SPIDER-GIRL RETURNS IN AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL

[MattBrady]

As readers of Spider-Girl #100 are learning today, the last issue of the hereoine’s series is just that – only the last issue of that particular series.

As has become the familiar refrain - Spider-Girl lives again - and this time, it’s a little more stable than before.

In October, Marvel will launch The Amazing Spider-Girl #1 by Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema. And – for fans of the character who’ve felt Marvel may have dropped the ball along the line, or never really worked to promote the series, the publisher is rolling out the marketing wagon. Case(s) in point:

- The Spider-Girl Saga #0 which catches readers old and new – up on the character and her world, will come out two weeks before the new #1 issue.

- Ed McGuiness will provide a variant cover for #1.

- Posters featuring the cover to #1 are being readied for promotion.

- The Amazing Spider-Girl postcards are being prepared.

We caught up with Spider-Girl writer Tom DeFalco to get his take on this new lease on life for May Parker.

“This is truly the little comic that could,” DeFalco said. “I’ve told the same story time and again, mainly because I can’t believe it myself – this was supposed to be a one-shot character, one issue of What If?. When Ron Frenz and I did that issue years ago, we realized the character was fun, and thought we might do a sequel down the road. By the time the issue with May in it came out, we had already moved to other projects, and then, when Marvel asked us to do a comic series with her, I didn’t think it would work. I figured we’d get twelve issues, and we did that, and then we got the call to do six more…and basically, we did six more all the way up to #100.”

Though the cynics may believe the whole “end with #100 only to restart with a new #1” was a plan calculated and implemented by Marvel marketing, DeFalco joked that he certainly would’ve enjoyed if the cynics had come by his house to provide some comfort when Marvel informed the Spider-Girl team the series was cancelled.

“We were told it was going to be cancelled,” DeFalco said. “We were told it may come back, but we weren’t told that Marvel would be canceling it, only to start it up again. To me, though – I’ve been in this business for so long – it’s never official until they give you the actual assignment. Before that, it’s all talk. I’m not sure I fully believe that the book is even coming back this time [laughs].

“But going back a couple of months ago, they told us that, bottom line, these books are selling terrific in the mass market. We’re reaching an audience that everybody thought and still tend to think that comic books cannot reach anymore. But we’re doing it, and we’re doing it with numbers that are quite significant. That’s why Marvel continues to move ahead with Spider-Girl. Today, when people look at numbers, they tend to look at the Direct Market numbers, and judge form there, but that’s not the whole market anymore – lucky for us.

“When they had newsstands sales, Ron and I were routinely at the top of those sales, and we could be there again if we had a book that was actually gong on the newsstand, which, I think with the relaunch, this book will be on the newsstand again.”

As for some changes and tweaks when the series starts, Defalco noted that May Parker will have longer hair when things pick up in October, and that Frenz has adjusted the costume somewhat to make it a touch sleeker. “He’s been tweaking it all along to make it work better on a visual level,” DeFalco said. “And he’s used the time off to really go to town. He did some really wild designs, and then came back to something that most readers won’t even notice the change, but artists will.”

According to the writer, as he sees it, there will be about a two-month gap, storywise, between the end of Spider-Girl and Last Planet Standing and Amazing Spider-Girl #1, “although we’re not going to play that up.

“There will be a few love interests for May,” DeFalco added. “She’s actually going to spend some time being a teenage girl, with all the attendant heartaches that brings. One of the things we’re doing though, is that we’re approaching the first issue of Amazing Spider-Girl as if there had never been a Spider-Girl series – we’re hoping to bring in as many readers as we can with this. If you’re one of the ones who’s told us that you’ve heard great things about the series but never picked it up – here’s your chance. You may just discover that you like it. We approach comics in a very different way than a lot of comic creators, and feel that the readers’ time is very precious to us, so we don’t want to waste it. We don’t believe in decompression.”

[shady878]

Great news!!! Spider-girl fans rejoice, you guys and gals did it!!!
I know ill start picking this up!

Boo yah! First post!

[kingofcities]

Awesome!

Now how about some kind of ongoing Last Planet Standing title?

[Morocco_Mole]

Is May the kind of character that appeals to women who don't "like" comics?

I'm always looking for things for my wife to read...so far she has enjoyed Mouse Guard, Teen Titans Go!, and Spider-Man loves Mary Jane.

[Smegoogy]

Even tho I've never personally been able to justify buying in to this series on a regular basis, it's good to see that an "old-school" comic that is just FUN is out there and WILL be out there. When my daughter gets older, if she has any interest at that age, I will certainly be pointing her in this direction...which reminds me...maybe I should invest in some back issues...what a great way to learn to read, huh?

Thanks, Tom and Ron!

[Dman]

i loved the last line in the article...nice.

oh BTW, Spider-Girl is back

[lordlad]

So now, do we get a new Thing series or what ?

