Notes from a Summit: lots of never before seen interior art from new Marvel launches

More from the Marvel presentation to retailers. EIC CB Cebulski ran down a list of the announced new #1s and presented new art in a presentation subtitled “Selling Comics, Making Memories” – because that’s what it’s all about.

In big news, Cebulski notes that many #1s will have a new trade dress, creator names a little larger, smaller UPC boxes, and two number boxes, the volume and issue number in one AND the LEGACY NUMBER in the other!!!! Retailers cheered. Cebulski notes he’s a collector and being able to find things in his boxes is important! People chuffed for this.

Cebulski started off showing FF #1 by Slott and Pichelli and the Coates/Yu Captain America. Aaron chimed in to add that the Coates Cap book will be super cool.

Next, Amazing Spider-Man #800 has almost 300,000 orders!  Take that DC. Slott is wrapping up his historic run andNick Spencer was nervous to take over the book but he’ll survive with a lot of new ideas.

The Life of Captain Marvel #1 is next. She already has a large world and a lot of elements to her history but this time they are going to be talking about her origin. “Not a retcon,” says Cebulski, just how she relates to her family and some of her early interactions with the Kree.

Jason: don’t get worried that Carol’s origin is so complicated. This is a simple. Clean story that you can tell anyone.”It’s really really good,” he add.

Avengers #1:  Avengers will be going back in time and meeting the prehistoric Ghost Rider who rides a flaming wooly mammoth. Aaron says it pulls from his many runs on Marvel titles, and gives him a chance to play with toys he hasn’t before. It’s big, iconic characters and the roster will be only seven or sometimes eight characters. The 8th slot rotates, “I want it to feel like an event in every arc. Massive world shaking threats.”

The book will establish hotspots in the Marvel U. “I loved the days when we knew Doctor Doom was in Latveria. We’ll set up more trouble spots like that around the globe.”

Next is new Thor #1. Aaron thanks store that supported the Jane Foster Thor. It was one of the best times of his career but also of his life and he was incredibly invested in her character. People applaud this.

The new run is different from the other runs, a Thor he hasn’t done. MIke del Mundo is a previous collaborator and they’re trying to outweird Weirdworld. Hela and Baldur are back, among other developments.

Marvel is making an investment in the Young Guns art program, Cebulski says. There is a theme that connects the six Young Guns variants and no one has noticed. Hop to it, team!

And now Cosmic Ghost Rider –  the success of the character caught them by surprise,  says CB. The sales keep climbing, which is very unusual. Fans have been demanding Cosmic Ghost Rider and that’s what they are getting. Dylan Burnett gets high praise for his storytelling AND inking. The Beat sez:  It does look fresh!

Aaron: everyone has been flipping out over Donny’s Thanos, but the other stuff he has coming up is even better. Cates, like Jonathan Hickman, came in loaded with a five year plan for his charactaers

Cebulski admits he’s not a big Deadpool fan,…until he read the first issue of the new Deadpool book by Al Ewing. It’s a choose your own adventure book kind of like the old Red and Stimpy issues that Dan Slott wrote. “You will think about this book do it and put it down and do it all over again. Its brilliant and inspired by Al Ewing’s love of role playing.”

World of Wakanda: The Black Panther movie has been a huge hit for Marvel. They want to expand Wakanda into the Marvel U, so they will do a series of three one shots.

Infinity Coutdown #5: Taking all the classic Marvel character and building to something big coming. Drawn by Aaron Kuder, another Young Gun.

Infinity Wars 1 Prime by Duggan and Deodato. This will have one of the biggest oh shit moments in Marvel if not all comics this summer, Cebulski says.

And the Hunt for Wolverine #1 is coming back and we’ll find out if perhaps Wolverine is not as dead as they thought he was. A lot of people are on the hunt for Wolverine, people who want his adamantium, people who want his DNA, heroes from around the Marvel U whose lives he has touched.

This story will spin in to three mini series. CB says ne encouraged writers to add to the mysteries of the Marvel myths. “Besides who is the third Summers brother, and that kind of thing, what are the questions we can use to add in more mystery?”

Claws of a Killer by Tamaki and Guice is more of a horror book. Mystery in Madripoor is about the women in Wolverine’s life. Weapon Lost ties in with some classic characters from the Marvel U.

Finally the Marvel Knights reprint line. Cebulski notes how important it is to have Joe Q in his corner helping him with advice. He’s sorry that many creator names were left off the first release. “That was a mistake. All the volumes will be collected and more Marvel Knights announcements are coming.

All-ages books are doing very well. “You asked, we listen, so Marvel Superhero Adventures is coming,” says Cebulski. It’s a series of one shots and every issue will have a new #1 instead of being 1 of five because kids won’t buy an issue #2. (Like many adults I should add.)

Marvel Rising introduced young characters and an issue 0 comes out in a few weeks.

For Father’s Day they will eventize their all ages material. Some promo items are going out to encourage fathers to visit comics shops with their kids.

99¢ elepahtnint th room. I £don’t mean to ass the buck, and we sell them the comics at the same price. Just like you offer discounts they do the same.

The Q&A then began. As noted previously the big question was those troubling 99¢ reprints. But there were other queries.

Q: If we are in this together get rid of those ridiculous ordering percentages. (ROOM GOES WILD WITH APPLAUSE.)

CB: I agree with you. I’m not going to make excuses. I admit I love variants. However I agree in my opinion  and opinion of others it should almost be like chase cards. We are reviewing that as well. I can tell you honestly I have been talking to DAvid about it. I’ve heard a lot of the same concerns addressed to me since I got this job.

Q: WHY IS COMIXOLOGY ONLY PRICING MARVEL TRADES AT 99???????!!!!!!

CB: We are looking into it.

Q: WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING COOL TAHT NO ONE ELSE HAS, NOT NETFLIX NOT MOVIES. I IMPLORE YOU TO DO SOMETHING BIG THAT ONLY WE CAN GIVE OUR CUSTOMERS. 

CB: [We can’t do a Star Wars Marvel  crossover] “I have asked.  One thing, I want to be a more forward facing editor in chief to the retailing community.” He’ll be more available and gave out his email.

Q: MOTHER’S DAY WHY NO MOTHER’S DAY???

CB: They want to do it next year this year’s timing didn’t work out and they launched with Father’s Day.

Q: HOW DOES MARVEL WORK WITH TV AND FILM TO DRIVE SALES?

CB: I don’t have an answer right away. Mike Pasciullo has been working on Netflix has come on to run all of marketing for Marvel including publishing. He’s flying into time in a few weeks to start talking about integrating the films and the animation and digital and new media. We are taking steps in that direction.