Out Tomorrow: Revolutionary War - Death's Head II

Hi guys.

Just a quick post to remind you that tomorrow (12th January 2014) sees the release of the fourth Chapter of Revolutionary War. This time it's Death's Head II's turn, courtesy of Andy Lanning, Alan Cowsill and Nick Roche.

If you're interested the cover looks like this:

With a truly wonderful variant cover courtesy of DH II's co-creator Liam Sharp.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: DEATH'S HEAD II #1

ANDY LANNING & ALAN COWSILL (W) • NICK ROCHE (A)

Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by LIAM SHARP
Part 4 of "Revolutionary War"
• The long-awaited return of DEATH'S HEAD -- one of the biggest hits of the original Marvel UK!
• Death's Head! Death's Head II! On an adventure together for the first time EVER!
• What threat could be grave enough to bring these two heroes together from across time? How about the villainous Mys-Tech organization resurfacing with an army?!
32 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ ...$3.99

There's a 3 page preview up at comic book resources. In which we see Captain Britain being returned 'home' of  sorts, to the Darkmoor Research Centre from Captain Britain #1. This issue has a number of promising factors in play, not least of which being BOTH Death's Heads.

So, go out and grab it! :)

And for the astute among you, yes, I know we're missing a Chapter 3 Summary. It's coming...

In the meanwhile enjoy this page from tomorrow's issue.

The Time has Arrived: Revolutionary War starts This Week!

Well, 'Hello' everyone. I hope you had a suitably enjoyable Christmas and New Year break. I have been giving myself a little time away from the internet during December. Recharging for all that 2014 has to offer.

And boy, DOES it offer!

This week brings us the start of the Marvel UK mini event 'Revolutionary War'. Marvel UK stalwarts Andy Lanning and Alan Cowsill are bringing back the largely forgotten characters of the Marvel UK 90s imprint, for a multipart story played out over three months.

This all begins this coming Wednesday (8th January, 2014), with Revolutionary War: Alpha, by Lanning and Cowsill, with art by Richard Elson.

 

 

 

The solicit for the issue itself reads as follows:

 

 

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: ALPHA #1

ANDY LANNING AND ALAN COWSILL (W) • RICH ELSON (A)

Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by BARRY KITSON
Part 1 of “Revolutionary War”
• Marvel UK’s greatest heroes come together for the first time in 20 years to face a threat that could destroy the world.
• Featuring Captain Britain, Pete Wisdom, Death’s Head II, Motormouth and Killpower, the Warheads and a host of British heroes.
32 PGS./ ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$3.99

 

 

I cannot overemphasize both how excited I am about this and just how important this issue is to all fans of Marvel UK. Marvel probably doesn't have huge expectations for this series, so please join in me in surprising them by exceeding those expectations in a definite way.

 

Ask your comic store to put a copy aside for you, do not miss this issue. That's the cover you are looking for, or this Barry Kitson variant:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And for those who are curious a 4 Page Preview is now up over at Comic Book Resources.

 

Want more? Well, now we have a much clearer picture of what is coming via Marvel's own solicitations and via Alan Cowsill himself over on the Make Mine Marvel UK Facebook page.

 

So, Revolutionary War: Alpha is effectively Chapter 1 of this story. Here is how the rest of Revolutionary War will break down.

 

 

Wednesday January 15th 2014:

 

 

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: DARK ANGEL #1

KIERON GILLEN (W) • DIETRICH SMITH (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
Part 2 of “Revolutionary War”
• When Shevaun Haldane experiences a troubling vision in Darkmoor Castle, she realizes danger may be coming for the heroes of Marvel UK.
• With time running out, Shevaun has no choice but to suit up as Dark Angel once again.
• An adventure that will take fans through the past, present, and future of Marvel UK!
32 PGS./ ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$3.99

 

 

 

Wednesday 29th January 2014:

 



REVOLUTIONARY WAR: KNIGHTS OF PENDRAGON #1

ROB WILLIAMS (W) • SIMON COLEBY (A)

Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by TBD
Part 3 of “Revolutionary War”
• A corporate deep-mining setup unearths an old MYS-TECH base, where magical cloning experiments have been taking place.
• What mysteries or monsters are waiting in Britain’s subterranean bones?
• Featuring fan-favorite Marvel UK characters Dai Thomas, Pete Wisdom, and Union Jack!
32 PGS./ ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$3.99

 

 

 

Wednesday 12th February 2014:

 

 

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: DEATH'S HEAD II #1

ANDY LANNING & ALAN COWSILL (W) • NICK ROCHE (A)

Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by LIAM SHARP
Part 4 of "Revolutionary War"
• The long-awaited return of DEATH'S HEAD -- one of the biggest hits of the original Marvel UK!
• Death's Head! Death's Head II! On an adventure together for the first time EVER!
• What threat could be grave enough to bring these two heroes together from across time? How about the villainous Mys-Tech organization resurfacing with an army?!
32 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ ...$3.99

 

 

 

Wednesday 19th February 2014:

 

 

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: SUPERSOLDIERS #1

ROB WILLIAMS (W) • BRENT ANDERSON (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by DAVE GIBBONS
Part 5 of "Revolutionary War"
• Some of the most popular heroes of Marvel UK return for SUPERSOLDIERS – and where the Supersoldiers go, trouble isn't far behind!
• It's the Supersoldiers versus Mys-Tech in all-out war!
• When a vast army of Mys-Tech Psycho Wraiths come calling on a small Scottish town, it's up to the Supersoldiers to put them down for good!
32 PGS./ ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ ...$3.99

 

 

 

Wednesday 12th March 2014:

 

 

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: MOTORMOUTH #1

GLENN DAKIN (W) • RONAN CLIQUET (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover By DECLAN SHALVEY
• When Mys-Tech returns and threatens the safety of Great Britain, MI:13 need to try to convince MOTORMOUTH to come out of retirement.
• Harley Davis’ days of being a hero are over, though.  Now, her day job is being the mother of  her two children. Until an explosive Mys-Tech attack calls her out of retirement!
• Be there as Motormouth gets her mojo back!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

 

 

 

Wednesday 19th March 2014:

 

 

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: WARHEADS #1

ANDY LANNING & ALAN COWSILL (W)
GARY ERSKINE (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
VARIANT COVER BY GARY ERSKINE
• Colonel Liger, formerly of the evil organization Mys-Tech, has started working as an agent of MI:13, Mys-Tech’s rival agency.
• Not everything is as it appears, though – because Liger has just discovered that his old team, The Warheads, are still alive – and nothing’s going to stop him from finding them.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

 

 

 

And finally...

 

Wednesday 26th March 2014:

 

 

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: OMEGA #1

ANDY LANNING & ALAN COWSILL (W) • RICHARD ELSON (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by JAMIE McKELVIE
THE FINAL ISSUE IN AN 8-PART EPIC
• Marvel UK’s triumphant return reaches its epic conclusion!
• Will the agents of MI:13 be able to stop whatever Mys-Tech has been planning?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

 

 

And there you have it. A list of issues, dates, variant covers and creators. And with this again may I reiterate what is fast becoming somewhat of a mantra for me, right now. Make sure you Order (or Pre-order) your copy.

 

I'm sure that most of you, much like myself, are eager to read these books. They're kind of a big deal to us, we want to read more Marvel UK character stories, and we know that the only way that is going to happen is if this series succeeds. The best way to ensure that is for you to go to your local comic book store, speak to the guy who orders them in, and ask them to pre-order you a copy of each book. You have the issue names. You have the dates they come out. They can do this for you.

Why? Well, it's no secret that the characters involved here are not as high profile as, say, the Spider-man, Avengers or Wolverines of this world. Those Mark Brooks covers are gobsmacking. Really standout covers. But the Marvel UK characters have been away for a while, and some store owners out there might not even be completely aware of Revolutionary War as a series or event.

So go and spread the word to them. :)

Pre-ordering the book, asking the owner to put an issue aside, guarantees that you'll get your copy, but it also lets the owner know that people are interested in the series. So hopefully they'll order enough copies in for others too.

If championing Marvel UK appearances over recent years (Such as Captain Britain & MI13, for example) has taught me anything it's that there's nothing more frustrating than wanting to support a series only to find that you cannot get hold of a copy - either because the store owner didn't order enough copies in, or didn't order it in at all. I've received a number of emails over the years from guys telling me just that. So let's make sure this does not happen this around.

Avoid disappointment, get your Revolutionary War order in today, and pick up Revolutionary War: Alpha this Wednesday. I have a really good feeling about this.

 

Speak soon.

 

Mark (Sword)

Second month of Revolutionary War titles revealed with Marvel's February Solicits.

I had intended to post these up on Friday. But we've been away over the weekend, so you're getting them now... ;)

So, Marvel's February 2014 solicits are out, and this means that two more Revolutionary War one-shots have had covers and issue information revealed.

