Marvel Comics has provided a preview of “Mighty Avengers” 31, which features The Mighty Avengers, Young Avengers, New Avengers and more versus The Unspoken.   From Marvel’s news release:

Red hot writers Dan Slott and Christos N. Gage, along with fan-favorite artist Sean Chen, present the epic conclusion of the Avengers battle against the ancient enemy of the Inhumans! Hank Pym, newly named the Scientist Supreme, returns to Earth, but is his genius enough to help his Avengers allies turn the tide, after a lethal toxin turns many of the Avengers into a gang of mindless barbarians?

The issue goes on sale on Nov. 18.

MTV Splash Page caught up with “Iron Man 2″ director Jon Favreau, who sadly says he won’t be available to direct the “Avengers” motion picture.

“They’ll have to [find a different director], because I’m not going to be available,” he said. “It’s something I’m being the executive producer on, so I’ll definitely have input and a say.”

Favreau adds whoever does direct “Avengers” will have to mix the technological world of “Iron Man” with the mythology-based world of “Thor.”

It’s too bad Favreau won’t do it – he’s been a great choice for “Iron Man” — but I’ll keep my fingers crossed for Marvel finding a director who will do an “Avengers” movie justice.

- Matt Price

The Muppets recreate the Robin Hood legend, Marvel’s Dark Reign continues, and Superboy discovers more about himself in this week’s comics.

The mystery deepens in “Who is Superwoman?” part 2 in “Supergirl” 38, and Norman Osborn takes his Avengers on their first mission in “Dark Avengers” 2, as Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss this week’s comic-book highlights.

Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss the final issue of “Final Crisis” and a new comic based on the animated “Brave and Bold” cartoon. The New Avengers get involved with Dark Reign in “New Avengers” 49, as Cage seeks his child. And Captain America teams up with Namor in “Captain America” 46.

Joshua Fine, Director of Animation Development for Marvel Animation, tells Marvel Animation Age that the Hulk: Gamma Corp animated series was in pre-production when the decision was made to fold the creative work being done there into the upcoming The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes animated series. Even though the creative team was well into pre-production of Hulk: Gamma Corps, with scripting underway, they saw the chance to tell bigger stories that reached far beyond Hulk’s universe.

“It became apparent to us that the creative work that was being done to bring Hulk’s world and his villains to life was too good to relegate to his universe alone, and would be much better suited as part of an full-on Avengers scenario,” says Fine.

Hello? Is this thing on? (taps the mike)

A few years ago, you couldn’t pay me to read an Avengers comic. What had once been a team of big guns had become Wasp, Namor, some guy who breakdances with lightning, Fake (but not clone) Thor and Iron Jarvis or something.

Nowadays, I get them all. But while New Avengers and Mighty Avengers are fun (even though it’s been all Secret Invasion backstory for a few months), my favorite is Marvel Adventures Avengers. And you know this, because I tell you all the time.

But maybe I’m not making my argument clearly enough, so let’s turn to Issue 28, Verse 15: Yea, did Jeff Parker and Paul Tobin split up writing duties for this issue with two stories that are interconnected. And it was good. Verily.

This issue introduces the Marvel Adventures version of Luke Cage and also does a bit of universe building. Luke, like his 616-counterpart, likes cleaning up the streets and lecturing fools who be trippin’. So when the Avengers come a-calling, he’s not very interested.

This is Jeff Parker at his best. The story is clean and simple, without too much continuity, but there’s a lot of funny asides and running jokes for those who like to keep up. Luke pretends he’s never heard of the Avengers, but once at the tower, he wonders where Storm is. (Which prompts Giant Girl, towering over all of them, to ask, “Do guys think I’m not approachable for some reason?”)

If Bendis ever gives up on the Avengers proper, I am praying that Jeff Parker is tapped to take over. He’s got good ideas, he can balance the team dynamic and his writing is just plain funny.

Tobin is no slouch, however, as his story involves Captain America, Spider-Man, Storm and a cat from another dimension. There’s one giant leap, storywise, when music attracts a creature from the Negative Zone. It’s not exactly canon, but it moves the story along.

Honestly, when I get my comics, this one is near the top of the pile and, unlike some series that are good for a shocking revelation and that’s it, Marvel Adventures Avengers are the kind of done-in-one stories that you can re-read without getting bored. And I plan on re-reading these for a long time to come.

- Greg Elwell

A version of this review ran in Friday’s The Oklahoman: 

The children of superheroes are the world’s last hope in “Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow,” the latest direct-to-DVD animated feature from Marvel.  ”Next Avengers” features a possible Marvel future in which the children of the Avengers must
defeat the foe their parents could not.
The Avengers — including Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and others — were defeated in their final battle with Ultron, the indestructible robot bent on world domination.
Tony Stark, Iron Man, escaped with four of the Avengers’ children, and raised them in hiding.
James, the son of Captain America and the Black Widow, is a slovenly teen that nevertheless keeps a cool head in a crisis.
Torunn, the daughter of Thor, has an enchanted sword and an Asgardian’s power.
Azari, the son of the Black Panther, has agility from his father and lightning-based powers from an unnamed-in-the-film mother who’s most likely the X-Men’s Storm.
Pym, the son of Giant Man and the Wasp, is a tech-savvy wisacre with both of his parents’ abilities.
A fifth young Avenger was raised outside the safety of Iron Man’s domed campus.
Hawkeye, named after his father, has also inherited has father’s archery skills.  He lives in the city, under the shadow of Ultron, and leads a squad of resistance fighters.
When Ultron discovers the young Avengers, he wants to eliminate the last threat to his world dominance; these five teens must work together to face down a threat even their parents couldn’t stop.
“Next Avengers” is the most young adult-focused of all of the Marvel animated films so far, but it still brings in lots of the Marvel legacy for longtime fans.

