Marvel News & Views 11.17.03
Posted by Jim Trabold on 11.17.2003
Ultimate Starts, Namor sinks, and what you're not reading that you should
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #50
"ULTIMATE STARTS" - December's month-long celebration of the ULTIMATE UNIVERSE and invitation to new readers to jump on-board the chart-topping, award-winning and highly accessible family of titles - kicks off 12/3 with the release ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #50 by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley!
This special double-sized issue not only celebrates 50-issues of the debut ULTIMATE MARVEL title, but also kicks off a new story arc for brand new readers. "CLAWS" introduces a jewel-thieving femme fatale who's going to make life very complicated for Spider-Man in the coming months, as well as complicate the love life of Peter Parker - ULTIMATE BLACK CAT!
The story arc also features the KINGPIN and ELEKTRA, as they, Spidey and the Black Cat all fight to possess an ancient stone tablet with unimaginable power!
"Now FIFTY issues in, working on ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN is still this amazing, creatively fulfilling honor," said writer Brian Bendis. "In a million years I would have never imagined that we would be looking at this book so high on the sales charts and, more importantly, so warmly thought of by readers of all ages and tastes. Mark [Bagley] and Art [Thibert] are delivering work that I firmly believe will be remembered for years.
"When I saw the art coming in for #50, I thought to myself that it reads just like a #1 issue for new readers, AND as a celebration of these past four years for current fans of the series! A new chapter of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN - that's the whole point of the Ultimate line! And if we're doing it at issue #50, we'll still be doing it at issue #100!"
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN is the 2003 WIZARD FAN AWARDS winner for Favorite Ongoing Series, Writer (Bendis), Hero, Supporting Character (Mary Jane), Inker (Art Thibert) and letterer (Chris Eliopoulos)!
The special landmark 48-page ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #50 [OCT031540], the start of a new 4-part story arc "CLAWS", goes on sale December 3rd with a cover price of $2.99. Retailers are reminded its Final Order Cut-off (FOC) date is Thursday, 11/13.
The 32-page ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #51 [OCT031541] goes on sale December 17th with an 11/26 FOC and a cover price of $2.25.
Readers, ask your local comic book retailer to reserve your copies of these special ULTIMATE STARTS issues!
Very cool preview. With issue 50 of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN part of ULTIMATE STARTS month it’s going to be a very busy in the Ultimate Universe. You have ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR # 1 starting this month, ULTIMATE X-MEN # 40 with the ANGEL and DAZZLER. Of course this issue of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN has the first ULTIMATE BLACK CAT’s first appearance. I still wouldn’t mind more events for the regular Marvel Universe. How about MARVEL KNIGHTS month with some debuts or big story lines or AVENGERS Month with the AVENGERS, THOR, IRON MAN, CAPTAIN AMERICA, HAWKEYE and INCREDIBLE HULK all involved or something like that. It might work and really get people talking. ULTIMATE titles don’t need the push that some of these other books do. BARBERI'S NEW MUTANTS
Carlo Barberi has got to be one of the busiest artists in comics! He’s just signed on as the new NEW MUTANTS artist, he’s working on the upcoming THUNDERCATS: ORIGINS series, completing a tale for the TEEN TITANS SECRET FILES, and drawing the upcoming Eddie Berganza limited series, BATMAN: ORPHANS!; as well as working on a new Image series! He talked to THE PULSE about all these projects and gave us an EXCLUSIVE look inside his sketchbook!
This guy does some pretty good work. A lot of his older work is with other companies and he’s doing a project for IMAGE right now. I think he’s a great artist to bring in to do NEW MUTANTS. Some very impressive work already from what I see in the piece. I suggest you check him out. ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #1
The countdown to the "ULTIMATE STARTS" 12/31 launch of ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR continues and the first booster rockets fire on December 3rd with the release of the ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR Poster, a full color, 24"x36" version of artist BRYAN HITCH's NEW cover to issue #1.
Readers who recall the initial version of the cover/poster published in MARVEL PREVIEWS #2 and with the December 2003 solicitation materials may notice there have been some changes. When the image was first illustrated for solicitation, Hitch was just referencing notes from Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada and conversations with series co-writer Mark Millar. The artist didn't get to see the first pencil work by series artist
ADAM KUBERT and Brian Bendis & Millar's scripts for the first full story arc until after the image was completed. Bryan Hitch picks up the story from there...
"I did that first cover before I felt I had a comfortable handle on the characters beyond their basic looks," explained Hitch. "And given what I'd seen of the work on the book so far, I felt I could have done better. Whereas I like the design of the shot, I felt I had missed the intelligent playfulness of Sue we had worked hard to get into the design in the first place, so I was adamant that I had another pass at her. A few coloring tweaks, and it's now a piece I'm happy with that lives up to the quality of the rest of the teams work in the book."
The ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR POSTER [OCT031544] goes on sale December 3rd with a Suggested Retail Price of $5.95. Retailers are reminded its Final Order Cut-off [FOC] date is Thursday, 11/13.
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #1 [OCT031543] goes on sale 12/31 with an FOC date of 12/11. Readers, ask your local comic book retailer to reserve your copies!
