Marvel First Look: AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #1

As seen earlier today on Entertainment Weekly's website, Marvel Comics has unveiled fans' first look at Avengers Vs. X-Men #1. Written by a round robin of top Marvel talent with art by John Romita Jr., the issue kicks off Marvel's long-simmering event in earnest as the publisher's two top super-teams come to blows over how to handle the coming of the Phoenix Force and its apparent targeting of Hope Summers as its next avatar. "In the past, the typical Marvel thing when two groups of heroes cross paths was: They would meet, there would be some kind of misunderstanding, and they would fight," writer Jason Aaron told Entertainment Weekly. "Then they would make their peace, and team up to save the day. This is not that kind of story. This is 12 issues of gigantic brawls for the fate of the world, where both sides really have a defensible position." Like DC's New 52 and Before Watchmen initiatives, Avengers Vs. X-Men is a story deeply entrenched in continuity and built on the foundation of past successes. The writers and publisher hope that those past successes and rich history will inform an engaging and entertaining new take on an old idea that can reach out past the insular bubble that comic book fandom often has built around itself. "We're always conscious of not just picking the bones of the great stories we loved from when we were kids," said Aaron in the Entertainment Weekly interview. "If you've never read The Dark Phoenix Saga, you should be able to get everything you need from this book, as opposed to callbacks from years and years ago." Marvel describes the event, and provides several pages of preview art, below: This April, prepare for the biggest super hero war in comics history as Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Avengers Vs. X-Men #1! From the powerhouse creative team of Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron, Matt Fraction, Jonathan Hickman, Ed Brubaker, John Romita Jr., Adam Kubert and Olivier Copiel comes a groundbreaking event pitting Earth's Mightiest against the X-Men with the entire Marvel Universe at stake. Cyclops and his team believe the arrival of the Phoenix Force will save mutantkind, but Captain America is convinced it will destroy the world! But who is right? Don't miss out on all the action inAvengers Vs. X-Men #1 in comic shops worldwide and on the Marvel Comics app this April! Which team will reign supreme? Join the conversation on Twitter with #AvX! For more on Avengers VS X-Men, please visit https://avx.marvel.com AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #1 (JAN120625) Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, JASON AARON, MATT FRACTION, JONATHAN HICKMAN, ED BRUBAKER Art by JOHN ROMITA JR. Colors by LAURA MARTIN Cover by JIM CHEUNG FOC – 2/27/12, ON SALE – 4/3/12 [gallery link="file" columns="2" orderby="title"]