Marvel Comics Launches All-New 'Marvel NOW' Series
Marvel Comics is continuing its "Marvel NOW" initiative, focusing on a redesigned human race and a redesigned World War II hero team.
Last fall, Marvel began Marvel NOW to bring classic superheroes to today's new comic-book fans. The X-Men, Hulk, Spider-Man and the Avengers were among the heroes targeted. On Dec. 24, "All-New Marvel NOW" will begin. The campaign will continue through April.
"Our catalog rolls deep, and it's giving people fresh, new voices, breathing new life into characters that quite frankly just deserve their own spotlight," Axel Alonso, Marvel editor-in-chief, said.
All-New Marvel Now will continue story arcs that those new to the comic book world can enjoy. The campaign will also introduce new series, Inhuman and All-New Invaders, which will debut in January.
Some All-New Marvel NOW comic books will also include a digital code that will help fans catch up on the first issues of the story.
"If you haven't been reading Hulk or Captain America or Thor, here's a spot where you can start cleanly and get on board," Tom Brevoort, Marvel executive editor, said.
The first Marvel NOW campaign put the spotlight on characters such as the Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova. Marvel's latest installment of Marvel NOW will highlight characters like Silver Surfer, Black Widow and the Inhumans.
Inhuman, written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Joe Madiuerra, is a spin-off from the Infinity series. The Inhumans are a royal race of people who were exposed to a mist that gave them superpowers. They are led by the powerful Black Bolt.
"There is something alien in the Inhumans, something other, something not from around here," Fraction said.
According to Fraction, what makes the Inhumans unique is "the secret kingdom stuff, the weird powers, the mixture of science fiction and pure fantasy that makes up their history."
"You can tell the mark of a quality human being by their enjoyment of the Inhumans, like being a Velvet Underground fan." Fraction said.
The new campaign will see an update to the Avengers in "Avengers" No. 24 NOW, when the heroes have to deal with a planet that is heading toward Earth. The book will premiere in December.
Meanwhile, Captain America will recruit war-time pals for a new adventure: Buckey Barnes, now known as Winter Soldier, and the original Human Torch. Together they will star in All-New Invaders, written by James Robinson and illustrated by Steve Pugh.
"They answered America's call, went to war against the Nazi menace and fought side by side," Robinson said. "These guys were brothers-in-arms. As they move into more modern dramas, that link is a link you just can't undo. That will hopefully be the visceral element of this books' identity that will set it apart from the Avengers and X-Men."
According to Diamond Comic Distributors, Marvel NOW comics had the best-selling issues between Oct. 2012 and May 2013. In November, eight NOW books were in the top 10.
"My favorite thing is showing people why those characters that aren't necessarily household names like the Falcon and Silver Surfer should be, and why they're every bit as vital to the Marvel mythology as Spider-Man and the Avengers," Alonso said.
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