Marvel Teases a Traitor and Major Death

While the direct market part of the comics industry is currently in a state of flux, there still are plenty of events and noteworthy issues for comic book fans to look forward to. For Marvel fans, the upcoming Empyre event is definitely among them, especially given the wide impact it will have on the fictional universe. If the solicitation for the event’s fourth issue is any indication, things are going to get particularly tense for characters involved with the event, as a “betrayal cuts deep” and the event “claims its first casualty”. If that wasn’t enough, the solicit for Empyre #4 also teases an ending that you’ll want to frame on your wall, which is some pretty high praise for a plot twist.

“EMPYRE #4 (of 6)
AL EWING & DAN SLOTT (W) • VALERIO SCHITI (A) • Cover by JIM CHEUNG
Avengers Variant Cover by ALEXANDER LOZANO
Fantastic Four Variant Cover by MICHAEL CHO
Kree/Skrull Variant Cover by TONY DANIEL
2-PACK ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
VARIANT COVER BY LEE GARBETT
THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER…
•Tensions mount as the action heats up!
•As the attack on Wakanda intensifies, the heroes find themselves under attack from their enemies — and their allies!
•In a war where nobody can be fully trusted, betrayal cuts deep — as the alien invasion claims its first casualty!
•In this issue: The shock ending you never expected! You’ll want to frame it for your wall, True Believer!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99″

At this point, it’s anyone’s guess as to what the casualty could be, and which character ends up making the sudden betrayal. A previous teaser image hinted that “a hero will betray” all of their fellow superheroes, alongside a slew of incapacitated bodies for everyone from Black Panther and Captain America to the Fantastic Four. The fact that both She-Hulk and The Thing are on both that promo art and the cover for Issue #4 will probably drum up speculation of some sort.

As for the Empyre event, you can check out that official description here.

“INCOMING #1 planted the seeds for the earth-shattering event of 2020, EMPYRE! In this spectacular one-shot, readers witnessed the Kree and the Skrull unite under a new Emperor and set course for Earth. With a massive war fleet approaching, the Avengers and Fantastic Four team up for 2020 in April’s EMPYRE but will their combined strength be enough to save the day? Rooted in stories spanning throughout Marvel’s 80-year history, the massive build up to this story will only be rivaled by the enormous impact it has on the future of the Marvel Universe!

Don’t miss this Marvel tale for the ages by masterminds Al Ewing and Dan Slott with art by the incomparable Valerio Schiti. Brace yourself for the event that Editor-in-Chief CB Cebulski describes as “One of the most incredible science-fiction sagas Marvel has ever put to page!”

Empyre #4 is expected to be released this summer.