Fan Expo 2015- Marvel teases what to expect after Secret Wars!

My favorite part of any convention is the promise of comic news, so when I sat in on Fan Expo’s Marvel Universe panel, I was not disappointed. Marvel talent scout C.B. Cebulski was joined by superstar writer Charles Soule (Uncanny Inhumans, Lando) to talk about what fans can expect from Marvel’s upcoming “All-New, All-Different Marvel” relaunch, and the news was very exciting. It’s already a well-known fact that after Secret Wars, Marvel will begin their titles back at number one creating an easy jumping on point for new fans and clarifying the continuity for long-time readers. While discussing the reboot, Cebulski was quick to point out that all of the new titles would align with Marvel’s existing continuity. Yes, the Marvel cannon remains; the characters that will emerge from Secret Wars are the same as the ones who went into the event, although he did tease that the massive event might make some lasting changes to the Marvel U. “The Marvel Universe has become a very interesting place,” Cebulski said in reference to the changes to characters and team rosters implying more changes to come, but he was also quick to make a couple of constants clear. After many questions about potential crossovers between Marvel, Star Wars, and their parent company, Cebulski replied that they were three separate banners telling their own stories. He also opened the panel by stating one simple, heart-breaking fact, “Wolverine is still dead. I can’t tell you when he’s coming back, if he’s coming back.” So there is still hope…

Despite the reaffirmation of Wolverine’s untimely demise, there was good news to be had. Fans will remember that just before Secret Wars there were a couple of unanswered questions; Cebulski and Soule confirmed that the conflict between the Avengers, the Illuminati and Shield that immediately preceded Secret Wars would be resolved albeit not right away. They also confirmed that the words whispered to Thor to make him unworthy would soon be revealed, despite the fact that the only people who know them are writer Jason Aaron and his editor. The panel’s audience was very keen to know what would happen to the multiverse in the wake of the destruction of Earth 616 and the Ultimate Universe, and while Cebulski was coy in replying that we would have to wait and see, he did answer a question about Spiderman 2099 with, “that’s another wait and see but I think you’ll be happy when the time comes.” He continued to tease when asked about Loki by answering, “Loki will play a big part post Secret Wars. Whether it’s a he Loki, or a she Loki, I can’t say.” Dare we hope that Spiderman 2099 will return to webslinging in his own timeline and Loki will go right back to his old tricks?

While Cebulski did go out of his way to remind us that not all of the post Secret Wars titles had been announced yet, he and Soule did tease some. They told us that while both Brian Michael Bendis and Dan Abnett would both be responsible for Guardians titles, the teams would not be crossing over for some time in order to allow the writers to explore the relationships and team dynamics of the characters. Kitty Pryde and the Thing will both join the Guardians of the Galaxy while some of the current team members will leave. They also elaborated on the future of the Hulk and said that the decision to remove the Hulk “curse” from Bruce Banner was a very natural one. While Banner will still appear in the Marvel U, wunderkind Amadeus Cho will become the big green rage monster in Greg Pak and Frank Cho’s Totally Awesome Hulk. We were also informed that the All-New X-Men would not return to their own timeline in the past, but instead would split up across the Marvel U, with young Jean Grey joining Old Man Logan on the Extrordinary X-Men written by Jeff Lemire and illustrated by Humberto Ramos.

Soule took some time to talk about two new titles he was thrilled to be writing. He revealed that in Daredevil, Matt Murdock would return to New York City to work as a prosecuting attorney. As a lawyer, Soule felt that seeing Murdock put villians away in both his day job and as a vigilante would be a “fresh take on lawyer comics.” He also revealed that Daredevil would regain his secret identity although he wouldn’t say how, and that he would have a young apprentice to work with. Soule will also continue writing Uncanny Inhumans post Secret Wars and shared his vision for the royal family’s continuing story. Current readers know that the usually silent Black Bolt has found his voice, while that has made the character very interesting during the Secret Wars event, Soule confirmed that he would return to his usual silent self after the event. What is even more interesting is that when “All-New All-Different Marvel” launches, Black Bolt will still own and operate The Quiet Room, the New York City bar that he is currently the proprietor of. Soule also talked about the history of the Inhumans of how long they have lived amongst humanity, offering many opportunities to weave them into human history. Perhaps the most interesting piece of information was that Soule was eager to explore the relationships within the royal family. It seems that post Secret Wars, Medusa will be dating Johnny Storm of the former Fantastic Four, which could lead to drama as Johnny used to date Medusa’s sister, Crystal.

Overall, the “All-New All-Different Marvel” that was teased seems very promising. If they strike the right cord between nostalgia and innovation, this could be Marvel’s most successful relaunch yet. Is there a title you’re really looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below!