War of Kings

[TheCorpulent1]

So, I was going to Marvel's website to look at the October solicitations again, and I saw this. Not too interesting in and of itself, but then I saw the Related News links, which includes Who Will Rule? Vulcan and Who Will Rule? Guardians of the Galaxy (!). Vulcan and the Starjammers obviously go together, but the Guardians are going to be involved too?

Now I'm wondering, could this be the third Annihilation event? All the Annihilation characters colliding with the X-related Shi'ar stuff? The very prospect has me excited. I've absolutely hated how the X-line's monopoly on all things Shi'ar has effectively cut a big chunk out of the cosmos available for the previous Annihilation series. If they're finally reversing that and allowing the other cosmic characters to interact with the Shi'ar/X-Men characters--perhaps because Vulcan decides the Shi'ar Empire isn't enough and menaces the rest of the universe?--I would be overjoyed.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll be looking forward to news on this in particular as SDCC gets going over the next couple of days. I hope I'm right.

 

[Dread]

Those are interesting developments. I'm hardly a fan of the Shi'ar, but they've been a major Marvel alien race for decades now and were even involved in other franchises like the Fantastic Four and the Avengers in the past before they became more "X-Exclusive". With the universe in a drastic shift in power after the first two Annihilation events (the first essentially destroyed just about every cosmic "superpower" aside for the Shi'ar, who were ixnay'd, and the Kree, and Annihilation Conquest basically destroyed the Kree Empire), the fact that the Shi'ar went through "regime change" should be a major factor. After all, the Shi'ar have fought wars with both the Kree and Skrulls and even ruled over the former. They're the Klingons of the Marvel Universe (moreso than the Kree, least to me).

It makes sense to connect all the space plotlines, which include Nova, the GOTC, and yes, even the Starjammer stuff. If this means we'll get Havok and Nova battling together in Annihilation III, that might be pretty cool.

Thanks for the scoop; I almost never visit Marvel.com because of long load times.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Really? It's pretty quick for me.

But yeah, Havok is a great character that I've missed since he went to hell--er, I mean, became embroiled in the Vulcan plotline. Seeing him alongside the Guardians and Nova would be cool, and maybe the Starjammers could become another major cosmic group afterward. The line-up would have to change a bit, since Havok and Raza are basically the only cool characters on there right now, but they could be a good companion to Nova and the GotG. Plus, an Annihilation/Shi'ar crossover could open up a lot of other interesting possibilities.

 

[Dread]

Really? It's pretty quick for me.

But yeah, Havok is a great character that I've missed since he went to hell--er, I mean, became embroiled in the Vulcan plotline. Seeing him alongside the Guardians and Nova would be cool, and maybe the Starjammers could become another major cosmic group afterward. The line-up would have to change a bit, since Havok and Raza are basically the only cool characters on there right now, but they could be a good companion to Nova and the GotG. Plus, an Annihilation/Shi'ar crossover could open up a lot of other interesting possibilities.

That, and Marvel.com basically just has a lot of spin, more than I can usually tolerate. More independent websites like Newsarama and Comics Continuum may sometimes "cheerlead", but they're not usually outright propaganda. I usually am not in the mood for that.

I'm not a huge fan of Havok but I probably like him more now than when I was a kid (when I didn't like any X-Man who wasn't Wolverine, Nightcrawler, or Colossus). Isolating mutants have led to some problems with the X-Men and it would be cool to have some mutants representing at the next Annihilation. Plus, after Conquest took out the Kree empire, outright ignoring the Shi'ar in the mix for editorial reasons makes little sense considering the detail that DnA usually put into their work. The rest of the Starjammers never appealed to me, and I always thought the idea of Cyclops' father being a space pirate with a sash stolen from Jean Grey was a bit lame. But I'm all for a more inclusive Annihilation III. Plus, how often does someone like Havok or Marvel Girl get to meet people like Drax or Nova, fight alongside them, maybe even trade stories for a few panels between fire-fights? The last time Havok was more involved with the rest of Marvel, he was either guest starring in PAD's Hulk or being a Defender for a Day.

Considering the Vulcan storyline has not sold very well without Brubaker, merging it with the rest of DnA's "space Marvel" seems to be a wise and logical step. Which of course has me wondering if it actually is true; "wise and logical" don't describe the Joe Q tenure well (although moreso than Dan DiDio's; at least Joe eventually settled on something of a direct course). AC at the very least lowered expectations for ANNIHILATION III, which GOTG is clearly a prelude for with Adam Warlock preaching avout threats to the universe.

