As 2012 approaches, so does the 50th Anniversary of Spider-Man, along with Amazing Spider-Man #700. Earlier today, Marvel Comics hosted a press conference with current Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott to let us in on the next big story arc happening in Amazing Spider-Man, which paves the way towards the anniversary celebrations.
The next story arc is titled Ends of the Earth, and will be a six issue story arc beginning in Amazing Spider-Man #682 and lasting for 6 issues. Slott will be joined by artist Stefano Caselli, who will be drawing the first two issues, the last two issues and the covers for the story arc. They did not reveal the artist who would handling art duties on the middle 2 issues of the story arc.
Slott revealed that Ends of the Earth is a story that he has been building to since Amazing Spider-Man #600, focusing on Doctor Octopus, who is left with a mere weeks to live and has rallied the Sinister Six again to exact his revenge on the world. We’ve seen Doc Ock appear in the pages of Invincible Iron Man and Avengers Academy, and these appearances have been all according to plan, as Doc Ock prepares for this one, last, big global threat. The Sinister Six that will be at play in this story arc as Slott revealed will be Doctor Octopus, The Rhino, Sandman, Electro, Mysterio and The Chameleon, a very formidable lineup.
One of the aspects of this story arc that has Slott the most excited is the scope. “This story’s focus in on action and adventure,” explained Slott, which is a departure from his usual character based storytelling. Additionally, the theater of this story goes beyond New York City, as it branches out to be a story that takes place all over the world, as the title Ends of the Earth suggests. In addition to Spider-Man, Slott promises that the Avengers will appear, as well several notable Marvel characters, although the story will take place solely within the pages of Amazing Spider-Man.
To combat this threat, as we’ve seen in past issues, Spider-Man will unveil some new Spider-Tech and a new costume that he’s designed while working at Horizon Labs to help fight the Sinister Six. While Slott wouldn’t reveal the details of the costume, we do get a glimpse of it in the preview art below. Similar to how Spider-Man created a suit to deal with Hydro-Man, Slott says that this costume is designed specifically for the members of the Secret Six. One of the issues of the arc has Slott super excited, as it’s an all villains issue, that centers on the Secret Six, depicting them in all their super villain glory.
With the 50th Anniversary coming up and issue #700 of Amazing Spider-Man, the timing seems primed for the upcoming movie release of The Amazing Spider-Man, set to come out in the summer of 2012. When asked about any sort of tie ins, Slott revealed that there will be around the time of the movie release, there will be ”an epic Spider-Man/Lizard battle” which should work nicely with the villain in the movie being the Lizard. The upcoming Amazing Spider-Man Point One issue that Slott is co-writing with Christos Gage with art by Matthew Clark will feature a tease of this battle.
It’s clear that Slott is a writer made to write Amazing Spider-Man, as his excitement for the character is infectious. Ends of the Earth is an arc that he’s been laying the ground work for throughout his run, and as a reader of Amazing Spider-Man, I can’t wait to see it all unfold.
Ends of the Earth begins in Amazing Spider-Man #682, scheduled to come out in March of 2012.
Check out this preview of Stefano Caselli’s art from the first issue of the arc:
