Avengers: Jonathan Hickman Q+A

[Songbird/Diamondback]

Dear Mr. Hickman,

Will Avengers and New Avengers be predominately cosmic focus in its entirety or will it go into other areas like Magic or more Earth stuff?

[marvell2100]

Does Steve still hold the position of top cop for the U.S. gov't and will the Avengers be more affiliated with the US or UN? Or will they cut ties?

[JHickman]

Are you going to have Banner and Stark interacting like in Avengers Assembled by KSD?

I don't know if you can answer this, but when did Green Hulk arrive in Stark Tower? Before or after Wasp came back, and why didn't she see him, if Banner was back?

I think everyone loved how well the Stark/Banner stuff worked. But, you know, Kelly's Kelly, I'm me.

I'm not answering the second part because it would shatter space-time.

Oh wow Thank you so much Mr. Hickman for taking your time to interact with us fans!
I guess one of my questions would be that due to the fact that we already have previews up to even issue #10 of Avengers I have to wonder just how many scripts have you already written and have been aproved by Marvel?The amount of work that's seems to have been put into this series seems staggering.

Yeah, it's a lot. And I'm only a little ahead of the artists right now because of some other stuff.

Hello, Mr Hickman.
Besides the characters you created (like Eden) or will create, do you plan to use characters from the last decade?

I'm really not sure what this means. Wouldn't everyone on the team be from this decade? Or do you mean 2000-2010?

[Expletive Deleted]

If there's a spoiler-free way of answering this, what was your favorite New Universe concept? Also, what'd you think of newuniversal?

[klinton]

Will you be using Vision at any point? If not, could you please consider it?

Cheers,

Klinton.

[Gamma Burst]

Mr. Hickman,

Who'll be the biggest ''ass kicker'' in Avengers? Thor or Hulk? :]

Thanks.

[Just Is]

What character has been the most fun for you to write (in terms of Avengers/New Avengers)?

Are Luke Cage and/or Iron Fist among the roster of the Avengers cast?

[JHickman]

Wow! Thank you for taking the time to do this Mr. Hickman. I'm caught with my pants down, and have no immediate questions, but I'm sure I'll think ... oh wait... can we ask stuff that's not Avengers / New Avengers related, directly?

1. Cause I just saw part of a Bendis script for one of the Illuminati books. He wrote that "Reed's pretty sure Namor slept with his girlfriend Sue." Is that your take on Namor and Sue's relationship?

2. Chuck Dixon penned the iconic Nekkid Dr. Doom Wrestling a Lion. Do you think you could top such a scene with Doom? And could it occur in the New Avengers? Please!

1. I think if you put Reed, Susan and Namor in a room, she would be the alpha dog. I think she absolutely owns Namor. In a good person, friendly way.

2. No, I don't think I could top that.

[JHickman]

Hello Mr H and thanks for the Q&A thread.

Will we see the initial threat that T'Challa is concerned about that was hinted at back in your FF arc or is there a build up in the beginning leading to that? Also will the Infinity Gems play a bigger role here than in the last Illuminati series?

Uh, you're going to have to wait on the first part. And, yes, to the second.

Jonathan how much have the movie portrayals influenced how you wrote the six movie Avengers?

Some, of course.

I think everyone writes Iron Man as Robert Downey now.

[jabu46]

Mr. Hickman, its great that you take the time to come on here. Totally respect that.

Two questions: one, is membership in the Illuminati NA group set on any specific criteria? The solicits say the best and most influential minds in the MU. Is that still the case? Can you define what that is exactly? Beast was not in the original line up for this and some wonder why he was included...

Two: There is a small concern that this is an all male group and and there are no women involved. I'm thinking eventually due to PC issues that this may be rectified over time...but is there a reason why a woman is not involved currently?

Thanks!

[Rheged]

In AvX we saw plenty of Utopia, Phoenixed up Utopia, Wakanda, and Kun'Lun, but we didn't see a single panel of New Atlantis or any Atlantean cities. Did Namor Phoenix up his cities?

And this may be spoilerly, but did he move his people out from under the death trap of Phoenixed up Utopia, before it got dropped on New Atlantis?

[TsaiMeLemoni]

I know this is probably a question that can't be answered, but since the Thunderbolts team are apparently going to do something that puts them on the bad side of the other heroes, will any of the Avengers be in direct conflict with them (either in your Avengers title or in the Thunderbolts book)? I'd like to see another Black Widow vs Elektra scenario.

Edit: Thanks for the answers to my previous questions, and yes you did read the first one right :)

[JHickman]

How many female members will be on the Avengers?

Will the New Avengers be getting any girls as members?

More than what you know now.

Maybe.

Mr. Hickman,

First, it's awesome that you're doing this Q&A, and I am very excited to see your take on the Avengers.

My question(s): I would like to know if you'll be incorporating characters that haven't previously been associated with the Avengers - other than your own creations - into your roster; I think we have about six people whose identities we don't know yet (I am trying to think of a way to ask this without asking about specific characters, since I suppose that could fall into spoiler territory).

Since there is such a large roster, would it be safe to assume that each arc will only feature a handful of the total team? I like the idea of having one branch of the Avengers that handles cosmic stuff, one branch that focuses on more traditional threats like Hydra/Dr. Doom, etc.

Thank you for your time!

1. Uhhh, Yes. I think. If I'm reading that right.

2. 3 issues everyone, 3 issues smaller teams, rinse, repeat (until I don't).

Hi again.

What would you say the level of trust is on this team in the beginning given that almost all of them have a...situation between them.

That would be the New Avengers btw.

I say the level of trust is low, and it won't get that good again.

[ziver]

If you did not get the Avengers as your main job what other book would you have enjoyed working on?

[vampiric_cannibal]

Multiple members of each team have been affiliated with outlaw groups, particularly of the anti-governmental and/or pro-mutant variety. Can we expect these less imperialist members have their views openly conflict with the Avengers agenda? Or perhaps the conspicuously sympathetic leader of the Avengers would not be averse to working with and cutting slack for the less vicious outlaws?

Or, Cannonball better have been deliberately chosen by Cap to feed their mutual pals in the Uncanny Underground information or my weeks of careful speculation are slightly more wasted.