Publishers

With Marvel refocussing on more issues of fewer titles, and with the next wave of new titles presumably not due until after AVENGERS VS X-MEN, it's a pretty quiet month for new titles. The main new launch is WINTER SOLDIER, there's the much-delayed return of THE TWELVE… and that's pretty much it. Normal service is resumed, as Marvel had the largest share of the direct market, leading DC by 39% to 35% in unit share, and 36% to 29% in dollars. Bear in mind, though, that February was a five week month and DC didn't take advantage of that extra week to ship further material. Thanks as always to ICV2.com for permission to use these figures.

The Avengers are fighting the X-men, yes, but why? As someone who hadn't read any 616 Avengers or X-men for a while, would I even be able to understand Avengers vs X-men? I figured it out and so can you - for your convenience, a (mostly AvX spoiler-free) guide to understanding Marvel's newest comics event.

Disney has made it official: The CAPTAIN AMERICA sequel will bow April 4, 2014. Chris Evans will reprise his role from CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER and THE AVENGERS. The second installment will pick up right where THE AVENGERS leaves off, as Steve Rogers struggles to find his place in the modern world while working with Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.

Frank Milller! David Mazzucchelli! IDW! Artist's Edition!

Marvel has released a reminder about tomorrow night's Avengers vs X-Men launch parties....and here it is:

BOOM! Studios has reaffirmed their exclusivity with Diamond to comics shops throughout the world, according to this morning's press release. Boom! has experimented with other distributors in the past — such as a brief affair with Haven for second printings—but Haven went away so...back to Diamond. Boom! also had distribution deals with Simon and Schuster for bookstores and backlist, but that may have run out.

MAD Magazine now has its own iPad app; the laffer launched yesterday on Alfred E. Neuman's birthday. The app is free to download but you can purchase individual issues through it for $4.99, or back issues for $1.99, or subscribe for $1.99 per issue or just pay an annual fee of $9.99 upfront. If you're a print subscriber you get the digital sub for free. All in all, there's bound to be a good deal there. The e-mag will include all the print material with added interactive elements.

Emerald City was mostly Marvel and DC lite, so the announcements are very indie/creator focused. And here they are, with a corresponding Pants Peeing Index ®, as in how likely this news is to make you pee your pants in excitement on a scale of 1-5.

All of you Scott Pilgrim fans, here's a whole new edition to purchase and display with pride—a reprint of the one that started it all, SCOTT PILGRIM'S PRECIOUS LITTLE LIFE, in full color by Nathan Fairbairn, in a deluxe 6x9 hardcover. AND a new cover! The news was announced at tonight's spotlight on creator Bryan Lee O'Malley at ECCC.

Although the Marvel invasion of Disney theme parks with such delights as Speedball's Spinning Teacups has been retarded by the fact that Universal still has the theme park rights to most of the Marvel rides, Disney is finally getting in the act with an Avengers skin for one of the Disneyworld monorails. Disney had previously skinned the futuristic transport method with a Tron skin. We'd ride that.

Gone to Amerikay, the new Vertigo original graphic novel by Derek McCulloch and Colleen Doran, will have a book launch party, benefiting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. McCulloch and Doran will both be at Harbor Lights Restaurant in New York City on March 30 from 6 to 8 pm, celebrating the release of their new book and demonstrating their support of the CBLDF’s mission. All are welcome to join the celebration; admission will be free, though donations to the CBLDF are suggested. There will be complimentary hors d’oeurves, and special guests from the comics community will be on hand to inaugurate Gone to Amerikay. Copies of the book will be on sale, courtesy of Midtown Comics.

ECCC kicks off today in Seattle and while we can't be there in person (alas, longing for those Puget oysters), we have a few folks walking the floor and sending back reports. This is a full service con with 140 panels and a great guest line-up including Robert Kirkman, Marc Silvestri, Bryan Lee O'Malley, Scott Kurtz, Kelly Sue DeConnick and more.