Hey, you like avoiding SPOILERS? Then please STOP READING NOW if you haven’t read today’s issue of Avengers: Armageddon, especially if you’ve somehow avoided any spoilers up until now.
OK, all read up, or simply want to know what’s going on? Then let’s continue …
David Colton has a new identity, and it’s a pretty significant one in the history of comics.
The penultimate issue of Avengers: Armageddon ends with Colton becoming Miracleman, following the revelation that the mysterious Origin Box that granted him his powers contained the power of the character Marvel obtained the rights to more than 15 years ago.
The transformation comes at the end of the issue (shown above). After spending much of the event dealing with the consequences of his newfound abilities, Colton is told to say a mysterious word: “Kimota.” He does, and the issue closes with Colton transformed into Miracleman.
Written by Chip Zdarsky with art by Delio Diaz and Frank Alpizar, Avengers: Armageddon #4 has been building toward a new status quo in the Marvel Universe since the beginning of the series, with a new Avengers series on deck after it ends. Colton originally received the Origin Box in Wolverine: Weapons of Armageddon #4, gaining immense strength, speed, flight, invulnerability and other powers after Wolverine used it to miraculously (heh) save his life.
So Marvel has now introduced the name “Miracleman” into the Marvel Universe, rather than bringing in the character who appeared in the 1980s Eclipse series –which Marvel subsequently reprinted and even continued when Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham returned to create the Silver Age.
Originally created as Marvelman in the 1950s by Mick Anglo, the character was revived in the 1980s in Warrior, where Alan Moore and artists like Garry Leach and Alan Davis transformed the character to create one of the most influential modern superhero comics at the time. Now, decades later, Marvel has placed the mantle inside its main superhero continuity.
“Dave Colton is a fascinating, complicated character, now much more so as he takes on the mantle of Miracleman,” Avengers Editor Wil Moss said. “Chip has BIG plans for him that will affect not just the Avengers, but the entire Marvel Universe. This is the beginning of something really special.”
Here’s a look at the Michael Cho variant cover for issue #4, which was marked with spoilers up until its publication today:
And here’s the cover for the final issue of the miniseries by Dike Ruan, along with a variant by John Romita Jr.:
Avengers: Armageddon #5 arrives Oct. 21.