The following contains spoilers for Avengers #1, on sale now from Marvel.
In the Marvel Universe, every day brings new, unimaginable threats. Avengers #1, by writer Jed MacKay and artist C.F. Villa, introduces a danger too heinous for any one hero to face alone. The issue follows Captain Marvel as she assembles a team of Avengers, including Iron Man, Black Panther, Captain America (Sam Wilson), Thor, Vision, and the Scarlet Witch. Avengers #1 also explores her reasons for picking each member and introduces the towering titan known as Terminus.
In an exclusive post-game interview, the debut installment of our Earth’s Mightiest Spoilers series, CBR chatted with MacKay about all of the epic moments in Avengers #1, the challenges of putting together a new team and debut issue, his past Marvel work that paved the way for this story, and where he hopes to take the book during his run. Marvel also shared some of C.F. Villa's pages from the upcoming Avengers #2.
CBR: Avengers #1 opens with Carol Danvers describing her team as firefighters. Does that mean they are more reactive or proactive?
Jed MacKay: I think there's a perception of the Avengers as the group that's always going to come down on the hero/heroes of your favorite book, as The Man. I'm as guilty of that as anyone else (see: Moon Knight), but I feel like that does them a disservice in the long run, and it's a characterization I'd like to get away from. I'm interested in the Avengers as something more aspirational: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the battles they have to fight, and the sacrifices they have to make to do the job no one else can do.
Carol’s recruitment of Tony and T’Challa comes after events in their own books which left both Iron Man and the Black Panther in different and decidedly uncomfortable positions. What’s it like balancing and building stories around a cast that almost all have their own monthly titles?
It's hard! Thankfully, Marvel is a pretty collegial environment where everyone tries to make things work across the range of books, so it's been nothing we can't handle. In some cases, such as the recent shift in status quo in Black Panther, it produces interesting new motivations and directions for the characters, and with such a range of characters, what's going on/has gone on with their solo books can kick off some interesting interactions.
Speaking of which, T’Challa and Sam Wilson are bringing a dynamic with them that was established in Captain America: Symbol of Truth. What’s your sense of the animosity between Cap and the Black Panther? How do they view each other?
I think it's a little boring in superhero comics when every character is best friends with every single other character. These are larger-than-life characters, with larger-than-life passions and drives. When they come into conflict, there's going to be grudges and hurt feelings. I'm not talking about blood vendettas and eternal enmity, but I think it's interesting when characters simply don't like one another, and I think that's something good to explore in a team book. After Cap and the Panther's conflicts in Captain America: Symbol of Truth and T'Challa's actions in Black Panther, some bridges will have to be mended.
You also brought back a classic Avengers relationship by including Vision and the Scarlet Witch in this lineup. What made you want to have both of them on the team? What’s it like for them to be on this new team together?
I think Vision and the Scarlet Witch belong in the Avengers. This, of course, comes from the Avengers I grew up reading, but I always thought they were such an interesting part of the team -- such oddball characters with an interesting dynamic. With both of them being household names in a way I don't think they ever have been, I think it's the perfect time to bring them back to the big leagues. As for what it's like for them to be on the team again, that's to be explored down the line!
These relationship sub-plots suggest that you’re just as interested in the soap opera elements of the Avengers as superheroic ones.
Well, within reason. At the time of writing, 6/7 of my Avengers have their own books, so there's a limit to how much relationship drama can go on. But all that said, team books live and die on the relationships between the cast [and] the dynamics of how they work together, and that's something I'm looking forward to getting into as time goes on.
What was it like writing this first issue? It seems like you wanted to give readers a sense of why your cast members were part of this team while also providing a heaping helping of action.
It was hard! I ended up diverging entirely from my proposed outline as it became apparent that it wasn't going to work, but I turned out to be much happier with how it finally came together. I wanted to fulfill two goals -- refamiliarize readers with who is on our team (and why) and show them what they can do.
Avengers is a big and perhaps daunting book, but I imagine some of the trepidation was eased by having your Black Cat collaborator C.F. Villa and colorist Federico Blee as your art team. What are some of the things they’ve done so far that you’re especially excited for readers to see?
Pretty much everything that comes in from C.F. and Federico is completely exciting. They're both dynamite artists at the top of their game, and this first issue is just a taste of what they're capable of. Working with C.F. to come up with new weirdos to throw at the Avengers was a collaborative treat, and the scope and scale we're working with [are] bound to excite!
The final page of Avengers #1 reveals Kang as the first big-name villain of your run. What made you choose him? Is this a continuation of the story you’ve been telling in the Timeless specials?
I think I've mentioned it before in interviews, but Kang is one of the few villains that I feel belongs to the Avengers, in the same way that Dr. Doom belongs to the Fantastic Four. I've had the opportunity to explore my thoughts on Kang twice now in Timeless, and yes, the latest installment of that book was my runway to Avengers, which was a great chance to have. As for the first big-name villain of our run? I'd never call Kang anything but a villain, but it's worse than that. He's coming to the Avengers as a friend.
Is there anything you’d like to say to lifelong Avengers fans? Why should they be excited about what’s to come?
I think the first issue speaks for itself about what we're trying to do and how we want this book to work, certainly better than I could.
Proof/pudding, pictures/1,000 words, etc. All that said, what I can mention is that this is just the beginning. We're going to some serious heights and taking our heroes through some serious lows, so hopefully, people stick around for the journey!
Avengers #1 is on sale now.