New York Comic-Con 2024 kicked off with a bang today at Marvel’s Next Big Thing panel. We were treated to the announcement of a new Ultimate comic, a futuristic Luke Cage, and their big 2025 event, The Rise of Emperor Doom.
Ultimate Wolverine launches in January from writer Chris Condon and art by Alessandro Cappuccio. “I grew up dressing up as Wolverine… I was all in on Wolverine,” Condon said, joking about the DC All In ad that played before the panel started. “It’s gonna be pretty, uh, violent. And pretty good.” He teased the introduction of more Ultimate characters in his Wolverine book, but wouldn’t say who, and then spoke about the legacy of Wolverine in Comics. “Doing a Wolverine book, you’re standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Tom Brevoort then dove into his new X-Men line. “You’ll have to clap loud for the X-Men books because I really need the affirmation,” he quipped. “All of my X-Men creators are working really nicely together, and so far I haven’t fouled it up.”
In previewing The Raid on Gray Malkin, they showed interiors of both Beast and Cyclops getting clobbered.
“I love the way Ryan [Stegman] draws Beast, and I love the way Ryan draws Beast getting punched in the face,” VP of Digital Media & Creative Strategy Ryan Penagos said. He then commented that Cyclops too has a punchable face. “Everybody’s punching Cyclops! We know what everyone wants to see,” Brevoort added. And see it you will this year when The Raid on Gray Malkin begins.
Power Man Timeless was also announced, which brings the powered up Luke Cage from last year’s Timeless to the current Marvel universe as he finds a place for himself in the world. “This is a Luke Cage that has been amped up to the Nth degree,” VP & Executive Editor Tom Brevoort said. “Every fight in Power Man Timeless should be like a Dragon Ball fight.”
The biggest announcement came from Ryan North and his Fantastic Four series. Marvel is planning big things for Doctor Doom, and not just in the films. The Rise of Emperor Doom will tell the story of Doctor Doom taking over the world over night. “It’s a very personal story about Doctor Doom and what he wants…and how that might not work out great for people not named Victor Von Doom,” North said. While plot details are still mostly under wraps, we do know it’ll be a nine-issue, 10-month series that impacts the entire Marvel line.
North said that writing Doom is almost like writing Reed, but on top of that you have to add theatricality. “Everything he says, it sounds like he wrote that line for himself to say.” He commented that Doom is the only character who can speak in the third person and make it sound cool. “A lot of what he says I say out loud to make sure it has that theatrical delivery.”
Fantastic Four #28 will act as a prelude for the event, and will see Marvel’s First Family teaming with The Black Knight on a quest through time. A special variant of Fantastic Four #13 was handed out to attendees showcasing Emperor Doom. North also teased a potential Squirrel Girl vs. Dino Doom fight to come. He has an idea for a Fantastic Four issue with Squirrel Girl guest starring that he pitched to Brevoort on stage. We’ll have to wait and see if it happens!
