The finale of Avengers: Armageddon arrived yesterday. Now, the Marvel Universe faces an uncertain future as a new era begins!
Next month, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Wolverine, Luke Cage, and Miracleman assemble as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Avengers #1 by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto. The new run spins out of Armageddon which ends with the world turning its back on super heroes as well as the events of the latest arc of Zdarsky’s Captain America where Cap and Doctor Doom team up to overthrow Mephisto in hell.
Also spinning out of Armageddon, Immortal Soldiers #1 by Zdarsky and Christian Rosado charts the future of the Marvel Universe, laying the groundwork for the biggest storylines on the horizon. First announced at New York Comic Con, the reveal of Ben Harvey’s main cover unveils that Bucky Barnes will co-star with Nick Fury Sr. in this essential one-shot, his tragic fate at the end of Armageddon reversed by Nick for this very purpose…
IMMORTAL SOLDIERS #1
Written by CHIP ZDARSKY Art by CHRISTIAN ROSADO Cover A by BEN HARVEY On Sale 1/13
ARMAGEDDON DIDN’T END THE WAR — IT STARTED ONE!
Bucky Barnes tragically died during the conflict with Red Hulk… but was mysteriously reborn. How did he come back to life? What’s Nick Fury Sr. got to do with it? Answers and more questions await…
AVENGERS #3
Written by CHIP ZDARSKY Art by MARCO CHECCHETTO Cover A by MARCO CHECCHETTO On Sale 1/27
“CHASE THE DEVIL” PART ONE!
Mephisto literally unleashed Hell on Earth, and Spider-Man’s new team of Avengers is determined to make him pay! But that’ll be easier said than done, as Mephisto has some shocking new allies…
KEVIN SMITH (W) DAVID MARQUEZ (A) COVER A BY DAVID MARQUEZ COVER B BY ALEX ROSS (ALLIANCE) COVER C BY KAARE ANDREWS (BATTLE) COVER D BY CORY SMITH (STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE) COVER E BY RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE (CROSSOVER) COVER F BY DAN JURGENS (RETRO) COVER G BY ROGÊ ANTÔNIO (MARVEL HOMAGE, 1:25) COVER H BY MATTEO LOLLI (FOIL) COVER I BY KAARE ANDREWS (VIRGIN, 1:100) THE BIGGEST CROSSOVER OF THE CENTURY!!! A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY is headed to the “World Outside Your Window.” To celebrate the 50th anniversary of STAR WARS, Marvel Comics and Lucasfilm Publishing present STAR WARS | MARVEL: HOPE ASSEMBLES, the first-ever crossover between the two legendary franchises. Written by KEVIN SMITH and drawn by DAVID MARQUEZ, the five-issue limited series brings together heroes and villains from both universes as the AVENGERS, SPIDER-MAN, LUKE SKYWALKER, PRINCESS LEIA, HAN SOLO, DARTH VADER, DOCTOR DOOM and more collide in an epic adventure. After a reality-shattering spell causes the events of A NEW HOPE to unfold on EARTH-616, two iconic universes meet on the page for the very first time. 40 PGS./Rated T …$5.99 (With Digital Code)
MIDNIGHT X-MEN #4
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) MATTEO BUFFAGNI (A) COVER A BY DIKE RUAN COVER B BY DECLAN SHALVEY (MIDNIGHT BLOODBATH) COVER C BY SKAN (MIDNIGHT SPECIAL) COVER D BY TBA (MIDNIGHT HORROR HOMAGE) COVER E BY MARK SPEARS (MIDNIGHT GALLERY 1:25) NO MUTANTS. NO MERCY. Two sets of letters go out. All sides are summoned. Two threats are made by both man and mutant. The one-eyed ronin finds a clue that will unravel long-laid plans. And a half-healed wound is hidden by shadow. 32 PAGES/Parental Advisory $4.99 US (WITH DIGITAL CODE)
MIDNIGHT FANTASTIC FOUR #4
BENJAMIN PERCY (W) MARCELO FERREIRA (A) COVER A BY KEV WALKER COVER B BY DECLAN SHALVEY (MIDNIGHT BLOODBATH) COVER C BY BEN HARVEY (MIDNIGHT SPECIAL) COVER D BY STONEHOUSE (MIDNIGHT HORROR HOMAGE) COVER E BY MARK SPEARS (MIDNIGHT GALLERY 1:25) FINDING THE HIDDEN WORLD! The Four return from the monolith in the Jornado del Muerto desert with no memory or record of their experience. Their minds and bodies are behaving strangely, which might have something to do with a cosmic artifact they encountered… 32 PAGES/Parental Advisory $4.99 US (WITH DIGITAL CODE)
