For many years, writer Brian Michael Bendis was one of the most familiar and influential creators at Marvel Comics, until he made the surprising decision to go DC-exclusive in 2017. But the more things change, the more they stay the same. Marvel has revealed that Bendis is making his return to the company as part of December’s The Avengers #800.
The Avengers #800 not only kicks off the climax of writer Jed MacKay’s run on the series, it also features a 14-page backup story that reunites Bendis with Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers Assemble collaborator Mark Bagley. Their story sees Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor embark on a high-stakes mission to destroy a Hydra super-weapon.
“Returning to the pages of Marvel Comics has been an incredible experience,” Bendis said in a statement. “To reunite with the Avengers on the occasion of an anniversary is doubly wonderful because anniversary issues are where we really celebrate our love of the characters and legacy. I made my Avengers debut on Avengers #500. I love the symmetry.”
Bendis continued, “AND I get to reunite with my dear longtime Ultimate Spidey AND Avengers collaborator Mark Bagley. Just reuniting would be magical enough, but him coming out of retirement to do this story with me was an incredible gesture. He has already penciled magical pages. It’s been a wonderful reunion between us AND the characters. Thanks to everyone at Marvel for having me back for such an auspicious occasion. This is the first of some truly special Marvel projects that I will be part of in the near future. Stay tuned…”
As Bendis alludes, this looks to be the start of his renewed presence at Marvel, though whether he’ll be returning to the Avengers line long-term or tackling other projects (or both) remains to be seen.
Following a successful indie career in the late ’90s, Bendis made his reputation at Marvel working on books like Ultimate Spider-Man and Daredevil. Bendis then revitalized the Avengers franchise with 2004’s Avengers Disassembled and New Avengers, kicking off a sprawling run that lasted until 2012. Bendis also spearheaded crossover events like 2005’s House of M and 2008’s Secret Invasion and co-created characters like Jessica Jones and Miles Morales.
What Marvel titles would you like to see Bendis write in 2026? Let us know in the comments below.
The Avengers #800 will be released on December 3, 2025. You can preorder a copy at your local comic shop.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.
