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No Diagrams in G.O.D.S. #1 From Jonathan Hickman & Valerio Schiti

Bleeding Cool has been informed that there will be no charts, diagrams, or backmatter essays in G.O.D.S. from Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti.

Published Sun, 03 Sep 2023 12:58:09 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Sat, 23 Sep 2023 10:09:17 -0500

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Bleeding Cool has been reliably informed that there will be no charts, diagrams, or backmatter essays in the October-launching G.O.D.S. from Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti. A staple signature in Jonathan Hickman's comics and now made famous to the point of parody, Ultimate Invasion has a few maps and logos filling up the page count, but I am told for G.O.D.S., there is none of that. Not in the first issue, anyway. Instead, it seems the diagrams are being saved for some of the PR. After all, no Marvel Comics title has ever received quite the PR that G.O.D.S. has, with an original page of content in every major ongoing Marvel Universe series intended to lead into the new series. And here's a few of what we have so far…

Wyn, Avatar of The Powers-That-Be. "At the crossroads of science and magic, agents of opposing factions operate on the behest of the pantheon of abstract cosmic beings such as Eternity, Infinity, and the Living Tribunal. This October, they emerge from the shadows as their war erupts into the wider Marvel Universe."

Aiko Maki, High Ranking Leader of The-Natural-Order-Of-Things. The opposition to Wyn and his and ex-wife, Aiko Maki. While Wyn deals with magic and the likes of Doctor Strange, Aiko honors the rules of science and calls Mister Fantastic and Black Panther colleagues.

Dimitri The Science Boy. Wyn's reluctant apprentice, Dimitri The Science Boy. Although he follows Wyn, Dimitri's true loyalties lie with the scientific ways of The-Natural-Order-Of-ThingsS. His partnership with Wyn represents the fragile alliance between the greater forces of the universe, but Dimitri is no mere pawn. He'll embark on his own quest to discover his startling history, one that will take him beyond the purview of both parties!

Mia. Fans have already been acquainted with the mystically gifted members of The Powers-That-Be and the scientifically focused followers of The-Natural-Order-Of-Things. Now, meet a young girl caught in between them both: Mia! Magically inclined but coveted by The-Natural-Order-Of-Things, Mia's extraordinary destiny is within her reach, but the greater forces of the universe might have other plans.

Cubisk Core. Marvel's pantheon of cosmic entities have faithful servants that walk among us as members of two opposing factions: the powerful mystics of The Powers-That-Be and the brilliant scientific minds of The-Natural-Order-Of-Things,. For eons, they've clashed and schemed with all of reality hanging in the balance until they formed a fragile pact. Now, a mysterious rogue agent by the name of Cubisk Core has shattered that uneasy peace, and this secret war will come out of the shadows for the first time, the character who wants to bring it all down. To usher in a new age, Cubisk will have to unleash a Babylon Event, a rare occurrence with the potential to annihilate every last aspect of reality!

"For the first time in Marvel Comics history, readers will see the primal concepts of Chaos, Eternity, Infinity, the Living Tribunal, Oblivion, In-Betweener and Order manifest as ordinary people in order to navigate the world and interact firsthand with humanity. Despite their more down-to-earth appearances, their gravitas and power remain as they scheme, clash, and strike deals, all part of a complex system that keeps the universe in balance. But that system is more fragile than anyone would care to admit, and there's some among them who desire nothing more but to see it shatter!"

"One of the things we wanted to do was to take the universal abstracts and do a more street-level version of the character," Hickman explained in a special G.O.D.S. retailer conference last week. "That's the idea behind Valerio's redesigns. Valerio tweaked the massive god-like aspect of each of these celestial abstracts and then he also made a version of the character that is a more mundane version. So I guess in Marvel Universe terms, there's the Peter Parker version of all these character and then there's the Spider-Man version of all these characters now. And it's a very effective storytelling mechanism. It works very well in the way that we're using it. My belief is that it will make these characters more useable and more frequently appearing in other Marvel books as well."

"We already saw the Marvel gods a lot of times in the past, no surprises here. Or are there?" Schiti teased. "Maybe we saw what they wanted us to see, what our human brains can contain and understand without going insane so maybe there are different, weirder and scarier forms? And if they can change shape and size, what's stopping them from walking among us, hiding in the crowd, using a human form?"

