Marvel Unveils Marc Silvestri's AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 Variant Cover

Are you ready for a new Avengers title? You've probably heard that Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley are teaming up for AVENGERS ASSEMBLE. You can't have a comic book without variant covers these days. The important thing is to make sure it's a great variant cover.

Today, Marvel has revealed Marc Silvestri's take on the team.

Marvel is proud to present your first look at acclaimed artist Marc Silvestri’s explosive variant cover forAvengers Assemble #1! Follow the adventures of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in this perfect jumping-on point featuring Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, the Incredible Hulk, Black Widow & Hawkeye! The all-new Zodiac are plotting to take down the Marvel Universe, but who are they? And when you see who’s pulling the strings – no fan is going to want to play catch-up on this series.

So be sure to pick up Avengers Assemble #1, hitting comic shops everywhere and the Marvel Comics app, this March!

Join the conversation on Twitter with #Avengers.

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 (JAN120638)

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 SILVESTRI VARIANT (JAN120640)

Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS

Art by Cover by MARK BAGLEY

Variant Cover by MARC SILVESTRI

Rated T+ …$3.99

FOC – 2/13/12, ON SALE – 3/14/12

Why so many variant covers? Couldn't you just give us new stuff?

I love Mark Silvestri 

Why is the American flag thrown into the background? Why does Hawkeye have that lame costume with sunglasses? And is this just to push the movie with a roster like that? Questions aside, I like this art style. Nice work.

Could have sworn that was Michael Turner's art there for a moment. Seriously. It looks great!

Normally i'm a big fan of Silvestri, but i have to say... it's not his best piece, still good. But I expected more, maybe i'm just spoiled by his art :p

Wait....another Avengers book? Or is this a limited series? Or one that takes place in the movie-verse? O_o

Aside from Black Widow's face, I dig this.

I wish Marc Silvestri would return to drawing Incredible Hulk. But any other Marvel comic would work too :)

That's a really good looking cover :) but seriously, how many variants does Marvel have for each title? I wish they'd just stick with one for their really big books like DC is

@The Dark Huntress said:

takes place in the movie-verse? O_o

I really hope this is it, because otherwise Natasha really doesn't belong on the team.

@ReVamp:

@The Dark Huntress:

It's 616. Marvel has confirmed this numerous times.

@Cafeterialoca said:

@ReVamp:

@The Dark Huntress:

It's 616. Marvel has confirmed this numerous times.

-________________________________-

Annoyed about that.

@Cafeterialoca said:

@ReVamp:

@The Dark Huntress:

It's 616. Marvel has confirmed this numerous times.

F**king sucks. Tash shouldn't be on the team. Period.

Looks like a very nice variant cover. Silvestri should be proud of that.

@Cafeterialoca: Where have Marvel confirmed that this takes place in the 616 verse if I may ask? This line up of Avengers doesn't really fit within the context of the current Marvel universe much. And what'll happen to the other Avengers title?

@ReVamp said:

@Cafeterialoca said:

@ReVamp:

@The Dark Huntress:

It's 616. Marvel has confirmed this numerous times.

F**king sucks. Tash shouldn't be on the team. Period.

MARVEL: Stop trying to force Black/Female prominent members into MU, THEY'LL COME NATURALLY.

I wish they'd stop pushing Hawkeye .........does he really have that much to offer??

@Maniac2312 said:

@ReVamp said:

@Cafeterialoca said:

@ReVamp:

@The Dark Huntress:

It's 616. Marvel has confirmed this numerous times.

F**king sucks. Tash shouldn't be on the team. Period.

MARVEL: Stop trying to force Black/Female prominent members into MU, THEY'LL COME NATURALLY.

I wish they'd stop pushing Hawkeye .........does he really have that much to offer??

He's been a mainstay long before this bullsh*t, so I don't see how they're pushing him.

TOtally 100% into this. x1000000000000000

@ReVamp: What's your objection to Widow being on the team?

