The Avengers, X-Men, Spider-Man, Deadpool and more go to battle in Marvel's Contest of Chaos event

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Marvel seems to be gearing up for its next big summer event, though as is often the case, the publisher is keeping many of its cards close to the vest, revealing only small tidbits of info about the story they're calling Contest of Chaos.

So what is Contest of Chaos? Judging by the promo art from Bryan Hitch that Marvel sent with the announcement, it appears to be a clash between Marvel heroes. But rather than being split along the lines of something like Avengers Vs. X-Men, it looks like heroes and villains from all around the Marvel Universe will be in a full-on free-for-all clash.

And true to that concept, Marvel is promoting the story as "an upcoming Marvel Comics saga that challenges your favorite heroes to embrace their inner chaos."

Along with the promo art, Marvel's announcement includes the text "Absolute chaos corrupts absolutely," which seems to indicate that some outside force of chaos will cause the Marvel characters to go to battle with each other.

The title seems to invoke the classic '80s crossover title Contest of Champions in which two cosmic beings pit teams of Marvel heroes against each other for their own ends.

As for the chaos part, the concept of chaos has been a tangible element in the Marvel Universe since the '60s, embodied by Lord Chos, the personification of chaos itself alongside his opposite number, Master Order, and the being that exists to balance the two, the In-Betweener.

Interestingly enough, the concepts of Chaos and Order seem to be at play in writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Valerio Schiti's still unnamed Marvel project that's been teased since 2022. Could Contest of Chaos be connected to that story? Marvel promises more info on Contest of Chaos to be revealed the week of February 27. Stay tuned to Newsarama for more info as it develops.

Contest of Champions is considered a close pre-cursor to the modern comic book event. Check out the best Marvel Comics events ever.

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I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)