Marvel News & Views 11.24.03
Posted by Jim Trabold on 11.24.2003
More news than can possibly be teased...
MARVEL MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR JAPAN AND ASIA
Reflecting an integral component of its strategy to expand its base of international licensing activity, Marvel Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:MVL) announced today that it has appointed Bill Rahn, a senior licensing, consumer products and brand management executive, as Managing Director, Japan and Asia. Mr. Rahn will be based in Tokyo and will report to Tim Rothwell, President of Marvel's Worldwide Consumer Products Group for all Japan/Asia-Pacific licensing initiatives and to Allen Lipson, Marvel's CEO, for opportunities outside of licensing.
Commenting on the appointment, Tim Rothwell said, "Having worked with Bill throughout the years, I am confident that he brings the perfect combination of skills, experience and relationships to leverage Marvel's consumer brand awareness into the Japan/Asia-Pacific markets. We believe that this appointment, combined with the team we are putting in place in London to focus on European opportunities, will be instrumental in significantly raising the contribution from international licensing opportunities, a component of our licensing activities that to date has been under-served. Bill is already working to leverage the significant untapped licensee and consumer demand for Marvel-branded consumer products in this key territory."
Mr. Rahn comes to Marvel with more than seventeen years of international marketing and licensing experience including the last seven years as Managing Director at Universal Studios Consumer Products Group Japan and Asia-Pacific, and the last two years as President of Universal Pictures Video Japan. Mr. Rahn's primary focus at Marvel will be on developing and managing licensing and merchandising initiatives in Japan and Asia-Pacific, markets where Marvel character feature films have demonstrated very strong consumer demand.
During his tenure at Universal, Mr. Rahn was responsible for all of Universal Studios Consumer Product Group's (USCPG) licensing activities in Japan and Asia-Pacific, including Australasia and China. He is credited with increasing licensing in the territory by ten-fold by focusing on Universal's core characters and properties. Mr, Rahn also played a role in working with Universal Studios Japan in the lead-up to the theme park's opening in 2001. During the last two years of Mr. Rahn's tenure with Universal, he had the added responsibility of overseeing the start up of Universal Pictures Japan, Universal's Home Video business, where he developed the expansion of the sell-through sector for this division and focused on the acquisition of local companies.
Prior to joining Universal Studios, Mr. Rahn served as the Chief Marketing Officer for McDonald's Japan from 1993-1994. He was previously General Manager of the international division of Simon Marketing and was responsible for opening their Tokyo office. Mr. Rahn is fluent in Japanese and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Japanese Studies from Yale University. He resides in Tokyo, Japan with his wife and two children. Very impressive move here. Marvel is handling the over seas department very well and this should help that out even more. I expect that you may see some mangas and the like of some characters again for the South Pacific. This will make for more collecting over there as well. More readers and of course more reason to have more hope for the company. This is a good move by Marvel and this will help out readers in other areas then here in the US. I like this move. I just hope it helps. JOHN TARTAGLIONE DIES
Artist John Tartaglione lost his fight against cancer last week. Through the course of his career, Tartaglione was Art Director for Marvel, worked on the SPIDER-MAN daily newspaper strip, inked with Archie Comics, and worked with Atlas. He worked on a variety of subjects from superheroes to religious icons. Tom Orzechowski shared his memories of the artist with us.
More at The Pulse
Tartaglione did some nice work with Marvel. The old SPIDER-MAN comics strips helped get readers into the character and of course did some good work with the Art department at Marvel. He was a good man and one that will be missed by the industry. Farewell Mister Tartaglione. SPIDER-GIRL TRADE
More of Marvel Comics trade paperback schedule for 2004 has been revealed by online e-tailer Amazon.com's advance listings, including a digest-sized trade paperback collection for the fan-favourite MC2 series SPIDER-GIRL. Due out in March, the 144-page TPB will be one of the new, smaller-sized "Marvel Manga" format book.
