Not to be outdone by DC’sFlashpoint event, Marvel is launching a company-wide miniseries this April titled Fear Itself. While details for these types of crossovers are usually known well in advance, Marvel is keeping this one hush-hush. Using phrases like “He is returning...” and “Do you fear...” in their teasers, Marvel has done a great job of drumming up fan interest for this miniseries, which will be written by Matt Fraction with art by Stuart Immonen. Hopefully the crossover event will be as successful as Civil War and not become a bloated mess like Secret Invasion. Only time will tell, though. Here is what we currently know about Fear Itself:
It will involve some of Captain America’s greatest villains.
As seen in multiple teasers for the event, Sin, the Red Skull’s daughter, and Baron Zemo will play a vital role in the series. Whether they were busy planning to blow up the Statue of Liberty or exposing Bucky Barnes’ secret past to the whole world, these two villains have been omnipresent in Cap’s life over the past year and it only makes sense that they would be on the forefront of whatever fear is ripping through the Marvel Universe.
The this summer’s blockbuster heroes will have big roles.
With major Marvel movies such as Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and X-Men: First Class hitting theaters all within the next five months, it only makes sense for the company to prominently feature those characters in this book. Multiple teasers have shown these future movie stars front and center in order to capitalize on their current mainstream visibility. However, whether these characters will be organic inclusions into the story or just merely shoehorned into the book in order to drive up sales remains to be seen.
A prelude to the event launches in March.
While Fear Itself won’t begin emptying out your wallet until April, Marvel is releasing a prelude to the story that is set to be released on March 16. Written by Ed Brubaker with art by Scot Eaton, Fear Itself: Book of the Skull will revolve around how “All the Red Skull's terrible secrets and plans are in the hands of his evil daughter, Sin, who's intent on outdoing her father,” according to Marvel.
