Merge:New Avengers

This article is for the comic entitled New Avengers''. For the team starring in it, see Avengers''

New Avengers is a comic book published by Marvel Comics. Written by Brian Michael Bendis, the writer behind the "Avengers Disassembled" storyline, the series depicts a a group of superheroes that form a new team of Avengers, regularly referred to in the series as the "New Avengers".

Overview
New Avengers was launched in November 2004, written by Bendis and drawn by David Finch. With the Avengers team disbanded, and the Fantastic Four and the X-Men unable to act, supervillain Electro shut down the S.H.I.E.L.D Raft installation, a "maximum-maximum security" prison for super-powered criminals. S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman), Matt Murdock (Daredevil) and Luke Cage, already at the Raft, were joined by Captain America, Spider-Man and Iron Man, as well as helped by a seemingly insane Sentry. The riot was quelled, although some forty-two inmates escaped. Captain America decided that fate had brought this group together, just as it had the original Avengers. All but Daredevil accepted the offer to reform the Avengers as a result. X-Men member Wolverine joined the team following a trip to the Savage Land.

Iron Man sought approval from such pillars of the superhero community as Professor Charles Xavier, Doctor Strange and Mister Fantastic and headquartered the new team in Stark Tower.

The team's ongoing mission is to capture the remaining super-powered criminals who escaped during the riot that brought them together. The emergence of the Young Avengers is also a matter of concern and the team find themselves divided in what actions they should take. Also, there is the growing sense of unease with S.H.I.E.L.D. after the disappearance of Nick Fury. The new team was not well received and certain governmental bodies, unsure of the New Avengers, sent the Thunderbolts to remind them of their place.

Breakout (issues #1-6)
This storyline introduces the new team, and focuses mostly on the events that bring them all together. S.H.I.E.L.D is holding something back about the enigmatic man named Karl Lykos. His files are restricted even to Spider-Woman and Captain America. Their quest takes them into the Savage Land where they are joined by Wolverine and soon discover Karl Lykos' alter-ego, Sauron.

"Young Guns" variants
A selection of "incentive" variant covers, each based on a segment of a sketch by Joe Quesada of the assembled Avengers team by an artist Marvel was pushing as part of its short-lived "Young Guns" promotion, caused controversy when it was announced that the number of variants retailers would be allowed to order would be dependent not only on the number of "normal" versions of each issue (by David Finch) ordered, but on the shop's orders of the prior issues of the arc. As a result, this was quickly revised to be dependent only on orders of the particular issue, in decreasing ratios as the arc went on :


 * # 1 - Steve McNiven (Spider-Man) - 1:20 (ratio in the form 1 variant:number of "regular" issues a shop was required order to be allowed to order one variant)
 * # 2 - Trevor Hairsine (Sentry) - 1:19
 * # 3 - Olivier Coipel (Wolverine) - 1:18
 * # 4 - Jim Cheung (Ronin) - 1:17
 * # 5 - Adi Granov (Luke Cage and Spider-Woman) - 1:16
 * # 6 - Bryan Hitch (Captain America and Iron Man) - 1:15

Other variants
The Quesada image which formed the basis for the "Young Guns" covers was also made available as a cover for issue 1 in its' own right, not tied to orders of the standard or Young Guns cover for the issue.

Issue 1 was also reprinted twice after release - with the same interiors as the earlier versions, but a cover by David Finch originally solicited for issue 2, and as a "Directors' Cut" with a partially-coloured version of the original cover art and additional "Behind the Scenes" material.

The Sentry (issues #7-10)
Captain America and Iron Man try to discover the origins of the Sentry, a man shrouded in mystery, who saved their lives many times during the outbreak on the Raft. He was a voluntary prisoner, distraught after killing his wife, though his wife appears to be alive and well... Meanwhile, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Luke Cage and Wolverine track down The Wrecker and after a dangerous battle, they manage to subdue him. One down, forty one to go... The Sentry is cured, finally, although he still sometimes cannot handle the stress of his arch-foe's manipulation of him.

Startling Stories featuring the Sentry covers
Incentive variants released in a 1:15 ratio, featuring "Startling Stories" logos and "retro" trade dress


 * # 7 - Neal Adams (originally announced as a Dave Cockrum cover )
 * # 8 - John Romita, Sr
 * # 9 - Marie Severin (originally announced as a Herb Trimpe cover)
 * # 10 - Sal Buscema (NB: Arc was originally three issues long)

Ronin (issues #11-13)
The enigmatic Ronin, recommended by Matt Murdock, joins the team on an expedition to Japan to seize the Silver Samurai. Ronin has not spent much time with the team since, staying in Japan to monitor the Hand, while the Sentry still suffers from his own identity problems, giving him "good days and bad days."