More at ComiX-Fan
Very good move by Marvel here. SPIDER-GIRL is one series that has been demanding a trade for some time. There’s a ton of fan support out there and I think a trade will help a ton towards getting newer readers. Any trades can help a title out. SPIDER-GIRL is one of those that will be helped a ton. Imagine all the readers that want to read the book after it got saved like 50 times. Now they can get back on at the ground floor with a trade. TSUNAMI books like MYSTIQUE and RUNAWAYS should get trades for the same reason and I believe there’s other series that could use trades as well to help get readers. So great idea and I hope there’s more coming. HULK GAMES COMICS
Marvel Comics will make any reader's holiday season a "Hulk Smash" with two new HULK mini-series solicited in this week's Previews Update. Both projects are based on Universal Interactive's best-selling HULK videogames, meaning that they should appeal to comics and gaming fans alike. HULK: GAMMA GAMES #1 (OCT035117, $2.99) -- by John Truman & Studio Udon's Ramon Garcia -- will feature a possible cure for Banner from Betty Ross, and the return of the evil Leader, in a story based on the HULK game taken from the hit film. HULK: UNCHAINED #1 (OCT035118, $2.99) -- by Grant Calof & Tom Mandrake -- will recount the origins of the HULK and one of his deadliest foes, the Abomination, in a tale inspired by the comics-based THE INCREDIBLE HULK videogame. Both books are scheduled to ship on December 17.
Comics based on video games. Don’t say this has never been done before. A few other companies have books specifically from games. This is an interesting move by Marvel here though. Two new HULK books out of video games. Of course the HULK movie could’ve done better in theatres. It was a good flick though, although some people didn’t like it as much. It was close to the HULK comics though. These comics based on games which are losely based on the comics and movie will be very interesting. This of course could lead to other comics using the same format from Marvel. I have a feeling these could do very well also in stores if the games are any good. MARVEL ULTIMATE STARTS
"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 - continues 12/10 with
the release ULTIMATE X-MEN #40 by Eisner and Wizard Fan Award winner for Favorite Writer, Brian Michael Bendis, and artist David Finch!
The advisors of the President of the United States believe he's being secretly controlled by Professor Xavier and a plan is hatched to free the Chief Executive from his mutant influence AND to prepare for any X-Men related contingency. But the identity of the person behind the scheme and his or her solution to the Xavier problem is just one of many surprises in store for the X-Men in the new 5-issue story arc, "NEW MUTANTS"!
Bendis and Finch, celebrating their 2nd consecutive on-time story arc together, follow-up their best-selling debut storyline "Blockbuster" with "NEW MUTANTS", which also introduces new and long-awaited additions to the ULTIMATE X-MEN cast, including new friends and new foes like Warren Worthington III - the ANGEL, DAZZLER, KARMA & HAVOK!
But which characters will become part of the regular cast? "NEW MUTANTS" answers that question!
ULTIMATE X-MEN #40 [OCT031545], the start of a new 5-part story arc "NEW MUTANTS, goes on sale December 10th with a cover price of $2.25. Retailers are reminded its Final Order Cut-off (FOC) date is Thursday, 11/20. Readers, ask your local comic book retailer to reserve your copy of this special ULTIMATE STARTS issue!
Now this will be a very interesting storyline. With four of the characters that fans have been asking for to appear all appearing in one storyline this should be interesting. Although Karma most likely won’t make that list of most requested. But Angel, Havok and Dazzler are. I won’t be surprised if fans really like this a ton. Those three alone will make these issues a must have. Karma will be an interesting throw in. Hey at least she is a NEW MUTANT right? Well I have a feeling fans will love this storyline and will collect these issues no matter what. MARVEL RAISES GUIDANCE AGAIN
Marvel yesterday held a conference call for analysts to outline its projections for Q4 2003 and 2004. Chief among the announcements was that the company has raised its guidance for 2004, and now predicts generating $145 - $435 million in sales - $100 million more than previously stated
Have I said lately I hate this part of the industry? I just don’t do much number crunching with comics. Hey I know it’s important and even f you’re an owner of a comic shop it’s important but damn it can be boring. That’s why I just don’t like talking about it too much. I would say these numbers are good for Marvel of course. Hey any numbers going up are good for a company right? Well good work Marvel. DEATHLOK DETOUR CANCELLED FOR JANUARY
Marvel has notified retailers that presently, DEATHLOK: DETOUR has been cancelled, and all orders for #1 and #2 (slated for a January release) have been cancelled. Marvel’s statement said that the series will be resolicited at a later date.
Not great news for this series or for DEATHLOK fans. Of course it could be pushed back for some good reasons. The artist could be busy. The writer could be busy. They could push it back so they bring it out on a better date for some type of special month event. MAX month coming to you in May, kidding of course. But you know they could do that with a book. With a few books coming out also at once it’s logical that they push something back or forward. WIERINGO EXCLUSIVE WITH MARVEL
Fan-favorite artist MIKE WIERINGO, who along with writer Mark Waid has built one of the industry's most passionate and loyal fan bases with their work on the FANTASTIC FOUR, has signed an exclusive agreement with Marvel, keeping Wieringo with the Marvel team through the year 2005.
