If you are a long time reader of Cosmic Book News you know that the entire site was a result of Annihilation and DnA’s Marvel Cosmic comic books (hence “Cosmic Book News”), Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Editor Andy Schmidt and writer Keith Giffen relaunched Marvel Cosmic back in 2005 with the Annihilation event that saw Fantastic Four villain, Annihulus, invade the Marvel U. from the Negative Zone decimating billions in the process.
A group of rag-tag heroes would answer the call while the heroes of Earth were left to bicker amongst themselves (i.e. Civil War).
Following Annihilation, Kieth Giffen would depart for the direct competition, with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, writers of the Annihilation: Nova mini-series, answering a call of their own becoming the new Marvel Cosmic showrunners with Marvel Editor Bill Rosemann, and the new Nova Richard Rider ongoing series was launched.
Rosemann and DnA would then give us Annihilation: Conquest, a story featuring Lord Ultron and the Phalanx as the villains, with Guardians of the Galaxy spawning out of that event.
Subsequent Marvel Cosmic events would follow with War of Kings, featuring a battle between the Inhumans, led by Black Bolt, against the Shi’ar, ruled over by the X-Men Summers brother, Vulcan.
DnA would attempt to do for Darkhawk what Annihilation did for Richard Rider Nova–giving us a new Marvel Cosmic hero, but what War of Kings also introduced us to was the Fraternity of Raptors, a group of Darkhawk-like protectors of the Shi’ar empire, who each had an amulet – and agenda – of their own.
Next would see Realm of Kings, where DnA would put the fan-favorite Protector of the Universe front and center with Wendell Vaughn Quasar crossing the void to the Cancerverse.
All this would culminate in Abnett and Lanning’s best-selling and critically acclaimed The Thanos Imperative, which brought back the Mad Titan to the Marvel Universe.
Joining DnA in their cosmic odyssey were artists such as Paul Pelletier, who has gone on to superstardom over at DC with Geoff Johns and Aquaman; Brad Walker, likewise, has been drawing Superman Action Comics and is now on another cosmic book with Green Lantern: New Guardians. There has been the Nova staple, Andrea DeVito, and artists Sean Chen and Wes Craig (who drew the the alternate reality issues of Guardians of the Galaxy), Kev Walker, and lots more stellar talent.
Eventually Marvel would choose to take Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy in a different direction – we won’t go into that here – but what if DnA had been allowed to build up their Marvel Cosmic Universe?
Well, at the recent C2E2 some of that information has recently become known as a group of fans spoke with Andy Lanning.
I was told by a fan that attended the event that Black Bolt was meant to return right after The Thanos Imperative, but what happens is — what was left of the Guardians finds Black Bolt able to talk! Everyone thinks this isn’t Black Bolt, while at the same time, others do. However, it is revealed that a parasite is talking for Black Bolt, which turns out to be something they were going to develop in another storyline.
It was said that the big post-Thanos Imperative story was going to feature more on the Fraternity of Raptors, their true origins, why the Shi’ar created them, why they were exiled, how many there truly are, and why Razor was able to return so easily. It wasn’t stated if it was part of the Shadow War, there were plans, but nothing was ever really outlined when and where.
Regarding the direction of Nova, Richard Rider’s brother, Robert, was going to be in the title role for a little while and what was left of the Corps.
It was also said that DnA were going to go back to some of the older stuff, with mention that they did want to resolve Nova’s relationship with Dr. Necker (from Project Pegasus), as well as Ginger Jaye, the high school girlfriend of Richard Rider. They had stuff left over from Eric Larson’s run they wanted to clean up since they didn’t really get to mess with his old support cast much.
