New York Comic Con (NYCC) 2013 was this past weekend and there were some noteworthy announcements.
We saw some big Dynamite Entertainment news over the weekend. In many ways it was their con, if all news was created equally – which it is not, as they had a lot of “new” news: from finally launching Season 6 of the classic Six Million Dollar Man TV show in comic book form to their acquisition of four Gold Key properties to be worked on by some of the biggest writers in comics today; two of which also work for today’s Valiant Entertainment. 
That led to some questions about whether we’d see Dynamite’s Solar, Magnus, Turok and Doctor Spektor alongside the modern Valiant Entertainment heroes of Bloodshot, Eternal Warrior and others in a modern era crossover capturing characters that were under the Valiant umbrella in the early 1990s; to which the Valiant CEO gave a fairly emphatic and quick “NO”.
DC Comics very much had a stay-the-course convention with only one new year-long weekly maxi-series announced called Batman: Eternal, while also hyping upcoming events in his current ongoing crop of titles and its mega-event Forever Evil. This is not that surprising as I imagine their big new series announcements will come close to the end of Forever Evil in early 2014.
We also saw Marvel FINALLY announcing brand-new Miracleman stories by writer Neil Gaiman and artist Mark Buckingham, but Marvelman is still MIA. Further, Marvel Comics launched some interesting uncharacteristic Disney series at NYCC.
That said, the head-to-head for equivalent publishing strategies would see us compare the DC Comics New 52 with Marvel Now. On that score, Marvel Comics had several one-word teaser posters heading into NYCC. While many hyped new storylines of ongoing series as “#1” of a new arc, the “real” number of new ongoing series for the All-New Marvel Now initiatives or Marvel Now 2 totals twelve (12). (This is already on top of other previously announced new Marvel Now titles like recently departed DC Comics New 52 writer James Robinson on the All-New Invaders.) I’ve pulled those new NYCC debuting series together for you with the reveals, their teaser poster and a synopsis of what to expect. P.S. DC launched zero new New 52 series compared to Marvel’s twelve All-New Marvel Now below.
All-New Marvel Now 2, NYCC Style
A new “Global” series called Avengers World launches:
- “The premise of the book is that it’s the Avengers, doing big things, because it’s an Avengers World now,” editor Tom Brevoort explains. “But while we’ll field the same potential lineup of 18+ Avengers in WORLD, we’ll specifically be looking to give greater screen time to some of the newer Avengers, like Hyperion, Smasher, Cannonball, Shang-Chi, Starbrand and Sunspot.”
Avengers Arena experiences a “Descent” into a new Avengers Undercover series:
- Thrust into the kill-or-be-killed environment of Murder World, only a handful of young heroes escape the confines of AVENGERS ARENA. Those hardened survivors find themselves behind enemy lines, infiltrating the Masters of Evil organization in AVENGERS UNDERCOVER. Can kids like Hazmat, Bloodstone, Death Locket, Cammi and Anachronism hope to maintain their humanity in this clandestine operation? Does convincing their sinister new comrades that they’ve embraced their role as villains mean that they can never go back?
The New Warriors are back in 2014 in a new series on the forefront of a new “War”:
- New Warriors is another Marvel attempt at the revival of the once hit 90’s series, this time as an All-New Marvel NOW! launch, this time reuniting Speedball, Justice, and Nova (though not the original New Warrior), along with a slew of new members, including a certain fairly-recognizable guy that can do everything a spider can. Written by Chris Yost with art by Marcus To, according to the publisher a “different kind of war” is coming with “mutants, Inhumans, Atlanteans, Deviants, Clones, alien half-breeds, magical beings” all identified as threats to humanity and “targeted for extinction.”
Writer Peter David relaunches a more “Corporate” X-Factor relaunched series:
- X-Factor returns in 2014, with a brand new direction, a new artist, and—best of all—the same writer! Peter David launches ALL-NEW X-FACTOR early next year with the amazing talents of Carmine Di Giandomenico on art. Anyone paying close attention at the end of the previous run will have picked up clues about where this new title kicks off. Polaris has been headhunted by the mysterious Serval Industries to lead a corporate-funded super team. Joining her for this adventure will be her half-brother and former teammate Quicksilver, plus a new face to the X-Factor family, the charming thief Gambit, as well as a few members we can’t reveal just yet.
