Marvel2018.jpg

As widely expected, Marvel is launching a NEW relaunch in May, as revealed in a press release and various news stories today.

The launch will be called “A Fresh Start.” It comes on the heels of the less than well received Marvel Legacy relaunch that came last September. The promo art, by Jim Cheung, shows Marvel’s main, traditional characters – Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Black Panther, Thor – front and center, signaling their return to the heart of the Marvel U.

In a video editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski makes his promo debut, promising excitement and that “I can say, walking through these halls, I’ve never seen more enthusiasm and excitement for where Marvel comics is going this year. Not since Marvel Now have we had such an over-arching, line-wide change of talent on the Marvel comics line.”

In a companion quote, CCO Joe Quesada promises, “new fresh ideas, new fresh creators.”

Marvel’s May titles are now being revealed in solicits, and more news and teams are expected to be revealed today and in coming days. However, one would expect this to be a main focus of this weekend’s ComicsPRO meeting in Portland, where Marvel execs will meet to face retailers for the first time since Legacy flopped.

First out of the gate, IGN debuted news of a SINGLE Avengers book called, The Avengers, written by Jason Aaron with art by Ed McGuinness. The title will end the “legacy” numbering of the Legacy relaunch and start with a new #1.  To no on’s surprise, Black Panther will feature prominently in the title. With no other Avengers titles, this core title will ship 18 times a year.

The new Avengers series will ship 18 times a year and be the single Avengers title going forward. For years Marvel has had multiple Avengers books that made up a sizable chunk of their publishing line — New Avengers, Uncanny Avengers, Secret Avengers, etc. — so this comes as a big change. It won’t come as a surprise to current readers of the Avengers because January’s Avengers #675 saw all Avengers monthly books merge into one weekly Avengers series for a story called “No Surrender.”

That story tears the Avengers down to their foundation and results in a dearth of Avengers, which sets the stage for the new team you see on the cover to the upcoming Avengers #1. The lineup includes the “Big Three” of the Avengers — Thor Odinson, Steve Rogers, and Tony Stark — united once more for the first time in years. In addition to the Big Three, the rest of the roster features Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes), Hulk (Jennifer Walters) and Doctor Strange, who will only be on the team for a limited time in a “rotating slot.”

avengers_cover.jpg

 

Here’s the PR and promo video. We’ll have updates with new tiles throughout the days and weeks to come.

 

May 2018

New Creative Teams
New Series
New Directions
New Beginnings

Make Mine Marvel!

It all starts today…

 

18 COMMENTS

  1. “The title will end the “legacy” numbering of the Legacy relaunch and start with a new #1.”

    Ugh. Why even do it if you’re only going to stick with it for six months? Comic numbering is so stupid and confusing.

    I like the creative team and also the Avengers lineup, though.

  2. “The Avengers, written by Jason Aaron with art by Ed McGuinness…

    …this core title will ship 18 times a year.”

    So, in other words, The Avengers written by Jason Aaron, with the first few issues drawn by Ed McGuinness.

    Who knows, McGuinness and editorial may even have every intention of rotating him back in after a break for subsequent arcs, but then Marvel will need him to launch a new series, or draw an event book. Marvel has been managing their artists this way for years, and there’s no indication they’re changing their ways now.

    People complain when Marvel announces a new series drawn by TBD or refers to runs exclusively by the writers (the Bendis Avengers, the Hickman Avengers), but really that’s much more honest. In most cases, Marvel’s (and DC’s) publishing schedules and talent management allow writers ownership of a series in a way artists never get. The publishing strategy makes artists interchangeable.

  3. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but I still kind of am: they’re doubling-down on the same publishing plans that didn’t work before. Maybe they can eke a 100k launch, but sounds like it’s going to be back down below 40k again by issue #5.

    -B

  4. Is this a new reboot record for a company? Yeah, “Legacy” wasn’t really a reboot but freakin’ “Secret Wars” was just 2015.

    Mike

  5. “The publishing strategy makes artists interchangeable.”

    That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I certainly loved the “house style” that Valiant had when it began back in the 90s and if you’re going to publish on a regular schedule, having artists who aren’t so darn idiosyncratic that they can’t keep a schedule or can’t be easily substituted for is not the worst idea in the world.

    Of course, publishing a comic 18 times a year may be the worst idea in the world. At least DC’s twice-a-month nonsense allows the fans to develop a fairly regular pattern. You know Marvel’s will just wind up 6 extra issues at random times throughout the year.

  6. Sigh… here we go again. Surprised they didn’t dub this “All-New Legacy.” Can’t wait for all of the $4.99 first issues (and of course, the oodles and oodles and oodles of variant covers).

  7. Oh, wow! That’s pretty cool. Having Carol and T’challa on the same team is brilliant and is a continuation of the really good work from the Ultimates book (wonder what pastures the talented Ewing is headed for?). I really want to see Aaron write both BP and CM.

    Can see them reflecting the MCU in choices, undetstandably. Not an indication of future MCU direction (?), and having core three Avengers is interesting. She-Hulk is good, and another good character for Aaron. But I am excited to see Ghost Rider included because I loved Aaron’s Ghost Rider run. I would get Aaron to write more stories about rednecks and mild Christian-basec romps if I could, so, brilliant (also, another direction other than obvious cosmic).

    I had a bad initial reaction to the renumbering also, until I thought about it. This is like tradition with this marquee book now, following Bendis, Hickman, and Waid. I think it points to plans with writing big arcs that might last years, as Aaron did with Thor. I’ve got hopes.

