Marvel Comics, who recently acquired the rights to Marvelman, will begin publishing the character this June, kicking off with the Marvelman Classic Primer, - a feature-based magazine introducing readers to the world of Mike Moran and his mighty alias including new pin-ups by today's artists.Then, in July, issue one of Marvelman Family's Finest appears, reprinting vintage material from the 1950s. Also, a hardback book, Marvelman Classic Vol.1 Premiere, reprinting Marvelman's original adventures in chronological order.
I have to wonder if there's still a sufficient nostalgia market for Marvelman for these books to sell. There seems to be little interest amongst fandom itself for the pre-Alan Moore stories, and even if it was marketed to the general public would the original readers, now around 60 years old, be interested in shelling out for an expensive series of hardbacks?
Incidentally, the image above, one of the covers to the Primer, is said by Marvel to be by Mick Anglo, but Dave Gibbons posted on Twitter yesterday that it's the art of Don Lawrence. I'm inclined to accept Dave's word as he knows his stuff, so I hope Marvel do their research when they publish the books and give Don Lawrence, Denis Gifford, Norman Light, etc due credit for their contributions.
Here's the full info for the comics from Marvel's website:
Marvel is proud to announce the return of Marvelman to shelves everywhere with the release of MARVELMAN CLASSIC PRIMER #1 in June! Who is the mysterious Marvelman? And just why is he one of the most enduring super heroes of all time? The answers arrive in this commemorative one-shot featuring interviews with creator Mick Anglo, superstar Neil Gaiman and more who contributed to this character's history over the years! Plus, get all-new pinups of key Marvelman characters by superstar artists Mike Perkins, Doug Braithwaite, Miguel Angel Sepulveda, Jae Lee, Khoi Pham and Ben Oliver! This landmark issue features two covers--one with the timeless art of Mick Anglo and another with the now-iconic rendition of Marvelman by Marvel Editor-In-Chief--and superstar artist--Joe Quesada!
Then, in July, thrill to the debut of MARVELMAN FAMILY'S FINEST #1, a new ongoing series reprinting Marvelman's greatest adventures for the first time in the US! Plus, no comics fan can miss MARVELMAN CLASSIC VOL.1 PREMIERE HC, reprinting Marvelman's earliest adventures in chronological order!
Now's your chance to learn just why Marvelman is one of the most important characters in comic book history-it all begins in MARVELMAN CLASSIC PRIMER #1, this June!
MARVELMAN CLASSIC PRIMER #1
Written by JOHN RHETT THOMAS
Cover by JOE QUESADA
Variant by MICK ANGLO
Rated A ...$3.99
ON SALE IN JUNE!
http://marvel.com/news/all.11747.marvelman_returns_in_june
Completists might be interested but I think they'd have a better chance if it looked remotely likely that the Alan Moore stuff was coming back into print any time soon, and the Gaiman continuation resuming along with it. As far as I can tell, unless something significant has changed in the past five months, it doesn't.
ReplyDeleteHi Lew,
ReplyDeleteYou may be interested to know that I lettered the sample pages which were part of the presentation to MARVEL when they were considering acquiring the character. I of course take full credit for the success of the negotiations. (Hee hee.)
This has got "turkey" written all over it...
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with you Lew, that I don't think the nostalgia market is strong enough to support these books. Not in an expensive prestige format either.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not the US market anyway, as it's over a decade and a half since Miracleman last appeared (Gawd! is it that long?) and dare I say it, the L. Miller & Son Marvelman ain't a patch on Moore's Warrior Marvelman.
As a nipper I remember picking up a couple of annuals of Marvelman at jumble sales in the 70s and even then it was just a curiosity and not a keeper.
I look forward to being surprised but I won't hold me breath.
All my best,
Derek
Here's a character very few know about and even fewer care about.
ReplyDeleteYou cannot get away from his obscurity or the massive debt he owes to the superior Captain Marvel or Superman, I'm sure Alan Moore and Gaiman did good work on him but it still doesn't make him a good character who has a mass appeal.
Superman archetypes are a penny a dozen and Marvel have more than a couple already so what the hook for Marvelman is going to be in the context of the company will be a real uphill battle in my view.
Needless to say I won't be spending any of my money on this vanity venture.