After a delay that came as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Marvel Comics next crossover event Empyre officially begins next month.
In a motion comic trailer for the event, the former Young Avenger Hulkling is seen rallying the newly formed Kree-Skrull Alliance as he becomes emperor of the merged empires. As the two longtime warring races celebrate their newfound peace, Hulkling turns his attention to Earth and their common enemy in the Fantastic Four and Avengers.
The trailer teases various ominous fates for the superheroes, from the Avengers and Fantastic Four brought to their knees by the extraterrestrial assault to Captain Marvel becoming the Kree Empire's latest Accuser, complete with her own hammer. Most foreboding of all is dark fate hinted at for Black Panther and Wakanda as the two empires come to Earth.
Originally scheduled to debut this past April, shipping issues stemming from the global health crisis caused the event to be delayed by three months. With much of the Marvel Universe slated to be impacted by the interstellar conflict, this July will see the release of the initial wave of tie-ins for the event.
Written by Al Ewing and Dan Slott and illustrated by Valerio Schiti, Empyre #1 goes on sale July 15 from Marvel Comics.