A new lineup of Avengers has been announced for a comic run beginning in May 2023, and the roster is full of heavy hitters.
2023 will mark the 60th anniversary of the Avengers team, which is currently finishing out an arc titled Avengers Assemble by Jason Aaron and Bryan Hitch. This event sees the Avengers of the past, present and future, all teaming up as one united front.
After this "monumental" story, fans can get excited for an all-new team.
A New Creative Team and Avengers Team
Beginning in May 2023 and celebrating the Avengers team's 60th anniversary, a new run of the Avengers comic will begin behind the creative team of Jed Mackay and C.F. Villa.
Mackay and Villa's run will see a new roster for the team following the events of Jason Aaron and Bryan Hitch's current crossover, Avengers Assemble. The team, described by Marvel as consisting "of some of Marvel’s greatest icons" will include:
- Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) — Team Leader
- Iron Man (Tony Stark)
- Thor (Thor Odinson)
- Captain America (Sam Wilson)
- Black Panther (T'Challa)
- Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)
- Vision
According to the announcement from Marvel, the team will be "gifted with knowledge of THE TRIBULATION EVENTS," which are described as "grand-scale disasters that will spark upheaval throughout the known universe."
As the announcement pointed out, this story by Mackay has been building up since the 2022 one-shot Timeless, which followed Kang the Conqueror "in his hunt for the unobtainable “MISSING MOMENT:"
"Fans got their first glimpse at MacKay’s overarching AVENGERS plan in last month’s year-ending one-shot, TIMELESS. Readers followed Kang in his hunt for the unobtainable “MISSING MOMENT,” an ambitious quest that put him in direct conflict with the Twilight Court, a group of strange super heroes led by the mysterious Myrddin. Now, a dangerous game is afoot and the prize is greater than anything imaginable… Enter the AVENGERS! Will they be able to triumph in the face of the Tribulation Events and learn the truth behind these earth-shattering threats? Or will they be reduced to mere pawns in an extraordinary scheme beyond their comprehension?"
Mackay has described the events of his upcoming book as "big, loud Avengers stuff" with "heavy hitters and iconic Avengers [who] are to the fore:"
"I’m extremely excited to be launching the latest chapter of AVENGERS with my old BLACK CAT teammate C.F. Villa! I grew up on the Avengers, weaving in and out of their 60s and 70s exploits as a kid, and having the opportunity to plot the course of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is a rush, especially coming from the street-level and/or weirdo niche I’ve been working in over the last couple of years. This is big, loud Avengers stuff—nothing in this story should ever feel small or inconsequential, and our lineup reflects that. Heavy hitters and iconic Avengers are to the fore—The Tribulation Events are coming, and only the Avengers can take them on."
How Does This Lineup Line Up?
This new lineup of Avengers is full of heavy hitters, but how does it compare to past Avengers teams? And how well will these heroes specifically work well together? A graphic from the Wall Street Journal can help answer those questions.
All members of this new team are listed among the "top Avengers" in the WSJ graphic. It should be noted that the graphic only includes appearances up to 2015. Also, the data listed under "Falcon" has been used instead of "Captain America," as when this graphic was published, Sam Wilson was still primarily Falcon, having just donned the Captain America mantle at the beginning of 2015.
Out of every possible combination of two characters being on a past team together, only two combinations have never happened as of 2015: Vision and Captain Marvel and Black Panther and Captain Marvel. This implies that this team will assemble knowing each other fairly well — a good sign in a superhero battle.
However, it is notable that the 2016 event Civil War II revolved around Iron Man and Captain Marvel being drastically opposed regarding the morality of an inhuman's powers. Despite many years passing, the two have never fully forgiven one another, indicating a potential chasm in the new team. How will the infamously stubborn Tony Stark deal with being a subordinate of Carol Danvers while the two already have a rocky relationship?
The Scarlet Witch's inclusion on this team is not surprising, as the first issue of her new solo series has already seen great success, and the character has risen drastically in popularity following WandaVision and Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness.
Mackay and Villa's run on Avengers will begin on May 17.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
