Avengers: What's Next?

So, if you're like a lot of people, you saw Avengers: Age of Ultron this weekend. But maybe now you're curious about what's next for the team and what that mid-credits scene means exactly. Needless to say, spoilers will be plenty going further if you haven't seen the movie.

THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING.

Still with me? Okay, let's get to it.

Thanos and the Infinty Gauntlet!

If you stayed around through the credits, about midway there was a quick scene with Thanos ( voiced by Josh Brolin ).  He puts on what's known as the "Infinity Gauntlet" and says "Fine, I'll do it myself". 

Seems to be the Marvel films' "big bad" is about to get his hands dirty. He was teased in a mid credits scene in the first Avengers movie, showing he was responsible for providing Loki with an army and that sceptor (or glow stick of destiny as Iron Man called it).  Thanos also made a brief appearance in last year's Guardians of the Galaxy, tasking that movie's villain (Ronan) with finding an orb, which ended up holding one of the Infinity Gems. Not familiar with the Infinity Gems? Let me help you with that...

These gems all fit into the Infinity Gauntlet, giving the bearer of the glove essentially limitless power. As you can see on the picture above, two gems are unaccounted for in the Marvel movies. We're sure to see these introduced in next year's Doctor Strange, 2017's Thor: Ragnorak, or Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 in 2018. 

So there's a quick rundown of the Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos. Until more details are officially announced or revealed in future movies, anything more would be strictly speculation. 

Now onto the new line up of the Avengers at the end of the movie and next year's Captain America: Civil War. 

New Avengers and Civil War!

The final scene before the credits rolled showed a new team going forward. Captain America and Black Widow will need some help with 4 Avengers bowing out at the end of the movie. Tony Stark takes a leave of absence, Hawkeye takes off to be a dad, Thor returns to Asgard, and Hulk goes into hiding.  So now we got a new line up. 

Heading up the team is Captain America, with Black Widow seeming to serve as his right hand woman. War Machine (from the Iron Man movies) and Falcon (introduced in last year's Captain America: Civil War) finally get promoted to the big leagues. As well as Scarlet Witch and Vision who both made their debut in Age of Ultron. 

Who knows how long this line up will remain. Next year, heroes will be facing off against one another in Captain America: Civil War. And we'll be introduced to several other Avengers in the next few years; Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Ant-Man, and some guy named Spider-Man. Also, don't rule out veteran Avengers like Iron Man or Hawkeye getting called back into the ring at any time. 

Avengers Potpourri 

A few random notes to close this out ...

Did you catch Sam "Falcon" Wilson's mention of a "missing person case"? No doubt a nod to Cap and Falcon looking for Bucky/Winter Soldier. Marvel hasn't forgotten about him, and he's confirmed to be in Civil War next year. 

And we can't finish without mention of Pietro "Quicksilver" Maximoff. We hardly knew thee. 

It seems odd for Marvel to kill off such a classic Avenger in the same movie he's introduced in. But perhaps they felt they needed to tell audiences that Avengers CAN DIE. No doubt Avengers director Joss Whedon will get a lot of flack for Pietro's early demise. But the truth is, Marvel wouldn't allow it if they weren't OK it, or maybe they even suggested it. And if you're one for speculating...could Quicksilver be resurrected via the Infinity Gauntlet? Or through any other means? It would be a very "comic book" thing to do.  

Until next time, True Believers ....

-Lando McFly

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Top Ten Comic Events Of All Time

Top Ten Comic Events Of All Time

On the eve of Marvel's Secret Wars (actually comes out in May 2015) I have been thinking a lot about all of my favorite comic events. Events in comic books are a really big deal. They are a way to bring together characters and universes that might never have been caught dead in the same room together, then mash them up and stir them around, and then post-event they have a truck load of new content to jump off of. The actions taken in the event will often shape the things to come for that entire universe. Here are the Top Ten Comic Events Of All Time:

10.) Batman: Knightfall (1993)

"Bane, the primary villain of the storyline, is introduced in Vengeance of Bane, and the vigilante Azrael is introduced in Sword of Azrael. Knightfall is divided into two parts. In The Broken Bat, Bane defeats Batman by breaking his spine. This requires Azrael to become the new Batman, and defeat Bane in Who Rules the Night?. Knightquest is also divided into two parts. In The Crusade, Azrael's Batman grows more violent and crazy, while in The Search, Bruce Wayne seeks a cure for his paralysis. In KnightsEnd, Bruce Wayne returns and takes his mantle as Batman back from the usurper Azrael." -(Source)

9.) Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War (2007)

"Sinestro, former Green Lantern and foe of Hal Jordan, has begun the creation of his own lantern corps following his defeat in Green Lantern: Rebirth. After much time gathering ring-bearers who will "inspire fear" in their sectors, Sinestro and the Yellow Lanterns attack the Green Lantern Corps, killing many, freeing Superboy Prime, Cyborg Superman, and capturing Kyle Rayner, infecting him with Parallax. With their combined power, along with that of the newly resurrected Anti-Monitor, the Sinestro Corps seeks to destroy the Green Lantern Corps and conquer the universe. 

