Comic book retailers were informed today by Diamond Comic Distributors’ weekly “Product & Shipping Updates” that two variant covers announced as Milo Manara art will no longer be illustrated by him.
 
The variant covers for October’s Avengers & X-Men: Axis #1 and November’s Thor #2 will now be drawn by other artists.  Siya Oum will draw the Axis cover, while the artist for Thor has yet to be announced.  Neither of the Manara covers in question had been released to retailers or the press.
 
While no reason was announced for the change, it seems likely that it was made in response to the controversy over Manara’s Spider-Woman #1 variant cover (see “’Spider-Woman’ Manara Variant Spurs Controversy”).  Marvel editor-in-chief Alex Alonso said of Manara’s covers in an interview after the criticism intensified that Marvel "...will be extra-vigilant in policing their content and how we use them in our marketing" (see “Alonso Apologizes”).    
 
The Manara cover for Spider-Woman #1 is still planned to be released as scheduled.