THE MARVEL TO COME: MARVEL'S RETAILER PRESENTATION

**MattBrady** · 09-20-2005, 07:07 AM

While the major fan event of this past weekend was the Baltimore Comic-Con held on Saturday and Sunday, retailers stayed behind after the show for the Diamond Retailer Summit, where the Direct Market distributor and select publishers met with retailers and presented their upcoming plans.

The presentation that will probably be causing the most buzz for months to come – Marvel’s. Retailer W. Alan Davis of online retailer Silver Bullet Comics attended, and has posted his report at www.silverbulletcomics.com, which he has graciously shared with Newsarama.

Without further ado then – upcoming Marvel projects:

- An oversized Eternals hardcover collecting the original Jack Kirby series coming next summer.
- The reveal of Neil Gaiman’s next Marvel project – something related to the Eternals though little further was revealed - however, with the hardcover coming in summer, a safe bet of Gaiman's Eternals project debuting around the same time can be made.
- Next summer’s event – “Planet Hulk,” the seeds of which are planted in November’s Hulk issue.
- Sentinel Squad O*N*E – a five issue miniseries as part of Marvel’s “Decimation” follow-up to House of M by John Layman and Aaron Lopresti.
- X-Men: The 198 by David Hine and Jim Muniz, also debuting in January.
- The backup story appearing in the Ultimate titles in November and December was revealed as well – “Ultimate Vision” written by Mark Millar with art by John Romita Jr.
- Pasqual Ferry was officially named as a Marvel exclusive, as well as being the artist on the upcoming Ultimate Iron Man II miniseries, as well as an upcoming Ultimate FF/X-Men two issue crossover.
- The slightly retitled Supreme Power: Squadron Supreme debuts in March.
- Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s gap between their volumes of Astonishing X-Men will be relatively short, with volume II kicking off in February.
- Omega the Unknown by Jonathan Lethem and Farel Dalrymple is slated for release in summer of 2006.
- New Avengers will continue to have a rotating art team so that 14-16 issues are released each year. House of M artists Olivier Coipel is slated to take an arc after his work is completed on HoM.
- One of Mark Millar’s upcoming projects is entitled 1985, which will combine photography, art, and digital art. Reportedly, the story follows a kid through the year 1985 in the Marvel Universe.
- An Uncanny X-Men Omnibus is planned for a May release, in time for X3.
- In regards to Marvel Handbooks, the publisher will start up a 12 volume A-Z edition next year.
- 24 Essentials volumes (including Nova) are planned for next year, along with 18 Masterworks volumes.
- Also coming in terms of new editions - J2 will join with Spider-Girl in seeing digest collections of the seris released; also coming - “Maximum” editions, with Maximum FF named as the first, though little was said of the date or format.

Please click here to check out the art form the presentation, as well as further comments from Davis.

Hannibal King · 09-20-2005, 07:24 AM

More Essentials!!!! I love 'em. Keep 'em coming. Some of the best reads out there. Hopefully another Defenders volume, and maybe a Champions edition as well. And what would top it all off for me would be....

STARLORD!!

Can't wait to get these, have every volume they have done since day one.

Rorschach13 · 09-20-2005, 07:25 AM

What's a Marvel?

lol.

Lestat de Lioncourt · 09-20-2005, 07:27 AM

Holy Guacamole, Spider-Girl!

The Jack Kirby Eternals series was really good! I only read them all last year, #19 was hard to find, but I'd love to grab that HC! Big fan of the format! Also Looking forward to Gaiman's take on them!

Planet Hulk sounds good, just don't get Byrne to write it. I so don't have fond memories of the old Thing ongoing. Similiar story elements. Heh.

The Sentinels are getting much love lately, think they could be part of X3? Theyre a rock solid part of the franchise anyway so it's all good!

Is 198 a multiple of 12?

Millar and Romita Jr on Ultimate Vision!!

Pascual Ferry is such a favorite artist of mine, I'm so glad he's back at Marvel. I have such fond memories of the late-lamented Heroes for Hire. A series with great possibilities!

Glad to see the plans are carrying on with Omega, Supreme and Astonishing. Keep the MU going strong!

I was just thinking yesterday that NA should have rotating art teams! Bring JR Jr on for an arc! Or Ladronn!

1985, Millar's Marvels?? No coincidence that this is the year his favorite comics came out

Keep those Essentials, Masterworks, Handbooks and an occasional Omnibus coming Marvel!

Face Front, True Beleivers!

Marty4Magik · 09-20-2005, 07:39 AM

More Masterworks, woohoo!!
Great books, hope they come more often!

Posco · 09-20-2005, 07:45 AM

24 Essentials! That´s great. I love that stuff and the price point. Of course with Marvel bringing out 2 of those in a month n average and DC seemingly going for 1 Showcase a month this will still be expensive. But I will get them all.

I just hope that Marvel will stop changing the spine design all the time. My essentials are taking up several shelves by now which would look very nice if they wouldn´t have changed the spine design several times. A change over time wouldn´t be so bad if they wouldn´t do this even with titles all ready started. Some titles with 5 or six volumes out have sevral different sine designs so storing them next to each other somehow looks iritating.

Ah well, the content is the important thing here and there the essentials really score. I hope they will go for a good mix consisting of the continuation of classic series Spider-Man, Avengers etc.) and obscure titles (loved that they published all those monster titles). I don´t care so much about the collection of newer stuff like X-Factor or Wolverine but some in between are all right.

