Marvel Previews New West Coast Avengers Team With Ultron

Ultron joins the West Coast’s mightiest heroes in the new Avengers series.

August 13, 2024, 8:45pm

“You shall all die… by the hands of Ultron-5!” So swore Ultron on the final panel of 1968’s Avengers#55, thesentient robot’s first full appearance. As the Crimson Cowl,Ultron assembled Avengers villains Klaw, Whirlwind, Radioactive Man, andMelter to form a new Masters of Evil, attacking his “father”: Hank Pym.Years later, a new version of Ultron joined another supervillain team —the Lethal Legion — when his creator visited the Los Angeles-basedAvengers in 1985’s West Coast Avengers (Vol. 2) #1.

Videos by ComicBook.com

“Nevershall the immortal Ultron rest until he has destroyed all who bear thename of Avenger,” the ever-evolving villain told the team of Iron Man,Hawkeye, Mockingbird, Tigra, and Wonder Man. “And then, all who bear thename human!”

Decades later, Ultron is evolving again: into one of Earth’s mightiest heroes. Announced at San Diego Comic-Con, X-Men and Invincible Iron Man writer Gerry Duggan and Ghost Rider: Final Vengeanceartist Danny Kim are reassembling the West Coast Avengers for thetitle’s 40th anniversary. A mysteriously redeemed Ultron will join theteam alongside Iron Man (Tony Stark), War Machine (James Rhodes),Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), and the mutant Firestar (Angelica Jones).

“Redemptionhas been on my mind this year, and we’ll see who can beredeemed onthe West Coast. It’s a fun action story,but it’s also an Ultron tale —and one of my biggest Marvel swings yet,” said Duggan. “I previouslyhad the pleasure of writing a pretty great horror storyabout Ultronwearing Pym’s face, and this is a very different tale withone of myfavorite Marvel characters, in one of my favorite legacytitles in thecity that has been my home for so long. Wait until you see what DannyKim is cooking up. Find redemption inNovember in the city of Angels.”

Theofficial synopsis: “Ultron returns… redeemed? Iron Man and WarMachine have put together a new team of Avengers — onethat includesvillains seeking a path to redemption. Their case study?Ultron — who,against all odds, seems to be walking the straight andnarrow…for now.But does the success of one guarantee the success ofall? Spider-Womanand Firestar have their doubts. And can any amount ofheroics reallyabsolve Ultron of his past?”

Before the ongoing series hits stands on November 27th, Marvel Comics has revealed new West Coast Avengers #1 variant covers (below). Along with the standard cover (above) by Sentrycover artist Ben Harvey, the debut issue features a New Avengershomagevariant by Kim, a Spider-Woman spotlight by Jeehyung Lee (Thor: God of Thunder), and an Ultron variant by Gerardo Sandoval (Venom: Separation Anxiety).