Posted in: Avengers, Comics, Marvel Comics, Spider-Man, X-Men | Tagged: 2026, brian bendis

TOLDJA: Brian Bendis Officially Back At Marvel Comics On The Avengers

TOLDJA: Brian Michael Bendis Officially Back At Marvel Comics On The Avengers #800

Last month, Bleeding Cool scooped the news that Brian Bendis was returning to Marvel Comics in 2026 and speculated on some of the available projects it might make sense to add his name to including The Avengers.  As well as noting the amount of Bendis backlist that Marvel Comics had lined up… Infamous Iron Man: The Rise Of Doom and Spider-Men: Worlds Collide for July 2026, New Avengers Modern Era Epic Collection: Secret Invasion for May 2026, Ultimate Spider-Man Epic Collection: Hunted for March 2026, Daredevil Modern Era Epic Collection: The Murdock Papers and The Sentry Omnibus for February 2026, Miles Morales: Spider-Man Modern Era Epic Collection: Revivals And Revelations in January 2026, Uncanny X-Men By Brian Michael Bendis Omnibus, Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus Vol. 5 and New Avengers Omnibus Vol. 2, all for November 2026. Oh, and an Ultimate Spider-Man #1 facsimile edition. With three Bendis Omnibuses and a Facsimile in November alone… and suggesting that Marvel was going to announce the news that Bendis is back at Marvel this month. And then yesterday, I added that we might be finding out today. And we have

Brian Bendis has returned to Marvel Comics to work on The Avengers with #800 or #34, whichever way you choose to count it.

This January, BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS returns to the Marvel Universe in AVENGERS #34, the landmark 800th issue of AVENGERS. The issue by current Avengers creative team, writer Jed MacKay and artist Farid Karami, will feature a special 14-page backup story written by Bendis and drawn by superstar artist Mark Bagley, reuniting the powerhouse pair known for their work together on Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers Assemble. For nearly a decade, Bendis redefined Avengers storytelling, revitalizing the franchise for the 21st century. Always at the center of the Marvel Universe and at the pulse of modern pop culture, his groundbreaking run launched now-classic Marvel events like House of M, Secret Invasion, and Dark Reign, and his transformative work on the Marvel mythos is still heavily felt today. Now he's back, starting with AVENGERS #34 and continuing with more exciting new Marvel stories just on the horizon! Taking place on the anniversary of the founding of the Avengers, the all-new story brings together the "Big Three," Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, for a high-stakes mission to take down Hydra's latest weapon of mass destruction. They're soon joined by many more teammates—past and present—for a thrilling showdown that exemplifies the team's mission and impact!

"Returning to the pages of Marvel Comics has been an incredible experience," Bendis shared. "To reunite with the Avengers on the occasion of an anniversary is doubly wonderful because anniversary issues are where we really celebrate our love of the characters and legacy. I made my Avengers debut on Avengers #500. I love the symmetry. AND I get to reunite with my dear longtime Ultimate Spidey AND Avengers collaborator Mark Bagley. Just reuniting would be magical enough, but him coming out of retirement to do this story with me was an incredible gesture. He has already penciled magical pages. It's been a wonderful reunion between us AND the characters. Thanks to everyone at Marvel for having me back for such an auspicious occasion," he added. "This is the first of some truly special Marvel projects that I will be part of in the near future. Stay tuned…"

AVENGERS #34 (LEGACY #800) – 75960620426703411
Written by JED MACKAY & BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art by FARID KARAMI & MARK BAGLEY
Wraparound Connecting Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN
Variant Cover by MARK BAGLEY – 75960620426703441
On Sale 12/3

I first met Brian Bendis at San Diego Comic-Con, we had facing booths and I was familiar with his writer/artist crime comics such as Jinx, Torso and AKA Goldfish published first through Caliber Press, then Image Comics, including writing Sam And Twitch and Hellspawn for Todd McFarlane and it was from here that Joe Quesada picked him to launch the Ultimate Universe with Ultimate Spider-Man in 2000, a series that would become fantastically successful, moving to the New Avengers relaunch in 2004, with  Avengers Disassembled, Secret War, House of M, Secret Invasion, Siege, Age of Ultron, a number of which would become the inspiration for movie, TB and games, as well as Daredevil, X-Men, Alias and Iron Man. During this time, he co-created the characters Riri Williams, Miles Morales, and Jessica Jones at Marvel. He would move his creator-owned comics to Marvel, including Powers, where he would launch Scarlet, Murder Inc. and Takeo. He was also the co-executive producer and series-pilot writer for 2003's Spider-Man: The New Animated Series and was also one of the writers on the Ultimate Spider-Man animated series, which debuted in 2012. He also wrote several episodes for the TV adaptation of his comic, Powers. Joining the Marvel Creative Committee, he wrote the after-credits scene in the first Iron Man movie, introducing Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

In 2017, he announced he had signed an exclusive publishing deal at DC Comics, courtesy of then-publisher Diane Nelson, and began writing Superman comics including the revelation to the world that he was Clark Kent, as well as Legion of Super-Heroes as part of his Wonder Comics showrun line, including his originated series Naomi which was fast-tracked by Warner Bros as a TV series, as well as moving his creator owned line to DC Comics, launching new series such as Cover and Pearl.

Then, after several executive changes at DC Comics, in 2021 he moved his creator-owned line to Dark Horse, which has been his comic book focus for the last few years, including launching series such as Joy Operations. He signed a first-look deal with Prime Video to develop television shows based on Jinx, Murder Inc. and Pearl. He also launched a graphic novel series, Phenomena, through Abrams. Through all this, he has also taught courses on graphic novels at the University of Oregon and Portland State University, and Random House published Bendis's instruction book on comics, Words for Pictures: The Art and Business of Writing Comics and Graphic Novels.

And now, Bendis is back. At Marvel.

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