Summary

• Marvel's "iconic cyberpunk future" has returned with the Annihilation 2099 miniseries; now, the publisher has announced it will be followed up by the limited series Conquest 2099.
• Annihilation 2099 #1 already featured a major shake-up, revealing that one classic character has taken on a fresh identity as a cosmic hero in the future; readers can expect more surprises and shocks as the series continues to pave the way for Conquest.
• Marvel's 2099 imprint offers an exciting opportunity for writers to tell rich, epic stories featuring unique, at times unexpected variations on familiar characters.

Marvel's revitalization of its 2099 imprint continues, as the futuristic versions of Wolverine continue to fight for the fate of the universe in the Conquest 2099 miniseries, which will follow the current Annihilation 2099 title. The publisher has announced that Annihilation's creative team will return for the follow-up, and offered an intriguing tease of Conquest's plot.

As announced by Marvel Comics, writer Steve Orlando will continue the saga of what he calls "Marvel's iconic cyberpunk future," in the limited series Conquest 2099. Orlando will be ed by a slate of superstar artists, including Ibraim Roberson and José Luís, as they build on the scope and the grandeur of the rebooted 2099 continuity.

Conquest will team the late the Blood Hunt crossover event.

Marvel first launched its 2099 imprint in the early 1990s with Spider-Man 2099. Initially intended to depict the future of the main Marvel continuity roughly one hundred years from the time of publication, the world of 2099 has subsequently been retconned as one potential future out of many among the vast Marvel Multiverse.

Marvel Announces CONQUEST 2099, As The Heroes Of The Future Fight To Save The Universe

Conquest 2099 #1 – Written By Steve Orlando; Art by Ibraim Roberson & José Luís; Cover By Leinil Francis Yu

If nothing else, the novel collusion of Marvel's cosmic storytelling with its vampire lore should ratchet up readers' anticipation for Conquest 2099.

Annihilation 2099 #1 sent a shockwave through Marvel fandom, as the future incarnation of the cosmic hero Nova was revealed to be Wolverine. Subsequent issues promise to further explore the vast potential of the 2099 concept by introducing a fresh slate of futuristic takes on familiar characters. The stakes of Annihilation will now be even higher, as it will set the stage for the next chapter of the 2099 story, Conquest. In a fascinating move, this cosmic Marvel epic will also continue to expand on the company's vampire lore, which it has recently placed a greater emphasis on.

In Marvel's press release announcing Conquest, Writer Steve Orlando set the stage for the new series:

CONQUEST 2099 follows Dracula into the future as a tragic antihero, an imperfect leader with a righteous cause topped only by his bloodlust. Here's a space blockbuster that takes us from one side of the galaxy to the other as a ragtag band of heroes from Earth and beyond leap into the fray to protect all life not just from Dracula and his vampire legion... but the something worse – the conquerors of the vampire homeworld, the Death Spiders.

As part of Marvel's Blood Hunt crossover, Dracula was cast in a more heroic role, and it seems that Conquest 2099 will continue to invest more time in him as a sympathetic, if not wholly redeemable, character. If nothing else, the novel collusion of Marvel's cosmic storytelling with its vampire lore should ratchet up readers' anticipation for Conquest 2099.

Long-Lived Characters Like Wolverine And Dracula Take On New Roles in "2099"

Conquest 2099 #2 – Written By Steve Orlando; Art by Ibraim Roberson & José Luís; Cover By Leinil Francis Yu

Wolverine has appeared in the 2099 continuity previously, but as Steve Orlando noted, recontextualizing his role was a can't-miss opportunity to distinguish this reinvigorated era of 2099 from what came before.

While the foundation of the 2099 concept is built on introducing new versions of recognizable Marvel characters, Annihilation 2099 – and now its sequel, Conquest – have added an interesting dimension by utilizing long-lived characters like Wolverine and Dracula in dramatically different contexts than readers are accustomed to. Writer Steve Orlando offered insight into the series' development, and how Wolverine was cast as Marvel's latest incarnation of Nova:

Since 2099 debuted, there was always the question of what heroes might live through from the current heroic age to the next. With ANNIHILATION, we had a great chance to dig into that question with one of Marvel's most iconic mysterious loners. When we realized that the Nova of 2099 would be a lone stranger patrolling the cosmos, one with a heavy burden of duty and death on his shoulders, it quickly became clear that there was only one person who could fit into that helmet. Already, Logan has been routinely inspired by the Man with No Name and by Kuwabatake Sanjuro.

