The Marvel Comics Universe that we all know and love…isn’t going anywhere. There isn’t doing to be a big, DC-style reboot. But hints and rumors over the past few months seem to at least be pointing towards a fresh coat of paint. Some of Marvel’s most popular writers and artists are going to be switching to different books, many of which are probably going to get shiny, new #1 issues. The rumors also point towards new teams, new lineups and new motivations for our favorite characters.

You know, like the last dozen or so times they’ve done such a thing

The characters aren’t going to be rebooted wholesale – like DC Comics did in 2011 – but it seems that Marvel is at least relaunching their line in a new direction. Possibly called ‘Marvel Now’.

More information is expected to be released at the San Diego Comic-Con next week. But I want to do a little speculating before we know for sure, because I have a theory about what’s going to happen, and I’d like to see if I’m right. Plus I’d like to hear what some of you guys think about the possible changes before we’re actually drowning in those very change. Right now everything is just rumor and speculation. All of which you can read about after the jump!

The Evidence

That is a hypothetical checklist put together by the website Bleeding Cool, based entirely on rumors they’ve heard. I trust them because Bleeding Cool knew all about Before Watchmen long before it was officially announced. Basically it throws out a few ideas about which writers and which artists might be taking over which books. Chief among these changes is the rumor that Brian Michael Bendis is leaving the Avengers comics to finally write X-Men, which he’s never done. We already know that Bendis is leaving the Avengers, that’s official. But he’s only been hinting at where he’ll go next.

We know he’s staying with Marvel. Bendis is the guy who has been spear-heading The Avengers franchise for the past 10 years, basically turning the team into an A-List franchise. So it makes a whole lot of sense for him to now do the same for the X-Men.

Oddly enough, Bendis might also be writing Guardians of the Galaxy. Bendis is currently writing the comic Avengers Assemble, which basically takes the current Avengers comic book team but streamlines it to be more like the movie. It stars all the movie Avengers, but in their current comic status quos. Marvel people have said that there will be hints in this comic as to what Bendis will be writing post-Avengers. And sure enough, recent issues of Avengers Assemble have not only featured Thanos but also the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Bendis writing Rocket Raccoon!

So with a big Guardians movie in the works, it makes sense to put and A-list writer like Bendis on the title.

The hints of all these creative team changes is one surefire sign that Marvel is working on something big for after Avengers vs. X-Men. Another huge piece of evidence hit the Internet just today in an article at Entertainment Weekly.

Look at all the people!

I don’t have the issue or the article yet, but a few other news sites do. Here is what Bleeding Cool took away from the article. Holy wowzers that’s neat! Now, one might think that this is a new team lineup of something. But I don’t think so. I think this is just a smattering of the characters who will be big players come the new relaunch. You’ll notice Nick Fury Jr. is there. And Rocket Raccoon is prominent in the front. Not that I think Rocket Raccoon is going to join either the Avengers or the X-Men, I think this is just showing him off as a prominent character with Guardians of the Galaxy.

Also, do you see Jean Grey up there? In her original X-Men yellow and blue uniform? Yesterday there was a big deal made about Jean returning. Well Bleeding Cool has a little bit more information on that as well. Bendis might be writing a story where the original 5 X-Men come to the future…for some reason. I dunno, it sounds dumb. But that explains the hoopla about Jean Grey returning. She’s not back. Her past self has simply come to the future. Another bit of proof that this image is just a conglomeration of everybody.

But clearly, based on that picture alone, something big is in the works. More confirmed details will be coming out once the Entertainment Weekly issue hits the stands and the Internet. I’ll try to get you all the details for real when it happens.

What do I think is going to happen?

I think we’re going to see a blending of the Avengers and the X-Men team lineups. I think Cyclops is going to die at the end of Avengers vs. X-Men (despite Cyclops appearing in that above picture…), which will halt all of the X-Men stories of the past few years that were Cyclops-driven. Then Wolverine will become the figurehead of the X-Men franchise, and he’ll welcome all mutants with open arms into his Avengers side of things. X-Men will become Avengers, Avengers will become X-Men, no longer will they be separate franchises. That’s something we’ve never seen before.

There’s also the possibility that some mutants will still be on Cyclops’ side, even though he’s dead. They may or may not have a title or two of their own. Or, again, based on that picture, Cyclops might live.

But Bleeding Cool’s rumor about ‘Uncanny Avengers’ speaks towards my theory. They claim it will be about Wolverine and Captain America running a team of Avengers together. Sounds very blended to me.

Just like the good old days of 1992

According to the Entertainment Weekly stuff, the Uncanny Avengers will feature  Captain America, Thor, Wolverine, Rogue and Havok. And then Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers book will feature more than 18 characters. No word on exactly who just yet.

But we’ll find out soon enough. Check back here later today to get all the info. Or just pick up today’s issue of Entertainment Weekly.

We’re coming to the future!

So what do I think of all of this relaunch/big changes thing? I’m perfectly fine with it. Bring it on!

Marvel does this all the time. New creative teams, new #1 issues, new directions for existing franchises. And ever since the era of the Big Events started, Marvel does it even more frequently. They did it after House of M, after Civil War, with Dark Reign, the Heroic Age and most recently with the Regenesis storyline in X-Men. So I’m not going to get my panties in a twist that Marvel might be trying some new ideas. If they were doing a DC-style reboot, then maybe I’d be upset. But they’re not, so it’s fine. I actually look forward to seeing what they’re going to do.

I don’t want Cyclops to die, but he’s not one of my ‘make or break’ characters. I’ll be sad to see him go, but it’s not going to stop me from buying X-Men comics, especially if Bendis is writing them.

My only complaint is that things are changing too soon after they changed the last time. X-Men: Schism was only a year ago, and Regenesis has been around for less than that. Marvel made a big deal out of who would side with Wolverine and who would side with Cyclops. But no sooner did Avengers vs. X-Men start than those lines were blurred and pretty much erased all together. Which is a shame. I was enjoying those stories, and would have liked to have seen them continue long enough to actually stretch out and impact the characters. I hate how Marvel jumps from world-changing event to world-changing event without giving the characters time to slow down and actually create a readable comic book.

So maybe this next change will be more permanent.

On a more personal note, my favorite comic, X-Factor, seems to be gearing up for something big at around the same time as Avengers vs. X-Men is ending. Starting with issue #241, solicitations claim we’ll have a story that will “change the face of X-Factor forever”. Knowing what we now know about this impending relaunch, I’m a little worried for my favorite title!

Maybe Multiple Man and Strong Guy become Avengers!!?