The U.S.Avengers are coming December, and to celebrate the release of the patriotic new title, Marvel is putting out variant covers that assign an Avenger to each each state, in addition to Puerto Rico...and Canada!
The announcement of the covers, all drawn by Rod Reis, was broken by Buzzfeed, which also released 8 of the variants showing, among others, Luke Cage as New York’s Avenger, Steve Rogers’ Captain America as Delaware’s, and Iron Man as California’s.
“U.S. Avengers” follows the rise of a retooled A.I.M. The former Advanced Idea Mechanics -- a one time enemy entity that used super science to advance its super villainy -- is been relaunched as American Intelligence Mechanics, a new super-spy organization that oversees national security, and threats from within and without. The organization will be run by the U.S. Government and will take over domestic duties for S.H.I.E.L.D., an orgnization which falls under the jurisdiction of the United Nations.
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“A.I.M. will dare any danger -- no matter how awesome that danger might be—to save their nation from the wildest, weirdest threats of all,” proclaims Marvel’s December solicitation.
“U.S. Avengers” is part the “Marvel NOW!” initiative. The title was announced in July, and is being written by Al Ewing, with art by Paco Medina.
The writer told CBR that “the U.S. is going to be relying much more on their own secret agencies — the C.I.A., the N.S.A, and A.I.M., which will be handling the more outrageous elements.” He added that A.I.M. will taking over the more James Bond-style scenarios, the literal super-spies that only S.H.I.E.L.D. could handle before.”
Ewing also hinted at tensions between the new organization and its supra-national counterpart: “Naturally, S.H.I.E.L.D. and their sympathizers within the government will be watching to see the new kids screw up.”
Puerto Rico and Canada are also getting variants, and there will be blank cover, bringing the total up to 53. (So no jokes about this being Marvel's New 52, please.)
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We'll have to wait until December to see the chosen Avengers for the remaining states, but what about Canada? Who will be gracing the variant for our neighbors to the north? Will it be Old Man Logan? A resurrected Wolverine? A member of Alpha Flight? Or will it be Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has a habit of showing up shirtless, and already graced a variant cover of his own.
Take a look at the eight covers revealed thus far, below:
