New Details On Marvel's Axis Event Emerge

New details about Marvel's upcoming Avengers and X-Men crossover event, Axis, have been released (via USA Today). The series, written by Rick Remender, will run for nine issues over three months. The nine issues will be segmented as three three-issue acts. Axis will also have tie-in issues in several Marvel series, including Iron Man, Magneto, Loki: Agent of Asgard and Remender's Captain America and Uncanny Avengers.

The series builds on the events of Uncanny Avengers, with the Red Skull, still empowered with by the psychic brain of Charles Xavier, serving as the primary antagonist. The Skull will harness the power of Onslaught to sow chaos by sending hate directly into the minds of people around the globe.

Remender has been writing about a group of X-Men and Avengers getting together in Uncanny Avengers to "to reconcile and become friends and (enjoy) high-fives and hugs and cuddles," but says that now "they have to deal with a threat that is ultimately too big for them to contend with even working together."

Executive editor Tom Brevoort describes Axis as "kind of a Michael Bay movie," but with a heart.

"What we get is a story with a whole lot of heart that focuses on these characters' interpersonal relationships. And, of course, breaking some hearts and ruining some lives," Brevoort says.

Remender says the character will undergo "lasting and natural and additive" changes.

"It's a nice cathartic chapter in the history of the Avengers and X-Men at the worst moment in their lives. Writing it, there were a couple of moments where I banged on my desk and said, 'Yes! Yay, nerd!' and I got excited for it."

Iron Man, in particular, will play a key role in the story and undergo a large shift in status quo.

"The Red Skull has seen things that Tony Stark is capable of, and seen value in them," Remender says.

Axis will have a large ensemble cast that includes Captain America, Thor, Luke Cage, Storm, Deadpool, the Inhumans' Medusa, Havok, Kid Apocalypse and Quentin Quire working together to try to stop the Red Skull. On the other side of the battle will be Doctor Doom, Enchantress, Absorbing Man, Carnage, Hobgoblin and Sabretooth.

More details are sure to come following the Axis panel at this weekend's Special Edition New York convention.