@The Dark Huntress: I don't feel she belongs on the [main, public] team. Not now. Its feels forced for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:

• Her Personality
• Her history with them, where she could have joined and been a superhero-y vigilante, but opted to go to Shield instead.
• Her current "adventures" with Barnes
• The fact it just 'happens' to be before the movie
• Has to do with the new age of "RECRUIT EVERYONE" Avengers

...and these are only the ones off the top of my head, not counting the more personal ones such as I don't think she deserves to be Marvel's superhero heroine and that she feels awkward to me among that line up.

@ReVamp: I...actually agree with you. I like her more as the spy doing covert behind the scenes stuff as opposed to an outright hero.

@The Dark Huntress said:

I...actually agree with you. I like her more as the spy doing covert behind the scenes stuff as opposed to an outright hero.

You'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't.

All jokes aside, I'd like to put it out there that I love Natasha and that she's become one of my absolute favorite characters, especially since Barnes got resurrected as their relationship is amazing. I just don't actually like her on the team.

@ReVamp said:

F**king sucks. Tash shouldn't be on the team. Period.

MARVEL: Stop trying to force Black/Female prominent members into MU, THEY'LL COME NATURALLY.

YOU SERIOUS?! I'm pissed off at Marvel because they aren't doing JACK S*** to promote their females! None of them have books and they keep shoving "Cap, Thor, Tony, Spider-Man and Wolverine" down our throats nonstop, and you're claiming that females are getting pushed too much?!

SCREW YOU! Black Widow should get the push!

@Cafeterialoca said:

@ReVamp said:

F**king sucks. Tash shouldn't be on the team. Period.

MARVEL: Stop trying to force Black/Female prominent members into MU, THEY'LL COME NATURALLY.

YOU SERIOUS?! I'm pissed off at Marvel because they aren't doing JACK S*** to promote their females! None of them have books and they keep shoving "Cap, Thor, Tony, Spider-Man and Wolverine" down our throats nonstop, and you're claiming that females are getting pushed too much?!

SCREW YOU! Black Widow should get the push!

Nothing good comes from pushing characters into center stage. Period. They shouldn't push anyone.

@ReVamp said:

He's been a mainstay long before this bullsh*t, so I don't see how they're pushing him.

BULL****! Hawkeye is in Avengers, Avengers Academy, Secret Avengers, Avengers Asssemble, Avengers Solo, Avenging Spider-Man and Captain America and Hawkeye.

Black Widow is only in Winter Soldier, Secret Avengers and Avengers Assemble.

Your bias for white males is showing! >:(

@ReVamp: True, he's been a mainstay in the Avengers, that's fine. Just been seeing him way to much (his mini's) and I don't think as a character he deserves it. Maybe I'm just looking to close.

I agree Black Widow should probably not be in the spotlight so much. I also agree this is a pure "coincidence" of the timing of this particular team.

@ReVamp: Like Hawkeye? Or Cap? Or Thor? Or Spider-Man and Wolverine?

What do you define as push? Should we continually see the same stories of the same characters over and over? Hell, do you even purchase books of other characters or do you shrug them off as "They don't matter so I won't read them." The Marvel U is getting doomed because no one wants to explore new characters and we're stuck with the same over hyped few!

Oh, an Black Widow is part of the "Recruit everyone to Avengers phase"? She was third generation Avenger!

@Lvenger: Tom Brevoort's formspring as well as many articles about Avengers Assemble. It's 616.

@Cafeterialoca said:

@ReVamp said:

He's been a mainstay long before this bullsh*t, so I don't see how they're pushing him.

BULL****! Hawkeye is in Avengers, Avengers Academy, Secret Avengers, Avengers Asssemble, Avengers Solo, Avenging Spider-Man and Captain America and Hawkeye.

Black Widow is only in Winter Soldier, Secret Avengers and Avengers Assemble.

Your bias for white males is showing! >:(

Yeah, that's not what I meant, stop jumping to conclusions.

