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Ultimate Spider-Man co-creator returns to Marvel for first of a number of "truly special" projects

Surprise! Brian Michael Bendis is returning to Marvel Comics in January for Avengers #34

Brian Michael Bendis has written a lot of people's favorite Marvel characters or series, perhaps even yours. His run on Daredevil is iconic, after all. Now, the writer will be returning to Marvel Comics this January for a 14-page backup story in Avengers #34, which marks the 800th legacy issue of Avengers. Bendis will be joined by artist and long-time collaborator Mark Bagley for the story.

According to a press release from Marvel, the story from Bendis and Bagley will bring together "the 'Big Three,' Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, for a high-stakes mission to take down Hydra’s latest weapon of mass destruction. They’re soon joined by many more teammates — past and present — for a thrilling showdown that exemplifies the team’s mission and impact!" The story will be one of two in the anniversary issue for the series, with regular creative team Jed MacKay and Farid Karami providing the second. 

Bendis, of course, worked with Mark Bagley on both Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers years ago, with the two also working on the creator-owned series Brilliant together. Bagley has come out of retirement to work with Bendis once more, having stepped back from drawing comic book interiors last year. 

The story will be the first Marvel Comics work from Bendis since 2018's Miles Morales: Spider-Man #240. During his previous tenure with the company, he was responsible for runs on Ultimate Spider-Man, Daredevil, multiple Avengers titles, All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men, Iron Man, and Guardians of the Galaxy, as well as co-creating characters including Miles Morales, Jessica Jones, and Ironheart and leading the creative direction of the publisher for more than a decade. 

In case you're hungering for more new Marvel Comics work from Bendis, rejoice. The writer told Marvel, "Thanks to everyone at Marvel for having me back for such an auspicious occasion. This is the first of some truly special Marvel projects that I will be part of in the near future. Stay tuned…” So there you have it, folks, there are more Bendis Marvel stories to come. Hey, Miles Morales is looking pretty available right now, isn't he...?

Avengers #34 will be out January 14, 2026.


Get ready for what's next with our guide to upcoming comics, how to buy comics at a comic shop, and our guide to Free Comic Book Day 2025.  

Jules Chin Greene

Jules Chin Greene: Jules Chin Greene is a journalist and Jack Kirby enthusiast. He has written about comics, video games, movies, and television for sites such as Nerdist, AIPT, and Multiverse of Color.

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