The Guardians, in an attempt to even the odds in the ongoing struggle between the two corps, authorize the use of lethal force for Green Lanterns. With their full potential now realized, the Green Lantern Corps takes the fight to the Sinestro Corps, but it is revealed that the Sinestro Corps is attacking Earth. As Hal frees Kyle from the clutch of Parallax, Sodam Yat is appointed the new Ion. With the combined efforts of the Green Lanterns, Ion, and the heroes of Earth, the Sinestro Corps is defeated and Earth is saved once more. But the War of Light has begun..." -(Source)

8.) Flashpoint (2011)

"Flashpoint picks up right after Professor Zoom unleashes a giant, reality altering blast of built up Speed Force energy that changes the time line completely. Barry Allen wakes up to find everything about his life different, his mother is alive, he isn't married to his wife, he isn't the Flash, and that's just the beginning of his problems. Wonder Woman and the Amazons are at war with Aquaman and the Atlanteans, Cyborg is the United States greatest hero, Superman is nowhere to be found and the world is at the brink of war. Knowing this reality is not his own, Barry Allen seeks out the help of the only man who may be able to help him figure out what happened.... Batman. But the Batman he finds is not who he expects..." -(Source)

7.) 52 (2006)

"While DC had used the weekly format before, (most notably with Action Comics in April 1988), 52 was their first attempt to launch a new title as a weekly. Set in the time between the end of "Infinite Crisis" and the "One Year Later" story lines, 52 dealt with the events of the missing year - a year without Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, The title was masterminded by writers Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid, with Keith Giffen producing art breakdowns. Its weekly publication meant several artists had to handle the art, starting with Joe Bennett on the first four issues. A massive saga, spanning the whole DC Universe (and beyond), 52 introduced several new heroes and villains, including a new Question and Batwoman, before the big reveal of a new multiversse of fifty two realities, each containing an alternate Earth.

The story had a huge impact on the DC Universe, affecting everything from Black Adam's World War III spin off, to Booster Gold's post - 52 reality - spanning adventures. It also led into countdown to final crisis and left the DC Universe a dramatically different place." -(Source)

6.) Infinity Gauntlet (1991)

"Mistress Death believed that there was a cosmic imbalance in the universe - that there were more living than there were dead. As a result, Death resurrects her loyal servant Thanos, who is appointed the task of killing off half of the population of the universe. Not only is Thanos' power augmented by Death, he is granted access to the Infinity Well, where he realizes the power of the Infinity Gems. After much plotting and scheming, Thanos wrestles the gems from their owners and gains mastery over Power, Mind, Space, Reality, Time, and the Soul." -(Source)

5.) Civil War (2006)

"After the super-villain Nitro sets off an explosion in Stamford, CT, killing the New Warriors and hundreds of innocents, the American Government, blaming the super-hero community for these deaths, enforces a Super-Human Registration Act that forces super-heroes to reveal their secret identities and work for the government, labeled as weapons of mass destruction. This doesn't sit well with some heroes and the Super-Hero community is divides into sides: Iron Man's Pro-Registration Act team enforced by S.H.I.E.L.D. and its new director Maria Hill, and Captain America's Anti-Registration Act team called the Secret Avengers. This separation causes a super-human Civil War that pits the two teams against each other physically and morally.

The Civil War has many consequences including the separation of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, the revelation of Spider-Man's secret identity to the world, the departure of the Thing to France, the death of Goliath and finally the death of Captain America himself at the end of the War." -(Source)

4.) House of M (2005)

"X-men invited to Avengers Tower to discuss the fate of Wanda Maximoff. There's a lot of discussion to whether or not to kill someone whose effectively a god while she's down. Pietro seeks his father, Magneto kidnaps Wanda and Wanda uses her magic to create an ideal world for everyone...except it backfires for a lot of people.

