NYCC 2014: Marvel - Axel-in-Charge Panel
It just wouldn't be Comic-Con without some major announcements from publishers, would it? During today's Axel-in-Charge panel, the House of Ideas' Editor in Chief, Axel Alonso, took the the stage and was joined by Gerry Duggan, Kieron Gillen, Ales Kot, Phil Noto, James Robinson, Charles Soule, Nick Spencer, G. Willow Wilson (and eventually a special guest...) to chat about the publisher's future and make some exciting announcements. Read on for the highlights!
New creative team for HAWKEYE announced! Coming this march, it's by Jeff Lemire (he’s apparently the master of archers?) & Ramon Perez.
Lemire says he can’t hope to duplicate Fraction/Aja’s success, just hopes to do the best he can. Really proud of what they’re doing… the more he thought about Clint and Kate, the more stories he realized he has to tell.
FANTASTIC FOUR: Robinson says he wants to honor all of the prior creative teams but still remain true to his own voice. Commented that his story has a lot of drama but he wanted to avoid making it too dark. Says the return to the blue costumes was all part of the plan and says everyone will have their moment.
·FANTASTIC FOUR #642 cover shown (January). Robinson says he’s moving towards the end of the F4. Tells readers they won’t leave the book with a bad taste in their mouth. States he's making the team go out with some style and thinks fans will be happy they invested in the series.
On SHE-HULK: Soule says he wanted to make the “day to day grind” of being a lawyer fun and interesting.
On DEATH OF WOLVERINE: Soule says it has been a “really, really incredible experience.” Says the last 5 pages or so are “a huge gut punch.” Jokes he’ll get yelled at on Twitter but hopes to get plenty of good reactions as well.
Kot says he took about 2 weeks to think about the BUCKY BARNES: THE WINTER SOLDIER offer because he wanted to make sure he wasn’t repeating himself; wants to give readers new experiences with each of his stories. “I wanted to take everything that’s good about the character and then boil it down to the basics and make him question himself again, but not in self-tortuous ways.” Says taking him to space will offer him new ways of thinking and interacting with everything around him.
ANT-MAN coming in January and it's by Nick Spencer and Ramon Rosanas. Spencer: "Scott is just a character that I really connect with. Scott wants to be a hero and he wants to be a good guy but he’s got a checkered past and tends to take shortcuts. I think we’re setting him up for a really exciting status quo – he’s going to be in a new city, have a new job."
MS. MARVEL – Willow says the great thing with Ms. Marvel is they have such an open canvas. Comments that 90% of the time the references tossed in the panels, which she's regularly praised for, are by the artist.
Noto: it was an artist’s team to work on BLACK WIDOW. "I had more than enough time to just do what I do. I’ve been able to just have fun and create real art for each issue; it’s just been great." Currently working on issue 12.
Phil Noto variants in Feb.
DEADPOOL: Duggan says he and Brian Posehn knew they wanted to open with a big comedy. "Now we’re really writing for Wade Wilson – the man who puts on the mask and becomes Deadpool." States they're looking to find other ways to hurt him. "If I chop his arm off, we can put his arm back on. But if we hit him in the heart…" Adds they're working on issue 45 right now and says 2015 will be a very big year for Deadpool. “We’re finding ways to hurt him and you seem to be liking it, so thank you.”
Gillen: ANGELA: ASGARD’S ASSASSIN. “Asgardian Black Widow is kind of how I phrased it.”
Question time!
Fan loves the equality in Marvel’s comics and how they don’t embrace stereotypes. Asks how it feels to pave the way. Answer: "It’s basic: you’re all special. It sounds cliché, but it’s true. You’re all special and we should be reflecting that."
Fan thanks Marvel for the increased diversity. Says there’s still a long way to go, so asks what we can hope to see in the next few years. Answer: Alex comments that he thinks they try to tell good stories and see where they land. Adds that he anticipates more of the same and improvement.
Fan wonders when we'll see Elijah Bradley. Answer: Implies we’ll see him soon. Alex say no one’s a bigger fan of Bradley than he is.
Fan asks for an update on Hank Pym. Answer: "We have a plan, but he ain’t Ant-Man. Stay tuned for more about him."
Fan question: "Hank Pym/other Ant-Men be in the ANT-MAN book?" Spencer's answer: “Yes, there’s a lot of legacy to that helmet. We’ll see some familiar faces.”
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