Alright, at the retail summit in Baltimore Joe Q decided to reveal a bunch of Marvel info. While some of it sounds incredibly awesome, some of it also sounds incredibly stupid. Well, it's really just one thing that's an 11 on the stupid meter, but we'll get to that. On the other hand, the awesomest piece of news rates a 12.

Here's the link.

And for those who'd like it in capsule form, I'll go through it all right here.

• Alan Davis has signed an exclusive contract with Marvel and his first project will be to bring back Clandestine. I guess that's good news as I've heard nice stuff about the series, though I've never read it myself.
  
• Marvel will be illustrating classic novels. If this gets kids interested in classic literature, I'm all for it.
  
• Nova will be getting a new ongoing series written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning with no artist announced yet.
  
• Two dead characters are getting mini-series, Super Skrull and Quasar. I have no idea if they'll be resurrected or this will be just be in retrospect, but after their Annihilation appearances I'm really interseted in reading both.
  
• There will be two one-shots starring Galactus' heralds. A firelord/Terrax one and a Silver Surfer/Stardust one. Keith Giffen will be writing the Silver Surfer and Firelord stories.
  
• Somehow, in some way, Mighty Avengers will be linked to the soap opera Guiding Light. Yeah, you read that right. In an effort to get new readers, there's going to be a corssover. Mindnumbingly stupid idea comes to mind when I hear this.
  
• A new Spider-Man title will be here soon. Spider-Man family written by Sean McKeever will be bimonthly and feature various stories about Spider-Man's supporting cast and other Spider-Man related characters, possibly including Spider-Man 2099.
  
• Spider-Man will be making in a return to his old costume. That's right, his classic white and black costume. Apparently serendipitous timing considering the movie, this move has supposedly been in the works for a while. Maybe, just maybe, it won't even be Peter inside this costume. This means there might be two Spider-Men running around, which would help him quite a bit with all those guest appearances.
  
• The next event for Marvel in the summer of 2007 will be World War Hulk. Not spanning every other title, this event will be more self contained and will be lead into by Civil War. Greg Pak will be writing and John Romita Jr. will be on the art. My best guess for the story? The Hulk is back and he's pissed off.
  
• There will be a new Thor series being written by Joe Michael Straczynski. The whole idea of teens finding items turning them into the new Norse Gods has been changed to some degree. I'm personally hoping this new title will get JMS off of Amazing Spider-Man myself...
  
• Marvel has signed an exclusive deal with the Dabel brothers. I have no idea what they'll be working on, but their art certainly looks great.
  
• The newest team to get their own comic will be the Loners. C.B Cebulski will be writing it. Though it seems like a longshot, the story is supposedly strong enough to support it as a title. I think the last announcement will be what they really expect to boost its sales...
  
• Joss Whedon and John Cassaday will be wrapping up their run in Astonishing X-Men. No word on any possible replacement, but I for one wouldn't mind seeing the title go out with them.
  
• The new creative team on Runaways was announced with Michael Ryan on the art and Joss Whedon writing it. With Whedon on the book I'm hoping the book will finally get the audience it deserves and I'm sure he'll do a great job in keeping up the quality.

Whew, that's everything. Some big and not so big announcements, but I hope you all find something in there you actually liked hearing. The link has some of the art for a few titles (including black costume Spidey) and you can get links to various creators talking about their upcoming projects for further info.

I just have one thing to say about the Loners...

RICOCHET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*faints*

That surprise's me. If Whedon is staying on board I would have thought they'd put him on something more high profile (no offense to the Runaways), or if they are going to put him on one of the lower profile books Blade seems like a natural fit, but thats me....

When did Excelsior change there name to the Loners?

also...

Im still dying to see how Squirrel Girl is taking the Civil War incedent involving Speedball. As well as the toehr warriors.

Quasar and Super Skrull series???? I'm on board but I'll say this.


I think Quasar is not Wendell. It'll be someone else. And for me personally, that will suck hairy goat.

In addendum: I wonder if JMS will make Thor a totemic Thunder God. And then Jane Foster will have slept with Surtur or Loki....or both?

Sorry.

Whedon on Runaways? That's fantastic! I didn't think there could be anyone worthy of replacing Vaughan, but Whedon will fit in just fine.

Well, there goes my hope that Whedon would stay on Astonishing...but at the same time, there goes my indecision about finally picking up Runaways...

And who the heck thought crossing over Mighty Avengers and a soap opera was a good idea?

I figured "Passions" would be the comic book tie-in. Nice swerve with "Guiding Light."

Giving the quantum bands to a new character does not make that character Quasar. This isn't Green Lantern, where any number of characters can basically fill the role. Wendell's personality and approach to dealing with his role are more important than his powers.

What would Mark Gruenald say?

As a fan of Runaways, Loners sounds great. Ricochet has been a favourite of mine since the limited Slingers run.

The other stuff going on is all interesting. I've got mixed feelings toward the fact there might be two Spider-mans. On the plus side, it means that the whole "Iron Spider" thing isn't going to be just forgotten. On the negative side, didn't they do the whole "Spider Clone" thing once before and it didn't go down so well?

Thank goodness Joe Q got around to killing off silly concepts like the New Warriors so fantastic characters like Darkhawk can get their day in the sun.

I hear someone named Wolverine is possibly joining this group. Apparently he's a bit of a loner as well.

Whoooooaaa! Whedon is going to be perfect for Runaways! That's just about the only thing that makes the end of Astonishing and BKV's departure from Runaways palatable.

Thanks for the info!

I know what Marvel and the Dabel Brothers are doing together, at least one thing. Is anyone familiar with the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter novels by Laurell K. Hamilton? They've been adapting the first book to comic form. It was going to be released by just the Dabel Brothers (actually, the first issue was set to come out a few weeks ago), but at the last minute they struck up this deal with Marvel apparently. That's all I know. My mom works for Dabel brothers on this comic as a consultant. Stupid NDA...

Well, Reva was "cloned" on Guiding Light, so maybe that will be the tie-in?

This could go wrong in so many ways. I just hope that JMS avoids the temptation to re-invent the old "Dungeons and Dragons" Saturday Morning Cartoon series.