Welcome comics fans, to your weekend edition of Comics Relief! Although we are barely a week into the new year, the major publishers have plenty of news to get you all excited for 2017, starting with news of Marvel’s new Captain America centric event. Read on for all the details.

Marvel teases 2017 event comic Secret Empire

Civil War II is barely over, but Marvel Comics has already released a teaser for their next upcoming epic. The unspecified 2017 project will arrive with the title Secret Empire, and an accompanying phrase “A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand” was sent out along with the image.

Ok, so that suggests that after beating each other up for much of 2016, the Marvel heroes will stand united against…someone. Could be anyone, but considering that Captain America’s new shield is center to this image, many believe this event will deal with various characters who are Hydra sleeper agents, much like Cap has been revealed to be recently. Kind of like Secret Invasion, but with less aliens. You can see the teaser image above. [Bleeding Cool]

Captain America, HYDRA Agent gets a trailer

And speaking of Cap…Marvel Comics has released a new trailer for the upcoming events in their Steve Rogers: Captain America title. You can watch the new trailer above.

Rob Liefeld announces return of his Extreme Studios characters

I’ve said it many times here in Comics Relief, and I’ll say it again — in the world of comics, the ’90s are most definitely back. This is most evidenced by the week’s news that ’90s poster child  Rob Liefeld, a day after announcing that his Extreme Studios characters had been optioned for movies, revealed that the characters of his Extreme Universe will be coming back to comics too. The Extreme characters will return an upcoming anthology book due for release later this year from Image Comics.

Characters to be featured in his upcoming anthology include Liefeld’s signature Extreme team, Youngblood, as well as the bounty hunter Bloodwulf. In an interview, Liefeld said “There is an Extreme Anthology book because, A, I love anthologies and I love these characters. We’ve got great stories for them and we figure that that’s a great place for people to familiarize themselves.” No word yet if Liefeld’s greatest creation, Supreme, will be among those returning characters, although an argument can be made that character was only great when Alan Moore was writing him. Maybe those Alan Moore Supreme comics can finally be collected? [Comic Book]

Comics legend George Perez illustrates cover for Planet of the Apes/Green Lantern crossover

In my humble opinion, illustrator George Perez is the greatest superhero comic book artist of all time. One just has to look at his resume of comics like New Teen Titans, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Avengers, Infinity Gauntlet and JLA vs Avengers to know that no one draws multitudes of characters in giant cosmic battles better than Perez. Now the legendary artist is lending his skills to BOOM! Studios and DC Comics’ upcoming Planet of the Apes/Green Lantern crossover for the cover for issue #2, and man, even unfinished, that’s a beautiful cover. No one can draw that many Green Lanterns and that many angry apes all at once and make it look so effortless. You can check out the new cover above. [Comic Book]

Nick Fury Jr. gets his first ongoing series

Although his father has headlined a comic book several times over the years, his son Nick Fury Jr. has not (for those not as up on all things Marvel, Nick Fury Jr is the African American son of the original Fury, who looks a lot like Samuel L. Jackson). This is all about to change though, as Marvel Comics has announced that coming out this April will be a Nick Fury ongoing series by writer James Robinson and artist ACO, which will “bring back the psychedelic sensibility of his father’s solo adventures to the 21st Century.”

Also a main character in this new title will be Frankie Noble, Fury’s counterpart in Hydra. According to Marvel, “the pair will embark on cat and mouse adventures that take place over short arcs, channeling the style and energy of the elder Fury’s memorable adventures.” The new book will evoke the ’60s style of the original Fury adventures.

In an interview, Robinson said “I think ACO and I are both in love with the style of that time. The clothing, pop art, bold graphics, and the fact that this was a time when spy fiction was at it’s peak, no doubt tying in with the Cold War that was going on. It’s interesting that this book found its way at a time when Russia seems to be getting up to its old tricks, so maybe we’re tapping into the zeitgeist now too.” For more on this comic, click on our full story:  [Nerdist]

Valiant announces “X-O Manowar Wednesdays”

In a press release, Valiant Comics announced this week that beginning on March 22, with the release of the all-new X-O Manowar #1, the fourth Wednesday of every month will officially be “X-O Manowar Wednesday” – a consistent, monthly on-sale date that will include the latest issue of X-O Manowar alongside a brand-new launch title, jumping-on point, or key issue arriving from the publisher. Across each and every fourth Wednesday in 2017, Valiant will now be giving fans at least two reasons to visit their local comic shop – beginning with X-O Manowar #1, arriving in stores on March 22nd right next to Bloodshot Reborn #0.

To support this unprecedented move and to reiterate Valiant’s commitment to building X-O Manowar’s new beginning across 2017, Valiant is giving fans and retailers the tools they need to never miss an “X-O Manowar Wednesday” with the X-O Manowar 2017 Calendar – coming free to all participating retailers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. For more info on Valiant’s latest initiative, click on the following link: [Newsarama]

Bullseye creator returns to write the character

Decades ago, writer Marv Wolfman (Teen Titans, Crisis on Infinite Earths) created the character of deadly assassin Bullseye for Marvel Comics. Bullseye was created in March, 1976 by Wolfman together with John Romita Sr., and he first debuted in Daredevil #131. Years later, the character that would become integral to the Daredevil stories of Frank Miller.

Now Wolfman is returning to this character after a long absence,  as part of the new Bullseye 5 issue mini-series, which is coming from from creators Ed Brisson (Iron Fist) and Guillermo Sanna (Deadpool). As part of this new mini, Marv Wolfman returns for a Bullseye back-up story alongside artist Alec Morgan. The first issue of Bullseye debuts February 1. [CBR]

Images: Marvel Comics / DC Comics / BOOM! Studios / Valiant Comics