How did it come to this?
In the aftermath of Secret Invasion, the unthinkable happened, former super villain Norman Osborn (AKA The Green Goblin) became a hero. Striking the killer blow to end the alien take over, Osborn stepped in at a key moment when the heroes were at the weakest. He turned former successful businessman and Avenger Tony Stark into public enemy number one and took over the Avengers tower. He filled said tower with his own hand picked crew of villains, dressed them up as the real thing and called the team the Avengers… with himself wearing a version of Iron Man’s armor done up in Captain America’s colors, calling himself the Iron Patriot.
Things are bad in the MU.
They’re about to get worse.
Norman Osborn (as the Iron Patriot) lays down the law to X-Men leader Cyclops
One of the key events that started the latest Marvel crossover Dark Reign was a meeting of what has been called Osborn’s Cabal. Consisting of Doctor Doom, Sub Mariner, Loki, The Hood, and Emma Frost this was a meeting of the baddest of the bad. In this monumental convergence, Osborn made it plain that it was a good day to be a bad guy… so long as the bad guys did what he liked. Vague favors were inferred and battle lines were drawn. Sub Mariner and Doom vowed to take Norman down the moment he showed weakness. Emma Frost enticed Namor to join the mutant cause.
It’s all a giant powder keg waiting to go off.
While the rest of the world has gone to Hell, the mutants have gotten organized. With the mutant population at a standstill, Cyclops has relocated the team to San Francisco and put out the call that all mutants are safe in the city by the bay. It’s a bold gesture and makes the X-Men both a power to be recognized and a target all at once.
However, Emma Frost and Cyclops are holding secrets from each other. Emma has told no one of her awkward alliance with Osborn and Scott has managed to keep his secret wet works team X-Force safely hidden from his lover’s psychic probes. This is all about to erupt as the crossover progresses when friction breaks out and Norman Osborn sees that Emma Frost may need some help controlling her people.
Fan favorite writer Matt Fraction is beside himself with glee at the prospect of writing an X-Men/Avengers event. It’s bound to attract attention as both titles have grown in popularity over the past few years (with Avengers for the first time ever seeing sales on the same level as the mutant family of titles). The artwork will be shared by Mike Deodato (on Dark Avengers) and Terry Dodson (on Uncanny X-Men) with special guest artist Mark Silvestri stepping in for two bookend special issues as well.
“You have no idea. This is just the beginning,” Fraction said. “This is one of those things where I can’t believe I’m getting away with all the stuff that I’m getting away with. Osborn winning really flipped everything on its head and this is a progression of what happens when someone like that has a victory.”
Most every writer says that kind of thing when they’re about to work on a big project, but I really do think that this is the real deal.
The slugfest begins this June.
Recommended:
Thunderbolts, Vol. 1: Faith in Monsters
X-men: Manifest Destiny Collection Ross Cover
X-Men: Messiah Complex
Avengers: Secret Invasion, Book 2
