Jonathan Hickman is the award-winning writer/artist of critically acclaimed independent titles Pax Romana, Transhuman and The Nightly News. Teaming with writer Brian Michael Bendis, he launched Marvel’s Secret Warriors, spinning out of Secret Invasion. He then wrote the Dark Reign: Fantastic Four limited series, which served as a warm-up for his revered runs on Fantastic Four and FF, and two S.H.I.E.L.D. series. Hickman penned numerous Ultimate Universe titles before bringing his intricate plotting to Avengers and New Avengers. Hickman’s years of planning culminated with the Marvel Universe-shattering Secret Wars. His impressive list of credits includes a trio of lauded series for Image: East of West, Secret and the Eisner Award-nominated The Manhattan Projects. Hickman returned to Marvel to mastermind a transformative relaunch of its mutant titles, beginning with House of X and Powers of X, and continuing with X-Men.
Italian artist Valerio Schiti’s first work for Marvel Comics was “Sacrifice,” a short story appearing in 2011’s Ghost Rider #1. He has since illustrated Journey into Mystery, featuring the Asgardian warrior goddess Sif, with writer Kathryn Immonen and New Avengers with Jonathan Hickman. Schiti subsequently went cosmic with Brian Michael Bendis on Guardians of the Galaxy, upgraded the Armored Avenger with Dan Slott in Tony Stark: Iron Man, drew the blockbuster event Empyre and joined Al Ewing to send Marvel’s mutants into space in S.W.O.R.D.