Marvel’s biggest event of the year is here along with perhaps the most extensive set of variant covers the publisher has ever produced. Avengers versus X-Men promises to be huge in every way, and each of the series’ twelve issues will be wrapped in at least five different covers. Shipping from April to October, these books will feature artwork from some of the industry’s top names, and if nothing else will result in the most massive entry in our Standard Deviations series to date. As “AvX” rolls on, we’ll be updating this post with all of the associated images and commentary you’d find in each installment. Read on to see where it all begins, and be sure to check back regularly as each issue ships!

• UPDATED: April 13th, 2012 with Olivier Coipel’s C2E2 AvX #1 variant.
• UPDATED: April 19th, 2012 with AvX #2.
• UPDATED: May 2nd, 2012 with AvX #3.
• UPDATED: May 16th, 2012 with AvX #4.
• UPDATED: June 6th, 2012 with AvX #5.
• UPDATED: June 20th, 2012 with AvX #6.
• UPDATED: July 7th, 2012 with AvX #7.
• UPDATED: July 19th, 2012 with AvX #8.
• UPDATED: August 1st, 2012 with AvX #9.
• UPDATED: August 15th, 2012 with AvX #10.
• UPDATED: September 14th, 2012 with AvX #11.
• UPDATED: October 3rd, 2012 with AvX #12.

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As Marvel’s Avengers versus X-Men event looms on the horizon and Avengers: The Children’s Crusade wrapped up this week, this edition of Standard Deviations takes a look back at the set of variant cover images from 2005’s House of M. The Scarlet Witch’s “no more mutants” spell has been a defining moment for the Marvel Universe and set both of these recent series in motion. While the significance of House of M‘s story is clear, the series was also one of the first high profile examples of the return of variant coves since their hey day in the 1990s speculator market.

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Last night was the opening of the 2011 New York Comic Con commonly called “preview night.” It’s a chance for press, professionals and 4-day pass holders to be the first on the show floor to see what this year has to offer. NYCC has grown by leaps and bounds and the inclusion of a preview night brings it closer to being on par with the annual mayhem at the San Diego Comic Con. One of the key attractions of Thursday night is undoubtedly the lighter crowds and we took full advantage trying to take in as much as we could in the time allotted.

So what exactly can attendees expect over the next thee days? Read on…

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