The New Avengers (comics): Difference between revisions

For the unrelated TV show, see The New Avengers.

New Avengers is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. Written by Brian Michael Bendis, the writer behind the Avengers Disassembled storyline, the series depicts a group of superheroes that form a new team of Avengers, regularly referred to in the series as the "New Avengers", and following 2006, "The New New Avengers'.^[1]

New Avengers was launched in November 2004, written by Bendis and drawn by David Finch. With the Avengers team disbanded, and the Fantastic Four and the X-Men unable to act, supervillain Electro shut down the S.H.I.E.L.D Raft installation, a "maximum-maximum security" prison for super-powered criminals. S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman), Matt Murdock (Daredevil) and Luke Cage, already at the Raft, were joined by Captain America, Spider-Man and Iron Man, as well as helped by a seemingly insane Sentry. The riot was quelled, although some forty-two inmates escaped. Captain America decided that fate had brought this group together, just as it had the original Avengers. All but Daredevil accepted the offer to reform the Avengers as a result. X-Men member Wolverine joined the team following a trip to the Savage Land.

Iron Man sought approval from such pillars of the superhero community as Professor Charles Xavier, Doctor Strange and Mister Fantastic and headquartered the new team in Stark Tower.

The team's ongoing mission is to capture the remaining super-powered criminals who escaped during the riot that brought them together. The emergence of the Young Avengers is also a matter of concern and the team find themselves divided in what actions they should take. Also, there is the growing sense of unease with S.H.I.E.L.D. after the disappearance of Nick Fury. The new team was not well received and certain governmental bodies, unsure of the New Avengers, sent the Thunderbolts to remind them of their place.

The current New Avengers team includes Echo, Hawkeye (as Ronin), Doctor Strange, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Spider-Man, Iron Fist with Luke Cage as the leader of the team. They are assisted in their efforts by Wong, Night Nurse and Young Avengers Hawkeye and Patriot. Writer Brian Michael Bendis has said that these characters are Avengers because Captain America said they were;^[2] this statement is later repeated when the New Avengers, believing that Captain America is alive, decide to rescue him. Spider-Man claims that if they get Captain America back, they can call themselves Avengers again; Luke Cage contends that they are Avengers already.^[3]

This storyline introduces the new team, and focuses mostly on the events that bring them all together. Electro causes a mass supervillain break-out, releasing almost ninety supervillains from their cells. Forty-two escape, but the remaining criminals are contained thanks to the intervention of Captain America, Iron Man, Luke Cage, Jessica Drew, Spider-Man and Matt Murdock. Concluding that fate has brought together this new team like fate originally brought the first five Avengers together, Cap convinces Iron Man to join a new team of Avengers, inviting the other four heroes who were present at the riot to join; Daredevil declines, unwilling to tarnish the reputation of the other heroes due to the disaster that his life has become after his identity was revealed to the media, but the other three accept. Having contained Electro, the Avengers discover that S.H.I.E.L.D is holding something back about the enigmatic man named Karl Lykos- the man who, it is revealed, Electro was hired to specifically break out, while everyone else just took advantage of the chaos. Lykos's files are restricted even to Spider-Woman and Captain America. Their quest takes them into the Savage Land where they are joined by Wolverine and soon discover Karl Lykos' alter-ego, Sauron, as well as being nearly shot by the second Black Widow.

A selection of "incentive" variant covers, each based on a segment of a sketch by Joe Quesada of the assembled Avengers team by an artist Marvel was pushing as part of its short-lived "Young Guns" promotion, caused controversy when it was announced that the number of variants retailers would be allowed to order would be dependent not only on the number of "normal" versions of each issue (by David Finch) ordered, but on the shop's orders of the prior issues of the arc [1]. As a result, this was quickly revised to be dependent only on orders of the particular issue, in decreasing ratios as the arc went on [2]:

#1 - Steve McNiven (Spider-Man) - 1:20 (ratio in the form 1 variant:number of "regular" issues a shop was required order to be allowed to order one variant)

#2 - Trevor Hairsine (Sentry) - 1:19

#3 - Olivier Coipel (Wolverine) - 1:18

#4 - Jim Cheung (Ronin) - 1:17

#5 - Adi Granov (Luke Cage and Spider-Woman) - 1:16

#6 - Bryan Hitch (Captain America and Iron Man) - 1:15

The Quesada image which formed the basis for the "Young Guns" covers was also made available as a cover for issue 1 in its own right, not tied to orders of the standard or Young Guns cover for the issue [3].