NeoXorn · 09-20-2005, 07:45 AM

Pasqual Ferry! Man that's good!

Severance · 09-20-2005, 07:45 AM

Two more mini-series spinning out of House of M - check 198 and Sentinel Squad O*N*E.
introduction of hero now made female - check Ultimate Vision.
teasing of next Summers big event - check Hulk.

Only looking forward to more Essentials - Savage Sword of Conan would be nice, Starlin's Warlock would be even better.

Rich L · 09-20-2005, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Severance
Only looking forward to more Essentials - Savage Sword of Conan would be nice

This at least is very unlikely; Marvel no longer holds the right to reprint Conan (hence why the Essential Conan is no longer in print). Dark Horse are a better bet.

From the presentation, all the Eternals stuff sounds promising, and Planet Hulk has me intrigued.

BrotherI · 09-20-2005, 08:01 AM

Nice. Good to see they're taking some chances.

joekelly007 · 09-20-2005, 08:15 AM

"sentinel squad o.n.e " = o.m.a.c

sigh.............

DC , STILL the ORIGINAL universe.

ScottSummers · 09-20-2005, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by joekelly007
"sentinel squad o.n.e " = o.m.a.c

sigh.............

DC , STILL the ORIGINAL universe.

Ha ha, yes, because the title of the book reveals all, and you know everything about it already. And, for your information, I do believe the Sentinels were way before the OMACS. So your wrong on both counts.

/rolls eyes.

**MattBrady** · 09-20-2005, 08:26 AM

folks - this is a thread about Marvel's upcoming projects. Can we keep the "DC rulz, Marvel sux" and presuming to know all about a project based on the title (not even judging a book by its cover) - and all the intellctual vigor that level of debate demands - until the usual page 3 or 4 of the comments?

MattB

boomboom · 09-20-2005, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hannibal King
More Essentials!!!! I love 'em. Keep 'em coming. Some of the best reads out there. Hopefully another Defenders volume, and maybe a Champions edition as well. And what would top it all off for me would be....

STARLORD!!

Can't wait to get these, have every volume they have done since day one.

but Essentials are b/w-pages...that would mean some amazing Satrlord adventures (I mean the Byrne drawn story) in b/w...

noooo..I am happy to have them all in their original incarnations

Don Mega · 09-20-2005, 08:36 AM

Is it true that Ultimate Vision will not be collected in a trade? Heard some rumors bout it.

That would definatly suck.

What´s this DC vs. Marvel BS about? Smart people enjoy both universes.

Christian Otte · 09-20-2005, 08:38 AM

Bruce Springsteen, Madonna
way before Nirvana
there was U2 and Blondie
and music still on MTV
her two kids in high school
they tell her that she’s uncool
cuz she's still preoccupied
with 19, 19, 1985

Blind Assassin · 09-20-2005, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by joekelly007
"sentinel squad o.n.e " = o.m.a.c

sigh.............

DC , STILL the ORIGINAL universe.

really...hmmm...then why did

OMAC #1 come out in 1974

while the first appearance of the sentinels came in 1965.

As for what is announced...Gaiman possible doing the Eternals has my interest piqued.

**MattBrady** · 09-20-2005, 08:59 AM

guys, seriously - take the "Mvl rulz DC sux" and its respective pwnage to Talk@ and go at it until your fingers fall off.

MattB

Blind Assassin · 09-20-2005, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MattBrady
guys, seriously - take the "Mvl rulz DC sux" and its respective pwnage to Talk@ and go at it until your fingers fall off.

MattB

I wasn't saying anything about Marvel vs. DC.or one company being better than the other-- I was merely pointing out a factual error another poster made above.

tomburgos · 09-20-2005, 09:23 AM

What the heck is a X-Men Omnibus?

Stewart · 09-20-2005, 09:26 AM

As far as I'm concerned the most exciting news in that presentation is that Death's Head 3.0 is being written Simon Furman, who originally created the character (back in the UK Transformers comic, back in 1987. It doesn't get any better than that.

Blind Assassin · 09-20-2005, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tomburgos
What the heck is a X-Men Omnibus?

It is a large collection of issues.

They did a Fantastic Four Omnibus HC a while back that had issues 1-30, I believe.

Rumor has it that there will soon be an Alias Omnibus, collecting all 28 issues of the MAX series.

I hope the rumor is true.

Severance · 09-20-2005, 09:26 AM

Quote:

originally posted by Rich L

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Severance
Only looking forward to more Essentials - Savage Sword of Conan would be nice
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This at least is very unlikely; Marvel no longer holds the right to reprint Conan (hence why the Essential Conan is no longer in print). Dark Horse are a better bet.

You're right, my mistake. Still they contained other Robert E. Howard stuff besides Conan, King Kull for example. I remember John Bolton doing some wonderful stuff. Didn't Chaykin do some Solomon Kane?

Johnny Triangles · 09-20-2005, 09:29 AM

I don't understand this sentence:

Quote:

- Also coming in terms of new editions - will join Spider-Girl digests, as will “Maximum” edition, with Maximum FF named as the first, though little was said of the date or format.

Is there a word missiing? What will join Spider-Girl digests?

Howard · 09-20-2005, 09:30 AM

J2 digests, the first in time for X3.