Marvel Reveals MCU Phase-Inspired Slate for Upcoming Comic Events

By Sam Hargrave Posted:
Marvel Phase slate comics

Nobody in the entertainment industry does blockbuster announcement presentation quite like Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. Over the last decade, the MCU has become infamous for those rare moments when Feige stands before a massive convention crowd to reveal the future of the franchise.

Due to the pandemic, those events were forced to go on hold for several years, but Marvel Studios came out in full force at 2022's San Diego Comic-Con and D23 Expo to unveil Phase 5 and more. As one would expect, these presentations, particularly the Avengers movie announcements, were met with huge reactions.

Feige and his immense plans have grown so notable that Warner Bros. is even searching for its own DC figurehead to lead its franchise in a similar fashion. Just recently, The Simpsons even poked fun at these announcements with a hilarious parody slate filled with spin-offs and puns related to the animated sitcom, and now even more are riffing on the strategy.

Marvel Comics Reveals Upcoming Crossover Slate

During New York Comic Con, Marvel Comics showcased a slate of upcoming events that draws inspiration from the style of MCU slate reveals. 

The graphic highlights six major comic events that will release across the 2022-23 season including Avengers Assemble, Dark Web, Sins of Sinister, Captain America: Cold War, Summer of Symbiotes, and Fall of X

Marvel Comics, 2022 2023 Comic Events Crossover
Marvel

Marvel Comics' upcoming timeline bears a clear resemblance to those shown by Marvel Studios at events such as San Diego Comic-Con and D23 to reveal the future of the MCU, such as this year's newly-revealed Phase 5 line-up.

MCU Phase 5
Marvel

Across these six events, Marvel will deliver game-changing stories for the Avengers, Spider-Men, X-Men, Captain America, and more. Those looking to discover more about the exciting stories Marvel has planned for the next year of comic crossovers can find the full descriptions below:

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE

Visionary writer Jason Aaron brings his nearly five-year run on AVENGERS to an incredible end. Joined by artists Bryan Hitch, Javier Garrón, and Aaron Kuder, Aaron will tie together his work on AVENGERS, AVENGERS FOREVER, and the AVENGERS OF 1,000,000 BC in a Multiverse-spanning saga that sees the Avengers go to war against an unprecedented army of villains and prove why they’re the Mightiest Heroes of All Earths! 

DARK WEB

The two spurned clones of the Marvel Universe, Madelyne Pryor and Ben Reilly, team up as Goblin Queen and Chasm to unleash their revenge in this Spider-Man and X-Men crossover that pays off decades of comic book storytelling! The dramatic event will fan the flames of the classic INFERNO crossover and impact Spider-Man, the X-Men, Venom, Ms. Marvel, and more in a series of tie-in issues and limited series.

SINS OF SINISTER

Mister Sinister’s devious machinations yield the darkest Marvel Comics future to date in this universe-melting X-Men event. IMMORTAL X-MEN, X-MEN RED, and LEGION OF X will be transformed into IMMORAL X-MEN, STORM & THE BROTHERHOOD OF MUTANTS, and NIGHTCRAWLERS as this overarching saga propels further and further into an unforgiving universe where all things are Sinister!  

CAPTAIN AMERICA: COLD WAR

Currently sharing the mantle of Captain America, Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson’s current adventures collide in this crossover between CAPTAIN AMERICA: SENTINEL OF LIBERTY and CAPTAIN AMERICA: SYMBOL OF TRUTH. A pivotal chapter in the 80-year history of Captain America, this espionage-fueled action thriller will be a culmination of various plot threads in this acclaimed new era including the rise of the Outer Circle, Nomad’s return, the brewing conflict with Wakanda and White Wolf, and Bucky’s new persona and mission… 

SUMMER OF SYMBIOTES

Sun’s out, tongue’s out! Spinning out of titles like VENOM, CARNAGE, and RED GOBLIN comes a slew of new symbiotic stories. Get ready for the return of old faces, the debut of new symbiote heroes, and exciting shifts for iconic symbiote stars. It’s a season of symbiote insanity!

FALL OF X

The X-Men hoped Krakoa would last forever. Time to find out if they were right.

Marvel Comics' MCU Synergy Continues

Marvel has always promoted some synergy between its comics and movies. Moviegoers seeing similarities between the big-screen and the page will only help to encourage comic sales, therefore creating more investment in the overall Marvel brand.

Just recently, Marvel Comics gave Agatha Harkness a brand-new look inspired by Kathryn Hahn's MCU design from WandaVision. Marvel also just recently announced another Sakaar-centric Hulk event, right as She-Hulk appears to be revisiting Bruce Banner's time on the alien planet in the MCU.

The Eternals are just now coming into the fold as major players in the comics in the wake of their 2021 MCU blockbuster, having just starred in a major crossover. On a similar note, the Fantastic Four has just seen an all-new comic relaunch just as their popularity begins to rise with their 2024 MCU reboot on the way.

So, Marvel clearly loves to push this synergy, and the design of its 2022-23 comic crossover event slate offers just the latest example of those efforts. Those who did closely follow Marvel Comics ought to be enthralled by the reveal of what's to come, as it offers a whole suite of varied events from all corners of the world.

The slate will get underway in November 2022 with Avengers Assemble and conclude in Summer 2023 with Fall of X.

- About The Author: Sam Hargrave
Sam Hargrave is the Associate Editor at The Direct. He joined the team as a gaming writer in 2020 before later expanding into writing for all areas of The Direct and taking on further responsibilities such as editorial tasks and image creation.