Okay, I know this is going to sound really negative, but I can't help but look forward to Hickman's Avengers run ending. It's not that he's a bad writer. He's a great writer. But there's just way too much going on in his Avengers right now. I miss the days when the Avengers had a roster of around 6-10 characters. You know, back when everyone got ample screen-time and development, instead of the occasional single panel of them punching something. Like, the actual Avengers series feels less like an Avengers series than the peripheral series do. I've found myself looking forward to reading Mighty and Uncanny Avengers each month (Two of my favorite series) because the focus is on the characters, rather than on trying really hard to make everything as "high-concept" as possible. Anyway, with him acknowledging that his run will be ending around May of 2015, I couldn't help but feel a bit relieved. I mean, don't get me wrong, there are plenty of things that I loved from his run, so far. Ex Nihilo, bringing back Hyperion, Starbrand, and Nightmask, Infinity, making Sunspot and Cannonball Avengers. I've loved all of that. But I can't help but look forward to what comes next.

Any way, what do you guys think about this? Are you looking forward to the end of Hickman's run? Are you going to miss him? Who do you want to take over for him? How do you think the team should look?

I kind of agree with you on that. There are too many characters in the current Avengers roster right now to really showcase any character development, without squeezing other characters in to the periphery (Smasher, Captain Universe). This team needs to split up into smaller squads, or else it feels like "Avengers Army".

This pretty much sums up how I feel.

I tried to like Hickman's Avengers, I read the first 13 issues because I was curious about all of the great character interactions he could have with such a large cast, but it just never started feeling like the Avengers to me. So I guess what I'm saying is, I don't mind that he's leaving and I won't miss him in the least because there's at least two better Avengers books anyway.

Any idea who'll be taking over?

Right? His characters had so much potential, but he shoved them into the background in favor of, well, pretty much everything else. Marvel even had to create a second book, just so the characters could get a little time to be developed.

I don't know who'll be taking over, but I'd love to see any of a number of writers on the series. Remender, Ewing, Waid, Humpries. I think any one of them would be a great match for the team.

By the way, have you seen this "Axis" preview image? I guess we know now what Remender meant when he said that Uncanny Avengers is going to "affect the Marvel Universe in a very big way".

@maddpanda531 said:

Right? His characters had so much potential, but he shoved them into the background in favor of, well, pretty much everything else. Marvel even had to create a second book, just so the characters could get a little time to be developed.

I don't know who'll be taking over, but I'd love to see any of a number of writers on the series. Remender, Ewing, Waid, Humpries. I think any one of them would be a great match for the team.

By the way, have you seen this "Axis" preview image? I guess we know now what Remender meant when he said that Uncanny Avengers is going to "affect the Marvel Universe in a very big way".

That's cool. I've basically considered Remender's book the main Avengers since I lost interest in Hickman's, so it's cool to see it will have some greater relevance coming up. Do we know yet if this is going to be it's own event book or an arc in UA? I'd almost prefer it were just an upcoming UA arc (since that book reads like an event book most of the time), but I could actually be interested in a big event if it was spinning out of Remender's work so far.

while it would be cool to see Waid or someone get their own Avengers book, I almost feel like between UA and MA Hickman's book could just get cancelled without really even leaving a hole. UA's a continuation of classic Avengers and MA's like a continuation of New Avengers; do we really even need a main team beyond those?

Hickman is a good writer but I agree on his cast. Its huge and not enough characters get development and face time.

I really wish we could get just an Avengers book with: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Wasp, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel. I'd love that. Then maybe do something like Mighty Avengers could be like: Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, She-Hulk, Cloak, Dagger,Falcon, Spiderwoman, Monica Rambeau.

I dont know who should take over though. I always felt Remender had more of an Xmen feel. In fact I would even argue that Hickman would have been awesome as the writer for the Xmen over Matt Fraction and his Utopia era. Waid is a good choice and Ewing and Humphries fit as well. I also think Keiron Gillen might do well. Or we could go get Morrison, Whedon or Brubaker (his space stuff was pretty cool).

I also want someone, whoever takes over to release Cannonball and Sunspot from being Avengers and send them back to Xmen. I love both teams and dont really care for the mixing and sharing.

@maddpanda531: You realise there is other Avengers books with smaller roster right?

By the way i would keep New Avengers. Love the Illuminati idea and the cast. I wish Hickman would stay on with this one

I have to agree with all of this; as much as Hickman's Avengers has just done nothing for me, his Illuminati has been pretty sweet.

also I think you're right about Brubaker, I could see him doing Avengers quite well.

Sucks that it's ending... who's gonna take over you reckon? who's the man for the job? Charles Soule? that dude is on everything lol...

@baberaham_lincoln: I think Nick Spencer'll pull double duty on Avengers AND Avengers World. :) He's worked with Mr. Hickman, so I imagine he'll carry on his whole "Bigger" approach to the Avengers.

I really like Hickman's Avengers but I agree, I would prefer to have a smaller cast, there's too many characters with not enough development for them. For me, I'd love to have an Avengers book consisting of a team of Cap, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Spider-Woman, Falcon, Captain Marvel, and maybe Hyperion. It's too bad that his run is ending, I'm enjoying it but I do wish that the team was smaller

I got Hickman's Avengers , New Avengers and Infinity in trade. All together as a full story it's epic! But if you're reading single issues it feels like he's stretching the story. I prefer shorter stories. I overall enjoyed Hickman's series. Infinity was awesome. However, if I were writing comics, each story will have 3 issues, tops.