[Ace]

It's funny but one ofthe first comics I followed regularly as a kid was DeFalco's Thor, and I followed that off of a newstand.

[GOSD]

Awesome!

Best news of the day for me.

Now....

Everyone buy a copy!!

[j2lepew]

Excellent! I'm really glad to see Mayday still be around. I've been reading her adventures ever since that What If issue. And I'm glad Tom Defalco is still around. When writers leave a series many times, the characters tend to suffer--especially characters that a writer has initiated and knows what should be done with them. Of course, I don't think many people have commented how long of a run Defalco has had with Spider-Girl either. People mention Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and even Brian Bendis, but Defalco has had a great run as well with Spider-Girl.

Thanks, Tom, for a good series. It's nice to have a series that breaks from the death, doom, and turmoil that is associated with a Civil War and an Infinite Crisis (both of which I like, though) and to have a series that is just fun and exciting.

[Sirettx]

what is the surpise they have been talking about the ending and restarting of this title for months, just now we know WHEN the title restarts, but seriously we all knew that is was restarting

still dont think I will buy this series though, sadly Last Planet Standing has severely turned me off to the MC2 Universe

[ALIEN_freak_jimbo]

Congrats, SpiderGirl!
Very happy to see the book survive.

However, I have a small gripe, which as we all know is a requirement to be a fanboy who posts online: I'm a bit disappointed that they are relaunching it. It's awesome to see books hit the higher issue numbers. I hate it when Marvel/DC relaunch books with new #1s. Whine....whine.....whine......

[Howard]

Originally Posted by Morocco_Mole

Is May the kind of character that appeals to women who don't "like" comics?

I'm always looking for things for my wife to read...so far she has enjoyed Mouse Guard, Teen Titans Go!, and Spider-Man loves Mary Jane.

Maybe try getting her one of the Spider-Girl digests? and prior to the launching of Spidey Loves MJ as an ongoing book there were the two MJ mini-series also released as digests. Assuming you didn't know about them you can read about them here

I personally wish they'd ramp up production of the Spider-Girl digests a bit, v5 came out in January, v6 just came out a few weeks ago and v7 is listed for November.

[Ricochet]

great news, Im happy happy

[pmpknface]

YIPPIE!!! Way to go May! Can't wait to read #100, just finished Last Planet Standing (LOVED IT!!!) and I was strting to get really sad that this character was going away.

THANK YOU MARVEL!!!!!!

[chap22]

HALLELUJAH!!


this is such good news. one of the few well-written books that still feels like old-school Marvel and revels in its own knowledge that this medium is supposed to be entertaining AND fun. and DeFalco, Frenz, Buscema and Co. have just been knocking it out of the park lately. these last 10 issues or so are the best this book has ever been, and i've been shouting its praises since its inception.


BUY THIS BOOK, PEOPLE!!!!!!!! you won't regret it.

[CATMAN3]

Very Cool!

[J.C. Bakken]

Originally Posted by Sirettx

what is the surpise they have been talking about the ending and restarting of this title for months, just now we know WHEN the title restarts, but seriously we all knew that is was restarting

still dont think I will buy this series though, sadly Last Planet Standing has severely turned me off to the MC2 Universe

Don't listen to your inner nay-sayer. Buy Amazing Spider-Girl. Spider-Girl has been constantly good since I came abour with issue 62, and are now enjoying the Digest trades. And, even if Pat Oliffes art is the thing that turns you off, Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema is a great combo.
And I'm very glad that this series will continue along.


Also, when people talk about Stan and Jack, and then Bendis, they also talk about Bagley, which has done the art on Ultimate Spider-Man. But, DeFalco will soon have som major props for writing the series for as long as he has.

[BlueThunderArmy]

Very nice news. While I'm generally skeptical of relaunches, it makes some sense in this case—and the "Amazing" in the title is a fun touch.

[Unknown]

I know a way to get people reading this book:

Spider-Girl versus the Marvel Zombies.

[Red Turnado]

This is very good news! I have a nephew who I am slowly getting into comics, (he's ten and his mother and father does not want him into video games.) and his mother wants him to experiance strong female heroes as well. As "May" does not have a a "Wonder Woman" unrealistic body I am hoping she will let me introduce him to the Best Title Marvel puts out.



Bobb

[Jack Burton]

Can we get a new A-Next book?

[NightRiver]

Wow, great news! I got on the bandwagon very late (started with the digests) but was sad to hear that 100 was the last.

But now i can Continue with the digests and start on the new series! Woo!

Is she still in the M2 universe? I heard rumors that she will be put in the 616 universe.

[KyleCowstar]

I'm buying it.

[Goldenboy]

Woo! I'll be picking this up in 4 years when the digests for the first series are finished :-p

Seriously though, great news. I can see the logic of re-starting the title too, since a massive push with a new #1 will ensure good sales.