Marvel’s new strongest hero just joined the Avengers for the first time, setting off a chain of events that will change the franchise forever. And this isn’t the usual promise that “everything is about to change” – it’s a genuine revamp of Avengers comics that will affect the franchise for the next decade.
Today sees the release of Avengers: Armageddon #1 – the beginning of a miniseries that Marvel promises will revolutionize the Avengers franchise, such that there will be franchise lore before Armageddon, and franchise lore after… even if it means killing off a number of iconic characters.
Indeed, by the end of the issue, Marvel has already changed the game, as new hero David Colton joins Earth’s Mightiest Heroes – a hero who Marvel has touted as being “as powerful as the Sentry.”
David Colton Officially Joins the Avengers
In today’s Avengers: Armageddon #1 – from Chip Zdarsky, Delio Diaz, Frank Alpizar, Jesus Aburtov and Cory Petit – the Avengers go up against Red Hulk and his Hulk army, who are forcibly spreading a corrupt version of ‘democracy’ across the planet.
To stand a chance in the fight, the team recruit David Colton – the former Captain America of the 2000s, who now possesses a level of superstrengh that allows him to beat Captain Marvel with a single punch (the two clash during an early misunderstanding, with Wolverine quickly talking Colton around.)
Colton is a relatively new addition to Marvel lore, and only recently gained his staggering powers. As a result, this is the first time he’s ever attained Avengers membership.
David Colton is drawn with a very similar appearance to the MCU’s Wyatt Russell. Is Marvel planning a similar movie transformation for John Walker?
Why David Colton Is So Powerful
David Colton was introduced in recent Captain America comics as the previously unknown Captain America of the 2000s, taking on the mantle in response to 9/11. Colton was broken by the death and chaos he witnessed in the role, carrying out a massacre before being stopped by Steve Rogers.
He recently returned in Wolverine: Weapons of Armageddon where Logan used an ‘Origin Box’ to save him from death. Origin Boxes are artifacts from an alternate reality which can imbue their targets with the powers of classic superheroes and villains. So far, it’s unknown whose powers David acquired, but he can fly, possesses Hulk-tier strength, and is seemingly invulnerable.
Can the Former Captain America Remain a Hero?
While Colton is an essential powerhouse in stopping the Red Hulk, he also has a history of losing control – one that the Avengers don’t have the full picture on. With Steve Rogers laid up after a clash with the Red Hulk, Colton may have been given too much trust by the Avengers, especially with Marvel’s promo art teasing him as the true antagonist of this unmissable series.
Marvel has also heavily implied that the majority of the Avengers who fly off to confront Red Hulk won’t be coming back, with a less powerful team helmed by Spider-Man and Wolverine left behind as an ‘Earth’s Mightiest Survivors’ Avengers roster. Given Colton’s new power level, he’s entirely capable of slaughtering the Avengers – now all he needs is a reason to do it.
Avengers: Armageddon #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.