MIDNIGHT SPIDER-MAN #4
PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON (W) SCIETRONC (A) COVER A BY STEVE BEACH COVER B BY DECLAN SHALVEY (MIDNIGHT BLOODBATH) COVER C BY PEACH MOMOKO (MIDNIGHT SPECIAL) COVER D BY KEI ZAMA (MIDNIGHT HORROR HOMAGE) COVER E BY MARK SPEARS (MIDNIGHT GALLERY 1:25) As New York City hides behind locked doors from the mysterious horror they call SPIDER-MAN, an outcast cop is burning every bridge to fi nd the truth behind the “Parker Incident.” Meanwhile, the devil’s hands have been busy…and the world’s second synthetic mutant is born. Featuring the FIRST APPEARANCE of one of Spider-Man’s most monstrous predators! 32 PAGES/Parental Advisory $4.99 US (WITH DIGITAL CODE)
AVENGERS #3
CHIP ZDARSKY (W) MARCO CHECCHETTO (A) COVER A BY MARCO CHECCHETTO COVER B BY JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO COVER C BY PEPE LARRAZ (1:25) COVER D BY SKOTTIE YOUNG COVER E BY JUAN FRIGERI (THWIP!) “CHASE THE DEVIL” PART ONE! Mephisto literally unleashed Hell on Earth, and Spider-Man’s new team of Avengers is determined to make him pay! But that’ll be easier said than done, as Mephisto has some shocking new allies… 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99 (With Digital Code)
IMMORTAL SOLDIERS #1
CHIP ZDARSKY (W) CHRISTIAN ROSADO (A) COVER A BY BEN HARVEY COVER B BY MARK CHIARELLO COVER C BY ACO COVER D BY DECLAN SHALVEY (1:25) ARMAGEDDON DIDN’T END THE WAR — IT STARTED ONE! Bucky Barnes tragically died during AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON…and was mysteriously reborn by the end. How did he come back to life? What’s Nick Fury Sr. got to do with it? Answers (and possibly more questions…) await in this dark, action-packed story from Chip Zdarsky and Christian Rosado! 32 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T …$4.99 (With Digital Code)
SPIDER-PUNK #1
CODY ZIGLAR (W) JUSTIN MASON (A) COVER A BY TAURIN CLARKE COVER B BY OLIVIER COIPEL COVER C BY JEROME OPENA (1:25) COVER D BY SIMONE DI MEO (THWIP!) COVER E BY JUSTIN MASON COVER F BY OLIVIER COIPEL (VIRGIN 1:50) SPIDER-PUNK’S GOING SOLO! The Spider-Band is MISSING, and Hobie Brown’s in L.A. to unravel the mystery of what happened to his friends. But he’ll have to confront his inner demons along the way, and those of a new adversary — MZ. NEGATIVE! And if that weren’t enough, she’s teamed up with SCORPION to be the ultimate thorn in Hobie’s side… Cody Ziglar and Justin Mason reunite AGAIN to make even more musical magic with your favorite rock ’n’ roll Spider-fam! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99 (With Digital Code)
MARVEL SFX: THWIP #1 (OF 4)
JED MACKAY, STEPHEN GRAHAM JONES & RAINBOW ROWELL (W) LUCAS WERNECK & ALESSANDRO CAPPUCCIO (A) COVER A BY ALESSANDRO CAPPUCCIO COVER B BY MARK CHIARELLO One of comics’ best innovations is the visual sound effect, and the House of Ideas is celebrating the best of all SFX with our new anthology THWIP! Some of comics’ best creators alongside luminaries from outside the field bring their Thwipiest stories to bear! Multi-Bram Stoker Award- and Nebula Award-winning author STEPHEN GRAHAM JONES (Buffalo Hunter Hunter) is joined by Marvel Stormbreaker ALESSANDRO CAPPUCCIO in this kickoff issue, also featuring JED MacKAY with LUCAS WERNECK and RAINBOW ROWELL. Future issues feature ERIK LARSEN, SIMONE DE MEO and so many more!!! 40 PGS./Rated T+ …$5.99 (With Digital Code)
(W) Stephanie Phillips (A) Lee Garbett (C) Frank Martin (CA) Lee Garbett (VCA) Dave Johnson, Eric Canete, Greg Land
FEAR GRIPS NYC! MR. FEAR, that is! When a new drug infiltrates E.S.U., MATT MURDOCK faces a new challenge threatening the student body… as DAREDEVIL faces off against a resurfaced madman! The stakes continue to rise for DD in the runaway hit series by STEPHANIE PHILLIPS and LEE GARBETT! And if you haven’t taken the plunge, leap in with this new arc and jumping-on point!
