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Marvel NOW! Checklist—What You Have to Look Forward To

In case you've been completely lost and wondering what's coming and what's ending.

There are still a lot of questions over what Marvel NOW! is and how it will affect the current comics. This isn't a reboot of the Marvel Universe. It is a relaunch of several titles with creative teams switching books in the aftermath of AVENGERS VS X-MEN. There will be new directions and jumping on points to attract new readers with the majority of titles being relaunched with new #1 issues.

Current readers can be assured that the histories of characters will not be erased. This is not a new Universe but a continuation of current events slightly tailored to allow new readers and those that haven't been keeping up a chance to dive into the new series.

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Because of the many questions we've received about Marvel NOW!, hopefully this will help you plan your comic buying for the next few months. Beginning this month, October, and continuing through February 2013, there will be several new titles for readers to check out as well as the continuation of the adventures of existing titles only with a new creative team and possibly a slightly different title.

== TEASER ==

October 2012

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We have already seen the launch of Marvel NOW! with the new UNCANNY AVENGERS by Rick Remender and John Cassaday. With the return of mutants and the fear and hatred that usually goes with it, Captain America has decided to try to bridge the gap between the Avengers and X-Men after AVENGERS VS X-MEN to give a united front to the populace.

UPDATE: Apparently the second issue is delayed a couple weeks. It looks as if it'll be out on November 28 instead of the 14th. No word on if this will affect the third issue's shipping.

A + X (October 31, 2012) will also debut in a similar vein to AVX: VS. This time, the issues will feature two tales teaming up an Avenger and an X-Man. The series will feature different creators for each story.

October also saw the transformation of Red Hulk's adventures in HULK into RED SHE-HULK. The series made the change at issue #58 and is still written by Jeff Parker with art by Carlo Pagulayan and Wellington Alves.

We also saw the release of MARVEL NOW! POINT ONE which featured stories dealing with Nick Fury Jr, Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, Young Avengers, FF and Cable and Forge.

November 2012

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IRON MAN will evolve to its fifth volume on November 7, 2013. Kieron Gillen and Greg Land will see Tony Stark's "greatest invention become his greatest mistake." INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #527 is the final issue of the current series. Issue #2 is set for a November 21 release.

DEADPOOL (November 7, 2012) will relaunch with Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan and Tony Moore pitting Deadpool against resurrected dead presidents such as George Washington and Gerald Ford. DEADPOOL #63 is the final issue of the current series. DEADPOOL #2 is scheduled for November 21, 2012.

ALL-NEW X-MEN (November 14, 2013) by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen will have the original teenage X-Men somehow being brought into their future which is the current present. It's unclear how this will happen but it has been said it will be explained when specifically they left their time. Looks like the second issue will be on sale November 28.

THOR: GOD OF THUNDER (November 14, 2013) will feature Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic taking the Thunder God on a quest to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher. Issue #2 is set for a November 28 release. THE MIGHTY THOR #22 is the last issue of the current series.

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Matt Fraction will be responsible for delivering the monthly adventures of FANTASTIC FOUR (November 14, 2012) and FF (November 28, 2012). The first will feature art by Mark Bagley with the latter featuring Mike Allred's art. FF will go in a different direction from the current series as the team will consist of Ant-Man, She-Hulk, Medusa and Miss Thing. FANTASTIC FOUR #611 and FF #23 are the final issues of the current volumes.

CAPTAIN AMERICA (November 21, 2013) will see another new volume, this time written by Rick Remender with art by John Romita Jr. The solicit mentions a "high-adventure, mind-melting, tough-as-nails, sci-fi, pulp-fantasy era" as Cap is going to Dimension Z... CAPTAIN AMERICA #19 marks the final issue of the current volume.

Even though INCREDIBLE HULK was relaunched not too long ago, Mark Waid and Leinil Yu will work on INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK (November 21, 2012). Hulk appears to be joining forces with SHIELD. That probably won't go too well. The last issue of INCREDIBLE HULK will be issue #15.

