Arcade’s Murderworld will take the spotlight this fall in a new mini-event written by Jim Zub and Ray Fawkes, and featuring artwork by Jethro Morales in the first issue.
Murderworld: Avengers will kick things off in November and will be followed by one-shots featuring Moon Knight, Wolverine and Spider-Man. No doubt some sort of wrap-up “omega” issue will wrap things up, as these mini-events tend to do.
“When I first saw Murderworld in an issue of Uncanny X-Men, I was fascinated by its colorful corniness mixed with deception and violence,” Zub told Marvel.com. “Many years ago, Ray and I chatted about a twisted thriller-survival story set in Arcade’s deadly playground and now, starting with Murderworld: Avengers, we’re finally getting the chance to unleash it!”
It sounds like Araced is up to his old tricks in the description of this mini-event:
READY. SET. DIE! Hundreds are killed every year in an elaborate secret tournament run by a sadistic man with nearly limitless resources at his fingertips. It’s not an urban legend. It’s not a myth – MURDERWORLD is real! It’s online, and the gruesome truth has been hidden from everyone except its victims – until NOW. Meet Paul Pastor, the extraordinary young documentarian who’s going to expose it all…with some super-powered help, starting with the Avengers! In MURDERWORLD: AVENGERS, the Black Widow has a personal grudge to settle with Murderworld mastermind Arcade – but can she stop this game before it kills again?
“Murderworld is one of those stealthy, ultra-compelling concepts that always made the Marvel Universe so fascinating to me – the gaudy, family-fun veneer slapped over a deadly threat. When Jim and I were discussing it, ideas to make it more and more frightening and exciting just kept coming to us. I’m thrilled to bring them to readers in all their horrible glory!” Fawkes said.
Murderworld and its sadistic owner, Arcade, were introduced back in Marvel Team-Up #66, as he trapped Spider-Man and Captain Britain in his deadly amusement park. He has plagued the X-Men, New Warriors, Micronauts and many other heroes since then. The list includes the former students of the Avengers Academy and other teen heroes, who he pitted against each other in a Hunger Games-type deathmatch in Avengers Arena.
Look for Murderworld: Avengers on Nov. 16.