What I meant by BW not being on the team:

Just because SHE'S IN THE MOVIE it doesn't mean she should be on this team which is identical to the movies. I would much rather to have Ms. Marvel, Spider Woman, Jessica Jones and even Storm.

What I mean by Hawkeye being on this team.

I didn't mean to say "I don't see how they're pushing him" in general just "I don't see how they're pushing him by having him in a team with the original Avengers". He was part of the first Avengers (the second wave to be exact) which means he's earned the right to be on the team with all of the greats, he's practically one of the fore-fathers of the Avengers in general in my book. Black Widow on the otherhand, DOESN'T FIT the book. Get it through your head.

Also, think before you post. What you just said is practically the same thing as saying I'm both Racist and Sexist.

@ReVamp: Alright, I'm sorry. I just got extremely worked up there.

Thing is, this book is made for the sake of the Avengers movie. Period. It exists so that people who liked the movie team can read about it in the comic. That's it and that's all.

And I disagree. Black Widow is the next most iconic Avengers female that doesn't have ties to the X-Men.

@Maniac2312 said:

@ReVamp: True, he's been a mainstay in the Avengers, that's fine. Just been seeing him way to much (his mini's) and I don't think as a character he deserves it. Maybe I'm just looking to close.

I agree Black Widow should probably not be in the spotlight so much. I also agree this is a pure "coincidence" of the timing of this particular team.

Fair enough, its your opinion (and I actually see where you're coming from)

@Cafeterialoca said:

@ReVamp: Like Hawkeye? Or Cap? Or Thor? Or Spider-Man and Wolverine?

What do you define as push? Should we continually see the same stories of the same characters over and over? Hell, do you even purchase books of other characters or do you shrug them off as "They don't matter so I won't read them." The Marvel U is getting doomed because no one wants to explore new characters and we're stuck with the same over hyped few!

Oh, an Black Widow is part of the "Recruit everyone to Avengers phase"? She was third generation Avenger!

Yes. They shouldn't push Hawkeye, Cap, Thor, Spider-Man, Wolverine and anyone else into anything that doesn't fit the character at a particular period in time.

I don't believe you just accused me of not buying books, how the hell is that even relevant? What point are you trying to make? I'd love to know. I don't buy Thor or Cap or Wolverine solo titles for that matter.

No, that's not relevant to her, but other characters. The problem with her is that she's only in the book because of the Avengers movie.

@ReVamp: Again, I'm sorry. The moment you said "They're pushing Black Widow too much! But Hawkeye is perfectly fine" set me off and I kinda went nuts.

Still, I disagree and think Black Widow should be there. She's a spy and espinoge. Offers something the other Avengers can't do.

@Cafeterialoca said:

Alright, I'm sorry. I just got extremely worked up there.

Thing is, this book is made for the sake of the Avengers movie. Period. It exists so that people who liked the movie team can read about it in the comic. That's it and that's all.

And I disagree. Black Widow is the next most iconic Avengers female that doesn't have ties to the X-Men.

Not to sound arrogant, but perhaps you should because you did partly offend me with that passive aggressive attitude, in which you practically called me a sexist and racist supremist.

Yes, it is and perhaps it shouldn't be and perhaps it should be set in the specific reality which they created for the movies, which are occasions just like this.

Fine, you're allowed to disagree with it, but I don't see her as the most Iconic Avenger and don't think she should be as she's far more suited as a spy than as a public superhero.

@Cafeterialoca said:

Again, I'm sorry. The moment you said "They're pushing Black Widow too much! But Hawkeye is perfectly fine" set me off and I kinda went nuts.

Still, I disagree and think Black Widow should be there. She's a spy and espinoge. Offers something the other Avengers can't do.

Its fine :). I realize that I said that, but it was taken out of context, I didn't mean anything of the sort and you jumped to conclusions.