First up:

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: DEATH'S HEAD II #1
ANDY LANNING & ALAN COWSILL (W) • NICK ROCHE (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by Liam Sharp
Part 4 of "Revolutionary War"
• The long-awaited return of DEATH'S HEAD -- one of the biggest hits of the original Marvel UK!
• Death's Head! Death's Head II! On an adventure together for the first time EVER!
• What threat could be grave enough to bring these two heroes together from across time? How about the villainous Mys-Tech organization resurfacing with an army?!
32 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ ...$3.99


And another great Mark Brooks cover, there. I've mentioned before that THREE versions of Death's Head have been active in Marvel, recently. The version in Kieron Gillen's Iron Man series had recently gone MIA. But that still leaves TWO.

1) Death's Head II, last seen in the pages of Captain Britain & MI13.

and

2) A version of Death's Head I, stranded in the present in an issue of Avenging Spider-man.

Looking at the character designs shown on that cover I'd say there's a fair chance that's what we might be looking at here. Two versions of the same character from different points in their own personal timeline. Why hasn't somebody done this before?

And yes. MYS-TECH. Could they be Revolutionary War's Big Bad? We'll have to wait and see...

Secondly we have:

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: SUPERSOLDIERS #1
ROB WILLIAMS (W) • BRENT ANDERSON (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by TBD
Part 5 of "Revolutionary War"
• Some of the most popular heroes of Marvel UK return for SUPERSOLDIERS – and where the Supersoldiers go, trouble isn't far behind!
• It's the Supersoldiers versus Mys-Tech in all-out war!
• When a vast army of Mys-Tech Psycho Wraiths come calling on a small Scottish town, it's up to the Supersoldiers to put them down for good!
32 PGS./ ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ ...$3.99


That's right. Super Soldiers.

It's been a while, but from memory I'm assuming that's Invincible (Joseph Hauer), the most focussed on Soldier front and centre. The big guy behind him is, without question, Gog (Owen Llewelyn) the highly modified Welsh guy with bionic eyes.

The other two? I'm figuring the red-headed guy on the left is Govnor (Andy Black) the little guy who could absorb kinetic energy and convert it into strength. The guy with the bandana? I'm not so sure. It might be Dalton. I guess we'll have to wait and see... :)

And yes. Psycho Wraiths. Remember them? A little MYS-TECH side project based out of an undisclosed part of the Scottish highlands, which were once activated by the board members to take down Dark Angel. I wonder whether there's been a few more of them sitting unactivated all these years? Just sitting in wait?

So yes, that's what we have coming up in February. Notice also, that when compared next to the 3 covers from January's solicits there is a clear sense of progression going on on the covers themselves, as the event progresses. Check out the flames on the Union Flag at the bottom of each issue's cover.  Absent in the Revolutionary War Alpha cover, creeping in on the base of the Dark Angel and Knights of Pendragon issues, and then far more prominent on both of these new issues. A nice touch.

You'll also notice that if you look back up to the Death's Head II one-shot above you'll see that DH2 co-creator Liam Sharp will be doing a variant cover for this one. The finished article is still under wraps, however Liam Sharp has put up a rough sketch of what we presume is that cover on his Facebook page.

 

 

 

 

Even as a rough sketch you've got to admit that looks pretty damn good. I cannot wait to see the finished article.



So there ya go, to more officially solicited issues. And as I've said before if you want to read them, go to your local comic book store and ask them to pit a copy by for you. By pre-ordering you'll make sure you get the book you want and you'll also let the store owner know that people are interested in the series.

You can't really go wrong with that.

First confirmed artist for Marvel UK revival 'Revolutionary War' - It's Nick Roche on Death's Head II.

Long time followers of my Twitter feed might remember a Death's Head image I retweeted back in February by Transformers an Doctor Who artist Nick Roche. This one in fact.

 

 

Complete with a bit of a cheeky plea to Marvel. I retweeted it purely because I loved the image - Classic Death's Head seemingly taking down Machine Man and The Vision. Nice work.

 

And I didn't think any more of it than that...

 

More fool me, perhaps. :)

 

This weekend was the Dublin International Comics Expo (D.I.C.E.), at which there was an official Marvel panel headed by Marvel Exec C.B. Cebulski. Bleeding Cool are reporting that at that panel Cebulski made the announcement that Nick Roche will be pencilling an Andy Lanning written Death's Head II one-shot as part of the Revolutionary War series which starts this January.

 

So far we are to understand that Revolutionary War's format will be two bookend titles for the event, followed up by a series of individual one-shots dedicated to each property. But so far we had no finite information on who would be responsible for those.

 

Well, I guess this is the first confirmed one-shot - Death's Head II by Lanning and Roche.

 

Roche is best known for his IDW work on Doctor Who and Transformers. And if that image is anything to go by this could be very interesting indeed.