Captain America was a great American Hero but forgotten when he wouldn't compromise his ideals for humanity or later mutant kind. Mutants are ascendant rulers of the world but it's a lie since most people were made mutants by Wanda's magic. Spiderman is married to Gwen Stacy and a pro-wrestler with Uncle Ben still alive but only pretending to be a mutant. Tony Stark is the richest man on Earth....but part of a hated underclass. Scott is married to Emma. Luke Cage is a Crime Lord who nevertheless protects the "little guy" while Falcon is a Police officer who never screwed up his life. Sentry is a normal human being. Doctor Strange is a psychologist (i.e. actually helping people) but otherwise no magic. Wolverine is a SHIELD agent...but he remembers EVERYTHING so he knows the truth. Oh yes and Hawkeyes' alive.

Wolverine hunts allies and after a false start with Professor Xavier finds Luke Cages boys and eventually convinces them their right. They gradually assemble their team for assaulting Magneto and do so. Apparently, telepathy can restore people's memories.

The confrontation is the usual dragged out fight but Magneto basically does something that ROYALLY cheeses Wanda off and convinces her that Magneto cares more about Mutantkind than his own family (more or less true). Wanda thus says "NO MORE MUTANTS!"

Doctor Strange casts a spell to prevent this from happening but it only affects the team in the immediate vicinity." -(Source)

3.) Final Crisis (2008)

"What happens when evil wins? That's the question Superman, Batman, the Justice League and every being in the DCU have to face when Darkseid and his otherworldly legion of narcissistic followers actually win the war between light and dark. Featuring the deaths and resurrections of major DC characters, FINAL CRISIS is more than your average multi-part event - it's a deconstruction of Super Hero comics and a challenging, thought-provoking take on the modern, four-color icons.." -(Source)

2.) Secret Wars (1984)

"Marvel's greatest heroes and villains have been brought to a mysterious planet with unlimited power promised to those who can defeat their foes! See Spider-Man, the Avengers, the X-Men and the Fantastic Four battle Doctor Doom, Ultron, Doctor Octopus and more in this classic saga!" -(Source)

1.) Crisis On Infinite Earths (1985)

"This is the story that changed the DC Universe forever. A mysterious being known as the Anti-Monitor has begun a crusade across time to bring about the end of all existence. As alternate earths are systematically destroyed, the Monitor quickly assembles a team of super-heroes from across time and space to battle his counterpart and stop the destruction. DC's greatest heroes including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Aquaman, assemble to stop the menace, but as they watch both the Flash and Supergirl die in battle, they begin to wonder if even all of the heroes in the world can stop this destructive force." -(Source)

So that is my list in all of its glory. What does your list of best comic events look like? Sound off in the comments!

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Secret Wars Shakes Up EVERY Marvel Title This May

Secret Wars Shakes Up EVERY Marvel Title This May

It’s no secret that Marvel is the defending champion when it comes to epic comic events. House of M, Civil War, Secret Invasion, Siege, Fear Itself, Avengers vs. X-Men, Age of Ultron, Infinity, AXIS, Black Vortex … the list goes on and on, and that’s just within the past decade.

However, the biggest event is still to come, and time is running out. Scheduled to run for 4 consecutive months beginning this May, Secret Wars will focus on the collision of the Marvel 616 (prime continuity) Universe with that of the Marvel Ultimate Universe, in which both will be destroyed and pieced together with other post collision universes (think DCs Multiverse but surprisingly less confusing) creating the battleground that will reforge Marvel anew come September.

So what will happen to your favorite current titles (with the exception of Star Wars) when the Marvel U is dissembled and enters Battleworld? I’m glad you asked …

The X-Men, will venture to the fiery depths of Hell to vanquish a demon horde in the pages of Inferno, where a collided universe places them in a post apocalyptic version of Manhattan.

Members of the Nova Corps will be pitted against Thanos in a race to recover the Infinity Stones, which will set the cosmic table in the Marvel Universe for years to come within the pages of Infinity War!

Wolverine may be dead in prime continuity, but in another he is Old Man Logan, living in a universe where all of the heroes have been murdered, and the villains rule with an iron fist. Can the last remaining hero truly make a difference?

Steve Rodgers and his trusty steed Devil Dinosaur stand alone on Planet Hulk. Will a planet full of Hulk’s spell the end for the Star-Spangled hero?

The Avengers will gather in an attempt to save a small sliver of their remaining world in the pages of A-Force. Standing shoulder to shoulder in a never before seen lineup, the women of the Marvel Universe may be our only hope of survival.

Although this is just a brief taste of the titles scheduled to occur under the Secret Wars banner, it’s exciting to see Marvel shake things up a bit. In the aftermath, who will live and who will die? And when only one Universe remains, what characters will change forever?

Sound off in the comments below, find me on Twitter or let us know on the New Geek Protocol Facebook page!

Until next time True Believers,

-ArchangelEZE

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