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NYCC 2012: Marvel NOW! The Avengers panel recap

Get the latest info and covers on the various Marvel NOW! Avengers titles.

The hall was packed as Arune Singh, the Director of Communications at Marvel, took to the podium and began the panel by taking a jab at DC and The New 52.  He wanted to clarify that Marvel NOW! isn't a reboot because "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."   The crowd mostly cheered, but you could hear scattered DC fans booing.  
 
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE is going to compliment the primary AVENGERS book by providing smaller, more concise stories.  Senior VP of Publishing Tom Brevoort called the book a "shot glass of Avengers."  He also labelled it as "shorter, sharper and more character focused."  The panel revealed the first story will have an additional focus on an Iron Man / Hulk rivalry.  
SECRET AVENGERS is going have an extra emphasis on the "secret" part.  It was called a cross between an Avengers and a S.H.I.E.L.D. book.  The missions are apparently so classified that (somehow) the team won't even be allowed to know the mission they've accomplished.  Plenty of names were dropped for the title, including Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Agent Coulson, Taskmaster and the Winter Soldier.

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Jonathan Hickman + AVENGERS = very yes!  The talented writer dubbed the title as "the biggest Avengers book we've done."  The panel remarked that it's tough to top the film Marvel's The Avengers, but they're confident Hickman is delivering something that no Hollywood budget could cover.  "It's like he did on FANTASTIC FOUR, but bigger and better," said Brevoort.
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AVENGERS ARENA is drawing a lot of comparisons to The Hunger Games and Battle Royale, but Hickman told the packed crowd to not let that deter you.  "If you like good books, you'll want to read this!" Hickman added after the book's summary was provided.  We were also treated to a preview involving X-23's healing factor truly being put to work.  The panel unanimously agreed that they last page will have you hooked.
      
      
While the AVENGERS serve as public figures, the NEW AVENGERS will become the Illuminati of the Marvel universe.  Hickman was thrilled talking about the title, calling it the book he's "most excited to write."  They also revealed the team's base will be located in Wakanda and Hickman already has 3-4 years worth of material planned for the series.  Hopefully sales will grant him the chance to tell the entire tale.
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Kieron Gillen then spoke for a bit about his upcoming run YOUNG AVENGERS.  He said he felt a need to reinvent the series and the time gap between his and the previous run gives him the chance to do so.  When asked to describe the title, Gillen said it's all about "the idea of being an Avengers rather than the practicalities."     
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