X-MEN LEGACY (November 14, 2012) will be by Simon Spurrier and Diogenes Neves with a focus on Legion as he tries to take on his father's legacy. Issue #2 is set for a November 28 release. Issue #275 marks the end of the current volume.

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE continues with Kelly Sue DeConnick and Stefano Caselli taking over with issue #9.

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY continues with issue #646 on November 14 with Kathryn Immonen and Valerio Schiti. It appears Lady Sif will be taking the spotlight in this issue.

December 2012

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AVENGERS (December 5, 2012) features Jonathan Hickman taking over the title and ships twice a month (issue #2 on December 19). AVENGERS #34 is the final issue in November.

THUNDERBOLTS (December 5, 2012) features Daniel Way and Steve Dillon grouping Red Hulk, Venom, Elektra, Deadpool and Punisher together. You can bet things will get messy. Issue #2 is scheduled for December 19.

CABLE AND X-FORCE (December 12, 2012) will mark the return of Cable with the creative team of Dennis Hopeless and Salvador Larroca. Issue #2 is set for December 19.

AVENGERS ARENA (December 12, 2012) will see 16 superhuman young adults trapped on an island and forced to fight. Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker will bring on the good times with the second issue set for December 19.

January 2013

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UNCANNY X-FORCE (January 2, 2013) returns with Sam Humphries and Ron Garney bringing together Psylocke, Storm, Puck, Spiral and the mysterious Cluster. Issue #35 of the current series will be the last.

January also will see NEW AVENGERS by Hickman appearing as well (January 2, 2013). Hickman will be joined by Steve Epting as we see the Illuminati, lead by Black Panther, take on a threat to the universe. Joining him will be Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Mister Fantastic, Namor and Beast. Yikes. Issue #34 of the current NEW AVENGERS is the final issue and on sale in November. Issue #2 of NEW AVENGERS is set for January 16.

MORBIUS THE LIVING VAMPIRE (January 2, 2013) will be by Joe Keatinge and Richard Elson. Can he find redemption?

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN (January 9, 2013) will continue to see Dan Slott writing the webslinger, even though word is it won't be Peter Parker. Ryan Stegman joins Slott as the solicit for the first issue mentions Peter spending a lifetime living up to his responsibilities with his story ending in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #700, which is also the final issue of the current series. We'll have to wait until January but the second issue is set for January 30.

SAVAGE WOLVERINE (January 16, 2013) feature Frank Cho writing and drawing Wolverine's adventures as he's somehow transported to the Savage Land and teams up with Shanna the She-Devil. WOLVERINE #317 marks the final issue of the current series.

YOUNG AVENGERS (January 23, 2013) will be by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie. The team is set to have Wiccan, Hulkling, Hawkeye (Kate Bishop) joined by Loki, Ms. America and Marvel Boy.

February 2013

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Not too much information has been released just yet on the February titles.

NOVA will featuring Sam Alexander and the newest and youngest (?) member of the Nova Corps. We've seen him briefly in AVENGERS VS X-MEN and in the MARVEL NOW! POINT ONE one shot. It will be by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY will return in February. Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven will bring back the team seen in AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Groot and Bug). At New York Comic Con it was also revealed that Iron Man would be joining the team...

SECRET AVENGERS will be by Nick Spencer and Luke Ross. The title will put an emphasis on the SECRET part with team members often not even knowing the full scope of the mission they're on. It's said to be a cross between an Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. book. SECRET AVENGERS #37 is the final issue in the current volume.

Other Titles Ending

TItles not mentioned above that are ending include:

  • CAPTAIN AMERICA AND... (last issue is #640)
  • DEFENDERS (last issue is #12)
  • NEW MUTANTS (last issue is #50)
  • UNCANNY X-MEN (last issue is #20)

As of now, the other titles will continue to publish. For the most part, each new title is taking the place of an existing one, with a few exceptions. It's unclear if all the titles appearing twice a month will continue to maintain that schedule after the first few issues.

Looks like you have some time to start saving up your comic money and time to make decisions as to what will make your pull list and what other titles might get cut.