Axel-In-Charge - Oct 12, 2012

**CBR News** · 10-12-2012, 01:58 PM

As he gears up for NYCC, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso takes your questions on topics from Uncanny to Ultimate including the next step for the Phoenix Five, Elektra and Ultimate Johnny Storm.

Full article here.

**TsaiMeLemoni** · 10-12-2012, 02:00 PM

I got a question answered :D Thanks!

**Songbird/Diamondback** · 10-12-2012, 02:00 PM

On the Marvel NOW! front, Drew Mathieu was one of a few readers nervous about the body count in "Avengers Arena." He asks: "I'm worried that Avengers Arena is unfair to fans of newer Marvel characters. The series seems to focus on death and with many fan-favorites it seems like a slap to the face of anyone who likes these obscure characters with the possibility of seeing them die. What is the point?"

Alonso: Death is a necessary aspect of this story, Drew. Nothing reveals character like adversity, and the 16 super-powered teens in "Avengers Arena" are going to see plenty of it. Pushed to their breaking points under the most extreme conditions, each character will have to take a good hard look at who they are, what they stand for, and what they are willing to do to survive. There will be sacrifice and betrayal, alliances will form and shatter in the blink of an eye, and, yes, there will be blood. It's all part of the harrowing emotional journey that [writer] Dennis [Hopeless] and [artist] Kev [Walker] are crafting.

Wow, way to completely not answer that question.

**Movieartman** · 10-12-2012, 02:06 PM

is it too much to ask for ALOT of HD Art every axel in charge. and with no banners or credits. PLEASE

**TsaiMeLemoni** · 10-12-2012, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by Songbird/Diamondback

Wow, way to completely not answer that question.

I think that despite the movies and books they are referencing with their covers, Avengers Arena won't be about all of the teen heroes killing each other until only one is left. I think it's a bit premature to say that every obscure character will die, and that Alonso's point is that for all who do survive, fans will see a much stronger characterization from that hero.

Besides, this is comics; unless the character is absolutely entirely obscure, I doubt any dead characters will remain that way for long. Or until their alternate reality version shows up and takes their place in the 616 universe.

**Songbird/Diamondback** · 10-12-2012, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by TsaiMeLemoni

I think that despite the movies and books they are referencing with their covers, Avengers Arena won't be about all of the teen heroes killing each other until only one is left. I think it's a bit premature to say that every obscure character will die, and that Alonso's point is that for all who do survive, fans will see a much stronger characterization from that hero.

Besides, this is comics; unless the character is absolutely entirely obscure, I doubt any dead characters will remain that way for long. Or until their alternate reality version shows up and takes their place in the 616 universe.

Thing is, this book is promising death and lots of it. And they're already promising it by issue 2. Beyond that, will the book even have a good conclusion? How will the other Runaways and AA kids react to the news? Are we just going to get a brief panel of them crying and then move on like this never happened?

Oh, and New X-Men prove that they don't always come back.

**Vivica Kang** · 10-12-2012, 02:16 PM

LOL. Axel just admit you guys have no clue what to do with Hope.

**TsaiMeLemoni** · 10-12-2012, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Songbird/Diamondback

Thing is, this book is promising death and lots of it. And they're already promising it by issue 2. Beyond that, will the book even have a good conclusion? How will the other Runaways and AA kids react to the news? Are we just going to get a brief panel of them crying and then move on like this never happened?

Oh, and New X-Men prove that they don't always come back.

Just because a few characters may die doesn't mean the majority of them will. As for the rest of what your asking, obviously no one will know until it happens.

Even if this particular book isn't something I am interested in, at least they're doing something a bit new and different with those characters.

**Songbird/Diamondback** · 10-12-2012, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by TsaiMeLemoni

Just because a few characters may die doesn't mean the majority of them will. As for the rest of what your asking, obviously no one will know until it happens.

Even if this particular book isn't something I am interested in, at least they're doing something a bit new and different with those characters.

But it's not new and different. They already are using covers of similar stories, and Teen Titans did this twice with Terror Titans and the Culling. And why is it always teenagers that need to be killed in mass numbers? People like Mettle, Hazmat, and the others, and killing them while continuing characters who have been doing the same things they always been is just short sighted. Killing these characters is closing doors, not opening.

And they already stressed before that the 16 characters will drop below 10 as the story went on.

Honestly, it's just a very cynical premise.

**Songbird/Diamondback** · 10-12-2012, 02:25 PM

Double post.

**TsaiMeLemoni** · 10-12-2012, 02:34 PM

I didn't say it was a new concept in general, but to my knowledge this is a first for these characters in the Marvel U. Besides, we're never going to see the same side, and I'm not trying to change your opinion. Also, 6 or so out of 16 doesn't sound like a lot. Enough for them to put the characters through their emotional paces so that they can pull together.

As for why teenagers...well, they're pretty angsty about all kinds of things, now they can be angsty about whether or not they're about to be gutted.

**Songbird/Diamondback** · 10-12-2012, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by TsaiMeLemoni

I didn't say it was a new concept in general, but to my knowledge this is a first for these characters in the Marvel U. Besides, we're never going to see the same side, and I'm not trying to change your opinion. Also, 6 or so out of 16 doesn't sound like a lot. Enough for them to put the characters through their emotional paces so that they can pull together.

As for why teenagers...well, they're pretty angsty about all kinds of things, now they can be angsty about whether or not they're about to be gutted.

It's still just very cynical and short sighted. And this happened to the kids of New X-Men when 40 kids were blown up by the school bus. It's really just depressing that they assume people don't care about these characters unless they play Russian Roulette with them.

**tpcallo** · 10-12-2012, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by Songbird/Diamondback

Wow, way to completely not answer that question.

He did answer the question. You're just picking and choosing what you want to ignore. He said it's about character development. Johnny Guitar was set up as cannon fodder in A:TI, but the one issue they spotlighted him was awesome.

Originally Posted by Songbird/Diamondback

But it's not new and different. They already are using covers of similar stories, and Teen Titans did this twice with Terror Titans and the Culling. And why is it always teenagers that need to be killed in mass numbers? People like Mettle, Hazmat, and the others, and killing them while continuing characters who have been doing the same things they always been is just short sighted. Killing these characters is closing doors, not opening.

And they already stressed before that the 16 characters will drop below 10 as the story went on.

Honestly, it's just a very cynical premise.

It's new for people that don't care for Teen Titans or DC. Also, teenagers are pretty vulnerable characters, that's why I'm assuming that it was easy for Arcade to trap them.

**Songbird/Diamondback** · 10-12-2012, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by tpcallo

He did answer the question. You're just picking and choosing what you want to ignore. He said it's about character development. Johnny Guitar was set up as cannon fodder in A:TI, but the one issue they spotlighted him was awesome.

Yeah, but that was a character with 3 appearances only. We're dealing with fan favorites that may be killed and never mentioned every again.