AVENGERS VS. X-MEN LIVESTREAM EVENT

Marvel Comics is staging an event for its Avengers vs. X-Men event starting in April.

Following are highlights:

* A video was shown, with comments from the writers.

* Editor Nick Lowe introduced the event. "We're bringing out best writers, our best artists, our best characters," he said.

He introduced the writers: Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Jason Aaron, Jonathan Hickman and Matt Fraction.

* Bendis talked about the Avengers arc leading into the story and how the characters have been tested and how the world perceives the Avengers "after one harrowing disaster after another."

He noted that both Wolverine and Storm are Avengers, redefining themselves, and that the Scarlet Witch will play into the story.

* Aaron said the story has been building in the X-Men since even before he got involved. He said that mutants have been fighting against extinction, and noted that Hope literally provided Hope for them. "She is the mutant messiah. It's not conjecture as far as Cyclops is conerned," he said.

As far Cyclops is concerned, he is still fighting for survival, Aaron said, while Wolverine enters the story in "a weird place" because he is still on the outs with a lot of his old friends.

* Fraction said the stragetic battle between Cyclops and Captain America "will be a lot of fun." He said he has enjoyed writing Hope "at her best" and that the Scarlet Witch is back, "tearing it up."

"We get to see a new armor for Iron Man, with a very specific foe in mind," he said. "And then Thor gets up to some bigtime colossal shenanigans."

* Hickman said it's an event where anybody can win. "That's the beauty of a wide-line event like this," he said.

* Editor-in-chief Axel Alonso said that Avengers/X-Men had been talked about before, and that it became clear that there was a real possibility to do the event and that it would benefit to come from a "workshop" of writers.

"It's an event that is being done in a way that isn't done in the was we've traditional done them," he said noting the five writers.

* Brevoort said the structure of Avengers/X-Men is completely different with the five writers. There were meetings with the writers to hammer out the story, with Bendis and Aaron then providing a skeleton. The writers then wrote individual issues.

"We have a chorus of voices, yet each individual issue is set up in such a way that the writer's individual voice can come through," Brevoort siad.

* The event was then opened to questions.

* Asked about Loki and Magneto teaming up, Fraction said it was intriguing possibility. "Stay tuned, you'll be happy."

* Aaron said the writers and trying to deal with the Phoneix in a way that honors what has gone on before but still be accessible to new read.

* Brevoort said that Avengers: X-Sanction leads into event Avengers vs X-Men. "That story will have an effect on AvX. It is the opening shot, the opening gun of AvX."

* Asked about Jean Grey, Alonso said the Phoenix might be headed to a host who has green eyes and red hair. He said answers about Hope's relationship to Jean Grey might be answered.

* Bendis said that elements of the Avengers and X-Men are coming organically to the story. He noted the Prelude is all new material, by Bendis and Frank Cho, about Scarlet Witch today, and the story by Jason Aaron and Cho, is about Hope today.

* Hawkeye is a big part of the story, Fraction said, as he will be a wild card with his wildly different way of thinking.

* Asked about which side the Fantastic Four is on, Hickman said there will be peripheral books. The FF will be involved, with the Thing an Avenger, but not to a large degree.

* Brubaker said both Ms. Marvel and Psylocke will be in the story.

* Asked about Storm and Black Panther, Bendis said Black Panther's allegiance is to the Avengers while Storm's is split down the middle. "The decision for the Avengers and X-Men is a very individual choice, and hers will be a very loud one," Bendis said.

* Asked about Wolverine, Aaron said he's in a weird predicament. "It will be in an interesting question to see unfold," noting it's also difficult for Wolverine's X-Men colleagues.

* Asked about Defenders, Fraction said the story falls in a weird time, but one character will be popping up in an important way.

* Brevoort said Marvel is sensitive to the events and tie-in stories for readers, they will be limited exclusively to X-Men and Avengers. There will be a "very important sister book," Brevoort said, noting Marvel is not yet ready to divulge details.

* Where are the villains? "The villains are busy doing their bad stuff," Alonso said, adding that he expects many villains to react to what's going on.

* The event has been split up into three acts, with John Romita Jr. handling the first act, Olivier Coipel on the second act and Adam Kubert on the third act.

* Bucky Barnes? With a February launch for the Winter Soldier, Brubaker said there won't be any tie-ins. "Hopefully, we can find a way for him to be in it."

* Storm's entry to the Avengers was a seperate decision from the event, Bendis said.

* Brevoort said Avengers: The Children's Crusade's ending plays into AvX. It positions the Scarlet Witch in AvX #0 and calibrates how everyone feels about her.

* Cosmic characters? Lowe said they will be and readers will find out with more information about the Phoenix. "They're already involved if you read the Point One," Brubaker said.

* Professor Xavier? Aaron said he can't stay on the sidelines. "He has to be involved in one way or another," he siad.

* Younger characters? Brevoort noted the X-Men are basically located in Utopia and the Jean Grey school, so there isn't a way to keep the sum total of X-Men out of the story. The Avengers will need all of their assets, including the young characters. "They might not get as much time Wolverine, Captain America or Cyclops, but you'll see a wide bevy of characters from both segments in one crazy story," he said.

* Nova? Alonso said there was glimpse in Point One and there are big plans for Nova. "It's better you wait and see, but Nova fans will be excited," he said.

* S.H.I.E.L.D.? Bendis said the story will create a new world peace-keeping organization.

* Brevoort said the one book not touched by the event is the upcoming Avengers Assemble title, which was created specificually in mind for new readers who have seen the Avengers movie.