Here#s everything else we have so far…

For aeons, these groups have operated in the shadows now their existence has been brought to light courtesy of something called a Babylon Event, a rare occurrence that has the potential to upend the cosmic pantheon. With all of reality hanging in the balance, see a gathering of magic and science users unleash everything they have against eldritch horrors while Wyn attempts a more unconventional solution…

So we have a revelation of just who Wyn is… Ser Reddwyn, Lord of the Highlands, Root of the World Tree, and Salt of the Earth. An ancient being, Wyn has served as the Avatar of The-Powers-That-Be for longer than he'd care to admit. Thanks to his long life and his knack for always landing in hot water, he knows how to get himself out of a tight spot even as he begrudgingly performs his obligatory duties. Alongside his Proxy Dimitri, the Science Boy, he carries out the will of The-Powers-That-Be while maintaining a delicate truce with The-Natural-Order-of-Things—whether he wants to or not.

With more character notes for Aiko, Ninety-Seventh Centivar of The-Natural-Order-of-Things and Doctor of Abnormal Observation and All Things Weird. A brilliant scientist, Aiko let her curiosity guide her through life—and right into the service of The-Natural-Order-of-Things. When she was offered the chance to become a Centivar, an agent of The-Natural-Order-of-Things, she leapt at the opportunity without realizing the steep cost of joining. She faced a brutal choice, but true to her incisive nature, she barely hesitated: duty over love. Aiko won't let anything stand in the way of her ambitions.

And more character notes for Wyn…

Solicitations for G.O.D.S. in January 2024… and then all the other G.O.D.S. previews we have run to date.

G.O.D.S. #1
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by VALERIO SCHITI
Colors by MARTE GRACIA
Cover by MATEUS MANHANINI
The infinite détente between THE-NATURAL-ORDER-OF-THINGS and THE-POWERS-THAT-BE nears an end. Old acquaintances are reunited during a Babylon Event. The Lion of Wolves throws the worst parties. Don't look under the table. There's a John Wilkes Booth penny on the ground. On Sale 10/4

G.O.D.S. #2
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by VALERIO SCHITI
Colors by MARTE GRACIA
Cover by MATEUS MANHANINI
The Centum normally has twenty-five Primes, now only three remain. College isn't worth the time or the money. There's a hidden book in the hidden library that hides a hidden door. Cubisk Core is from Georgia, like that matters. On Sale 11/8

G.O.D.S. #3
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by VALERIO SCHITI
Colors by MARTE GRACIA
Cover by MATEUS MANHANINI
Cassandra is cursed with knowing the future, but no one believes her. There are Black Swans in the bar. Oblivion wants to drink alone, but kids these days don't respect authority figures. Most of the ingredients are illegal outside of Hell's Kitchen. On Sale 12/20

G.O.D.S. #4
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by VALERIO SCHITI
Colors by MARTE GRACIA
Cover by MATEUS MANHANINI
That guy in the Beekeeper suit is holding a thing that's freaking everyone out. A Skinner box is bigger on the inside than the outside. The Avatar makes an enemy on the Axis of Power. If you save the universe and no one remembers, is it worth it? Maybe. On Sale 1/24

For the last couple of weeks, Marvel has run one G.O.D.S. preview page written by Jonathan Hickman ahead of the launch of the series drawn and co-created with Valeria Schiti. This week there are three, including in both Al Ewing comics. Amazing Spider-Man #32 has Wyn and Dmitri, The Science Boy in the world of Sevalith, the Otherworld kingdom that Jonathan Hickman introduced in X Of Swords, as seen previously. A kingdom of vampires and diametrically opposed to Avalon.

With Wyn coming to visit and preparing for a trip. In some form of hot air balloon ship.

Venom #24 brings us godly figures in New York – including The Lady Of The Lake who seems to have made her way across the Pond –

As Wyn and Dmitri The Science Boy arrive in their balloon ship, and the deities there take notice.

Immortal Thor #1 also sees godly figures, in the form of Thor in New York City, with not all things going to plan.

But the G.O.D.S. page of Immortal Thor #1 brings us a box. Or rather, The Box. And Thor's brother, Tyr, The One-Handed God, eldest son of Odin, last seen taken by Loki, stepping into a box provided for him.

And now Tyr battling a meta-version of reality – either being disposed of, or finding a new calling.

Who else will be put in the box? And who else will be able to take flight?

