Ed Brubaker's take on the Secret Avengers was large and dynamic and something of an homage to the Roy Thomas/Neal Adams material from back in the day. While I was excited to see what he could do, the Warren Ellis take on the comic was a bit too cool for me and seemed self-aware of the expectations from fans. Far too stylish and flimsy on plot, I dropped the series after one issue (a rarity in my collecting behavior).

As Steve Rogers takes up the high profile mantle of Captain America once more, having him lead a black ops Secret Avengers team makes little sense. Introducing Hawkeye as the new leader of the team is a genius move. The former leader of the West Coast Avengers, he is a fan favorite hero who will no doubt gain new followers next Summer when Jeremy Renner takes up the bow in the Avengers movie.

The addition of writer Rick Remender could easily make this comic a must read series. A brilliantly gifted scribe from Punisher and the new Venom, he has a gift for taking characters and making them come to life without sacrificing their legacy (yes, I know he chopped up Frank Castle and brought him back as a Frankenstein monster... so take that with the correct amount of salt).

Patrick Zircher is tearing up the Hulk currently with his astounding work on the Hulk of Arabia storyline, so the point one issue should be beautiful. Artist Gabriel Hardman is no slouch either. An artist of some acclaim from his work on the critically acclaimed yet sadly canceled Agents of Atlas and more recently the Jeff Parker Red Hulk series, his delineations are superb. I'm very excited to see what he does in a team book and an Avengers book to boot!

And yes, I noticed that Hawkeye looks like a blend of the upcoming movie version and Ultimate Hawkeye. I'm not sure what to make of that.


Next year, critically acclaimed creators Rick Remender (Uncanny X-Force) & Gabriel Hardman (Hulk) take readers deep under cover in Secret Avengers! Captain America has tasked Hawkeye with putting together a brand new team, ushering in a new era for the Secret Avengers. When the call is put out for heroes to save the Marvel Universe from its most dangerous foes, the biggest powerhouses will answer. America's Secret Soldier – Venom, The UK's premiere super hero – Captain Britain, Founding Avenger – Giant-Man and more will join ranks to create a team that will have fans everywhere demanding more. Packed to the brim with action, intrigue, insurmountable odds AND covers by legendary artist Arthur Adams, no fan can miss this!

"Our opening arc will have a big secret war, a big secret new world, a big secret new race, a big team death, a big secret team betrayal, and begin a secret affair. High stakes, intrigue, and tons of character drama as we unearth the mystery surrounding familiar automaton villains reimagined as members of a new species—The Descendants!" exclaimed Remender. "I'm a tremendous fan of Gabe's work; he's one of the best storytellers in the business, always puts clarity first, while still managing engaging and dynamic action. I'm beyond excited to have him joining me on Secret Avengers. And having Art Adams on covers is truly a dream come true."

Kicking off this January in Secret Avengers #21.1 by Remender and red-hot artist Patrick Zircher, fans can get a taste of what we've got planned before Gabriel Hardman jumps on board as the ongoing artist with Secret Avengers #22.

"Secret Avengers gives me the opportunity to draw an exciting group of heroes who I've never drawn before as well as design new villains and new worlds. Hawkeye, Beast and Valkyrie have been favorites of mine since I was a kid. That combined that with the crazy big, black ops tinged action/adventure makes this a book I had to draw," explained Hardman. "Rick is known for his wildly inventive scripts and he really delivers with Secret Avengers. This is an epic story that will have big repercussions. That's the kind of storytelling I like to be involved with."

With Hawkeye at the helm, Captain America's strike force team must dodge Adaptoids, Descendants and the biggest threats to the Marvel Universe…without anyone knowing, in Secret Avengers!

SECRET AVENGERS #21.1
Written by RICK REMENDER
Pencils & Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
FOC – 12/26/11, ON SALE – 1/25/12

SECRET AVENGERS #22
SECRET AVENGERS #22 HARDMAN VARIANT
Written by RICK REMENDER
Pencils by GABRIEL HARDMAN
Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
Variant Cover by GABRIEL HARDMAN
ON SALE THIS FEBRUARY!

SECRET AVENGERS #23
Written by RICK REMENDER
Pencils by GABRIEL HARDMAN
Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
ON SALE THIS FEBRUARY!

Via i09