Marvel Comics have revealed two more tie-in comics for their spring crossover event ‘Empyre.’ First up, “Empyre: Spider-Man” is a three-part adventure written by actor Taran Killam (Saturday Night Live, Single Parents) with art by Diego Orlotegui (“X-23”), that will see Peter Parker battling a new foe as he gets caught in the Kree-Skrull alliance’s invasion.
This isn’t Killam’s first comics writing gig, having written “The Illegitimates” with Marc Andreyko at IDW, nor does it mark his first time at Marvel, having written this month’s “Spider-Verse” #4. Regardless, he told The A.V. Club, “I didn’t blow it! They’ve asked me to do more! So grateful to everyone at Marvel for inviting me back to write a tie-in adventure for the mega ‘Empyre’ event. This time for the main man himself, Mr. Peter Parker. It is an absolute honor to contribute a small piece to the epic mythology of ‘The Amazing Spider-Man.’ I do not take this opportunity lightly. But now I can finally have the actual Spider-Man say the catchphrase I created for him when I was ten: ‘It’s Web-a-lingy-thwip-thwap o’clock!’ (This catchphrase will not be included in this or any future series.)”
Also announced was “Empyre: Avengers,” written by Jim Zub (“Black Panther And The Agents Of Wakanda”), and illustrated by Carlos Magno (“Defenders: The Best Defense”). In the comic, Ka–Zar and the Agents of Wakanda discover “an enemy offensive” in the Antarctic Savage Land that could change the course of the conflict, leading Captain America to put out a call for any Avengers to head to the region. Zub said, “‘Empyre is all about an intergalactic threat targeting Earth, battling our heroes on multiple fronts, putting them on the defensive while the world hangs in the balance. ‘Empyre: Avengers’ showcases three important conflicts with an eclectic group of Avengers, some who we haven’t seen as part of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in quite a while. Some of these Avengers are ones I’ve written in the past (on ‘Uncanny Avengers’ or ‘Avengers: No Surrender’) while others are characters I’ve been itching to write for years.”
It is unclear how long “Empyre: Avengers” will run for, or when it will release. “Empyre: Spider-Man” #1 hits stores this April, alongside the first issue of the main “Empyre” series.