As the writer noted, Wolverine has long taken cues from classic Western and Samurai stories – with 2099, Marvel took the opportunity to offer a unique twist on that formula.

Wolverine has appeared in the 2099 continuity previously, but as Steve Orlando noted, recontextualizing his role was a can't-miss opportunity to distinguish this reinvigorated era of 2099 from what came before. Orlando explained:

"Here, it comes full circle with Logan as the intergalactic stranger coming to town, loyal only to the preservation of life and protecting common folk. This was a great chance to grab Logan from his previous 2099 appearances and vault him forward into a new, cosmic setting – and the issue was a privilege from start to finish!

With Annihilation set to introduce the future Dracula – and Conquest positioning him as a complex antagonist, even as he is depicted as a "tragic antihero" – the throughline from Marvel's current timeline to the future of 2099 has become as exciting as the introduction of updated versions of classic heroes.

ANNIHILATION 2099 Is Setting The Stage For The Truly Universe-Shattering CONQUEST

Annihilation #1 – Written By Steve Orlando; Art By Dale Eaglesham & Ibraim Roberson; Color By Neeraj Menon; Color By Raúl Angulo

By the end of Annihilation, the pieces will be in place for a cosmic Marvel adventure unlike any ever witnessed before.

According to Marvel Editor Mark Paniccia, the publisher recognizes the opportunity it has to do something strikingly memorable with its latest iteration of the 2099 imprint. He described Annihilation 2099 as:

Our chance to introduce some incredibly unique takes on classic Marvel characters, true in many ways to the core of the originals in theme and motive.

As exciting as the series will be – with its first issue already delivering the incredible surprise of Wolverine's role as Nova, as well as delightfully immersing readers in the world of 2099 – it is only the beginning. By the end of Annihilation, the pieces will be in place for a cosmic Marvel adventure unlike any ever witnessed before.

Paniccia elaborated further, teasing the series:

With CONQUEST 2099, these new heroes must battle the unparalleled strategy and experience of the classic Marvel Dracula, a proven leader, conqueror and monarch who now has an army of alien vampires at his command! The cosmos will never be the same!

Marvel has already revealed that versions of Red Hulk, Silver Surfer, Star Lord, and the X-Men will swell the ranks of future Marvel heroes alongside Spider-Man 2099 and Nova-Wolverine in Annihilation, Readers should be prepared for further characters to pop up over the course of the miniseries' five issues, as it seems unlikely that the introduction of "Novarine" – as some fans have already taken to calling the character – will be the only surprise in store. In any case, readers are in for a thrill ride that will care them straight into Conquest.

"2099" Takes Marvel's Cosmic Storytelling Into Unexpected New Territory

A Wide-Open Narrative Expanse

With his 2099 books, Orlando is set to contribute an essential chapter to Marvel's longstanding tradition of cosmic storytelling.

The excitement at Marvel Comics about the triumphant return of 2099 is evident, something that should serve to make fans even more excited about the direction Annihilation and its follow-up Conquest are headed. As ambitious as Annihilation appears to be, writer Steve Orlando promised that the sequel will be even more so. He was quoted in Marvel's press release as saying:

ANNIHILATION 2099 was a blast! But the only thing better than building out the cosmic side of Marvel's iconic cyberpunk future with an incredible squad of collaborators is getting to bring them together with the heroes of Earth for a galaxy-shaking epic of ion, revenge, and action!

In other words, with his 2099 books, Orlando is set to contribute an essential chapter to Marvel's longstanding tradition of cosmic storytelling.

While Miguel O'Hara, the original 2099 hero, has risen to mainstream prominence with his role in the Spider-Verse movies, he is now just one of an impressive roster of characters spanning the entire Marvel Universe, who are set to go on a galactic odyssey that will humble everything that the 2099 books have done before. Still, it should be expected that Spider-Man 2099 will play an essential role in Conquest, alongside Wolverine, as they battle against a terrifying new threat to the cosmos.

Source: Marvel Comics