Comics Can Take You Places: Prague Edition
Notes on my AVENGERS finale, from deep in the heart of Bohemia
I’m sitting in the shadow of Prague Castle, typing up a newsletter about the finale of my five-year, 80+ issue run on AVENGERS. In other words, my life is ridiculous in all of the best ways.
I spent last weekend as a guest of Prague Comic-Con, signing stacks of SKALPY for loads of lovely Czech comic fans. The translation and publication of English language comics is a relatively young industry here, still getting caught up on the last 25 years of comics since the fall of Communism, so it was like I’d traveled back in time to the glory days of Vertigo, as pretty much every fan who came to my table had multiple trades and hardcovers of my creator-owned works. I signed more copies of MEN OF WRATH than I did THOR, which I’m sure has never happened before.
In the days since the con ended, I have been above, below and all through the streets of Prague, exploring the treasures of the Bohemian empire, and I’m now pretty firmly convinced that this is the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen in my life. Around every corner waits another breathtaking reveal, another hidden courtyard, Gothic tower or soaring cathedral. One stunning sight after another, truly.
And I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for comics. I’ve thought about that a lot this week, feeling very grateful for the career I’ve had and for the period of transition I now find myself in, when it feels like I’m closing the book on one chapter of my writing life and opening the door to so many new opportunities.
Today’s AVENGERS ASSEMBLE OMEGA represents not just the end of my run on the different AVENGERS titles, but also the end of my run on ongoing series for Marvel that began about 15 years ago. Not saying I’ll never do another ongoing for Marvel. I’m just saying that right now, for the first time in a long time, my main focus lies elsewhere.
I’m not sure what more about AVENGERS I wanna take the time to say right now, so I’ll just run the Farewell Letter I wrote to run in the back of the issue, which sums up my somewhat complicated feelings.
“And there came a day, a day unlike any other…”
That’s how it all began. That’s how Earth’s Mightiest Heroes first assembled. I knew those words well back in August 2017, when I sat down to write my first issue of AVENGERS. But I’m not sure I understood them. Not truly. Not just yet.
It’s been six years and 85 or so total issues since I started my run on AVENGERS, and in that time, I think we’ve all faced more “days unlike any other” than we’d care to remember.
I hope you had your own crew of mighty heroes around to help you navigate those challenging times. I know I sure did. In terms of this AVENGERS run, that all-star roster includes a long list of Celestial-caliber artists, starting with Ed McGuinness and leading all the way through to the current crew of heavy hitters you see represented in this final Omega issue, most notably Javier Garrón and Aaron Kuder. And of course there are so many other folks who’ve been such an integral part of bringing all these different Avengers stories to life, from the inkers, colorists and letterers to the A-Team of editorial offices, led by real-life Avenger Prime, Tom Brevoort. It’s too many folks for me to name them all right here. But I will certainly never forget them and their contributions to this run, especially when it comes time to pick up the tab at the bar. In other words, friends, the drinks are always on me.
Unfortunately, not everyone who’s been a part of this journey made it all the way to the end.
Carlos Pacheco was the artistic force behind the original, landmark AVENGERS FOREVER series, along with countless other beloved comics over the years. Carlos was graciously a huge contributor to the super-sized AVENGERS #750, designing the Iron Inquisitor, providing our first glimpse of History’s Mightiest Heroes and giving the Orb a most fitting send-off. Carlos passed away less than a year later, in November 2022.
Justin Ponsor was one of the most talented colorists in the business, along with being one of the nicest guys you’d ever meet in any walk of life. Justin was originally scheduled to be the main colorist for this AVENGERS run, but he ended up having to take some breaks here and there, as he continued a long battle with cancer. Justin colored issues of AVENGERS while literally sitting in a hospital bed, undergoing cancer treatment. He passed away in May 2019, continuing to work the entire time.
More than anything, this AVENGERS run was meant to be fun. To aim for “epic” every time up to bat. To play with the biggest toys in the craziest ways imaginable. I think as the actual world outside our window got darker and deadlier these last few years, as our lives suffered through one upheaval after another, I only doubled-down on that goal of making a comic where we could all come together and smile for a moment.
