Avengers vs. X-Men

As per usual, it's USA Today that breaks a big comic story a day ahead of its release/announcement. In this case, all those Phoenix teasers we just took a look at it? This is what they're leading to:

The Phoenix Force is coming to Earth and, while no one seems entirely clear on what it's plans are, it seems the two biggest superhero franchises in the Marvel Universe have opposing ideas as to how to handle Hope Summers, the Messiah girl at the center of the storm.

Written by the best of the best writers and the most aesthetically pleasing artists available, there's little to complain about. True, I'd rather Fraction weren't involved, but Brubaker hasn't done x-epic since Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire and it's about time he came back. As for the artists, they're all my favorites; Romita Jr., Kubert, and Coipel. These guys were made for this kind of event, and instead of trading issues they will be trading four-issue "acts" which is pretty nice idea, continuity wise.

While it reminds of some really classic old school stuff...

...like when the UN put Mags on trial and the two teams duked it out...

...this is a whole new ballgame, as the series clocks in at a staggering 12 issues. Hopefully that doesn't mean it's a monthly, since they have a different writer on each issue, but either way it doesn't start till April, and we get a 2part prologue; one issue focusing on Hope and one on the Scarlet Witch, who, naturally, is at the center of the conflict as well.

So many questions. How do the two branches of the X-Men come together on this? Where's X-Factor? Are Wanda and Hope gonna be buds? Is Storm's brief tenure as an Avenger gonna come to a close? Will the X-Men keep playing the race card? How badly did Cable fail his x-sanction agenda, which hasn't even come out yet? And most importantly, can someone please put the entire series in my hands right now? cause I don't know if I can wait.

Sure, it's kinda blatant Avengers-movie buildup, and it's like the most basic fan team-up/battle fantasy ever, but it's also completely and utterly perfect. It's next year's Young Avengers: Children's Crusade, only even more epic.

Make Mine Marvel.