A-Next #1

History

The MC2 imprint was conceived by writer-editor Tom DeFalco as an optimistic, continuity-light alternate future set roughly fifteen years ahead of Earth-616, with the explicit goal of producing comics accessible to readers put off by decades of accumulated backstory — a philosophy DeFalco later described as deliberately 'old school' in its single-issue storytelling and action-per-page density. A-Next #1 was written by DeFalco and illustrated by penciler Ron Frenz with inker Brett Breeding, the same creative partnership behind the imprint's flagship Spider-Girl title, and was edited under Marvel's then-Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras. The series launched on August 19, 1998 (October 1998 cover date), coinciding with Marvel's emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, as part of a three-title MC2 debut alongside Spider-Girl and J2; the Avengers concept at its center had been previewed in What If? #105 earlier that year, which also introduced Spider-Girl.

Trivia · 8 facts

• First full appearance of Stinger (Cassandra 'Cassie' Lang, Earth-982) — the MC2 universe's grown-up, scientifically gifted daughter of Scott Lang/Ant-Man, who carries Pym-Particle technology and bioelectric stinger blasts; this predates her main-continuity superhero debut as Stature by seven years.
• First full appearance of Mainframe (Earth-982) — the sentient AI created by Tony Stark that inhabits a series of Iron Man-style armor bodies and serves as the de facto organizer of the new Avengers.
• In-continuity team origin for A-Next (Earth-982): J2 (Zane Yama), Stinger, Thunderstrike (Kevin Masterson), and Mainframe agree to reform the Avengers at the issue's close, with Speedball, Jubilee, and Jolt declining membership due to personal commitments.
• J2 (Zane Yama) — a 15-year-old who can transform into a Juggernaut-scale powerhouse for roughly one hour, wearing armor he fashioned himself and his father's flannel shirt tied at the waist — appears as a co-starring character; his solo title J2 #1 launched the same month.
• Written by Tom DeFalco and illustrated by Ron Frenz (pencils) with Brett Breeding on inks; cover also by Ron Frenz; edited by Bob Harras.
• The issue's plot is a structural homage to Avengers #1 (1963): Loki manipulates events to pit young heroes against one another, they are transported to Asgard, and Thor's intervention helps seal their alliance — consciously mapping the next generation onto the founding myth of the original team.
• Released August 19, 1998 with an October 1998 cover date, as one of three simultaneous launch issues for Marvel's MC2 imprint alongside Spider-Girl #1 and J2 #1.
• The Stinger codename and character concept from this issue later influenced both the mainstream Marvel Cassie Lang (who adopted the Stinger identity in Astonishing Ant-Man #6, 2016) and the MCU portrayal of the character; DeFalco and Frenz received a 'With Special Thanks To' credit in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).

Cast · 2 characters

Full credits

Key issues in A-Next

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#3 1st appearance — Freebooter

Variants (1)