You know many fans are looking forward to this series. I know that both Bendis and Millar are doing their best to make sure the fans are happy with their version of the group. I also know that Adam Kurbert is one of the best artists they can find to do the book. I just hope everything goes right with the book. Of course with the FANTATIC FOUR being one of Marvels best books it will really help push the ULTIMATE line even further. Of course it never really needs much of a push. This line is very popular and sells well. ULTIMATE Starts
There's one common thread running through Marvel Comics "Ultimate Starts" month and that thread is Brian Michael Bendis. An event that is taking hold of the December Ultimate books, both ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN and ULTIMATE X-MEN begin fresh story arcs for new readers to jump into
Man this is really filling up my column this week. Must be ULTIMATE week alright. I should call the column ULTIMATE MARVEL NEWS and VIEWS this week with all this ULTIMATE news. (Couldn’t hurt sales. –Ben) Marvel is really pushing this month’s events. I still would love Marvel to push other books that really need it. ULTIMATE books sell great. There are many Marvel books out there that Marvel can push. I’ll cover that shortly. NAMOR series ends at # 12
NAMOR, the Tsunami title co-written by Jemas and Andi Watson, will end with issue #12 in February.
The series was set in the earlier part of the 20th century, and featured a teen PRINCE NAMOR of Atlantis, who would grow to become the SUB-MARINER in the modern Marvel Universe. At the series’ launch, Jemas cited the reason for the series as, along with telling a story, polishing the character up, as the SUB-MARINER is one of the Marvel characters reportedly being considered for imminent movie treatment.
NAMOR’S sales had languished like many of the other Tsunami titles. It was due to fail though. When the series first came out many fans thought it was stupid. Hell it was one that I didn’t think sounded like it would do well. I mean I understand it was a love affair type story but a character like NAMOR…it just doesn’t jibe. I just hope when Marvel brings back NAMOR he will be done right. Although I think he’ll mostly be used in series like the AVENGERS and FANTASTIC FOUR plus others for now. From the Comics Shop
This week I’ve decided to cover some of the best titles that most fans are not buying. You know I’ve been talking ULTIMATE the full issue for the most part. Even saying that Marvel can push other books like they are doing with ULTIMATE books. Today I’ll do some of that myself for them.
Welcome to the Comics Shop for today.
Being a Marvel column we’ll be covering Marvel titles here. Don’t expect something like X-Men being on the list though since they sell well and are always up there in sales. These titles are not up there most of the time.
Just looking at sales charts you can tell titles that sell well.. This list doesn’t count limited series as well. We’ll be covering books lower then the top 50. That will take out a good amount of books of course but they do well compared to these.
I’m not shocked with as many TSUNAMI titles as there are on this list. I thought that TSUNAMI got off to a nice start at first but now finding out that the books could be better. No wonder there was talk of calling off the trades. Here’s some of the TSUNAMI books you should try now before they’re gone
You know I’ve said before BKV is one of the best Marvel writers around and both titles that make this list are done by him. These two books I think many fans should try out and get the trades when and if they are out there. This way they don’t have to jump in the middle of a story. MYSTIQUE of course is about the X-foe who of course will do anything to get her mission done. BKV actually has made her even more badass. This book is a great read. RUNAWAYS is a title about a group of teenagers who run away from home after finding out their parents are super villains. It’s a fun little book and actually has some good characters. Brian K. Vaughan will make you happy you picked these books up.
SPIDER-GIRL-I am still shocked for as many times as this book has been saved that more fans have not jumped on board. This is a fun book. It’s one of those books that you never know what’s coming. Also it’s a great character for female readers to read about. Also for males to enjoy.
Another female character that kicks butt and takes names that has a title and should get more readers is ELEKTRA. I saw a question once on a message board where they asked who Marvels main female character is. You know there are a good amount of strong women in the Marvel Universe. Sue Richards, Jean Grey and others but ELEKTRA holds her own in this title and she is one more character that fans should read.
There’s two more books I’ve got left. Of course with these two books they have had ups and downs in their reigns with titles. There could be more books making this list in a few months even if they fall as I should also say. I just want to say you fans do support a lot of books out there from Marvel. I’m surprised more books didn’t make the list of below 50 I would push. So good going. Now let’s go on.
THOR-you know Thor’s on one of those runs right now that are spectacular. THOR has been one of those titles that have not always had all the support it could and some of the best stories that will keep fans coming. Now with THOR as lord of Asgard it’s one of those times THOR is having a great run. So now is the time to jump on again.
CAPTAIN MARVEL-Yep CAPTAIN MARVEL. PAD is one of Marvel’s best writers. Although at the moment CAP M has not been as strong as it could be. Since U-Decide even. PAD could make it even stronger and I have a strange feeling he’s about to. With a new artist helping out as well. CAPTAIN MARVEL is a great character and is a great book.
Well that’s just a few books that make the list of that more fans should or could read. Of course I understand with comics prices these days that you can’t get everything. Well you could but you would need a ton of cash or a deal or even your own shop. So I’m just helping out.
Well that’s it for today. A day full of ULTIMATE news. I shall see you all on Wednesday again with the MARVEL HANDBOOK. Plus again next Monday. So have a great week. Reporting from the Marvel Universe this is Jim Trabold.
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