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Thank you, Marvel Comics! I was
sitting here scratching my head trying to decide what to fill this space
with and Marvel went and made a "major" announcement to give me
something to talk about.
Coming in April is a new "wave" of monthly titles named
"Tsunami" (don’t blame me for the puns) that use Japanese
storytelling techniques as a model. The goal of these new titles is to
attract a different audience than those currently buying Marvel’s
monthlies. Marvel has noticed that comics (specifically Japanese manga)
are selling to non-comic store customers (namely younger readers and
girls) in chain bookstores like Borders and Barnes & Noble. Rather
than trying to make girls read Avengers or Thor, Marvel decided to create
titles with a different emphasis on pacing and character development and
maybe even (gasp!) romance. If the top selling trade paperbacks in these
chain stores are Love Hina, Inu Yasha, and Gundam Wing, you aren’t going
to attract any new readers with another Wolverine title.
Marvel introduced their new wave with a series of teaser images on some of
the popular comic news websites. I have to admit that I was a little
disappointed once I actually heard the titles. But, it took me a day or so
to realize that maybe these titles aren’t necessarily "for"
me. So, rather than blast these books before reading them, I’ll hold my
opinion until April. (Wow, growth from a comic book store guy.)
"Namor" the Sub-Mariner has been in comics since 1939. He’s been
everything from a nazi-basher to a super-villain and now he’s going to
be a teenager. And he’s in love with a surface girl. (Okay, maybe I
haven’t grown *so much* that I can’t snicker at the Little
Mermaid-ness of this one.) The first issue is only 25 cents!! It’s
co-written by Bill Jemas and Andi Watson with art by Mizuki Sakakibara.
"Venom"
is going to be the sci-fi / horror title featuring everybody’s favorite
brain-eating
symbiote that used to be Spider-Man’s costume. This time, the symbiote
jumps from person to person. Written by Daniel Way with art by
Francisco Herrera.
"Sentinel"
features a sophomore slacker and the giant mutant hunting robot he finds
in his dad’s junkyard. (Okay, I saw this movie, too.) Written by
Sean McKeever with art by Udon Studios.
"Human Torch" promises more straight-forward fun and action than
some of these titles. It features the fiery member of the Fantastic Four.
Written by Karl Kesel with art by Skottie Young. This is the one
I’m most looking forward to!
"Mystique" is the blue-skinned shape shifter from the X-titles
(and movie) that hopes to feature "Alias" type adventures.
Written by Brian (Y the Last Man) Vaughn with art by Jorge Lucas.
"Runaways" is billed by Marvel as "Smallville meets Harry
Potter" and stars six young friends and the secret they share.
Another title written by Brian Vaughn, this time with art by Adrian
Alphona.
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And there you go. It’s not exactly "Peach Girl" or
"Cowboy Bebop" but it’s a different take than you normally see
from Marvel. And, as I’ve said in the past, it doesn’t hurt to TRY
something different to attract new readers. These are still Marvel
characters in the Marvel Universe doing Marvel-type things, just at a
different pace. Now, if only somebody could explain to me what
"Marmalade Boy" is...
John Steib
Collector's Edge WEST Store Manager
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All comments (c)2003 John Steib and may not be reproduced in whole or in
part, without written permission of the author.
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