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #32
MARVEL COMICS
JUN230968
(W) Zeb Wells (A) Patrick Gleason (CA) John Romita Jr.
Two of Spider-Man's villains are forming the deadliest team-up he's ever had to face. But are they after Spidey? Or is he just in the way of something bigger? Patrick Gleason rejoins the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN crew for the darkest arc of Amazing Spider-Man yet! Rated TIn Shops: Aug 23, 2023 SRP: $3.99

IMMORTAL THOR #1
MARVEL COMICS
JUN230841
(W) Al Ewing (A) Martin Coccolo (CA) Alex Ross
AL EWING, MARTIN COCCOLO & ALEX ROSS GIVE THE GOD OF THUNDER THE "IMMORTAL" TREATMENT! In Norse myths, they called him Thunderer. Vuer has he been called, and Hloriddi. The Gods know him as Asgard's King, keeper of Mjolnir, hero of the tales. When injustice grips the Earth and ancient powers bring down the sky, he fights for those who cannot – and when the tale is done, we will know what that cost him. This is the story of THE IMMORTAL THOR. PLUS: A bonus page written by Jonathan Hickman – WHO ARE THE G.O.D.S.? Rated T+In Shops: Aug 23, 2023 SRP: $6.99

VENOM #24
MARVEL COMICS
JUN231012
(W) Al Ewing, Jonathan Hickman (A) Sergio Davila (CA) Bryan Hitch
PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM!
Doctor Doom is the most notorious and ambitious super villain in the Marvel Universe – but he's got something Eddie Brock needs. WHAT COULD IT BE?! And what calamitous circumstance will befall both Doom and Eddie? The ambitious and explosive symbiote saga from Al Ewing welcomes guest artist SERGIO DAVILA! Together, these two creators are going to take Eddie Brock on an adventure that will have symbiote fans talking for YEARS to come! PLUS: A bonus page written by Jonathan Hickman – WHO ARE THE G.O.D.S.?
Rated T+In Shops: Aug 23, 2023 SRP: $3.99

Previously… Wyn and Dmitri, The Science Boy of Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti's popped by the Hellfire Gala #1…

A Special Jonathan Hickman Cameo in Hellfire Gala Tomorrow (Spoilers) — Hellfire Gala 2023 #1

To remind the mutants of Krakoa that pride goes before a fall. And they are the old guard, the old magic, the old gods.

In Moon Knight, we see the comatose body of Vibro after an encounter with the Moon Knight.

It seems that he is being monitored by more than just Moon Knight's men.

And there is some kind of device beeping.

There is another device over in the ruins of the Baxter Building in the Fantastic Four…

As the scientists of A.I.M. take interest in some G.O.D.S. technology that has been hanging around there for who knows how long. And attributing it to the former tenants…

How many other Marvel secrets and technologies will be attributed to the G.O.D.S.? And what does it stand for anyway? But it's not just tech. Doctor Strange spends his issue doing one of those extra-dimensional battles where time travels differently (just as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are wont to do)

And gets a visit at its very beginning (relatively) from Wyn.

And naming them as Powers-That-Be. With their bosses as slumbering gods. Is this going to get all Lovecraft on us? Are the G.O.D.S. a way to bring Cthulhu into the Marvel Universe again?

While Dmitri The Science Boy gets a role dealing with Sevalith, the Otherworld kingdom that Jonathan Hickman introduced in the X Of Swords crossover event. A kingdom of vampires and diametrically opposed to Avalon. And looks like the device we have seen are of Dimitri's concoction.

And yes, it looks like the Powers-That-Be is not just a turn of phrase. It is the name they all use.

And Dimitri likes to live dangerously… Guardians Of The Galaxy #5, jumping to regular The Collector, receiving something new and mysterious.

A clock, which this individual wishes to trade for their own family, who were collected by the Collector, years ago. But what is so special about this clock?

A clock with six hands. And a different symbol on each hand. Might each hand represent one of the G.O.D.S? And are they of a cosmic scale enough to matter to The Collector? We know of five G.O.D.S., Wyn, Aiko Maki, Dmitri The Science Boy, Cubisk Core, and Mia. Might there be a sixth member of the G.O.D.S. in the offing? And might each correspond to one of these symbols? Jonathan Hickman does love a symbol after all. And now set at The House Of Ranks And Numbers, the home of the Centum which sounds very bureaucratic. And so it seems to be.

With a parallel universe version of an Eternal under the slab. Defeated by them or found like this? Certainly bringing something along the way. And Aiko Maki, here known as Ninetysevn.