Known affectionately to his fans and fellow pros as "Ringo", Wieringo's fun, energetic art and strong storytelling skills has graced books such as DC's The Flash (with his FF partner Mark Waid), his own Gorilla/Image series TELLOS, and SPIDER-MAN and the X-MEN at Marvel. Wieringo will continue to work with Waid on FANTASTIC FOUR, which starts a key new story arc in January with FANTASTIC FOUR #509.
"While it's no secret to folks who keep up with comics news that the summer was pretty 'eventful' for me, I'm really happy to say that things have worked out for the best in the end," said Wieringo. "I'm proud and excited that Marvel thought enough of my work that they would be want to offer me an exclusive agreement to draw for them for the next couple of years. Working with Mark Waid, [FF editor] Tom Brevoort and Joe Quesada has been a blast - and it's a wonderful thing that it's going to continue.
"As cliché as it might sound, illustrating FANTASTIC FOUR has been a dream-come-true," continued Wieringo. "I grew up reading the FF, SPIDER-MAN, the X-MEN and all the other wonderful characters that fill out the Marvel Universe, and I've been fortunate to work on many of them. My experience on FF has been a special one," however. "It's been really thrilling to work on Marvel's flagship title - the one that started the whole ball rolling. And having the opportunity to work with Mark, and to be given the opportunity to add our spin to these incredible characters has been an honor.
"So, thank you, Marvel. And thanks to those who have enjoyed what we are doing."
"I've been a fan of 'Ringo's work for years," said Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada. "As an artist his clean line work and wonderful characterization has made me envious of his skills for way too many years. And I think that fans will agree with me when I say that Mike's work on the FF has redefined the look of the characters and book in a way that has made it accessible to a whole new audience!
"I'm thrilled that Mike has decided to stay at Marvel and make it his home for the next few years. Along with li'l Marky Waid, fans of the FF and Marvel fans in general are going to be in for many more issues of great comics entertainment from the World's Greatest Comic Magazine!"
FANTASTIC FOUR #509, the start of the three-part "HEREAFTER" story arc goes on sale January 21st. Readers, ask your local comic book retailer to reserve your copy!
Now this is great news. Also a great move. This artist is as important to the FF as Waid and Marvel is going to need to be smart to keep people like this on board. They can’t lose them to DC or someone else. Exclusive deals for artist like Wieringo. I hope Marvel is smart enough to keep a few others as well. Hey it would be great to see Marvel not lose anyone important to the books they have out there. There’s a few more guys I would do this with and Marvel will be smart to keep them as well. BRANDON PETERSON EXCLUSIVE WITH MARVEL
Superstar artist Brandon Peterson - who rose to industry fame as one of Top Cow's most popular artists and for the last few years served as an artist, Art Director and Vice President of CrossGen Entertainment - has signed an exclusive creator agreement with Marvel that will keep him with the House of Ideas through the year 2006.
Brandon will begin drawing covers on such key titles as ULTIMATE X-MEN and then move on to several high-profile new assignments that will be announced in the coming weeks.
"I've known Brandon for quite some time now, he is one of those rare talents that can do it all and he does it all at a Master's level," said Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada. "He's also one of the most enthusiastic people I know and I'm thrilled that he's bringing that energy to Marvel.
"We have some amazing stuff planned for Brandon including the reinvention of a classic Marvel character that will have fans talking for years to come. There aren't many people in the comics industry that can draw with his ability and energy so I'm thrilled for us and for our fans everywhere that he'll be dedicating his amazing talents to the pantheon of Marvel Heroes."
"Over the last few years while occupied at another job, I've observed the incredible progress Marvel has made with the editorial leadership of Joe Quesada," said Peterson. "Marvel has really undergone a renaissance with things like Marvel Knights, the Ultimate universe, and the rejuvenation of the core titles. I appreciated from a distance the hard work and skill that they and everyone at Marvel have shown.
"After I had left my former job, Joe and I talked at length about some of the great projects Marvel had planned, and I found myself getting caught up in the infectious enthusiasm he has for the company. It didn't take too long to see we were on the same page and Marvel was the place for me to be. Marvel has a great support staff and everyone has been really positive about me coming aboard, especially C.B. Cebulski who has been instrumental in helping Marvel and me come together."
