I’d been complaining a while back that Marvel wasn’t doing anything to advertise the fact that Spider-Man guest-starred in “Captain Marvel #10.” I felt it was a missed opportunity to prompt Spidey fans to sample my title. Well, CM editor Andy Schmidt felt my pain, and commissioned a new cover for #10 conspicuously featuring the wall-crawler, and pencilled by–get this–Alan Davis. Also, the cover for #15 is scheduled to be drawn by comics legend Neal Adams. As soon as I have visuals on either or both of these covers, I’ll post them here.
PAD
• 
first!
That’s good news. Looking forward to the Neal Adams cover.
Awesome. Kudos to Andy.
Alan Davis? Neal Adams? I think I’m gonna have to thank Mr. Schmidt.
You know, for all the other shenanigans around Marvel, it seems Tom Brevoort’s office has always stuck by this book.
PAD, from a retailer standpoint, tell Andy that we thank him from the bottom of our hearts.
Keep up the great work Peter, we have several people that are looking forward to Fallen Angels.
jeff
Glad Marvel editorial is supporting you with high profile covers on CM. Now can they lower the price back to $2.25? Or are Bill Jemas and Joe Quesada steamed they got their butts kicked in U-Decide?
Davis and Adams?!?!?!!
Awesome! Both those inspire great feelings and memories of some pretty amazing books! I can still remember Davis’ work on Excalibur. Some of the neatest and most stunning artwork of any age.
Tobin
-tpl
This is great news! Alan Davis is great! And something by Neal Adams? Simply fantastic! Hey, is Andy Schmidt the new editor on the book now?
Back when the Punisher made an early appearance in CM (and didn’t appear on the cover), a few of us brought up this same subject on the Tom Brevoort AOL folder. It just seemed like he didn’t think this was a big deal. In all fairness, he did mention that the cover was probably completed before the story was decided upon (but still, it seemed like it wouldn’t have mattered anyway).
That would be great if CM would go back to $2.25, but I’m sure it won’t. I still plan on supporting it though (I pretty much dropped all of the other titles that experienced price increases to $2.99).
Sorry, I have to as a smi-professional cynic.
You did make sure that Neal knows that cover is due in 2003, right?
It does sound great, though.
\\Hey, is Andy Schmidt the new editor on the book now?
Back when the Punisher made an early appearance in CM (and didn’t appear on the cover), a few of us brought up this same subject on the Tom Brevoort AOL folder. It just seemed like he didn’t think this was a big deal.\\
As I understand it, Andy Schmidt is a new assistant editor, part of Tom Brevoort’s office, brought in because Tom and Marc are busy with all the new Tsunami launches.
I’m really pleased that Andy is apparently such a stand-up guy. I think it bodes well for the book’s future.
These days Marvel is taking a completely lazy approach to covers. They no longer try to hint at what happens in the book; they just feature a nifty picture of the title’s main character. I’m sure it saves money somewhere, but I find it savagely boring. I can’t thumb through my collection and easily find a particular plot-point without having to flip through the pages.
I’m glad that you were able to get a cover more in the spirit of the old days. I wish more Marvel writers would address this.
I’m not a fan of the “generic” covers either. The cover should be a teaser of the story inside, hopefully making people want to read it.
DelMarch wrote:
These days Marvel is taking a completely lazy approach to covers. They no longer try to hint at what happens in the book; they just feature a nifty picture of the title’s main character. I’m sure it saves money somewhere, but I find it savagely boring. I can’t thumb through my collection and easily find a particular plot-point without having to flip through the pages.
Absolutely correct. Yet somehow, I can’t see as to how exactly it saves money to draw something so fancy looking as they are. Many of the covers are almost 3-D in the way they’re drawn, and I’d expect something like that to cost a lot. In other words, it would seem as if Marvel’s paying some artists a lot of money to draw such high-quality stuff, which is hardly at all what I’d call saving money.