And I think Cap, Fury and a bunch of other can offer that. She's an agent, what she can do as a spy is limited when she's a public hero, whereas she can offer much more of her abilities as an actual spy. People who can contribute their spy skills better are the brains behind the operation and whatnot.

@ReVamp: Again, sorry. But you really set me off saying "Why are women even getting the push?" when there are no Marvel females getting a push right now. There's no Female solos, Generation Hope is canceled, the most you can go with is X-Men Legacy for Rogue. Marvel is seriously underusing all their females and that's frustrating as hell.

Again, they're trying to go for the movie crowd. Why not bring in Widow? If it was Spider-Woman, it would be the Avengers lineup. Also, you know Nick Fury has a black son now, right?

And yeah, Black Widow shouldn't be shown in public, but I still think she's the next big Avenger. Why not have her on the team?

@Cafeterialoca said:

Again, sorry. But you really set me off saying "Why are women even getting the push?" when there are no Marvel females getting a push right now.

Firstly, I didn't say that, don't put words in my mouth.

But the thing is, they shouldn't forcefully put characters that aren't on the team. Its not "WOMEN SHOULDN'T BE PUSHED" but instead they shouldn't force a female character to get onto a team wrongfully. And why did I say women specifically? Because it happens the most with women. Marvel has several women characters and they want to put them on the spotlight, which is fine, but as a Widow fan I don't see this is the way? You understand? Its not that I'm against Women getting the push, I'm against characters of minor ethical races and females and pretty much all non-caucasian men getting the push for the wrong reasons. Of course this also applies to Causcasian Men, like Wolverine, but that's another matter al together.

There's no Female solos, Generation Hope is canceled, the most you can go with is X-Men Legacy for Rogue.

True and it sucks.

Marvel is seriously underusing all their females and that's frustrating as hell.

Agreed and I'd love it if they started getting their sh*t together and use their females. I'd be the first behind a Black Widow, Ms. Marvel or Spider-Woman: Agent of Shield series. I just don't want them to ruin any characters so they can get a character in the spotlight.

Again, they're trying to go for the movie crowd. Why not bring in Widow? If it was Spider-Woman, it would be the Avengers lineup.

Guess what. I don't care. If its 616 universe, I don't care whether its for the movie crowd or if its directed at Cats and Dogs, because its cannon. The fact that its aimed at a specific market doesn't change it at all.

Also, you know Nick Fury has a black son now, right?

How is this relevant?

And yeah, Black Widow shouldn't be shown in public, but I still think she's the next big Avenger. Why not have her on the team?

If she shouldn't be shown in public, then why have her on the public team. You're not making sense to me.

@ReVamp: Alright, alright, I'm sorry.

But here's a question, what you qualify as not a push? Is putting a character on the Avengers an automatic grounds for being pushed?

For example, Songbird is my favorite character, and she's getting her own issue of Thunderbolts next month. Is that considered a push?

@Cafeterialoca said:

Alright, alright, I'm sorry.

Like I said, its cool. For real.

But here's a question, what you qualify as not a push? Is putting a character on the Avengers an automatic grounds for being pushed?

Depends. But if you're making the original forefathers of the team and then you add someone who isn't generally pictured as an Avenger, then that's a push. Is being a member of the Avengers a push? Nah, I don't think so. I quite liked it when Spider-Woman joined the Avengers, didn't have anything against it. Luke Cage kinda was a push, but I accepted it as well and didn't mind that since BP hasn't been an Avenger in forever. When he was given his own team and whatnot, that was kinda pushing it. (Pun intended)

For example, Songbird is my favorite character, and she's getting her own issue of Thunderbolts next month. Is that considered a push?

Personally, I don't see that as one, no. Why? Because she's a premiere character of the team. The same can be said for Secret Avengers 14, where BW had an issue all to herself. I quite liked the issue and I think that it was done well.

Another example of what I consider a push? I don't know, I'd have to see one and then I could tell you.