(W) Chip Zdarsky (A) Valerio Schiti (C) Romulo Fajardo Jr. (L) Joe Caramagna (CA) Valerio Schiti, Romulo Fajardo Jr. (VCA) Jonas Scharf, Riccardo Federici, Tony Parker and Andrew Dalhouse, Devmalya Pramanik and Alex Guimarães
WHO WILL RULE HELL? As the battle for Hell’s throne reaches its dramatic climax, Steve Rogers realizes he may have chosen the wrong side. The effects of the war spill out into the living world, bringing the Marvel Universe to the edge of ARMAGEDDON!
The point of no return! After the cataclysmic events of Avengers: Armageddon #4, the world is torn asunder. Humanity turns against super heroes. And for David Colton, what is the price of all that great power? Avengers: Armageddon #5 wraps up the event and shakes up the Marvel Universe’s status-quo.
With events, they often deliver a summer popcorn story but leave little lasting impact beyond the launch of new series’. Recent Marvel events might have changed up some small details or resulted in a new focus, but they rarely have really driven massive change to the entire Marvel Universe. Avengers: Armageddon has done that, not just with the introduction of Miracleman but also how the world looks at its superheroes and the superheroes see themselves and their future.
Written by Chip Zdarsky, Avengers: Armageddon #5 reflects on the fallout of the fourth issue. A nuclear explosion has gone off resulting in the death of many and a world who has had enough of the destruction due to the action of superheroes. Though they may have saved the world, enough is enough with the fallout. It again addresses the elephant in the room, with so many abilities and such brilliance, why haven’t they focused on truly improving the world instead of just fighting? Avengers: Armageddon has given us the groundwork and a riff on the Superhuman Registration Act on a global scale.
It’s very much an end chapter, an almost epilogue, that sets up the new status-quo and the thoughts of various characters. We see reactions from the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man while finding out the status of Captain Marvel. There’s also a key discussion between Wolverine and Colton about what’s next. Each is clear what’s on their mind and where things may go. Spider-Man sees the superheroes’ purpose while Colton wants to atone. Tony wants to answer the challenge of why don’t superheroes do more good while presented with an opportunity to do bad and rejecting it. S.H.I.E.L.D. is back with a new mission and focus. And while all of that makes things clear as to where things are going, Zdarsky still throws out a teaser with the “return” of two character who must “save the Earth.” From what? We don’t know.
The art is handle by the trio of Delio Diaz, Frank Alpizar, and Ario Anindito. They’re joined by Jesus Aburtov on color and Cory Petit handling the lettering. The comic looks fantastic. The art captures the guilt, sadness, and shock of events. Spider-Man, even with his mask, feels lost and sputtering for answers and a direction along with the guilt of not being there. The meeting between Colton and Wolverine is not just intense but you feel the weight of it all on Colton who feels broken from recent events along with the massive guilt of what he’s done. Wolverine, while threatening, gives off the wise grizzled teacher vibe he’s run with. Carol, who took the brunt of the blast and survived, feels weaken just in how she’s presented in the panels. Overall, it’s a somber issue whose art amplifies it all.
It’s not too hard to figure out how this new status-quo will play out. There’ll be a massive threat and the superheroes will need to band together to save humanity after the Earth’s nations fail to do so. There’ll be a renewed call for the need of superheroes though there will likely be a finer balance from the Carte Blanche of the past to the restriction Avengers: Armageddon sets up. Still, Avengers: Armageddon #5 and the event as a whole will have lasting repercussions for an unknown amount of time and gives us an intriguing direction for the Marvel Universe and its heroes.