A brand new Hispanic Ghost Rider hits “Overdrive” in a new series as mentioned below. However, the old Ghost Rider is still around joining the “Sinners” of the Thunderbolts ongoing series. How the brand new and old Ghost Rider intersect has yet to be revealed. The new Ghost Rider series has been described as follows:
- For the mortal hosts of vengeance itself, the road warriors known as the Ghost Riders, revenge arrives in a simmering spree. Asphalt turns to jelly, and the wicked crumple in the exhaust. When Mr. Hyde descends on LA with a vile new drug, an all-new Ghost Rider revs up to win back the streets. This March [2014], the Spirit of Vengeance spurs on a new avatar, and young gearhead Robbie Reyes has more than choppers on his wish list. Strap in for a faster, louder ride than ever before as ALL-NEW GHOST READER #1 screams onto the blacktop.
The Punisher moves to L.A. from NYC and is “Hunted” in a new series:
- The Punisher is out west for the long haul, and for a number of reasons. In the first six issues we will discuss some of them, but there’s lots of secrets that only time will reveal. Bringing Frank to Los Angeles offers us some very exciting and fresh storytelling opportunities, too. We’ll see him pitted against threats and villains–and alongside some friends and allies–unique to his new hometown.
The Secret Avengers are “Frenemies” in their new relaunched series:
- Jessica Drew thought she had finished with secrets and lies, but March 2014 sees an end to that reverie. As the newest recruit to Maria Hill’s team in SECRET AVENGERS, Spider-Woman joins Hawkeye, Black Widow, Nick Fury, Phil Coulson and more for S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most dangerous field assignments.
A “Higher” Captain Marvel gets relaunched:
- Kelly Sue DeConnick’s steady hand guided Carol through her previous adventures, and the writer revealed to us that she still has plenty of stories left to tell starring the character. Artist David Lopez joins her on a new ongoing CAPTAIN MARVEL, which launches in March 2014.
The Black Widow gets her own new series seeking “Atonement”:
- Writer Nathan Edmondson and artist Phil Noto give Natasha Romanova the 2014 she deserves with the launch of a new BLACK WIDOW series. The creators intend to explore the peaks and valleys of the super hero spy’s complicated life with their own distinct storytelling style.
Looks like the Iron Man 3 film impact the All-New Marvel Now 2 initiative as James Rhodes sheds his War Machine persona and launches a new series to “Defend” The Marvel 616 Universe as the Iron Patriot:
- Colonel James Rhodes once defended the globe as the armored War Machine. The moniker suited the marine’s devastating impact in a firefight, but not always his moral code. In an all new series launching in March by writer Ales Kot and artist Garry Brown, Rhodey assumes the role of America’s stalwart caretaker, IRON PATRIOT. Tarnished by its original torchbearer, the callous Norman Osborn, the StarkTech armor and its title finally adorns a man of selfless ideals. The new handle comes part and parcel with a freshly focused mission statement and a commitment to defending America from terrors domestic and otherworldly. Family and country will be ever paramount, but can Iron Patriot hope to safeguard either?
The Prince of Lies gets a new ongoing series to build “Trust” with fandom:
- Everyone’s favorite trickster god gets a makeover for All-New Marvel NOW!Loki finds himself in an officially sanctioned new role as Asgard’s subversive defender in LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD.
A “Rad” new Silver Surfer series launches by the Superior writer behind Spider-Man, Dan Slott. and quirky stylized artist Mike Allred:
- A new SILVER SURFER ongoing series blasts off toward unexplored corners of the Marvel Universe with an All-New Marvel NOW! launch coming next March. Writer Dan Slott and artist Mike Allred serve as the powerhouse team co-piloting this brand-new look at the cosmos… Slott’s SURFER hinges on the idea of a Marvel Universe far bigger than any writer or fan has ever previously imagined… The Surfer himself will have a new perspective of the Marvel Universe, thanks to a new character named Dawn Greenwood.
Do you have an favorites from the group? I’m intrigued by Avengers World and New Warriors.
Thanks for reading. All feedback welcome. :)
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