SIEGE
Diamond Summit '09: Siege
Writer Brian Michael Bendis lays out his plan of battle for 2010’s explosive Marvel Universe event, SIEGE
Siege
By Jim Beard
SIEGE, a four-issue limited series event rolling out in January 2010, reunites not only superstar creators Brian Michael Bendis and Olivier Coipel but a certain team of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
"We are at the climax," Bendis says of SIEGE's place within the Dark Reign epic. "Norman Osborn's reach has gone as far and wide as one could possibly imagine it ever would and he has set his sights on Asgard. Why he does this and how he does this, the question is, 'Is this the event that will bring not only the Avengers teams that already exist together but the classic Avengers as well?'
"[SIEGE] is an Avengers story but the nature of Dark Reign and the Avengers books and how they have been in the past few years makes it a Marvel Universe story. This is Avengers-focused but also involves the Young Avengers, the Secret Warriors-it's a big pile. Nick Fury is there front and center. But I think the real show stopper is the chance to see Thor, Iron Man and Captain America fighting alongside together. And what could possibly be big enough for them to get over themselves and do such a thing? SIEGE."
As director of H.A.M.M.E.R., Osborn has often raised his sights high-but why the fabled realm of Asgard, and why now?
"It is a very scary proposition to learn that another realm is hovering right over our realm," Bendis explains. "And from [Norman's] point-of-view that is a threat. If all of a sudden another country is hovering over our country it would not be met with a picnic. It would be seen as a threat. And not
Preview art by Olivier Coipel
only is it another country, it is another country filled with immortal, all-powerful god people. It's a threat of the highest magnitude and it has to be dealt with.
"This is not only a spin to the public, it's what he believes. Norman isn't a moustache-wielding villain. He is mentally ill and the clock is ticking until that magic puppet makes itself be known. The reality is here that he thinks a certain way. What I like about a good villain is that their [point of view] isn't incorrect. It's arguable. It's what they're doing about that that you may go, 'Hey, that's not right.'"
The writer noted to artist Coipel that SIEGE should be viewed as more of a war story than a super hero adventure. The duo's work on 2005's landmark HOUSE OF M series paved the way for this tale, their latest collaboration.
"When I found out [Coipel was] available for this I thought 'No way,'" he says. "SIEGE has been great because HOUSE OF M was a blast for us and we felt just at the end we were getting into something, not just having fun making comics but you get to this other level where you were feeling each other's brain. Every time we see each other we say 'We have to get together and try again.' So I was thrilled he was ready to do it."
Unlike other past Marvel Universe events, SIEGE stretches tautly over just four issues, making for a story Bendis labels "very intense."
"We gave it a good hard look and I talked to [Marvel Publisher] Dan [Buckley], [Editor-in-Chief] Joe [Quesada] and [Executive Editor] Tom [Brevoort] about it and I said if we're going to go down this 'event' road again the one thing we have to [remember is that] people are not committing a year of their life and a lot of money [to events]. We really need to meet them half way. I was shockingly able to get it all done in four issues without it feeling weird.
"We've got Mark Morales, who was the unsung hero of SECRET INVASION, and Laura Martin who was not only the colorist on THOR but SECRET INVASION as well. So it's a real A-list group of major, major talent to make this, what I think people will be surprised to hear is 'only' a four-issue limited series."
Teaser art by Jimmy Cheung
But in all, Bendis feels sure the real stars of SIEGE come out in the form of the classic Avengers.
"What's interesting about having Captain America, Iron Man and Thor all on the same side is that it's the first time in years and in some cases in decades that they have been on the same team of Avengers," he states. "People don't remember this, but even before I was on the Avengers they weren't on the same team. So it's been a while since we've seen the whole trinity of Avengers.
"You know what I think is exciting is that our people got a feeling that this is the big finale of Dark Reign. For people who hung in there and enjoyed all the different voices and flavors of Dark Reign you get a big payoff. What people may not know is that what happens at the end of SIEGE is as big a change to the Avengers franchise as when we Disassembled them and started the New Avengers. A decisive change for the Avengers franchise coming out of it will be completely different then what went into it. And that is something I'm very, very excited about."
SIEGE kicks off this December 2 with the SIEGE: THE CABAL one-shot, a special Bendis calls, "the beginning of the end of Dark Reign." Then, on December 30, readers can grab a free copy of ORIGINS OF SIEGE at their local comic shop, which includes an all-new lead-in story featuring the God of Evil and Cabal member, Loki. This issue also includes an exciting preview of January's SIEGE #1.