Après la conclusion de la saga Justice Inc., le justicier à la peau crayeuse (ou « l’homme d’acier » comme certains l’appelaient) fera son retour chez Dynamite Entertainement dans la série Justice Inc. The Avenger sous la supervision d’un de ses plus fervents admirateurs, le scénariste Mark Waid (Daredevil, The Green Hornet, S.H.I.E.L.D.), et les crayons du dessinateur Ronilson Freire.
The Avenger est un héros « pulp » créé dans les années 30 comme un hybride entre les deux autres célèbres justiciers de l’éditeur Street and Smith: Doc Savage et le Shadow.
Self-Made Man, millionnaire, aventurier globe-trotteur, Richard Henry Benson voit sa vie basculer le jour où sa femme et sa fille sont assassinées. Transformé par l’évènement, jurant de se vengeur des malfrats, Benson se découvre la capacité de sculpter son visage tandis que sa peau et ses cheveux deviennent blanc.
C’est à l’écrivain Paul Ernst que revint la tache de raconter ses origines, très vite aidé par Lester Dent et Walter B. Gibson. Il fut d’ailleurs publié sous le « nom de plume » Kenneth Robeson qui fut aussi le pseudonyme emprunté par les auteurs de Doc Savage.
Malgré cela, le personnage ne connu jamais un grand succès, ni en roman (seulement 28 épisodes pour 181 de Doc Savage), ni en comics (malgré l’apport d’artistes comme Jack Kirby ou Kyle Baker).
Ci-dessous, les couvertures de Alex Ross, Marc Laming, Barry Kitson, Walter Simonson, ainsi que quelques pages de Freire pour le premier numéro qui sortira en juin prochain:
[quote]Justice, Inc. Avenger #1
Story by Mark Waid
Art by Ronilson Freire
Cover by Alex Ross, Walter Simonson, Francesco Francavilla, Marc Laming
Publisher Dynamite Entertainment
cover Price: $3.99
Release Date Jun 3rd, 2015
Meet Richard Henry Benson–the Avenger! His pallid features forever deadened by a criminal act, he is the ultimate master of disguise and uses his skills to mete out retribution to those who would prey on the innocent! But can even Benson triumph over an Invisible Man…? Fan-favorite writer Mark Waid – who is hotter than ever thanks to his work on Daredevil and Star Wars: Princess Leia – brings his personal favorite pulp hero back to comics with all-new, explosive adventures!
« Having the opportunity to dive into the psyche of a crimefighter as unique as Benson has been a lifelong dream,” says Waid. “I’ve been thinking about what his life and mind would be like ever since I read my first Avenger paperback back in the day. How does a man live his life when he has nothing to live for but justice? How does he navigate in a world of life and love and joy when his own features are frozen and stiff like putty, mirroring his cold, dead insides? I’ve been aching to write this story! »[/quote]
[quote]Justice, Inc.: The Avenger #2
Story by Mark Waid
Art by Ronilson Freire
Cover by Francesco Francavilla
Publisher Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date Jul 1st, 2015
Richard Benson confronts the Invisible Death – but not before more killers can invade the headquarters of Justice, Inc. and take the fight to Benson’s own doorstep! Alone and unaided, Benson’s agents have to defend their fortress. Mark Waid, the award-winning writer behind Kingdom Come and Daredevil, continues his latest tour-de-force with the pulp hero he’s waited his entire lifetime to write![/quote]
[quote]Justice, Inc.: The Avenger #3
Story by Mark Waid
Art by Ronilson Freire
Cover by Francesco Francavilla
Publisher Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date Aug 12th, 2015
The secret of the Invisible Death is revealed–but not before it claims one of Benson’s own teammates in a tragedy that will tear Justice, Inc. asunder! To his horror, the Avenger realizes he may not be New York’s only master of disguise![/quote]
[quote]Justice Inc.: The Avenger #4
Story by Mark Waid
Art by Ronilson Freire
Cover by Francesco Francavilla
Publisher Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date Sep 2nd, 2015
With Justice, Inc. in shambles, the Avenger must face the Invisible Death alone in the skies over the Eastern Seaboard–and be willing to sacrifice his life to save his country from an outbreak of international war! Industry heavyweight Mark Waid (Daredevil, Indestructible Hulk) takes out all the stops in the latest epic story of globe- trotting adventurer Richard Henry Benson, the Man of a Thousand Faces![/quote]
[quote]Justice, Inc.: The Avenger #5
Story by Mark Waid, Christopher Sequeira
Art by Ronilson Freire
Cover by Francesco Francavilla
Publisher Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date Oct 7th, 2015
Beginning « THE FACES OF FEAR! » Richard Benson, the Avenger, is the world’s foremost master of disguise–but when the man who taught him the art of deception comes to him in desperate need of help, what surprising facts will we learn about Benson’s own past?[/quote]
[quote]Justice, Inc.: The Avenger #6
Story by Mark Waid, Christopher Sequeira
Art by Ronilson Freire
Cover by Francesco Francavilla
Publisher Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date Nov 25th, 2015
Betrayed by a former ally? Richard Benson and his Justice, Inc. team find themselves standing at the brink of a world war thanks to misplaced loyalties and a villain with a grudge that threatens to bury all of humanity![/quote]
