Marvel’s Monumental Changes – EIC Axel Alonso Gives Answers As To Why
The changes announced this week at Marvel have been earth shaking. Thor will now be female, The Falcon will become Captain America, and now Iron Man will be getting a new suit.
Because of the success of Marvel’s blockbuster films over the last few years, it’s not just fanboys who care about what’s going on at Marvel comics anymore — it’s a wide range of moviegoers. Being that Marvel’s The Avengers is the third highest grossing film of all time according to Box Office Mojo, it’s certain that more than a few Marvel fans would have a hard time seeing not Chris Hemsworth play Thor, but perhaps Natalie Portman or Scarlett Johansson?
So what’s the reasoning behind all the big changes at Marvel? IGN did an interview with Marvel Editor In Chief, Axel Alonso, and asked the Marvel exec that very question. Surprisingly, Alonso said that the major changes at Marvel didn’t come about because he proclaimed them. Rather, they were a result of individual decisions at Marvel.
“[T]hree writers independently came up with ideas for the books and for the characters. We saw an opportunity to strategize to make the time work out in this small window of time. In the case of each, each came about through different circumstances.”
Marvel Chief Alonso said that writer Rick Remender had an idea that would necessitate there being “a new Captain America” about a year ago. Putting The Falcon in as the new Captain America came about naturally in the pages of the Marvel comic.
As to Marvel’s Thor, Jason Aaron, who was writing Mighty Thor, came up with the idea — again — almost a year ago, and started looking for the right place in the timing of the Marvel universe to make it happen. The opportunity came about, Alonso said, during the “Original Sin” storyline, when Thor can no longer pick up his hammer. Thor must always have the hammer, so when another worthy individual steps up… there’s the switch.
“Original Sin” also sets in motion what happens to Iron Man.
“After that [‘Original Sin’], he appears in the AXIS event, and then that story, written by Rick Remender, is an event that sets in motion what we’re doing with Iron Man.”
When asked about the predominately negative fan reaction to the big changes at Marvel, Alonso shrugged them off:
“Whenever you do something controversial, there’s always risk. But what you need to do is trust your gut and your writers.”
Alonso continued:
“[T]he moment we saw their [the writers] intentions and got a sense of how they would execute it, let’s just say that no amount of negative reaction we could get from fans that would stop us.”
The Marvel exec seems very confident in his writers. How will readers take in the new Marvel changes? Only time will tell.