Well okay, what’s so expensive about putting word balloons and captions on the covers? If they could do it in the past, then I can’t see what’s so hard about doing it today. Plus, is it really that hard to come up with covers that could incorporate live action photos as was done with two issues of The Flash and also Green Lantern co-starring Green Arrow back in 1971? In fact, maybe I should look around for some examples that I’d very much appreciate if they could be used on CM or other books that’re similar to what was done years ago. Let’s see…
Yeah, like that one in example, drawn by Adams himself, if I’m correct. Surely Marvel can’t come up with something like that, or at least allow the artists the freedom of coming up with a cover of their choice? I’d be very happy if they did. And can even CM try out something like this? It’d be terrific if they did.
Great editor!
Can’t wait for these covers!
The money is “saved” by the fact that if they use generic covers and solicit with generic copy, they can change the content of the comic much later in the process, and reduce the number of issues that would be returnable.
Also, a generic cover featuring the star character can later be turned into a t-shirt or a poster or other merchandise.
Alan Davis? YES!!!
Davis RULES!
>Davis RULES!
Wasn’t that an old TV Show with Johnathan Winters?
>>Davis RULES!
>Wasn’t that an old TV Show with Johnathan Winters?
I thought I was the only person who remembered that show. It also starred the amazingly talented Bonnie Hunt.
Schmidt deserves the praise he’s getting here. His efforts are a true sign of a great editor.
As to what Dave said, one need look no further than Marvel’s trade program: there’s not a single trade being published with an original cover these days, they’re all recycling covers from the monthlies — sometimes even covers that weren’t part of the series being collected (I’ve seen AMAZING SPIDEY covers used on trades collecting other Spidey titles, for example).
Hey PAD – make sure you share the new cover with the comic book “press”, before the order cut off date. In fact ask your editor if it can be put in Diamond’s weekly “product update” (it would be a fair fit considering it has a different cover artist than advertised…)
Wow! That sounds like they really are trying to make it up to you. And I’m glad to hear Captain Marvel is still moving on!
I really liked the past two issues featuring Thor. Although the art was a little cartoony, I suppose it fit the hijink of those two mosters. Plus it fit nicely into the current story-lines in regular Thor issues – about Thor being a tad off his rocker these days.
Oh, and I’m getting the Captain Marvel TPB tommorw! Please make sure they release more Captain Marvel TPBs. Like this upcoming Coven storyline, along with the Asgard issues. That sounds like a nice 2ed TPB!
>>>Davis RULES!
>>Wasn’t that an old TV Show with Johnathan Winters?
>I thought I was the only person who remembered that show. It also starred the amazingly talented Bonnie Hunt.
Also starred Randy Quaid.
Travis
Looking forward to seeing the two covers. A very pleasant surprise on both counts!
Hey PAD, now if you could just get Alan Davis to do the interior pencils on CM, I’d be a happy camper!
Shoot, I love anything that guy draws.
>The money is “saved” by the fact
>that if they use generic covers
>and solicit with generic copy,
>they can change the content of
>the comic much later in the
>process, and reduce the number of
>issues that would be returnable.
Since Joe Quesada has taken over I’m not surprised at the current genric covers which Marvel is using, especially considering Quesada’s background as an artist. I think this is more of a reason than fear of returns (Previews info is so sparse and plus, they rarely ever show covers these says).
Today’s Marvel covers may make some nice pinups, but in most cases they are not cover worthy. I especially dislike it when the cover has absolutely nothing to do with the insides (one Amazing Spider-Man cover featured Spidey crouching on a building’s gargoyle (in the rain), but inside the book Peter never even put on the costume (oh, and no rain either!). Also, it would be nice if the artist actually drawing the insides could do the cover as well.
I agree with Dennis V. The thing that really makes me sad about the covers is that they seem more concerned about being 3-D than anything else! Once again, it’s a case of style over substance.
Hey, I met Joe Q. at a convention about 10 years ago before he became EIC. Seemed like an ok guy. Not that he needs to be defended, but………he is trying to improve readership, maybe he believes the generic cover is easier to attract attention to the general consumer. I mean C’Mon….how many old covers with captions were ever really in the issue anyway, most weren’t even close. Think that would be more misleading. Can’t wait to see the Neal Adams and Alan Davis covers though. Thanks to Peter, Andy and Tom.