Jonathan Hickman's G.O.D.S. Is About To Change The Marvel Universe

The Marvel Universe is about to be turned on its head with the newly announced "G.O.D.S." series. Written by Jonathan Hickman with art from Valerio Schiti, the ambitious new project will center on the most powerful, reality-crafting cosmic beings within the world of Marvel — with a new character at the center of it all.

Hickman is a high-concept writer fresh off revitalizing the world of the X-Men in his "Dawn of X" relaunch alongside artists Pepe Larraz and R.B. Silva, which brought Marvel's mutants to Krakoa and introduced their resurrection protocols. Schiti, meanwhile, is best known for his artistic work in comics like 2020's "Empyre" and last year's "A.X.E.: Judgement Day." Now, the creative duo is setting their sights even bigger than ever before, as the "G.O.D.S." series will focus on some of the most extraordinary entities in Marvel's existence and offer new mythology to core parts of the universe.

"G.O.D.S." is set to explore the "intersection of magic and science" in the Marvel Universe, with the series' announcement teasing how it will shake readers' foundational knowledge of these worlds. The comic will introduce the new character, Wyn, described by Marvel as "a mysterious player in a war that exists outside of the orders we know and a vital member of an eons-old hierarchy that includes the omnipotent rulers of the universe such as Eternity, Infinity, and the Living Tribunal." (MCU fans might remember Eternity making their big-screen debut in "Thor: Love and Thunder"). Doctor Strange will also play a big role, as the meeting between Wyn and the Sorcerer Supreme seemingly kicks off the main action.

Hickman has always shown a love for the grander cosmic aspects of the Marvel Universe, with his run of "Fantastic Four" run often featuring entities responsible for creating the different Cosmos, such as the Celestials, while his run on the "New Avengers" defined the creation of the Beyonders — an origin recently retconned. While the details of "G.O.D.S." are somewhat vague, the comic seems to be tackling the real truth behind some of the Marvel Universe's unexplained wonders.

Jonathan Hickman told Marvel.com the story for "G.O.D.S." was created at the same time as "House of X," as he created both series' bibles at the same time.

"I've had the pleasure of working with Valerio Schiti on this for the last year, and watching him bring this to life has been a total joy," Hickman said. "G.O.D.S. is my favorite kind of Marvel comic: one that feels like something old, but pushes the Marvel Universe in an exciting new direction."

Schiti also weighed in on what fans can expect, and it's equally hype-worthy. "We will bring you to new places, show you what was hidden though the wrinkles of reality, introduce new characters, and put a fresh spin on old ones," Schiti said, adding, "You think you knew the Marvel Universe? Well, we will prove you wrong!" Given all of the twists and turns Marvel Comics fans have come to appreciate, this is quite a statement about the creators' ambitions.

A preview for "G.O.D.S." will appear in the upcoming "Free Comic Book Day: Avengers/X-Men" #1 on May 6. The first issue of the series will arrive in comic book stores in the fall of 2023.