Issue 1 was also reprinted twice after release - with the same interiors as the earlier versions, but a cover by David Finch originally solicited for issue 2, and as a "Directors' Cut" with a partially-coloured version of the original cover art and additional "Behind the Scenes" material.

Captain America and Iron Man try to discover the origins of the Sentry, a man shrouded in mystery, who saved their lives many times during the outbreak on the Raft. He was a voluntary prisoner, distraught after killing his wife, though his wife appears to be alive and well.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Luke Cage and Wolverine track down The Wrecker and after a dangerous battle, they manage to subdue him. After it is revealed that he has been manipulated by his Void persona and the deceased Mastermind, the Sentry's mental problems are cured, finally, although he still sometimes cannot handle the stress of his arch-foe's manipulation of him. Afterwards, Emma Frost helps Sentry to unlock the mental blocks placed on his memories and powers, and he joins the new Avengers to regain his original heroic status, although all memory of his past has been forever wiped from the world.

Incentive variants released in a 1:15 ratio, featuring "Startling Stories" logos and "retro" trade dress [4] [5]

#7 - Neal Adams (originally announced as a Dave Cockrum cover [6])

#8 - John Romita, Sr

#9 - Marie Severin (originally announced as a Herb Trimpe cover)

#10 - Sal Buscema (NB: Arc was originally three issues long)

The enigmatic Ronin, recommended by Matt Murdock as a replacement for him- the team currently requires a member with experience in confronting the Hand, with Wolverine busy Cap asked Murdock, who went on to recommend Ronin-, joins the team on an expedition to Japan to seize the Silver Samurai. Ronin has not spent much time with the team since, staying in Japan to monitor the Hand, while the Sentry still suffers from his own identity problems, giving him "good days and bad days"- today being a bad one where he refused to even leave the tower to help his teammates.

Now that Spider-Woman is an Avenger, Hydra has her right where it wants her. Fortunately, she does the right thing in talking to Captain America. Cap is true to form in confronting Jessica about her duplicity, and she bravely endangers her life by telling her story.

The New Avengers reveal their existence to the world and receive a mixed reception. Ms. Marvel returns to be told that she is, and always will be, an Avenger, though she turns down Captain America's invitation, preferring to re-establish her own solo career as a superheroine after the House of M showed her the full scale of the potential she possessed, and the team must face their greatest foe yet: J. Jonah Jameson.

In Alaska, Michael Pointer is hit by the Collective, a massive amount of energy from depowered mutants, a result of the House of M event. He seemingly kills Alpha Flight, and when the Avengers arrive to stop him, Spider-Man and the Vision discover that the Collective has the power signatures of the powerless mutants.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. telepaths read Spider-Man's mind, and find out what happened to reality. The Avengers arrive to free Spider-Man, right as he is released from custody. Collective, meanwhile, arrives in Genosha, home to many depowered mutants, including Magneto. After learning of the Collectives location the New Avengers- still minus Ronin, but including Carol Danvers, the Vision and a multitude of SHIELD operatives- invade Genosha to destroy the now empowered Magneto. It is also learned that the entity was really Xorn, who was hellbent on liberating mutants. In the aftermath of the fight, Magneto's body vanishes when the helicopter he is being transported in explodes, and Michael is taken away by S.H.I.E.L.D., although Iron Man suggests he has the potential to become a great hero.

When the junior super-heroes called the New Warriors, starring in their own reality tv show, raid a supervillain safehouse in Stamford, Connecticut, the attack provokes one of the villains, Nitro, into exploding, killing countless civilians. Congress, with the support of superheroes such as Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic and Yellowjacket, passes the Superhuman Registration Act, or SHRA, which requires all people with superhuman abilities to register with the federal government, reveal their secret identities, and receive proper training in law enforcement. Many superheroes, such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Sentry, and She-Hulk, comply with this law, but other superheroes, led by Captain America, oppose the law on the grounds that it violates civil liberties. This leads to a superhero Civil War, in which most of America's superheroes are forced to choose sides.

Luke Cage refuses to register, comparing the act to both slavery and Jim Crow laws, and later joins Cap's side after a squadron of S.H.I.E.L.D. "cape killers" attack Cage immediately after the act becomes law (at 12:01 am), even though he is sitting at home, watching T.V., and has not used his powers since the act went into place. The Sentry registers but doesn't choose a specific side, though he feels more compelled to join Iron Man than a rebelling Cap. Iron Man, never trusting Spider-Woman's triple life, betrays her and informs S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill about her status, causing Jessica to run for her life. Eventually, Jessica locates Captain America and his team's whereabouts and is allowed to join their ranks.

