WARNING: This interview contains major spoilers for Avengers #688, on sale now.
Marvel Comics Avengers have sworn an oath to defend the Earth, so when a threat arises that could conquer or destroy the planet they come together to make life saving choices and sacrifices. In Avengers #688, the latest chapter in the current 16-part “No Surrender” epic, writers Al Ewing, Jim Zub and Mark Waid, and artists Kim Jacinto and Stefano Caselli, show Earth's Mightiest Heroes doing all that -- and more.
In the issue, the contest between the Elders of the Universe known as the Grandmaster and the Challenger spirals out of control, putting their “game board,” a stolen Earth, in dire peril. This causes Quicksilver to literally chase down a lead on freeing the heroes and villains of Earth that had been frozen by the Grandmaster. The mutant heroes instincts are correct, and every Avenger is now able to participate in the final battle for Earth -- but that victory seemingly came at the cost of Quicksilver's life. Or did it? The issue also saw the Grandmaster's daughter Voyager start acting like the hero she had pretended to be, aiding the Avengers in shutting down her father's plans for Earth.
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CBR spoke with Ewing, Zub and Waid about Voyager's choices, Quicksilver's sacrifice and where the the Avengers' speedster will next appear. We also discuss bringing Captain America back for the final battle, and which cast members from their respective Avengers books they miss writing the most.
CBR: So guys, I wanted to start off by chatting about Quicksilver. He's had a pretty sizable arc throughout "No Surrender" and who played a big role in Avengers #688. What can you tell us about his role in this story? Was it always going to be this big?
Jim Zub: Quicksilver's development started on this path back in Uncanny Avengers, carries on through “No Surrender,” and will build to something extra special in the Quicksilver solo series being written by Saladin Ahmed.
The way these heroes show us what they're capable of is by putting them through difficulties and testing their limits, both with their powers and their personalities. I wanted to show Pietro's full range, his selfishness and self-righteousness as well as his intense courage and understanding of self sacrifice. I like that he's a character of extremes in that way.
How connected is Ahmed and Eric Nguyen's Quicksilver mini to the remaining chapters of "No Surrender?" Is it a tie-in in the traditional sense, or more of a character focused book that sprung from the story you guys have told?
Zub: Saladin is crafting a Quicksilver story that builds on what we wrote in “No Surrender,” but new readers will be (forgive the pun) brought up to speed on his current situation. That said, I think people who have been following along since Uncanny Avengers will get the broadest and best view of who Pietro is, and why he's one of Marvel's most underrated heroes.
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In this issue and the last, Voyager reveals her (sort-of) true heroic colors. It feels like her journey as a character in this story has been an homage to the transformative power of fighting against and alongside the Avengers that we've seen over the years in characters from Hawkeye, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch to characters like the original Thunderbolts. Was that your intention with Voyager?
Mark Waid: From the start, yes. Voyager's journey was always about What It Means To Be An Avenger. Possible spoiler warning: it doesn't always mean walking away from every battle intact.
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Al Ewing: It's a little tricky talking about Voyager's journey at this point. Because that journey isn't complete, we're at risk of spoilers. She wants to do the right thing, to do better, to be a true part of what the Avengers are. But after everything she's done, is that enough?
Zub: We wanted “No Surrender” to embrace the "legacy" concept. It's central to our story, and Voyager is the embodiment of that idea.
Voyager and Quicksilver's actions in this issue mean some heroes and villains who haven't had a chance to play a role in this story thanks to the Grandmaster's machinations will have a chance to step up and be part of the action. It looks like chief among them is Steve Rogers. What was it like writing him in this story and bouncing him off the other characters?
Waid: More complex than you'd imagine. The thing about Steve Rogers is that he's such a natural leader, it's almost impossible to put him into an Avengers story and not have him automatically be in charge -- but that's not what this story called for. That said, his counsel was unquestionably a big part of the strategy for the endgame battle.
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Ewing: Cap's the living symbol of the Avengers in a lot of ways, so having him standing there - his real self again - did end up lending a certain something to the final battle. As everyone knows by this point, I'm a big fan of the "everyone's an Avenger" trope - if you stand up and help someone out, you get to be in the club - but that said, Steve does seem to function as a walking, talking Official Seal of Avengers Approval. So it was nice that he could drop by to give us his blessing before we went.
Zub: An Avengers story on this scale without Cap would have felt strange but, like Mark said, he can also overwhelm everyone else as he naturally takes charge. Taking him out of rotation for a while gave other characters the chance to shine, even as he returns for the final battle.
Kim Jacinto and Stefano Caselli brought all the big moments of Avengers #688 to life. And while there was plenty of action it felt to me like this issue was a testament to their character acting skills. What were some of your favorite scenes in the issue?
Waid: I really do think that every moment of Quicksilver's sacrifice was beautifully realized, and every bit of that falls to Kim and Stefano. We couldn't have been luckier than to have them on the team.
Ewing: The Hulk moment - you'll know it when you see it - is one of my big favorites. And there's a moment where Roberto has one of his signature Big Crazy Ideas, which I thought was beautifully realized.
Zub: The Quicksilver sacrifice was a moment I'd been planning right from the start so it was wonderful to finally see it carried through to the printed page. As sad as it makes me, it's also integral to the whole thing as he sums up why these characters band together. Almost all my attention on this issue was focused on making that scene stick.
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There were a lot of poignant moments in issue #688, but they were made extra emotional and cool for me because they're sort of culminations and pay offs from threads you set up and developed in your respective Avengers books; Avengers, Uncanny Avengers and U.S. Avengers. So what was it like saying goodbye to characters like Sam Wilson, Toni Ho, Sunspot and Quicksilver, heroes you've been writing for a while? Are there any characters in particular you find yourself missing?
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Waid: I will miss writing Sam Wilson. I have a soft spot in my heart for legacy heroes, and Sam was more than capable as Captain America. The only thing about Sam I won't miss is trying to figure out some way to get that damn bird, Redwing (the Aqualad of the Avengers), into every story (kidding! kidding! mostly kidding). (You'll notice he was on "extended leave" here. Let's assume it was his job to guard the wreckage of the mansion.)
Ewing: As soon as I stopped writing the last bits of dialogue for Toni, Aikku, Roberto, Miguel, Simon - and the list goes on - I had about a thousand ideas for new stories. None of these ideas really fit into the Immortal Hulk - I have special mad ideas for that, which I'm actively working on -- but I am missing the gang and hoping I can get at least a couple of these big crazy notions that won't leave me alone out of my skull and onto a page somewhere, somehow...
Zub: I have so much love for the supernatural side of comics, so Scarlet Witch and Doctor Voodoo are two characters I'm definitely missing as we bring this wild ride to the finish line.
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Finally, there's just two more chapters left in “No Surrender.” Any hints or teases you can leave readers with about Avengers #689-#690?
Waid: One does not simply place the Earth back into its natural orbit without sacrifice, without effort -- and without a very subtle nod to an old issue of Giant-Size Defenders.
Ewing: It's subtle, all right -- I had to go back and read that issue of GSD to work out what the nod was! But yes, there are some similarities there. One character will end their arc with a very big payoff, and -- in my humble opinion -- one of the most solidly badass moments in years. Oh -- and Bruce and Clint are going to have that talk we've been foreshadowing...
Zub: Next issue has massive action, a gamble like no other, and the most potent magic words in the Marvel Universe. Nuff said.