Namor and Thanos are killing alternate worlds together and the next doomed Earth is actually kind of a big deal! Check out the preview!
Jonathan Hickman's New Avengers run (and to a lesser extent, its companion piece, Avengers) has been one of the most intriguing Marvel books in years. It tells the story of the Illuminati, a team of geniuses who are up against a multiversal threat that even they can't decipher. Universes are colliding into each other and the multiverse is crumbling. Whenever two Earths are about to collide – "incursions" as they're called – there are two options. You can either allow both universes to be completely destroyed, or you can destroy one Earth and live to fight another day until the next incursion.
Do you buy time by doing the unthinkable or do you hold on to your sense of decency and let two realities burn to nothing? Can you kill billions to save the lives of trillions? Even the universe with the destroyed Earth will survive if you can bring yourself to do the deed.
While most of the Illuminati folded at the idea of actually destroying a populated planet, Namor showed conviction and blew up a faux-DC Earth out of reluctant necessity before chewing out Iron Man and the rest for being worse than him. Since then, he's put together a new Cabal made up of Black Swan, Maximus, Terrax, Proxima Midnight, Corvius Glaive, and the Mad Titan himself, Thanos. To protect their universe, the group has taken to wiping out entire planets by themselves.
The next issue, illustrated by Valerio "Should Draw Namor Forever" Schiti, is set to come out at the end of September and from looking at the three textless pages, it's going to be an oversized doozy. Namor has dinner with his longtime ally Dr. Doom – who would presumably be fully onboard with the new Cabal's mission – but that's not even the part that grabs my attention the most.
While there have been many destroyed Earths in this series, they have been made up on the spot and lack any attachment (unless you count the Great Society's world, which earned attachment from us). In New Avengers #24, the Cabal annihilates the world of Supreme Power.
Debuting in 2003, J. Michael Straczynski and Gary Frank's Supreme Power made waves as a darkier, grittier reimagining of the Squadron Supreme stories with a MAX rating. So it had bare boobies and stuff. Telling the stories of Hyperion, Nighthawk, Zarda, Blur, and others, the initial ongoing lasted for 18 issues, continuing into a Hyperion miniseries, and then being relaunched as Squadron Supreme.
It lasted seven issues before JMS left it hanging on a cliffhanger. It continued into a crossover with the Ultimate Universe in a 12-issue limited series called Ultimate Power, followed after by another ill-fated Squadron Supreme ongoing, this time helmed by Howard Chaykin. After the series died a quiet death, they did a four-issue miniseries called God and Soldiers that fell under everyone's radar. Various other miniseries existed across its eight-year lifespan and team member Zarda even lived in the Ultimate Universe for a few years.
In a few weeks, they're all going to be snuffed out. Damn.
Time Runs Out! Your First Look at NEW AVENGERS #24!
New York, NY—August 28, 2014—Witness the beginning of the end and the rise of a new Cabal as the Marvel Universe reaches the end of the line in the oversized NEW AVENGERS #24! Superstar writer Jonathan Hickman and Marvel All-New Young Gun artist Valerio Schiti fast forward 8 months into the future as the battle-worn Marvel Universe faces judgment day, and the Avengers and Illuminati wage war against each other.
The Incursions by parallel Earths from other dimensions have increased in number! To save both universes, one Earth must be destroyed each time! As the Avengers & Illuminati battle over what must be done – Namor has taken matters into his own hands! Forming his new Cabal composed of Thanos, Maximus, Black Swan, Terrax, Proxima Midnight & Corvius Glaive, they’ll stop at nothing to ensure their Earth survives, including the destruction of worlds!
“This isn’t some maybe-future, this is the real deal, what’s awaiting the Marvel Universe in the coming year,” says Executive Editor Tom Brevoort in an interview with Marvel.com.
As this epic, oversized issue jumps forward 8 months, witness the staggering future that awaits the Marvel Universe and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? With the war between the Avengers and the Illuminati at its peak, the Final Incursion is upon us The clock is ticking and your questions will be answered this September in NEW AVENGERS #24!
NEW AVENGERS #24 (JUL140620)
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by VALERIO SCHITI
Cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO
Time Runs Out Variant by AGUSTIN ALESSIO (JUL140621)FOC – 09/01/14, On-Sale – 09/24/14
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