Storm has spent the past few years not so much as a superhero but as the leader of a people, defending the broken land of Arakko from threats foreign and domestic.
It would be a disservice to the character to simply put her back on the X-Men.
So let’s make her an Avenger again.
At least it looks like she’ll be keeping her Arakko look.
Marvel on Tuesday announced that Storm will be joining Earth’s Mightiest cops, er, Heroes with August’s issue #17, in the aftermath of the company’s linewide Blood Hunt crossover. Jed MacKay will still be writing the book, alongside X-Men, and joining him on art will be Valerio Schiti, known for making everyone look good in AXE: Judgment Day and G.O.D.S.
“When we were putting together thoughts for X-Men, one problem kept coming up — Storm needed to have a presence in a book befitting her status, but it would be weird for her to be on an X-Men team if she wasn’t the leader,” MacKay said in comments supplied by Marvel. “The solution was simple — she needed to be on the global stage, among equals, and what better place for that than the Avengers?”
Storm has been Avenger before, dating to the early 2010s’ Schism and Avengers vs. X-Men era. Those events led to her divorce from her former husband and once-again teammate, T’Challa, the Black Panther. So that should make for some fun office gossip in the Impossible City.
Storm also will be getting a solo series in the new “From the Ashes” era of X-Men, the creative team for which is expected to be announced later this week, along with details about a new Dazzler solo series. Those are in addition to previously announced series Exceptional X-Men by Eve Ewing and Carmen Carnero, Uncanny X-Men by Gail Simone and Dave Marquez, X-Men by Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman, X-Force by Geoffrey Thorne and Marcus To, Phoenix by Stephanie Phillips and Alessandro Miracolo, NYX by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly and Francesco Mortarino, X-Factor by Mark Russell and Bob Quinn, and Wolverine by Saladin Ahmed and Martin Coccolo.
Check out the cover to Avengers #17 by Joshua Cassara, out Aug. 7, and keep scrolling for Marvel’s press release.
Yesterday, fans learned an X-Man would be joining the ranks of Marvel’s premier super hero team this summer, and today, it’s revealed to be none other than the goddess herself— STORM IS EARTH’S MIGHTIEST MUTANT!
Storm will join the cast of Jed MacKay’s current run starting in August’s AVENGERS #17. The issue will also mark the debut of new series artist Valerio Schiti! Fresh off his bold work on G.O.D.S., the acclaimed artist known for his breathtaking action and dynamic character work takes the helm just in time for this exciting new era.
Krakoa’s tragic fall has made the Avengers realize how vital a mutant voice on the team is, and they’ll settle for nothing less than the most prominent and beloved mutant super hero on the planet! A pop culture icon, Storm has assembled with the Avengers before—in both comics as well as other forms of media—but never like this! Not only will the Avengers need her Omega-level power for the battles ahead, but they’ll need to rely on her unique expertise and leadership skills as MacKay’s overarching plots involving Kang, the Twilight Court, and more kick into high gear. This only marks the beginning of what’s shaping up to be a monumental period for Storm as she’ll also headline an all-new solo ongoing series launching later this year!
In the aftermath of Blood Hunt and Fall of the House of X, the Avengers are licking their wounds and reassessing their goals. One member takes the initiative by approaching Storm, hoping to add her strength and perspective to the team’s upcoming missions! And the roster won’t be the only thing shaken up when a deadly threat sets its vengeful sights on Earth!
On the decision to add Storm to the lineup, MacKay said, “When we were putting together thoughts for X-Men, one problem kept coming up—Storm needed to have a presence in a book befitting her status, but it would be weird for her to be on an X-Men team if she wasn’t the leader. The solution was simple—she needed to be on the global stage, among equals, and what better place for that than the Avengers? We’re excited to bring Storm back to the Avengers and show what adventures she’ll get up to as part of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!”
On being the new AVENGERS artist, Schiti said, “As a reader, I am a great fan of Jed’s run, and I really love the way he writes the team: not just as fellow soldiers, but as a group of friends with a shared past. At the same time he doesn’t hold back on action and fight scenes! The balance between these two moods is exactly what excites me the most when I have to start a new gig!”
“I have a soft spot for the mutants, so you can imagine my happiness when I knew that Storm was joining the team,” Schiti continued. “It’s always fun to draw her powers, her body language, and her outfits. There’s just one challenge: you always have to remember that she’s not just a mutant, she’s a goddess!”
Check out Joshua Cassara’s electrifying AVENGERS #17 cover now. Stay tuned later this week for the full announcement of Storm’s new solo ongoing series and reveal of her new costume! For more information, visit Marvel.com.
Dan Grote is the editor-in-chief of ComicsXF, having won the site by ritual combat. By day, he’s a newspaper editor, and by night, he’s … also an editor. He co-hosts The ComicsXF Interview Podcast with Matt Lazorwitz. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, two kids and two miniature dachshunds, and his third, fictional son, Peter Winston Wisdom.
