Marvel Comics' The Reckoning War event begins in January 2022, featuring the return of a mysterious villainous force which writer Dan Slott tells Newsarama hasn't been around in over 40 years. And while the identity of these antagonists remain Marvel‘s (and Slott's) closely held secret, Newsarama has the first look at four of them.
Meet Rapture, Wrath, Reject, and Ruin - all designed by RB Silva:
While the villainous force of The Reckoning War apparently ges back to the '70s (or even earlier), these four are newly-designed characters - meaning they're new characters part of an already-estabished Marvel villain group, or they're people fans might know but under new names and new clothes (hey, everybody deserves a makeover!)
"These are characters that have not really been around since their original appearance," Slott tells Newsarama. "The very fact that they're back, is something. The minute they walk onto the comics page... once people realize who they are and what they've done in the past, every part of your body will clench. These characters should not be back. The very fact that they are back means doom."
These villains (and The Reckoning War) are all somehow connected to what Slott is calling Marvel Comics' "first war," eons before Secret Wars, The Kree/Skrull War, and more.
"There's going to be a seminal moment at the start of The Reckoning War which will really define the stakes of it all," Slott says. "And once we realize who the antagonists are, what they want, and why, everything will be understood."
The Reckoning War Alpha is drawn by Carlos Pacheco, with Rachael Stott drawing the Fantastic Four issues.
"One of the most fun things about this job is writing 'holy crap' moments. In The Reckoning War Alpha and the Fantastic Four issues, there's a 'holy crap' moment every couple of pages," the writer continues. "'WHAT?! Did they just do that?!' Yes, we did."
The event kicks off January 5, 2022 with The Reckoning War Alpha.
It looks like we might have to make some adjustments to our best Marvel supervillains list in the near future.