Wolverine, while officially taking a neutral stance on the war with the rest of the X-Men, hunts down the man responsible for the Stamford disaster, and states his opposition to the law during a brief stint in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. Spider-Man begins to doubt Iron Man's cause after the death of Goliath in battle. Peter later learns of the nature of the Number 42 complex in the Negative Zone and decides to leave Stark's side. Spider-Man publicly denounces the registration act on live television, and joins Captain America's underground team.

The battle dissolves the pre-war New Avengers as a team, and Civil War ends as Captain America surrenders after a huge battle in Times Square, New York afer realizing that such a battle is what superheroes are supposed to prevent. He is eventually assassinated, receiving a fatal gunshot wound to the stomach while entering a federal courthouse. Luke Cage assumes leadership of the now underground Avengers followed by Spider-Man and Spider-Woman. The war's aftermath sees Iron Man and Sentry form the Mighty Avengers, a government-sanctioned team of registered heroes, officially leaving the New Avengers.

Set many months ago after the end of the House of M, Hawkeye awakes, returned from the dead a second time. Finding the Avengers mansion abandoned and dilapidated, Clint Barton seeks out Dr. Strange to find out if his return from the dead was real. Clint asks what became of the world since the House of M, and what became of the Scarlet Witch. Learning she has disappeared, Hawkeye decides to seek her out, for what he calls "closure". He travels to Wundagore Mountain, the birthplace of Wanda Maximoff and her brother Pietro Maximoff. He helps a woman catch a purse thief and the woman is revealed to be Wanda Maximoff. Clint, upon suddenly facing her, faints. He awakes in her care at her home. He asks her questions and it is revealed that Wanda has no memories of her previous life, telling Clint that she has lived in Wundagore Mountain her whole life. Unable to cope with what he is hearing, Clint breaks down in front of Wanda. The two share an intimate moment, Wanda kisses Clint, and the two spend the night together. Hawkeye awakens the next morning, and remembering Wanda's mention of her "Aunt Agatha", who was supposedly asleep in the next room, goes to investigate. However, as he touches the doorknob, something happens to make him stop. He removes his hand and it appears that his fingers have been burned, exactly where they touched the knob. Whether he ever looked inside to see "Aunt Agatha", or if Wanda's powers are still somehow subconsciously active, remains to be seen.

In the aftermath of Civil War the New Avengers team includes Echo, a new Ronin, (Clint Barton, formerly Hawkeye), Doctor Strange, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Spider-Man [7], Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. Luke Cage is now the leader of the team, and their base is Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum, magically disguised as the location of a future Starbucks.

The New Avengers' first mission with the new lineup was to rescue Maya Lopez from the clutches of Elektra Natchios and the Hand, who had been preparing to forcibly make her one of their assassins.

After rescuing Maya, the New Avengers teleported out of the Hand's secret complex. Elektra then told the Hand that they are not to let the New Avengers leave Japan.

After seeking refuge from the Silver Samurai (who still holds a grudge against Wolverine for the loss of his hand), the New Avengers explain how they got to this point; Spider-Woman had been told by Ms. Marvel that Captain America was still alive, a fact confirmed by Dr. Strange in his astral form. However, upon going to the Raft, where the body was supposedly being held, Wolverine's heightened senses told him that it wasn't the real Steve Rogers. The team were then confronted by their Pro-Registration adversaries, the Mighty Avengers, who explained that it had been a "dirty trick".

The flashback is interrupted when Wolverine turns, having sensed something strange, and is nearly beheaded by the Samurai. After he is felled by the New Avengers, Wolverine reveals what had distracted him: Elektra is approaching with thousands of Hand Ninjas following close at hand.

It is revealed in another flashback that after they escaped the Raft the New Avengers went back to their base but were discovered by the Mighty Avengers. Tony Stark did not know if they were truely inside but the team went in anyway under the pretense that Black Widow heard a gunshot. Dr. Strange's magic proved superior to Stark's technology and Brother Voodoo's mysticism, and the team remained hidden. Stark then ordered the team to leave, then pleaded with the New Avengers (on the off chance that they really were there, which they were) to surrender and accept that the SHRA is now law. Although the team don't take Stark's offer of surrender, as he departs, Spider-Man wonders why they're doing this, prompting Luke Cage to state that their reasons are twofold; they're saving people "the way [they] want to", and finding out who's behind the recent events that have turned the world upside-down, such as the Scarlet Witch's breakdown and the subsequent break-out at the Raft. Almost immediately after Stark left, Clint Barton arrived, and was recruited as the new Ronin, after he explained that he wasn't interested in joining Tony's government team but that he wasn't Hawkeye anymore. During a pause in the battle where Luke Cage began negotiating with Elektra to buy time, Echo is reawakened and, using a sword tossed to her by a Hand ninja, impales Dr. Strange. The parties erupt in battle.

