ANNIHILATION MODERN ERA EPIC COLLECTION: ANNIHILATION DAY

The Marvel Preview series “The Sword and The Star” was not only Rocket Raccoon’s first appearance, but Keith Giffen’s first published work. He moved into more mainstream titles with Defenders, penciling the adventures of the infamous non-team during some of its most nontraditional storylines. It was at DC, however, that he achieved his greatest recognition with creations Ambush Bug, an irreverent wannabe hero who tackled the comics industry itself, and alien mercenary Lobo, who was meant as an indictment of the violent vigilante genre, but became its most extreme success story. In addition to famed stints on Legion of Super-Heroes and Justice League, he also wrote X-O Manowar and Magnus, Robot Fighter for Valiant Comics, and adapted mangas Battle Royale and Ikki Tousen into English. He has played a vital role in cosmic crossovers at both Marvel and DC, writing Annihilation tie-ins for the former, and penciling 52 and Countdown to Final Crisis for the latter.

Award-winning British author Dan Abnett has been a New York Times best-seller seven times and won the Best Comic Writer award in 2003. He has written more than fifty books — including best-selling Warhammer 40,000 novels and tie-in fiction for Doctor Who, Torchwood and Primeval. He co-created Death’s Head and Knights of Pendragon for Marvel UK in the 1980s, and contributed extensively to the UK’s illustrious 2000AD. He has also written Iron Man, New Mutants, Doctor Strange and Punisher for Marvel, and worked on some of Marvel’s epic cosmic comics including the Annihilation and War of Kings events, and the Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy series. Abnett is also known for his work on major games such as Alien: Isolation and Shadow of Mordor. He has returned to Marvel’s cosmos on Guardians 3000 and Guardians of Infinity.

Andy Lanning is probably best known for his work co-writing Marvel's cosmic characters in Nova, various Annihilation series and Guardians of the Galaxy. During a career spanning decades, his writing credits also include Heroes for Hire, New Mutants and Punisher at Marvel; Resurrection Man, Legion of Superheroes and Superman/Batman at DC Comics; The Authority at WildStorm; and the creator-owned Hypernaturals at BOOM! Along with co-writer Alan Cowsill, he revived Marvel UK’s super heroes in Revolutionary War. Lanning is also a celebrated inker, best known for his work with Phil Jimenez on New X-Men and Amazing Spider-Man. He has worked with a dazzling array of talented artists including Mike McKone (Fantastic Four, Amazing Spider-Man), Dave Gibbons (Secret Service), Mark Bagley (Fearless, Ultimate Spider-Man) and Ivan Reis (Justice League, Aquaman).

Mitch Breitweiser’s Marvel credits include Agent X, Drax the Destroyer, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Young Avengers Presents, Hulk: Raging Thunder and Uncanny X-Men Annual #2. He collaborated with First Blood novelist and Rambo creator David Morrell on Captain America: The Chosen. Breitweiser has returned to the Sentinel of Liberty in the pages of both the Captain America series and the Captain America: Patriot limited series.

After working consistently throughout the 1990s, artist Scott Kolins made his mark with a critically acclaimed two-year tenure on DC’s Flash with writer Geoff Johns. Kolins reteamed with Johns at Marvel, on Avengers and the limited series Thing: Freakshow. He also partnered with writer Robert Kirkman to revive the classic series Marvel Team-Up. Kolins’ unique skill at portraying larger-than-life super-heroic action with a high level of detail earned him a number of choice assignments, including Beyond!, a sequel of sorts to the classic Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars. Often inking his own work, Kolins’ other Marvel projects include Thor: Blood Oath, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Omega Flight, Annihilation Prologue and Stan Lee Meets The Thing.

Argentine artist Ariel Olivetti debuted on American shores with the dystopian Last Avengers Story, and went on to pencil a wide variety of projects including a well-received Daredevil run. However, it was his work on DC’s revamped Space Ghost that established him as a true star, treating the campy character with surprising sophistication. Olivetti teamed with writer Matt Fraction to revive Punisher War Journal, earning rave reviews, and repeated his success soon after with the relaunched Cable.