Super Hero Squad: The Comic

So those promo images are, in fact, a one-shot. And there's a poster too.

$3.99, set in Super Hero City and... well... just read the press release:

Marvel is proud to announce that SUPER HERO SQUAD: HERO UP! One-Shot will be released in January 2009, based on the successful Hasbro action figure line featuring Marvel’s greatest heroes & villains. Written by fan favorite scribe Paul Tobin (Marvel Adventures: Super Heroes) and featuring art by the can’t-miss team of Marcelo DiChiara & Chris Sotomayor, this extra-sized one-shot features all your favorite Marvel characters. Experience the Marvel Universe like never before, as the heroes & villains of Super Hero City clash in epic confrontations! Take a stroll down to the Xavier Institute, past the FF’s Baxter Building…but don’t stray too far, because dastardly Doctor Doom’s domain is the next block over…! Plus, learn more about your favorite heroes with bios and more! This issue ships with two covers—one featuring the heroes of SSH and the other featuring the villains!

Also, don’t miss the SUPER HERO SQUAD POSTER, featuring all the heroes and villains of Super Hero City!

In 2009, comic book fans everywhere will be asking “Are You Ready To Hero Up?” and there’s only one place to find the answers— SUPER HERO SQUAD: HERO UP! One-Shot!



SUPER HERO SQUAD: HERO UP! ONE-SHOT
Written by PAUL TOBIN
Art & 50/50 Covers by MARCELO DiCHIARA & CHRIS SOTOMAYOR
All Ages …$3.99
FOC—12/18/08, On-Sale—1/7/09


SUPER HERO SQUAD POSTER
Poster by MARCELLO DiCHIARA & CHRIS SOTOMAYOR
24 x 36... $8.99
FOC—12/11/08, On-Sale—1/7/09

Marvel's December Solicitations

Still no sign of the fabled Super Hero Squad comic series in the December solicitations but what do we have?

Spider-Man Brand New Day Yearbook - apparently has OHOTMU style profiles that (many would hope) explains some of the post-OMB storyline craziness.

Venom Dark Origin 5 - so far the story has just made Eddie more of a creepy loser but who knows how the story will turn out.

Lots of solicitations are classified until after Secret Invasion 8, so there's many, many gaping holes for titles like Initiative, Ms. Marvel and Iron Man. The Fantastic Four Cosmic special is equally classified, but Marvel seems to be insisting that Sue is due to die. If she is, that would explain why they're pumping out appearances of the Lady Liberators in Hulk, She-Hulk and the She-Hulk one-shot.

Immortal Iron Fist 21 gives us yet another possible glimpse into yet another possible future. Some day I expect Marvel to do a Countdown Arena type story where various characters from various futures fight to the death. My bet for favorite battle? The Moon Knight of 2099 will team up with the Iron Fist of 3099 to battle Killraven (the first one) whose brain has been placed in a Deathlok unit.

The Marvel Apes series has had a few surprises but it seems like December's 0 issue, chock full of reprint goodness, is just a test to see how padded the eventual hardcover needs to be.

New Warriors, the title (issue 19 that is) features more of Thrasher's visit to yet another possible future, while New Warriors, the group (the originals that is) visit Nova in Nova 19. Between Avengers The Initiative, appearances in New Warriors and now Nova, the original New Warriors (or Counter Force or whatever Marvel's trying to bill them as now) are getting as much as, if not more, exposure than the group that has their name.

Marvel has fallen in love with one shots recently and this month is no different, with one shots for She-Hulk, Moon Knight (a Christmas special at that), Thor, Wolverine and Punisher receiving one-shots, and Dark Reign following up on Secret Invasion's aftermath.

Thunderbolts 127 is apparently setting the stage for a board clearing, game changing new line-up and things don't look good for Songbird. Poor Songbird.

What If is back with another set of one-shots, and Marvel's Noir series of mini-series kick off with Spider-Man and X-Men.

Marvel's Adventures line only offers up Spider-Man, Avengers, Fantastic Four and Super heroes this month, but Wolverine and Power Pack continues.

And wrapping things up, Guardians of the Galaxy and X-Men Kingbreaker are leading into the War of Kings.

Marvel's November Solicitations

As long-term readers know, we've been diligently looking at Marvel's fall solicitations for a possible Super Hero Squad comic book. It started in May when MSNreported on the upcoming video game and we noticed some problems in the reporting. Don't get us wrong, we think a Super Hero Squad comic sounds great, but Marvel's Marvel Adventures Line seems to be the closest we've got for now.

So while there is no Super Hero Squad comic listed in November's solicitations so far, there are a few interesting items.

First up, for family friendly fair, Franklin Richards new one-shot is Sons of Geniuses, the new Power Pack series will feature Wolverine, Amazing Spider-Girl continues with issue 26, MA: Spider-Man 45 features Doc Ock, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane 4 comes out, MA: Avengers 30 guest star's Tigra and promises a new team member, MA: Fantastic Four 42 features an election in Latveria, and MA Super Heroes 5 features Doctor Strange and Spider-Man fighting mystical creatures. Marvel Adventures Hulk and Iron Man both appear to be missing. Hulk's solicitations last months didn't indicate it was over, but the last time MA: Iron Man was solicited was for September, and then it was as Iron Man Golden Avenger 1.

Other than that, there's additional one-shots for Thor and Wolverine and the usual assortment of Secret Invasion books.

With the launch of a second Wolverine-related First Class that, like Wolverine Origins before it promises to be an exploration of Wolverine's history before joining the X-Men, The solicitation for Power Pack and Wolverine best sums up all the Wolverine issues this month.