The New Avengers seem to be on their last legs, with Elektra directly attacking Luke Cage and ninjas overwhelming the team. However, Dr. Strange contacts Wong, and with his help achieves his astral form, saving himself from death and freeing Echo from her brainwashing. Echo, enraged, grabs Elektra and fatally stabs her with a katana. However, instead of collecting the body, the Hand retreats as the new Avengers watch "Elektra" return to her original form, a Skrull impersonator who had somehow eluded both Spider-Man's spider sense and Wolverine's heightened sense of smell. Meanwhile, in Strange's Sanctum, Jessica Jones asks Wong about the status of her husband, and Wong states that the team is alive. Smiling, Jessica calmly says 'Okay, then', while bottle-feeding her baby. In the last panel, we are given the image of the baby's eyes changing colour to the green shade of a Skrull's.

This revelation, plus hints from writer Bendis, has led to speculation about the next 'big' event, and who else could be a Skrull. In a question about who could possibly be a Skrull, Bendis hinted "Anyone with a wobbly resurrection is suspect." This prompted someone to ask about the former Hawkeye and current Ronin, Clint Barton, who has been recently resurrected. Bendis said he's a prime suspect to be a Skrull.^[4]

On the way home, the team doesn't speak to each other. After Spider-Man asks why, Wolverine sums up why everybody could be a Skrull: Hawkeye's resurrection is suspect. Spider-Woman and Echo's loyalties have long been questionable due to Spider-Woman's initial status as a HYDRA agent and Echo being trained by the Kingpin. Luke Cage has gone from a street-tough hero to a family man leading the team he swore he'd never join. Iron Fist has 'suddenly' acquired a jet and become far more well-connected. Spider-Man unmasked in public after years of concealing his identity, further escalating the Civil War. Finally, both Wolverine and Doctor Strange were suspiciously absent for most of the Civil War. Spider-Woman suggests taking the Skrull to Iron Man, much to the discontent of the team, but Luke Cage, in particular, points out that Stark is a prime candidate for being a Skrull, given his actions over the last few months. Just then, the plane loses power due to the Mighty Avengers' current battle with Ultron disrupting electronics, and begins an emergency landing, while Spider-Woman is thrown out of the jet by Wolverine, his reasoning being that natural fliers have a better chance of surviving outside the plane. Later, Spider-Woman returns to the crash site and tries to reclaim the Skrull, but Wolverine intervenes and she fries him with a high-powered venom blast before she walks away with the body.

In a back alley, the Owl attempts to sell the immobilised Deathlok to Madame Masque, the Crimson Cowl, Dr. Jonas Harrow, and the Wizard, but the sale is interrupted when The Hood, who was watching the sale while cloaked, shoots the Owl (who stole Deathlok from S.H.I.E.L.D. without his permission) and takes Deathlok for himself. Meanwhile, after recovering from the crash while hiding out in a hotel room- Strange's magic making it appear as though Echo is the only person there when room service arrives- the Avengers eventually return to the Sanctum Sanctorum. In the process, Echo officially hands the Ronin identity over to Clint Barton, telling him that she no longer needs it. Concluding that they have no real evidence that Spider-Woman is a Skrull- she may have genuinely felt that taking it to Tony Stark was the best thing to do-, but with the Avengers unable to fully trust each other with this new revelation, Luke Cage concludes that the best thing to do is split up for the day and return to the building the following night if they still want to work together. Cage returns to Jessica Jones, but this recent revelation has left him suspicious of her love for him. Meanwhile, Wolverine discovers that a big-time criminal is hiding out behind a bar- small-timers are apparently all out committing robberies due to the in-fighting among the hero community-, and enters the room to confront the criminals, only for the Hood to end up pointing a gun at his head.