– Matt Price

Blog @ Newsarama reports that the upcoming “Captain America” film will be a period piece set in World War II.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige also confirmed that the mysterious object in the “Iron Man” film was in fact Captain America’s shield.

He also confirmed that a large portion of the upcoming “Thor” film would be set in Asgard.

I think this is good news on the “Captain America” front — first film during World War II, then revive him in the “Avengers” movie.  I’d also recommend the “Adventures of Captain America” by Fabian Nicieza and Kevin Maguire, as a good starting point for a movie storyline.

– Matt Price

It’s hard to believe that a few years ago, “Avengers” was a comic that Marvel couldn’t get anybody excited about. Somehow, Jack of Hearts and a female Captain Britain just weren’t drawing in the crowds.

Nowadays, the Avengers are everywhere you look and the roster(s) include a pretty diverse group of heroes. Come on — Spider-Man and Wolverine on the same team? Luke Cage going from street-level crime to fighting would-be world conquerors?

But while “Mighty” and “New” varieties are selling well, the Avengers book that most appeals to me these days is “Marvel Adventures Avengers” and issue 24 is a prime reason why. Yes, there’s Spidey and Wolverine and sometimes Iron Man, but the similarities end there.

These Avengers have some done-in-one adventures that feature lots of fun fighting and clever banter with stories a little lighter in tone. In issue 24, the team finds themselves fighting over the littlest things. And not just squabbling over lunch — they’re pounding on each other in the streets.

This series plays fast and loose with characters and I love it. The Hulk, usually a member, stays far away for fear of getting too angry. Giant Girl (better known as The Wasp in the 616 universe) and Storm fight about their hair. But the best joke of the book comes from a non-dead Steve Rogers in his Captain America costume, when he’s blamed for starting a fight with a tiny Ant-Man by rolling an ear of corn his way:

“That’s the way we ate our lunch back in the war! We rolled it first!”

The villain is an old Marvel favorite, though the reason for his villainy is pretty novel. And that’s what makes this book great issue after issue — writer Jeff Parker is having a ball writing a book that doesn’t take a ridiculous situation too seriously. Come on, like seeing a bunch of grown men and women wearing spandex and masks wouldn’t make you laugh.

This one is highly recommended, especially if you have kids, or just like remembering what it was like to be one.

 – Greg Elwell 

One of the unintended consequences of “Secret Invasion” is that I can no longer enjoy reading anything connected to the event without wondering if I’m going to learn anymore super-sexy Skrull secrets.

(Oddly, I first typed Skrull Seacrest, which would make a lot of sense.)

This issue, like the last, doesn’t advance the story so much as fill in the background. We are treated to some more of Jarvis worming his way into the Avengers’ systems and some pretty rational Skrull discussions on who to replace and why.

All credit to Brian Michael Bendis for really getting into that alien conqueror headspace. His reasoning regarding replacing the Sentry or anyone near him is compelling and the plan that goes ahead is represented in what we’ve already seen in “Secret Invasion” 1 and 2.

If I’m being totally honest, the only big downsides to this issue are a lack of reveals and the mediocre, though not bad, pencilling by Khoi Pham. I’d prefer to see more of Michael Gaydos’ work, as in last issue, and even a return to some of the previous issue’s storytelling. This one feels light on content and the art saps much of the cliffhanger’s drama due to poor page design.

When I go back to re-read my Mighty Avengers run, I won’t skip over issue 14 — I just won’t worry about flipping through the pages on my way to better future issues.

– Greg Elwell

There have been some revivals since, but the Alex Ross/Jim Krueger/Stephen Sadowski “Avengers-Invaders” 12-issue series has to be the most high-profile of the lot.

Ross co-plots with Krueger, and provides the covers, similar to the working arrangement on “Earth X.” Sadowski provides the pencils.

In 1943, Bucky narrates a mission of the Invaders, reintroducing the team to modern audiences.

Flashing forward to Manhattan, the same man who saw the Invaders as a soldier in the 1940s sees the Thunderbolts and Spider-Man battling in Manhattan.

“These are not heroes,” the old man says. “I knew heroes.”

Cue the Invaders, coming through a time portal of some sort into Manhattan.

After an Invaders-Thunderbolts dustup, Spidey remarks at Captain America, apparently back to life in his prime. As the issue closes, Iron Man looks at a screen bearing the image of Captain America.

There’s obviously some thematic tying in with this series to “Civil War.” The problem with it is mainly timing — how does this fit in with the current “Secret Invasion” story? Especially given that there’s a Captain America (ostensibly) from the past running around there, too?

It’s probably not fair to judge the creative team’s work simply on a scheduling issue, however. As a first issue, it’s interesting, though not as immediately compelling as the first issues of either “Earth X” or “Kingdom Come.”

Sadowski’s a professional; he makes each of the stream of various costumed characters a distinct individual.

– Matt Price

 – Matt Price