If you thought the Age of Ultron turned the Marvel Universe on its head, you won’t believe what will happen in WHAT IF: AGE OF ULTRON, a mind-bending five-part series from Marvel Comics! They say one person can truly make a difference, and that statement couldn’t ring truer for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. So what if another founding Avenger had died in the Golden Age of Heroes instead of Hank Pym? Could the reality we know endure without one of its strongest pillars? The short answer is—NO!  

VIZ Media has detailed a host of new digital manga offerings as well as an update to the digital WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Starter Pack to kick off the second-half of January. A new WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Jump Pack, combining a 3-month WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP digital subscription, YU-GI-OH! Collectible Card, and print edition sneak peek of series featured in the anthology, is also now available in stores.  

Six Feet Under founding throat/death metal icon, Chris Barnes, is pleased to bring fans his latest work of sonic deviance in the form of the fittingly christened, IHATE. A venture inadvertently launched between Barnes and multi-instrumentalist/fellow horror enthusiast Bob Taggett, their as-yet-untitled debut promises to deliver eight violent tracks of raw, unrepentant, death metal brutality and lyrical depravity.  

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY have released the album art, track listing and first single from their forthcoming LP due later this year. “Catacombs of the Black Vatican” is available immediately for iTunes preorder and the brand new single “My Dying Time” is also available for purchase.  

Deepsend Records will release AGIEL‘s Dark Pantheons on February 18. The album is a re-introduction to the metal masses of the unique blend of brutal death metal and symphonic black metal of AGIEL. Imbued with chaotic energy and aggression, Dark Pantheons transcends the familiar like an occultist stepping beyond the boundaries of existence. A new sound saturated in complexity and power marks their return.  

The Lady Sif is making a trip to Midgard, and her journey will lead her straight to our favorite Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  

From Russia with hate…  

Cincinnati, Ohio — Warriors of Metal, Inc. non-profit organization has announced that Philadelphia thrashers, FLESH ENGINE have been confirmed for the main stage of Warriors Of Metal Fest VII at O’Sheckys LIVE Bar & Grill in Columbus, Ohio on June 27 and 28. FLESH ENGINE was a promotional monster for last year’s fest, so we’re privileged to have them back to perform again this summer, especially since they have been planning something special for us in 2014!  

New Noise Magazine has posted the exclusive world premiere of “Shadow Dancer,” the first single off of the upcoming self-titled album from French stoner/doom metal outfit DRAWERS.  

As announced in late 2013, the legend of Polish hard & heavy scene – Turbo, return this Spring with a brand new studio album entitled “The Fifth Element”. It will be the first release since their 2009 release “Strażnik Światła” and we can expect solid heavy metal without any unnecessary intricacies. The release date of the album has been set for April, 7th in Europe and April, 15th in North America (via MVD).  

After a debut EP, “This Is Oil” (Deadlight, 2008), an impressively massive full-length,”All Is One” (Slowburn, 2011) along the lines of Mastodon and Baroness, constant touring in Europe and a split EP with fellow French Stoner / Doomsters Hangman’s Chair (“Moodisorder,” 2012), DRAWERS decided in a wise move that doing killer music wasn’t enough and that being able to reinvent themselves was way more interesting than releasing the same album over and over, as killer that album could be.  

Hot off the success of the shared-world vampire prose anthology, V-Wars, IDW and New York Times best-selling and multiple Bram Stoker award-winning horror author, Jonathan Maberry conspire once again to continue the battle that rages between humans and vampires in the all-new ongoing comic book series coming this May.