Marvel Comics editor Tom Brevoort teased it last night, and now the Avengers Assemble panel at New York Comic Con has made it official: Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca's "Invincible Iron Man" is officially going back to the original numbering of the classic "Iron Man" series with January 2011's "Invincible Iron Man" #500. The issue features the return of the Mandarin and a device that Tony Stark invented and doesn't remember due to his recent memory wiping. It will also launch a brand new War Machine series titled "Iron Man 2.0" scripted by Nick Spencer, a writer who has experienced a meteoric rise in the last several months.Barry Kitson, the fantastic artist who was behind "Empire," "Legion of Super-Heroes," "The Order," and about five other comics you probably love, is providing the artwork for the series. The setup: James Rhodes is working for the U.S. military to try and advance the Iron Armor, but he has to suffer under a boss that hates him and lead a massively untrustworthy team. Doomsday weapons soon begin showing up in the hands of people who absolutely should not have them, and War Machine is suddenly faced with an unfamiliar tactic from his enemies: asymmetrical warfare.

Larroca will be providing covers for the ongoing series. The panelists also showed an enormous Marko Djurdjevic-drawn poster for "Invincible Iron Man." Click the following image to enlarge:


CHRISTOS GAGE GOES EXCLUSIVE: Christos Gage, writer of "Avengers Academy," is Marvel's latest exclusive contract writer. The next arc of "Avengers Academy" involves the restoration of Hank Pym as Giant-Man. The character and his recent development won't be turned back to the '60s, but Hank definitely will be using his old moniker for the foreseeable future.

The last announcement was Sean McKeever's "Onslaught Unleashed," due for release in February 2011. The series concerns the return of Onslaught to the Marvel Universe after he spent some time building power and stewing in the Negative Zone.

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