When Iron Man flies into space to sort out some satellites due to the approach of the Hulk and his allies, Dr Strange appears to him in astral form offering the New Avengers' services as long as he doesn't arrest them. Iron Man accepts his offer and tells Dr Strange that he will give them amnesty if they assist and surrender afterwards. However, Luke states that they're all on the same side only against their common foe. Luke Cage and Spider-Man are among the heroes who aid in the evacuation of New York as the Hulk returns on a mission of vengeance. They are later joined by Spider-Woman, and all three are defeated in a showdown with the Hulk's Warbound, Hulk having already confronted Wolverine during his 'mission' to question Professor X about his role in the decision to exile the Hulk. Later, Hulk's allies Hiroim and Elloe attempt to infiltrate the Sanctum Sanctorum and are confronted by Iron Fist, Echo and Ronin who are all handily dispatched. Dr. Strange, however, invokes the power of the demon Zom and defeats Hiroim (and presumably Elloe) before leaving to confront the Hulk.

During the New York Comic Con, a New Avengers/Transformers crossover was announced to be released on July 5th. The crossover will take place between the first two story arcs of New Avengers.

Published the same month as New Avengers #17

New Avengers: Illuminati is a one-shot, published as part of the "Road To Civil War". It documents the founding of the Illuminati; Iron Man, Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Professor Charles Xavier, Black Bolt, Prince Namor of Atlantis and Doctor Strange. Years later, the Illuminati meet to determine the fate of the Hulk. Deciding that there is no hope for Bruce Banner, all but Namor agree that exiling him in space is the best and most humane way of dealing with him, leading to the events of Planet Hulk. The final time the Illuminati meet is prior to the passing of the Superhuman Registration Act. The group becomes even more divided as to whether to support the act or not. Iron Man suggests they should support the act, and Richards agrees, but Namor and Dr. Strange disagree and leave (Professor Xavier was MIA due to the after-effects of House of M, and was not involved. Black Bolt initially backs Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic, but his stance changes due to the events of Son of M #5. (The U.S. claims the Terrigen Mists from Quicksilver and refuses to return them to the Inhumans. Black Bolt declares war on the United States -- and apparently humanity in general). With most of the members gone, it implied that the team was over, with Mr. Fantastic telling Iron Man that it "was fun while it lasted" before leaving.

The issue also contains a preview of Civil War #1.

Published the same month as New Avengers #18, but follows #20 and leads into #21.

In the New Avengers Annual, Yelena Belova, the Black Widow is given the powers of the Super-Adaptoid by agents of HYDRA for her to use against the Avengers.

She attacks a meeting of the Avengers just as Jessica Jones announces her agreement to Luke Cage's proposal, absorbing first the powers of the Sentry and then the rest of the Avengers including Luke Cage and Ms. Marvel. However, after Spider-Man realises that she can only absorb the powers of one specific hero once, she is defeated by Iron Man's use of automated versions of his suit- essentially meaning that she's facing multiple Iron Men when she only has the space to copy the powers of one- and the Sentry's apparent command of the Void persona to overwhelm her mind.

This leads to her HYDRA controllers engaging a self-destruct device so she can't be traced back to them.

The book ends with the marriage of Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, officiated by someone who bears a striking resemblance to Stan Lee.

The issues are collected in hardcover format, later released in trade paperback format.

Volume 1: Breakout (New Avengers #1- #6)

• Hardcover: ISBN 0-7851-1814-4, August 17, 2005
• TPB: ISBN 0-7851-1479-3, January 18, 2006

Volume 2: The Sentry (New Avengers #7- #10, New Avengers Most Wanted Files)

• Hardcover: ISBN 0-7851-1938-8, February 8, 2006
• TPB: ISBN 0-7851-1672-9, July 26, 2006

Volume 3: Secrets and Lies (New Avengers #11- #15, and the lead story from Giant Size Spider-Woman #1)

• Hardcover: ISBN 0-7851-1939-6, March 15, 2006
• TPB: ISBN 0-7851-1706-7, September 6, 2006.

Volume 4: The Collective (New Avengers #16- #20)

• Hardcover: ISBN 0-7851-1986-8, October 4, 2006
• TPB: ISBN 0-7851-1987-6, April 4, 2007.

Volume 5: Civil War (New Avengers #21-#25)

• Hardcover: ISBN 0-7851-2242-7, March 14, 2007
• TPB: ISBN 0-7851-2446-2, September 5, 2007

Volume 6: Revolution (New Avengers #26-31)

• Hardcover: ISBN 0-7851-2445-4, August 31, 2007

New Avengers Annual #1 was collected in The Pulse Vol. 3: Fear and New Avengers: Illuminati will be reprinted in a Civil War trade paperback.

In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, New Avengers is considered a team bonus if you have either of Captain America, Iron Man, Luke Cage, Wolverine, Spider-Man, and/or Spider-Woman on your team.

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• New Avengers at Avengers InfoCenter
• [8]

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