Spider-Woman (issues #14-15)
Now that Spider-Woman is an Avenger, Hydra has her right where it wants her. Fortunately, she does the right thing in talking to Captain America. Cap is true to form in confronting Jessica about her duplicity, and she bravely endangers her life by telling her story. The New Avengers reveal their existence to the world and receive a mixed reception. Ms. Marvel returns to be told that she is, and always will be, an Avenger, though she turns down Captain America's invitation, preferring to re-establish her own solo career as a superheroine first, and the team must face their greatest foe yet: J. Jonah Jameson.

The Collective (issues #16-20)
In Alaska, Michael Pointer is hit by the Collective, a massive amount of energy from depowered mutants, a result of the House of M event. He seemingly kills Alpha Flight, and when the Avengers arrive to stop him, Spider-Man discovers that the Collective has the power signatures of the powerless mutants.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. telepaths read Spider-Man's mind, and find out what happened to reality. The Avengers arrive to free Spider-Man, right as he is released from custody. Collective, meanwhile, arrives in Genosha, home to many depowered mutants, including Magneto. After learning of the Collectives location the New Avengers including Carol Danvers and a multitude of SHIELD operatives invade Genosha to destroy the now empowered Magneto. It is also learned that the entity was really Xorn, who was hellbent on liberating mutants.

New Avengers: Illuminati

 * Published the same month as New Avengers #17

New Avengers: Illuminati is a one-shot, published as part of the "Road To Civil War". It documents the founding of the Illuminati; Iron Man, Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Professor Charles Xavier, Black Bolt, Prince Namor of Atlantis and Doctor Strange. Years later, the Illuminati meet to determine the fate of the Hulk. Deciding that there is no hope for Bruce Banner. All but Namor agree that exiling him in space is the best and most humane way of dealing with him, leading to Planet Hulk. The final time the Illuminati meet is prior to the passing of the Superhuman Registration Act. The group becomes even more divided as to whether to support the act or not. Iron Man suggests they should support the act, and Richards agrees, but Namor, Dr. Strange and Black Bolt all disagree and leave (Professor Xavier was MIA due to the after-effects of House of M, and was not involved); with most of the members gone, it implied that the team was over, with Mr. Fantastic telling Iron Man that it "was fun while it lasted" before leaving.

The issue also contains a preview of Civil War #1.

New Avengers Annual #1

 * Published the same month as New Avengers #18, but leads into #22.

In the New Avengers Annual, Yelena Belova, the Black Widow is given the powers of the Super-Adaptoid by agents of HYDRA for her to use against the Avengers.

She attacks a meeting of the Avengers just as Jessica Jones announces her agreement to Luke Cage's proposal, absorbing first the powers of the Sentry and then the rest of the Avengers including Luke Cage and Ms. Marvel. She is defeated by Iron Man's use of automated versions of his suit and the Sentry's apparent command of the Void persona to overwhelm her mind.

This leads to her HYDRA controllers engaging a self-destruct device so she can't be traced back to them.

The book ends with the marriage of Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, officiated by someone who bears a striking resemblance to Stan Lee.

Hardcover/Trade Collections
The issues are collected in hardcover format, later released in trade paperback format.

Volume 1: Breakout (New Avengers 1-6) Volume 2: The Sentry (New Avengers 7-10, New Avengers Most Wanted Files) Volume 3: Secrets and Lies (New Avengers 11-15) Volume 4: The Collective (New Avengers 16-20)
 * Hardcover: ISBN 0785118144, August 17, 2005
 * TPB: ISBN 0785114793, January 18, 2006
 * Hardcover: ISBN 0785119388, February 8, 2006
 * TPB: ISBN 0785116729, July 26, 2006
 * Hardcover: ISBN 0785119396, March 15, 2006
 * TPB: ISBN ?, Release Unknown, Probably August 2006.
 * Hardcover: ISBN 0785119868, October 4, 2006
 * TPB: ISBN ?, Release Unknown, Probably March 2007.

New Avengers: Illuminati will be reprinted in a Civil War trade paperback.