Iron Man is leading a new West Coast Avengers team that will try to turn Ultron into a hero

West Coast Avengers #1 variant cover by Danny Kim

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Classic Avengers spin-off title West Coast Avengers is returning after last appearing in 2021, with a break of almost 25 years before that. The new West Coast Avengers was announced at Marvel's Next Big Thing panel during Comic-Con International: San Diego.

This time, the team will have Tony Stark at the helm with a roster of War Machine, Firestar, Spider-Woman Jessica Drew, and surprisingly, Ultron.

Yes, that's right, a version of the Avengers arch-enemy Ultron will be a part of the team, with Tony and his allies attempting to reform it into a hero.

The new series is written by Gerry Duggan, fresh off his Iron Man run which hinted at the formation of a new West Coast Avengers in his final issue on the title, with artist Danny Kim rounding out the main creative team (colorist and letterer haven't been announced yet).

For fans of the classic West Coast Avengers, it's cool seeing the apparent return of Tony Stark's Silver Centurion armor (my own personal favorite) on artist Ben Harvey's main cover. Over in his own upcoming relaunched title, Stark will be wearing a strange new armor dubbed the 'Improvised Iron Man.' Meanwhile, interior artist Danny Kim's variant cover pays homage to the cover of 2005's New Avengers #1.

Here's a gallery with both covers:

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West Coast Avengers #1 cover by Ben Harvey — (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

The addition of Ultron to the roster is interesting, especially considering the recent Avengers Inc. culminated in the reintroduction of Mark Ultron, a heroic version of the AI that is an ally of the Avengers. It's unclear if that's the version of Ultron in the new West Coast Avengers.

"ULTRON RETURNS…REDEEMED? Iron Man and War Machine have put together a new team of Avengers – one that includes villains seeking a path to redemption," reads Marvel's description of West Coast Avengers #1. "Their case study? Ultron – who, against all odds, seems to be walking the straight and narrow…for now. But does the success of one guarantee the success of all? Spider-Woman and Firestar have their doubts. And can any amount of heroics really absolve Ultron of his past?"

West Coast Avengers #1 goes on sale in November.

The original West Coast Avengers is one of the best Avengers teams of all time.

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)