Tesseracts, or cosmic cubes, with the power to do, well, anything you like really. And now in the hands of the G.O.D.S… Marvel Comics has issued a proper preview of Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti 's upcoming Marvel Universe series G.O.D.S. which they state "will reinvent the cosmology of the Marvel Universe in G.O.D.S.!"

"The new series will dramatically transform Marvel's classic pantheon of cosmic beings and introduce brand-new concepts and characters that operate at the crossroads of science and magic! Today, fans can see Mateus Manhanini's stunning cover for issue #1, as well as an exciting lettered preview!"

"Manhanini's cover spotlights Wyn, one of the many new characters that readers will meet in the series. And in the preview, witness a gathering of two mysterious factions: THE-POWERS-THAT-BE and THE-NATURAL-ORDER-OF-THINGS. Alongside familiar faces like Doctor Strange, Clea, Mister Fantastic, and Doctor Doom, the agents of these groups learn of a Babylon Event, a rare occurrence that has the potential to upend the forces behind existence such as Eternity, Infinity, and the Living Tribunal. This cataclysmic threat will bring a eons-old war out of the shadows for the first time and shed light on long-guarded secrets of the cosmos!"

"What happens when THE-POWERS-THAT-BE meet THE-NATURAL-ORDER-OF-THINGS? The infinite détente between THE-NATURAL-ORDER-OF-THINGS and THE-POWERS-THAT-BE nears an end. Old acquaintances are reunited during a Babylon Event. The Lion of Wolves throws the worst parties. Don't look under the table. There's a John Wilkes Booth penny on the ground."

"Except for Doctor Strange (who's in the first few issues), and some cameos by Marvel regulars, nothing I say here is going to help anyone understand these concepts and characters because they're new. And the book is kind of out there," Hickman told ComicBook.com in an exclusive interview. "The good news is that the first issue is 55 pages long, and by the end of that issue, you'll have a solid idea of what the book is all about."

G.O.D.S. #1
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by VALERIO SCHITI
Cover by MATEUS MANHANINI
On Sale 10/4

Here's an introduction to some of the main G.O.D.S. players, Wyn, Aiko Maki, Dmitri, Cubisk Core, and Mia.

We already met Wyn for Free Comic Book Day, he is a powerful magic expert who's operated in secret for thousands of years and is now forced to come out of the shadows.

Aiko Maki, a high-ranking agent brutally loyal to the ways of science and willing to do anything to keep the building blocks of creation in balance.

Dmitri the Science Boy, Wyn's reckless partner who has a secret mission of his own to discover the dark truth of his past.

Mia the Magic Girl, a young sorcerer struggling to achieve her full potential.

And Cubisk Core, a mysterious being of pure corruption seeking to shatter the existing systems. More to come, of course.

Who are the G.O.D.S.? This fall, readers will find out in a revolutionary series by Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti. Announced back in March, G.O.D.S. will see two of the industry's greatest modern visionaries dramatically redefine Marvel's pantheon of cosmic beings and masterfully deconstruct the forces behind reality. The breathtaking new saga will introduce a host of new characters—all players in a secret conflict at the crossroads of science and magic!

From powerful mystics to daring scientists, these are agents of THE POWERS THAT BE and THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS and servants to the very building blocks of creation. They may be new to readers but they've been scheming and clashing with each other for eons in the shadows.

The G.O.D.S. VARIANT COVERS will adorn nine issues that each contain a bonus story page written by Hickman that explore just how these characters move throughout the Marvel Universe and how they interact with its iconic inhabitants like Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Scarlet Witch, and more. In addition, some of the cast of G.O.D.S. will attend mutantkind's biggest night and witness the beginning of the FALL OF X in July's X-MEN: HELLFIRE GALA #1!

"When I came back to Marvel a few years ago, I wrote two series bibles. The first was HOUSE OF X and the other one was G.O.D.S.," Hickman explained. "To say that I'm excited to finally be able to share this story with everyone is a massive understatement. G.O.D.S. takes place in its own special corner of the Marvel Universe — in the cracks that lie at the intersection of science and magic — and revisits some characters and concepts that we've reimagined for a more modern, continuity-driven audience."

And from Free Comic Book Day.

First teased last year at San Diego Comic-Con, the upcoming Marvel Free Comic Book Day Avengers/X-Men comic will feature the first publication of a preview of writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Valerio Schiti's big new thing for Marvel, called G.O.D.S. Already Marvel has teased some of the visuals associated with the preview.