Story: Chip Zdarsky Art: Delio Diaz, Frank Alpizar, Ario Anindito Color: Jesus Aburtov Letters: Cory Petit Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
The “World Outside Your Window” and the galaxy far, far away collide this January in Star Wars | Marvel: Hope Assembles, a six-issue series by pop culture icon Kevin Smith and acclaimed artist David Marquez that marks the historic first-ever crossover between the Marvel Universe and Star Wars. Marvel has released an all-new preview of the highly anticipated debut issue, which will also be featured in the back of select Marvel titles over the coming months.
Darth Vader’s terrifying entrance. Princess Leia’s bold defiance. C-3PO and R2-D2’s desperate escape. Fans know these iconic opening moments of Star Wars by heart. Now, see what happens when Marvel’s heroes join the action! This new preview offers a first look at this groundbreaking crossover that sees the events of the original Star Wars film unfold on Earth-616, drawing Marvel’s greatest heroes and most daring villains into a story that has captivated generations.
Star Wars | Marvel: Hope Assembles will feature ongoing variant cover programs, with recurring themes across Covers A-F to bring greater clarity and consistency to the cover collecting experience. Additional variants may also be available beyond the ongoing programs. Marvel has also revealed Rafael Albuquerque’s Crossover Cover, featuring Darth Vader wielding the Marvel Universe’s most powerful artifact—the Infinity Gauntlet!
The themes for A-F Covers are:
A – MAIN COVER – The main series connecting covers by series artist David Marquez.
B – ALLIANCE VARIAN – Marvel heroes and villains join forces with their Star Wars counterparts in action-packed pairings.
C – BATTLE VARIANT – Marvel and Star Wars collide in impossible one-on-one showdowns.
D – A NEW HOPE VARIANT – Iconic moments from Star Wars: A New Hope are re-created with Marvel characters.
E – CROSSOVER VARIANT – Characters wield the legendary weapons, costumes and symbols of the other franchise.
F – RETRO VARIANT – New artwork channeling the unmistakable look of Marvel’s original Star Wars comic book run.
G – MARVEL HOMAGE – Legendary Marvel covers are re-created with characters from both universes.
Hope Assembles marks a historic milestone in Marvel and Star Wars’ shared legacy, which began with Marvel’s Star Wars #1 in 1977 and launched decades of groundbreaking comic storytelling. Now, as Star Wars celebrates its 50th anniversary, the two universes officially collide in the crossover fans have dreamed of for decades!
CARNAGE IS DYING TO LET LOOSE! After a bloody free-for-all against the Hangman and Tombstone’s lackeys, Spider-Woman wants nothing more than to steer clear of violence to prevent the Carnage symbiote from strengthening and taking control. But trouble has a way of finding Jessica Drew, even on the most run-of-the-mill P.I. work, and Carnage is dying to let loose.
We have the exclusive reveal of Alessandro Cappuccio‘s design variant cover of what Jessica Drew will look like when Carnage finally takes control!
Spider-Woman #3 is written by Dan Watters with art by Andrea Broccardo and a main cover by Ito and variant by Cappuccio. Spider-Woman #3 arrives January 27, 2027.
KYLO REN VS. THE KNIGHTS OF REN… AND SOMETHING FAR WORSE! SUPREME LEADER KYLO REN takes brutal control of the KNIGHTS OF REN just as a terrifying new threat attacks his flagship and proves impossible to kill!!! What deadly secret connects the KNIGHTS OF REN, a forbidden DARK SIDE ARTIFACT and an ASSASSIN DROID that keeps coming back stronger? Featuring ALLEGIANT GENERAL PRYDE, GENERAL HUX and the most dangerous dark side creation Kylo has faced yet!
I WANT MY MURDER TELEVISION! The world believes the X-MEN are dead, but all MOJO knows is that he’s lost his meal ticket! Desperate, Mojo debuts a new ratings smash… the MURDER VIDEO CHANNEL! Can the X-Men stop the murderous mayhem without revealing themselves? And how can LONGSHOT explain that CLIFFHANGER, Mojo’s Murder Video star… is his ex?!
FOLLOW YOUR HUNGER… The daywalker BLADE came calling at Graymatter Lane when his daughter, BLOODLINE, went missing… but as the X-MEN have helped to investigate, her disappearance has gone from suspicious to downright terrifying. Who’s behind a spate of recent deaths in Atlanta? Which mutants are to blame? And even more importantly — what previously unknown mutant conspiracy hangs above it all, pulling the strings?!
