A curious but interesting move today, as Marvel and Hyperion have just announced that they will be releasing a series of YA novels this year based on some of Marvel’s most prominent female heroes. So far Rogue and She-Hulk books have been announced, to the delight of Dan Slott. 

ya1

This is one of the first prominent moves made possible by Disney’s ownership of Marvel, as the company also own Hyperion. As you can see above, the first novel will be “The She Hulk Diaries” by Marta Acosta which – and I quote –

delves into the Hulk’s muscular green cousin’s personal and professional lives in balancing being a businesswoman by day and supervillain-smasher by night. She’s also in the market for a boyfriend, although she’s having some difficulty finding her own Mr. Big — in her case, it might have to be Mr. Bigger.

Oo-er, missus. Watch that tea, vicar! And assorted other Kenneth Williams gasps.

ya2

Christine Woodward will be writing Rogue Touch, about the boot-wearing X-Man. The books will be using the actual continuity of Marvel, in the sense that Rogue will be in the X-Men, will be physically unable to touch people, and all the other things that come with her. This isn’t a series of books which use the names and nothing else – these are full-on set in the Marvel Universe. It even sounds like Wolverine will be in the Rogue novel – because, of course he is.

Although, I should mention, they do not affect comics continuity. Set down that keyboard, commenters!

Both books will be out in June. Can ‘Darkstar: From Russia With Love” be far behind?

14 COMMENTS

  1. (If Steve can keep saying things like this about Darkstar, I can keep commenting them about Magik, right?)

    You know who would be perfect for one of these? Illyana. Set it in the early New Mutants period: she’s befriending the New Mutants, trying to keep her demonic side a secret… I’d buy it. (Might even give the Rogue one a go if reviews are decent.)

  2. The YA market is a rapidly growing area of publishing. In the last 5 years a number of YA specific imprints have been set up at major publishers. Disney and Marvel are obviously keen to tap into that market, attract younger readers to the characters and hopefully there will be some bleed so they start reading comics, seeing the movies, buying the merchandise, watch the TV shows etc. It’s a sensible move, but I do wonder about the She Hulk and The City approach of the first. There again I’m not the target audience so it might fly off the shelves.

  3. Yeah, that Marvel logo is a visual stumbling block. And perhaps they should use a different font for the titles. “Rogue Touch” and “She-Hulk” are written in the same typeface. Unless that’s intentional?

  4. I think this is a pretty great idea, and it’s nice to see they resisted doing a Morbius romance novel, that would have been groan-inducing.

    They could totally do a Marvel Princesses line, actually. Crystal the Inhuman for one.

Comments are closed.