    One point I’m dubious on is McGuiness’ involvement, as they’ll have to swap him out. Aaron had some nice collaborators on Thor; if it’s not too against the style and feel to have them come over.

    Well done Marvel! High hopes

  8. For me, and I realize I may be in the minority here, a true fresh start would begin with a new mission statement and a more realized look at the overall function of the Marvel line. Turning Avengers into one book is a start, but I already feel bored by this with Venom being the second book they have decided to talk about today. What a roll out…yawn.

    Go big. Go different. DC did it with N52 and that really was a fresh start, whether you liked it or not. They shot for the moon and really attempted to alter the function of their universe. And if memory serves, its announcement got a lot more care then some minute long youtube video where two dudes repeated that everything is new with nearly zero to show except a poster.

    My ideal announcement would have began with three things. The line has been dramatically trimmed. All classic costumes are back. All stories will be self contained and last no longer than 2-3 issues.

    You can still have your Marvel fun by having larger elements of the story last throughout a creators run, or do little cameo’s to show its a shared U. But directive number one should be to have these books be accessible. “Don’t worry, this isn’t part 56 of a three year movement. This is part 2 of a 3 part story where Red Skull is the bad guy. Thats it.” I wish. Comics used to be like that. Thats why the numbers never mattered.

    Back to the me being in the minority part here…Marvel should be embracing retro and putting Kirby back at the heart of their machine. The films do it to a degree. I don’t wanna open a Marvel book and have it look like an episode of C.S.I.. And just stop with this golden arm Thor stuff. That doesn’t get me back. Put him in the classic suit and blast off into some crazy colorful adventure!! How is this a fresh start if its already tethered to a past that stopped me from buying the dang comics in the first place? The accompanying poster image looks exactly like the continuation of whats been going on in Marvel for the last five years. I see nothing new.

    Who gives a damn. This already smells like weak sauce. History repeats itself and Ill pick up whatever Samnee draws. Maybe the Avengers, and prob one other book that gets good reviews. Within 6 months all the titles will get wrapped up in ‘Infinitys Jockstrap’ and Ill be bouncing right back off.

  9. This was the move they pretty much had to do (I don’t know about renumbering it all) but they’ve got one shot to make this work. I’m sure it may come out at the meeting but unless they change some of their business practices this is just another cost of paint on the same old stuff.

  10. Love McGuiness’ art but fuck off, 18 issues a year from him? Eat my ass and call me Sexy Grandpa. Dude can do maybe 8 issues a year. Just tell us up front who you are going to be rotating in.

  11. If nothing else, that’s a good AVENGERS creative team and classic-style lineup (I especially like keeping it to one book). The collection of the Big Three, a potpourri of classics from different eras (Carol, Jen, T’Challa), the requisite young hero, and a rotating seat within a stable but focused lineup actually feels like an Avengers team for probably the first time since Disassembled.

  12. Here’s my impression of the typical commenter on these stories:

    “God, when will Marvel stop doing everything wrong? Don’t they realize they should be doing everything right? How do they not realize this? Why do they think wrong is right? It’s not right. It’s wrong.”

    “Marvel shouls start putting out good comics. All they do lately is put out bad comics. How hard is it to make good comics? It’s so easy. Everyone knows what a good comic is. Comics used to be good, but now they’re not. Comics should be good. Just make good comics, Marvel, jesus christ.”

  13. In the micro of just the Avengers book, I could get more excited for this team and single book direction if it was with a writer other than Aaron or if it committed to a twice-monthly schedule. Jim Zub or Al Ewing on a 24-issues-a-year Avengers book would be appointment comics for me. It feels like Aaron is on it purely by process of elimination. I hope his pitch is excellent.

    In the macro of “Fresh Start,” I cannot help but simply shake my head. Was it really so necessary to push out Legacy in at the end of 2017 to staunch the bleeding knowing full well many of the smaller books and younger characters were finishing up their runs and that a better-planned relaunch would be coming just six months later? CLEARLY Aaron’s Legacy one-shot could have been held over for this Avengers re-launch, since it line sup closely with this team.

    I’m someone who loves all of Marvel’s younger and more representative characters, but if it’s going to take a regression to their less-diverse core heroes and concepts to regain their editorial focus (a la Rebirth) I’m willing to be a little bit patient – but, they’ve really worn down my goodwill over the past three years. THREE YEARS.

  14. “It feels like Aaron is on it purely by process of elimination. I hope his pitch is excellent.”

    Right? Is there anyone else at Marvel who hasn’t written an Avengers book lately?

  15. If I saw that Jimmy Cheung print in a poster section at Target I’d think it was a promotional image for the Current State of the Marvel Media Empire (established and a smattering of hopefuls)…which is nothing new, mind. Good news: looks like Marvel finally realized the potency of The Inhumans however.

    The problem really comes in when the shows/movies do a better job than the comics. And Now: with More Bang For Your Buck.

    Can’t blame anybody for whiling away years on overpriced brochures for intellectual property though, been there. You are encouraged to think of them as something you love after all. And don’t you just love them? Aren’t they part of the formidable years of your life? Aren’t they just like real friends?

    What’s the over/under on McGuinness doing 5-6 issues in a row? Marvel’s biggest problem, eye em oh, is that there might just be more people interested in the sausage-making process than the sausage.

  16. Maybe they should just scrap all the superheroes and bring back Millie the Model, Patsy and Hedy, and Linda Carter: Student Nurse. That would be more interesting than the 800th reboot/relaunch of the superhero universe.

Comments are closed.