as bad as the Mangaverse stuff (I hope...).

 

[MondoTR]

I wasn't aware Secret Invasion was already out. ^_^; I would like to read it at some point and see how it effected things. Specifically the Runaways because of Xavin.

Dark Reign sounds interesting, I'll have to read it at some point as well.

I really need to catch up in Marvel. XD;

 

[Lil Brother]

Ultimate Avengers by Mark Millar, scheduled for an early Marvel 2009 debut. Fans that have been around for a few years may recall that very early on in the development of the Ultimate Universe, the title that would become The Ultimates was originally referred to as "Ultimate Avengers".

Awesome. So this is the project Millar had planned for the UU, I suppose. I can't wait for him to fix up the mess that Loeb made of the Ultimates. If I could have my wish, Ultimate Avengers would be an ongoing with an artist who has a similiar style to Hitch's but doesn't have the same kind of mega-delays.

Somebody replacing Bendis on Mighty Avengers sounds good to me. I love his New Avengers, but not so much with Mighty. I'm looking forward to seeing what the two teams' rosters are. And no Wolverine, thank you.

...Dark Avengers now? Maybe a Thunderbolts-style team? I wonder if it has anything to do with that "Evil Illuminati" one-shot I remember reading about.

 

[GrnMarvl14]

I'm interested in how Ultimate Avengers will work, post Ultimatum. This is also the first title we've had announced for the post-Ultimatum Ultimate universe.

...Dark Avengers now? Maybe a Thunderbolts-style team? I wonder if it has anything to do with that "Evil Illuminati" one-shot I remember reading about.

I just hope "Dark" doesn't become the new "New" or "Young."

And I wonder what this means for New Avengers. Will we have THREE ongoing Avengers books (plus Ultimate Avengers, Avengers: The Initiative, and the Avengers/Invaders mini-series. Plus, hopefully, SOMETHING Young Avengers)?

Interview with Millar regarding Ultimate Avengers.

 

[Zeta]

Now we'll get Dark Avengers, Dark Alpha Force, Dark Fantastic Four, and Dark X-men. All of your favorite Marvel characters with 10 times the angst, aggression, bloodshed, grittiness, grim and emo!

 

[GrnMarvl14]

The scary thing? I bet you've accurately predicted the focus of every Marvel comic until 2010. At which point, bunnies, unicorns, and rainbows become big. And Power Pack reigns supreme.

Dark X-men

So...X-Force?

 

[Zeta]

No, even darker. One character will have the ability to control drugs with his mind, the other is a Santanist, the third one is a rape victim and rapist who is constantly being raped, and finally we have the guy who gets married once a week and every single time his wife is killed with an exploding missile to the vagina.

 

[Lil Brother]

Oh my God.

Dark GLA.

I want it written and published. Now.