I hope you’ve smiled even half as much as I have.
Thank you to everyone who’s been a part of bringing those grins to life, through one “day unlike any other” after another.
May the days go easier from here. And may we all assemble again somewhere down the road.
Cheers.
In addition to the AVENGERS finale today also sees the releases of PUNISHER #11, the penultimate chapter in the “King of Killers” storyline, featuring more stellar artwork from Jesus Saiz and Paul Azaceta, along with an intense closing sequence that’s really one of the main ideas behind the entire series. Felt really good to write this one, so I hope it feels the same to those who give it a read.
I think that’s all I’ve got in me today. I’m gonna get back to wandering the streets of Prague in stunned silence, feeling grateful for the beauty in front of me and for the life in comics that has brought me all the way here from the backroads of Piney Woods, Alabama.
And most importantly, feeling grateful for you. Thanks as always for reading.
This has been Beard Missives, direct from the gleeful face of Jason Aaron.
This week’s newsletter has been brought to you by Czech beer, potato dumplings, bread dumplings, cabbage, chimney cakes and kolaches.
May you be seen and be loved. Cheers.
Jason Aaron
Prague, April 19, 2023
“For what are we
Without hope in our hearts
That someday we'll drink from God's blessed waters
And eat the fruit from the vine
I know love and fortune will be mine
Somewhere across the border.”
—Bruce Springsteen, “Across the Border”
Things To Come
STAR WARS: DARTH VADER - BLACK, WHITE & RED #1 — April 26, 2023
PUNISHER #12 — May 24, 2023
STAR WARS: DARTH VADER - BLACK, WHITE & RED #2 — May 24, 2023
ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE END OF THE WORLD Vol. 1 Trade Paperback — June 7, 2023
ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE END OF THE WORLD #6 — June 7, 2023
STAR WARS: DARTH VADER - BLACK, WHITE & RED #3 — June 28, 2023
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE Trade Paperback — July 18, 2023
AVENGERS BY JASON AARON Hardcover Vol. 4 — July 25, 2023
PUNISHER: KING OF KILLERS Book Two Trade Paperback — August 15, 2023
THOR BY JASON AARON Omnibus Vol. 2 — October 24, 2023
Hey Jason. Looooooooong time Avengers reader (I'm 48 and became a fan in the mid-1980s with Roger Stern's run) here. So not sure how you'll feel about this, but I'm ending my Avengers collection with your run. I'm at a point where I need to cut back on buying new comics for practical reasons. BUT more to the point, I really feel your run is the PERFECT one to end on. If the Avengers has been a 60 year old soap opera/epic, this is a good mic drop for the concept/title. You took a key Marvel U team and mashed it together with some of the best characters/concepts old and new (Celestials, Squadron Supreme, Blade, Man-Thing, Deathlock, Starbrand, Dr. Doom, Mephisto, Moon Knight, Dracula, Galactus, Gorilla Man, Kazar, the Russian heroes, Namor, the Phoenix). You also did one of my favorite things, which is to ADD to the roster and make it an interesting group of heroes and not just the regulars. As a Stern-era fan, I have a big soft spot for Dr. Druid, the Black Knight, Namor, Hercules and Star Fox. So seeing you shake things up these last few months was great. And thank you for redeeming Namor as well. I was a little upset with you when you first introduced him to the book, but man you gave him a satisfying arc and it was great to have him affiliated with the Avengers again. Heck, you even at least acknowledged Jarvis even if I would have liked to see him dusting around the Celestial... Also thank you for the fun and the heroism. Several years back I was going to jump off the title after Hickman's run because I figured it can't get bigger. And although I enjoyed that period of the title, it got DARK toward the end in the run up to Secret Wars and it wasn't really the story I'd hoped to end my Avengers collection on. But, as I said, yours is just such a good "finale" (yes, I know the book is continuing under a new creative team) so, again, THANK YOU and best wishes. - Brian
Excellent thoughts and an inspiring perspective. The real star may be those shoes. It’s time I burned what little I make writing on a pair with actual color.
I’ve loved your stuff since high school, by the way. It’s been awesome seeing people catch on.