Phoenix and The Avengers ’80s Lineup Take the Spotlight on New Marvel Variant Covers

The Avengers lineup from the 1980s and Jean Grey’s Phoenix are center stage on Marvel’s latest Corner Box variant covers. 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of The Avengers and X-Men, two of Marvel’s premier superhero teams. The publisher is celebrating all year long in various ways, including a special variant program from superstar artist Mark Brooks. The Corner Box Variant Cover program calls back to the classic comic book tradition of corner boxes, and different eras from the Avengers and X-Men’s history will be homaged by Brooks. July will see the release of two more Corner Box variants featuring Earth’s Mightiest Heroes from the ’80s, and Jean Grey during her tenure as the Phoenix host.

July’s Avengers #3 and X-Men #24 feature Mark Brooks’ new Corner Box variants. Both covers harken back to the ’80s, with the Avengers adding to their roster in the form of new recruits like Tigra, She-Hulk, and Monica Rambeau. As for X-Men #24’s Corner Box variant, Jean Grey looks regal in her iconic green-and-yellow Phoenix costume.

Marvel Artist Shares His Love of the Corner Box

“There are many reasons why I was attracted to comics as a kid and the corner box was a big part of it,” Mark Brooks explained. “I knew what issue number and who I could expect to see in the issue. It was a little preview to tantalize the reader. It was always heads, a full figure, or a micro-scene. No matter what, it enticed me to pick the book up. It’s why I started the #LetMarkCornerbox campaign in earnest on Twitter. It was primarily a joke to express my love for the corner box. It ended up taking on a bit of a life of its own. When C.B. told me that they’d like this to become a reality, I couldn’t pass it up. I’ve penciled well over 100 heads so far. I don’t plan on stopping until Marvel says ‘okay, that’s enough’- LOL!”

Marvel Celebrates 60 Years of Avengers

There are big plans in store for the 60th anniversary of The Avengers. Jed MacKay and C.F. Villa launched a new volume of Avengers this month, and Marvel Entertainment earlier in the year announced Beyond Earth’s Mightiest, a campaign celebrating 60 years of the Avengers that includes new comics, collectibles, toys, apparel, accessories, home decor, party items, stationery, video series, live experiences, and more.

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will face the Tribulation Events in Jed MacKay (Moon Knight) and C.F. Villa (X-Men)’s Avengers run. Captain Marvel steps up in a leadership role on the team that features Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Black Panther, Scarlet Witch, and Vision.

X-Men #24 goes on sale July 5th, while Avengers #3 goes on sale July 26th.