UPDATE: Gabriel's column has updated with new Final Issue variant covers for "Uncanny X-Men," "Fantastic Four," "Invincible Iron Man" and "Incredible Hulk" as well as first looks at Marvel NOW! variants by Joe Quesada and Ed McGuinness.
UPDATE: Marvel responded to CBR after this article went to press, saying, "Stay tuned for some x-citing Marvel news on Monday that'll make Psylocke fans very happy."
The comment further reinforces Gabriel's implication that a Psylocke series is impending for the post-"AvX" status-quo. Check back with CBR on Monday for more details as they develop.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
In Marvel Comics Senior Vice President of Sales David Gabriel's Gabriel NOW! column on Diamond's retailer website this week, Gabriel revealed a new set of variant covers including an "Uncanny Avengers" variant by Olivier Coipel and a set of new Baby variants by Skottie Young for "Avengers" and "New Avengers," which is the first "New Avengers" cover to be revealed by the publisher. Young's cover features a baby-ized Black Bolt, Reed Richards, Black Panther and Iron Man, possibly indicating at least part of the line-up Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting's "New Avengers."
"I think we might be up to close to 20 by the time all of Marvel NOW! is finished," Gabriel said of the Baby variants. "Skottie's work is not only awesome, as the industry sees month after month as his and Eric Shanower'sOzbooks hit the stands, but also his concept of the Marvel babies has reached cult status within our industry after he did a variant cover for Midtown Comics for'Avengers vs. X-Men' #1."
Although the discussion of Gabriel's column focused mostly on variants -- such as pink Komen Foundation covers or those for the benchmark "Amazing Spider-Man" #700 (including an unused piece of "Amazing Fantasy" #15 art by Steve Ditko) -- the SVP of Sales may have teased a "Psylocke" series when expounding on the variant work of Milo Manara.
"We have some upcoming work by the illustrious Milo Manara -- there's a stunning'Psylocke'on the way and another Marvel beauty that will be a bit of a shocker for fans!" said Gabriel. "There's a beautiful Esad Ribic five part cover for'Avengers' #1-5on the way, as well as an unused piece of'Amazing Fantasy' #15by Steve Ditko himself that will finally see print (on'Amazing Spider-Man' #700)."
CBR reached out to Marvel for confirmation on a new "Psylocke" series, but the publisher did not respond by time of press.
Check out the variant covers below.
Olivier Coipel's "Uncanny Avengers" Variant
"Uncanny X-Force" #35 Final Issue variant (L) and Psylocke Manara variant
Marvel's pink Komen variants
Steve Ditko's unused "Amazing Fantasy" #15 art (L) and Humberto Ramos' "Amazing Spider-Man" #700 wraparound variant.
(From L to R) Skottie Young's "New Avengers," "Avengers" and "Amazing Spider-Man" baby variants
Final Issue Variants For "Uncanny X-Men" #20, "Invincible Iron Man" #527 by Salvador Larroca, "Incredible Hulk" #15 and "Fantastic Four" #611
(From L to R) Joe Quesada's "All-New X-Men" #1 Variant, Ed McGuinness' "Red She-Hulk" #58 Variant, Quesada's "Iron Man" #1 Sketch Variant, "First X-Men" #3 Modern Artist Variant
(From L to R) "Fantastic Four" #2 Kubert Variant, "Iron Man" #4 Deodato Variant, "Avengers" #2 John Romita, Jr. Variant