Just so long as Havok doesn't regain his "onion mask" or tiara. I always hated that crap. His best costume was in MUTANT X and, gasp, it was amazingly simple.

So, yeah, bring in the Shi'ar for Annihilation III. Hell, Vulcan has always been written as ridicously overpowered and invincible enough to be a villain. Although of course a few people are holding out hope for Kang.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'd be content with Vulcan, actually. After all, most Annihilation villains are killed off at the end of the main series.

I'll just reread Avengers Forever for all the Kang goodness I could ever want.

 

[Dread]

Fair enough.

I could go to see Vulcan smacked around by the stars of Annihilation myself.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, it'd be fun.

So, do you think anyone other than us will ever post in this thread?

 

[Darthphere]

I love me some Havok.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yay, more people!

 

[Anubis]

Vulcan kinda blows.

 

[Darthphere]

Indeed, but Havok does not.

 

[Anubis]

But his brother's a c**t.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

But his brothers are c**ts.

Edited for accuracy.

 

[yenaled]

Yay for space Marvel.

 

[yenaled]

Seems a new one now.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

That was pretty predictable. Still, it just strengthens the case for my theory.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

No no Corp, you have it wrong. Brother is a ****. Vulcan, to be precise. Cyclops however is a badass.

I didn't read the first two Annhilation stories, cause I'm not big on space Marvel, but if the Spacejammers are in the next one, I just might have to.

 

[chamber-music]

Vulcan kinda blows.

Agreed, how one panel with sinister brought about this clustermuck that lead to Xavier being even more or a *****e bag(didn't know was possible), Banshee dead and the lameness that is vulcan I will never know!

 

[TheCorpulent1]

No no Corp, you have it wrong. Brother is a ****. Vulcan, to be precise. Cyclops however is a badass.

No, he's just a c**t. Hey, remember in Astonishing X-Men where he laughed and took it for granted that "X-Men don't shoot people"? Yeah, I miss those days. Especially since they were only, like, a month ago to the character himself.

 

[Brainiac 8]

This sounds great actually. I know most didn't like it, but I really enjoyed Brubaker's "Rise and Fall of the Shiar Empire' and also to a much lesser degree the follow up "Emporer Vulcan."

It makes sense that Vulcan would want to take advantage of the past two annihilations to spread his empire to the now mostly destroyed Kree and Skrull sectors.

Starlord/Nova/Havok fighting side by side against Vulcan and the Imperial Guard makes me a giddy cosmic fanboy.

 

[CaptainCanada]

I've been waiting to see what Havok, Polaris, and Rachel (Marvel Girl is still dumb, Phoenix doesn't really belong to her) would be up to next.

Given the solicit to the Secret Invasion: Inhumans miniseries, I imagine they'll be involved too.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Oh, wow, I hadn't even read those SI: Inhumans solicitations before. I just took it for granted that I would skip it. I'll have to rethink that now.

 

[CaptainCanada]

For those as foolish as Corp:

Spinning directly out of SECRET INVASION – the hunt for Black Bolt begins! You learned that he was replaced by the Skrulls in New Avengers: Illuminati, now it’s time to find out if the Inhumans’ former king is dead or alive! How will the loss of their leader tear apart the Royal Family? Can the mighty monarch recover from this personal blow – that is, if he’s even still living? And how far will Medusa, Crystal, Triton, Karnak and Gorgon go to find their disposed king? Writer Joe Pokaski (TV’s Heroes) and artist Tom Raney (Annihilation: Conquest) unite for an adventure that not only expands the events of this year’s biggest story, but will lead to huge events in 2009!

The hunt for Black Bolt takes the Inhumans into the stars! Medusa leads her Royal Family into space – and she’s about to make a devil's bargain with the Kree – and Ronan the Accuser! Is the enemy of your enemy really your friend? And can the Inhumans keep their family together in time to find their King? Joe Pokaski (TV’s Heroes) and Tom Raney (ANNIHILATION: CONQUEST) continue the story that will lead not only to SECRET INVASION #8, but also to more cosmic action in 2009!

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I don't know about this Pokaski character, but Raney's art is mostly good. Should be nice to see Karnak again, too.

 

[Brainiac 8]

This is getting interesting, as I have been a fan of the Inhumans for years. I was going to read the mini anyway though.

In divided we stand issue, they showed us that Havok and the rest were captured and being tortured by Vulcan and his people.

By the end of the short story, he found the energy needed to bust out, and that is how they left it.


I can't wait.