Peterson mostly looks forward to the opportunity to work on Marvel's most popular and well-recognized characters. "A creator typically wants as big an audience as possible for their efforts, and Marvel has the biggest audience around," continued the creator. "I also have many friends who are regular Marvel creators, and it'll be fun to be part of that community of artists.
"I would speak more, but I've been sworn to secrecy on some of the things I've got coming up. It's going to be exciting, fun projects that I've been wanting to do for a very long time!"
Here’s another great move by Marvel. Taking a great artist off another company and this guy looks like he will do a great job with any Marvel book he does and ULTIMATE X-MEN is a good start. I think the fans will like his cover art for the series. Of course getting him to do more work would be nice as well. There’s a few titles that could use him and I think he could provide a push for them if he joins these titles. I won’t say what they are now but I would like to see him do more. Great move by Marvel as I said. More to come I hope. MORE ON STARLIN
On his official Web site at Starlin.com Jim Starlin has set the record straight on THANOS.
"There's a lot of wild theories flying around on the Web as to why I quit THANOS," posted Starlin, "and I'm still not going to get into the matter. But I feel it should be made clear that Ron Lim had nothing to do with my departure. He was already approved and slated to be the book's penciler."
Starlin's last issue of the series will be April's #7, which he is currently finishing the script for. March's issue #6 will be the last issue he pencils, with Lim assumed to be starting with #7.
Now I actually am still trying to figure this one out. I haven’t found out why he left the title yet really. I will have to dig into this farther to find out more. I like Starlin and his work at Marvel I was a little shocked when I heard the news he was leaving a title of the character he loves the most to use. This was a shocking move and hopefully we’ll find out more on why he’s leaving. WOLVERINE/CAPTAIN AMERICA TO TEAM-UP IN FEBRUARY
Writer R.A. Jones and artist Tom Derenick have informed ComiX-Fan that their WOLVERINE/CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE CONTINGENCY mini-series, which was shelved in August is back on Marvel's publishing schedule for February, 2004. The four-issue limited series will ship weekly throughout the month.
You know I really like this idea a lot. Cap and Wolverine have been a good team before and a limited series using the two together again is a great idea. Of course they pushed this back to February but it’s back on the list. This should be a pretty good story to and if done right could lead to more stories like it. Being a limited series though many fans now wait till the trade paperback. Hell they could wait till all the issues are out to and get them together in a specialty type set at comic shops. Well my shop has that so I think others might do that to. Would be a good idea if they did. They sell well. Either way this should be a very interesting limited series. NEWS FROM WIZARDWOLRD TEXAS
There’s a few series in the works. Noted where DOCTOR STRANGE and BLACK WIDOW.
No new news on SPIDER-MAN/BLACK CAT but Joe did mention that Kevin Smith emailed him that it should be done sooner then expected.
Colossus is not coming back any time soon according to Joe.
Christopher Priest is doing a Captain America/Falcon story
There will be a major shake up for the X-books in the Spring. Most already know the new NEW X-MEN writer joins the staff then. But there is going to be some other changes as well. We’ll cover this as soon as we can get more news on it.
Alan Davis will be working on some kind of project for Marvel, the kind the fans like.
There might be a stronger Marvel presence at more conventions next year.
AVENGERS will be reverting to its original numbering with issue #90, which will be the 500th issue when counting all volumes.
THUNDERBOLTS will return in 2004 in a six-issue mini-series by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist Barry Kitson. Although the series may not be titled THUNDERBOLTS.
Another Neil Gaiman project is in the works, but nothing will be announced until the conclusion of Gaiman's current 1602 mini-series.
At the JLA/AVENGERS panel, series artist George Pérez announced that issue #4 will be delayed due to stress injury he incurred from the three weeks he worked on the cover to issue #3. Pérez said that the delay should only be about three weeks, and the issue should be out by mid-January
This week I'll give new readers a little leason on who's who in Marvel. Also a little fun here of course. Since I’ll just cover some of the titles and stars. I won’t go to far in depth with this because well I don’t feel like taking to much space and second I can always answer questions in the Marvel Handbook.
Let’s start.
AVENGERS: Earth's foremost organization of costumed superhuman adventurers dedicated to safeguarding the world form any threat beyond the power of conventional peacekeeping forces to handle. This group grows more and more every time we see it and changes rosters also
CAPTAIN AMERICA: Steve Rogers handpicked to be the test subject of a "super soldier formula" in WWII fights crime in the present.
