Dark Avengers
| Dark Avengers | |
|---|---|
 Cover of Dark Avengers 1 (Jan, 2009)Art by Mike Deodato Jr. | |
| Series publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | March 2009 – present |
| Number of issues | 4 |
| Main character(s) | Iron Patriot (Norman Osborn) Ms. Marvel (Moonstone) Hawkeye (Bullseye) Wolverine (Daken) Spider-Man (Venom) Captain Marvel (Noh-Varr) Sentry Ares |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Brian Michael Bendis |
| Artist(s) | Mike Deodato |
| Letterer(s) | Rainer Beredo |
| Colorist(s) | Dave Lanphear |
| Creator(s) | Brian Michael Bendis |
| Collected editions | |
| Dark Avengers Assemble | ISBN 0-7851-3851-X |
| Dark Avengers | |
| Group publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Dark Avengers #1 (March 2009) |
| Created by | Brian Michael Bendis |
| In-story information | |
| Leader(s) | Iron Patriot (Norman Osborn) |
| Member(s) | Ares Bullseye as Hawkeye Daken as Wolverine Venom as Spider-Man Moonstone as Ms. Marvel Noh-Varr as Captain Marvel Norman Osborn as Iron Patriot Sentry |
Dark Avengers is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers. Unusually, the series stars a version of the team that, unknown to the public in its fictional universe, contains several members who are supervillains disguised as established superheroes.
Publication history
The series debuted with issue #1, dated January 2009, as part of a multi-series story arc entitled "Dark Reign".[1] In the premiere, writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mike Deodato[2] (working from a continuity begun in a previous, company-wide story arc, "Secret Invasion", involving an infiltration of Earth by the shape-shifting alien Skrulls and that race's eventual defeat) chronicled the aftermath of the U.S. government's disbanding of the federally sanctioned superhero team, the Avengers. Bendis described the thinking behind the team: "These are bad-ass, hardcore get-it-done types. They'll close the door and take care of business and he's dressing them up to make them something that the people want".[3] This is in contrast to the changes Osborn is shown making to the Thunderbolts, where, according to writer Andy Diggle, he turns that team into "something much more covert and much more lethal: his own personal hit squad".[4]
Plot
The government assigned the team's redevelopment to Norman Osborn (the reputedly reformed supervillain the Green Goblin) whom the government had previously assigned to head the superhero team the Thunderbolts and who had become a public hero for his role in repelling the Skrull threat. Osborn, also given leadership of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D., reforms that agency into H.A.M.M.E.R. and creates a new Avengers team under its aegis.
The premiere issue introduces this new version, mixing former Thunderbolts with other characters. The initial line-up consists of the Sentry, Ares, Noh-Varr (now Captain Marvel) as well as disguised supervillains Moonstone (portraying Ms. Marvel), Venom III (portraying Spider-Man after being given a formula that resets the symbiote back to what it was when it possessed Spider-Man), Bullseye (portraying Hawkeye) and Wolverine's disgruntled son Daken taking on the Wolverine mantle. Osborn also takes on the identity of Iron Patriot in a red, white, and blue themed Stark-tech armor.[5]
In the first storyline, the team is shown rescuing Doctor Doom from Morgan le Fay.[6]
Some feel there are serious international distribution issues with this title, notably in the UK, and thus details of issue content and plot can be a matter of conjecture for fans not living in the USA.
PLEASE would someone who has actualy read the issues concerned post detailed plot breakdowns and events etc.,(including issue 1) preferably on an issue by issue basis, and would editors PLEASE not remove this perfectly reasonable request.
Roster
As of Dark Avengers #1, the members are:
- Iron Patriot (Norman Osborn)
- Ares
- The Sentry
- Spider-Man (Venom)
- Wolverine (Daken)
- Hawkeye (Bullseye)
- Captain Marvel (Noh-Varr)
- Ms. Marvel (Moonstone)
Bibliography
- Dark Avengers #1–present
- New Avengers #49–50
- Mighty Avengers #21
- Thor Vol. 1 #600
- Free Comic Book Day: The Avengers
- Incredible Hercules #128
Collected editions
The series is being collected into individual volumes:
- Volume 1: Dark Avengers Assemble (collects Dark Avengers #1–6, 144 pages, September 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3851-X)
References
- ^ Getting Dark: Brian Bendis on Dark Avengers & Dark Reign, Newsarama, September 29, 2008
- ^ Mike Deodato Explores His Dark (Avengers) Side, Newsarama, December 23, 2008
- ^ "The Osborn Supremacy: Dark Avengers", Comic Book Resources, January 22, 2008
- ^ "Andy Diggle: The Future of the Thunderbolts", Newsarama, December 17, 2008
- ^ Dark Avengers #1 (March 2009)
- ^ Dark Avengers #2 (April 2009)
External links
- Explaining it All: Brian Bendis Talks Dark Avengers #1, Newsarama, January 22, 2008
- Dark Avengers at the Grand Comics Database
- Dark Avengers at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Review: Dark Avengers #1, Comic Book Resources
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