But out of all of them, I think this is by far the worst because it is a book that is meant to appeal to a large market and can be considered to sacrifice "characterization" of the character, which is something which Marvel is known for. If this book was announced and the team wasn't identical to the big forefathers and popular characters, or it took place in the movieverse, I'd have absolutely no qualms with it.

Even then I don't have been big problems with that, I just had problems with being accused of racism and whatnot (which you've apologized for and I've more than forgiven you for, just trying to clarify my actions).

How many Avengers comics are there? I'm glad they are finally getting their turn in the spotlight, but there's too many series to keep track of.

Also, is this a alternate Avengers comic? If not, then I'm not crazy at how it's an in-your-face obvious tie-in to the movie.

Hawkeye's appearance doesn't work for me. I am glad he got rid of that stupid cowl though.

Why does everything have to be a goddamn race or sex issue? Black Widow is simply not main Avengers roster material.

She just isn't. It's not suited to her character. Never has been. Never will be. It's not a sex issue. She just shouldn't be there. If you wanna talk about females getting ruined, let's talk Ms. Marvel. She had a great series by Reed, she's got rich history with The Avengers AND the X-Men. She's a powerhouse, she can be funny, too. What's she doing now? Saying a few lines a month on the secondary Avengers title. THAT is a legit grievance to have. Not Black Widow being opposed to as a full, main-team member of The Avengers. She shouldn't be.

Also, my biggest problem with this is that Marvel keeps allowing comics to be informed by the movies. It's disgraceful. It's a slap to us dedicated fans. Like, "F you. So, you've been following for ages, so what? Continuity? BAH! New fans matter more."

The Avengers movie is coming out, we get it.

That's an awesome looking cover. Art resembles Michael Turner's a little.

@Cafeterialoca: Too bad. I'd snap it up in a heartbeat if it were it's own continuity, but 616 is too screwed up and convoluted to follow anymore.

@iaconpoint: I used to question how one person could be on a team or another as well as in there own books.....where did it all fit? Then I remembered I used to read comics cause they were fun and I didn't care where this story fit in with that story. My comic reading is much more enjoyable again :) Although I'm glad I don't collect the Avengers, I'd be severely broke with 5(at least) books now?

@Maniac2312: Good point. I like your way of thinking.

@The Dark Huntress said:

I...actually agree with you. I like her more as the spy doing covert behind the scenes stuff as opposed to an outright hero.

You'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't.

All jokes aside, I'd like to put it out there that I love Natasha and that she's become one of my absolute favorite characters, especially since Barnes got resurrected as their relationship is amazing. I just don't actually like her on the team.

@War Killer: And that's exactly the point I was trying to make. Its just the movie roster done over again in comic book format. I didn't have a problem with the way that Natasha was introduced on the Mighty Avengers. Granted, I think it was slightly OOC and that I didn't like her there, but I found it an acceptable manner to incorporate the book.

On this case on the other hand, its just a cop out for Marvel to make a few bucks like you said. Widow doesn't belong to this standard of Avengers and thus shouldn't be here. I'd much rather her have a solo title, as unlikely as that is, which I could have more Tash + Bucky moments.

@Deranged Midget: it sure does. I would say Turner looks more like Silvestri then the other way around since Silvestri was being contracted be Turner. I would think they rubbed off on each other after working with each other on Witchblade. Silvestri was being called a Jim Lee rip-off for to long even tho he was out before him too. Silvestri is great. His style has had little tweaks to it over the years. This is a great cover tho. Cool to see Hulk in the roster even it's due to the movie coming out.

@War Killer: Yeah. But then the bigger problem is that the people who were fans before create a market for these books. And the fans are the ones that are to blame, that's the problem. Because without us, this wouldn't happen. I'm not about to rant on the marketing and Business ethics that Marvel has, or else we'd be here all day. Besides, no one wants to read a wall of text.

@goldenkey: Oh I never knew that. But yeah, Silvestri's art is awesome, I'm excited for this Avengers on-going.