"All right, bub. Gimme my appearance schedule for October..."
"Sure, Mr. Logan! There's your regular solo title, of course. Plus, the usual line-up of team books."
"So that's just UNCANNY, ASTONISHING, NEW AVENGERS and X-FORCE. No prob."
"There's also your side projects. ORIGINS, FIRST CLASS, MANIFEST DESTINY, another FIRST CLASS..."
"Uh huh. Anythin' else?"
"Don't forget cameos! Possibly AVENGERS/INVADERS... maybe a SECRET INVASION appearance..."
"Hmph. Sounds like a light month to me. Think I got room for one more book. You got anythin' FUN?"
"Actually..."

Of course, that ignores his Ultimate appearances in Ultimatum (with 1 and 2 shipping that month), a probably appearance in Ultimate X-Men, appearance in Marvel's Director's Cut of the Free Comic Book Day 2008 X-Men title, his Marvel Adventures Avengers appearance, Secret Invasion: X-Men 4, and of course his appearance in X-Men Legacy, which is tying up the crossover from Wolverine Origins and one of October's one-shots, which brings the total up to about 20 appearances, if all those cameos come through of course. Maybe he'll start making cameos in the Marvel Illustrated titles (Three Musketeers or Odyssey would both be good choices).

No SHS in Marvel's September Solicitations

Way back when we reported on MSN's report on the Super Hero Squad video game. We had some questions about the reporting, notably when it said "Marvel Comics is now featuring Marvel Super Hero Squad comic strips within several of its all ages books and will be introducing a dedicated Marvel Super Hero Squad comic book series in fall 2008."

The problem? Marvel doesn't feature Super Hero Squad comic strips anywhere, but does reprint some Mini-Marvels strips in the Marvel Adventures line, and nobody else referred to a dedicated comic book. The closest anyone came to was Hollywood Reporter's claim that there's an upcoming "book series" for the fall (Hollywood Reporter just says "the fall" while MSN said "Fall 2008").

Because of that report, we've been eagerly awaiting Marvel's Solicitations for any of the fall months. The bad news? September has come and gone without any sign of the Squad.

But of course we'll keep looking.

MSN reports on the Super Hero Squad video game

MSN has an article about the recent THQ video game news, but accuracy-wise... well, it has it's points. Here's a rundown, both high and low:

"Simon Phillips, President, Marvel International and Head of Worldwide Animation and Video Games, added, 'Licensing of the Marvel Super Hero Squad brand is a priority for Marvel, as we see it as a great entry point for kids to experience our renowned characters...'"

This quote reminds me of something I read on a forum once when the initial news of a cartoon came out. Someone said that their reasoning for not liking the show (based entirely on the fact that it uses Super Hero Squad as a name, complete with all the prejudices that come with it) was that as children's first experience to these characters, they're going to feel that other versions of the character (ie, comic book versions) are "wrong."

We've all met the type of fan who calls Morph his favorite X-Man, or who loves Spider-Man, but has only watched the movies. It happens, but does that mean Marvel shouldn't put out movies, cartoons, alternate universe like the Ultimates and Marvel Adventures, all because they don't want kids to see the "wrong" characters? What if Marvel believes the versions we love, complete with 40 years of baggage, Gwen Stacy's death, Karen Page's addictions, alien costumes from secret wars, mutant power enhancing drugs, a married Spider-Man, what if all that is considered "wrong" by Marvel.

Back to the article though: "An all-new Marvel brand, Marvel Super Hero Squad features an exciting, super-stylized look of the greatest Marvel Super Heroes, serving to expand the traditional Marvel audience to a core 4-10 year-old audience. Fun and humor are waiting around every corner in Marvel Super Hero Squad where popular characters including Iron-Man, Hulk, Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Thor, The Fantastic Four, and many more are thrust into adventures in a single caricatured Super Hero City. Along the way, they will have to thwart the plans of popular Marvel villains Doctor Doom, Magneto, Iron Monger, Loki, the Abomination and countless other infamous baddies."

For the FIRST mention of Spider-Man in relation to one of the SHS spin-off, and for mention of Iron Monger, this gets a heads up. One would assume, but should not take for granted, that if Iron Monger is involved in the video game or cartoon, a figure won't be too far behind, and Iron Monger may be the mysterious huge bad guy hand from last night's posted artwork. It would also make sense in giving Iron Man a bad guy to go against.

"Additionally, Marvel Comics is now featuring Marvel Super Hero Squad comic strips within several of its all ages books and will be introducing a dedicated Marvel Super Hero Squad comic book series in fall 2008. Marvel has already secured deals with Hasbro as master toy partner, Disguise/Cesar for dress-up and Mega Bloks for construction toys and continues to seek deals with industry leading partners to develop merchandise based on the unique look of the Marvel Super Hero Squad property."

Now, Mega Bloks has held the Marvel construction toy license for a while, which is one reason why Lego Spider-Man ceased to exist, and why we have those Spider-Man and Friends Duplo-sized playsets consisting of chunky mini-figs and tree-houses of 10 bricks, but it'll be interesting to see what, if any, Super Hero Squad construction toys are made, and whether they'll be "compatible" (whatever that means) with the current line.

The dress up information is just... well... interesting.

And finally, Marvel currently includes classic editions of its Mini-Marvels strip in it's younger Marvel Adventure books, so is MSN getting the Mini-Marvels and Super Hero Squad confused, or are they privy to upcoming information? After all, "The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995" according to their disclaimer. Still, Fall 2008 is the first we've heard of a date for the comic, so we may start seeing previews for it any time now.