CAPTAIN MARVEL: Genis-Vell the current Captain Marvel and son of the original fights villains in the modern Marvel Universe.
CRIMSON DYNAMO: This tale of this Russian hero who’s running away from the government in super advanced armor
DAREDEVIL: Matthew Murdock a blind lawyer puts on a red suit and fights crime in New York’s Hells Kitchen.
ELEKTRA: The story of a former girlfriend of Daredevil’s who has gone out on her own and continues her career as a mercenary.
EMMA FROST: A young Emma Frost learns of her powers and more before she joins the HFC and X-Men.
EXILES: a group of time traveling mutants/heroes who fix the time lines they go to. The team changes ever few missions.
FANTASTIC FOUR: an internationally-renowned group of superhuman champions (often dubbed first family of super heroes) based in New York City and dedicated to the betterment of the world through scientific discovery and defense against evil. Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and the Thing fight all types of evil.
HAWKEYE: Clint Barton the former Avenger and Thunderbolt and most proficient archer ever known fights crime.
HUMAN TORCH: The story of Johnny Storm the member of the Fantastic Four who goes on adventures.
(Inc) HULK: Bruce Banner hit by a gamma-bomb now turns into a big monster (green or gray) and tries to find as cure for himself while fighting other beings with gamma powers and more.
INHUMANS: a race of beings who diverged from mainstream humanity twenty-five thousand years ago as a result of genetic experimentation on primitive man performed by the alien Kree.
IRON MAN: Tony Stark fatally wounded in the heart by a booby trap and a piece of shrapnel was lodged in his chest developed an electronically-powered suit of armor equipped with offensive weaponry and whose chest plate served as a pacemaker-like device that would allow Stark's heart to continue beating when the shrapnel entered it. Now fighting crime as Iron Man with different armors for different adventures.
MYSTIQUE: Raven Darkholme the former mutant terrorist shape shifts her way through this series in which she accepts an offer to do top-secret missions for Charles Xavier.
NEW MUTANTS: The younger students at Xavier’s school are taught by four mutants who where par of the original cast known as the NEW MUTANTS: Moonstar, Karma, Magma and Wolfsbane.
PUNISHER: Frank Castle a former marine who sees his family killed goes on a killing spree after crime lords and more for revenge.
RUNAWAYS: Some children find out their parents are super villains and run away from home going on adventures of their own.
SENTINEL: a boy finds a giant robot and becomes a hero.
SILVER SURFER: Norrin Radd the former Herald of Galactus travels space and fights evil trying to make up for what he did for Galactus.
SPIDER-GIRL: the daughter of Peter Parker, Spider-Man fights crime in the future of the Marvel Universe
(Amaz/Spect) SPIDER-MAN: Peter Parker bitten by a radioactive spider fights crime in the Marvel universe.
SUPREME POWER: The story of an organization of superhuman champions who have banded together to safeguard their world, which is an extradimensional alternate Earth sometimes referred to as "Other-Earth" or "Earth-S".
THANOS: This mad man who has tried to take over the universe a few times tries to turn hero in an unlikely series.
THOR: The mighty god of Thunder has become the lord of Asgard after the death of Odin. Now he rules Asgard and protects Earth all at once.
VENOM: An alien symbiote which came to Earth with Spider-Man now is free on Earth to cause much havoc.
WEAPON X: offers mutants and other superhumans control or enhancement of their powers and asks their loyalty, This group goes on many missions for different reasons
WOLVERINE: a mutant who still has many mysteries of his past Logan fights villains and helps his fellow mutants the X-Men in battle.
X-STATIX: This group of mutants was formed for media attention, fame and money.
(Unc/New/X-Treme) X-MEN: an organization of superhumanly powerful and/or disfigured mutants that was founded by Professor Charles Xavier for two purposes-- first, to train such mutants in the uses of their superhuman powers, and second, to serve as a combat team that could defend humanity against a variety of threats, particularly attacks by superhumanly powerful mutants who use their powers for criminal ends. This group grows and changes more and more every time you see it.
That’s it for today. Very busy day of course. I expect we could have more weekends like this if the news would keep coming. Next week I’ll have the last feature. Viewer mail so send in your emails. I’ll do my best to put a few here. Reporting from the Marvel Universe this is Jim Trabold. Have a great week and Happy Thanksgiving.
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