NYCC 2008: Mondo Marvel Panel

Written by: Ron Bricker

The first panel with any amount of fanfare would definitely be this Marvel panel.  The room boasted a steady flow of traffic (most with Skrull masks), but I’m sure most of that was in allegiance with Secret Invasion panel that immediately followed.
The panel was absolutely brimming: Axel Alonso, Steve Wacker, Marc Guggenheim, Dan Sloth, Greg Pak, Fred van Lente, Jason Aaron, C.B. Cebulski, Brian Reed, Duane Sweirzynski and Jim McCan.

Announcements:
Septermber is Terry Moore month!
Terry takes over Runaways.
Destroyer Max
Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker.
NYX is coming back!
Amazing Spider-man
Mark Waid!

Then the panel launched into a round of questions and answers.  Most were absurd and have been left out for the best…. Well… some have been left in.  When the panelists went out on a limb to drop some info, those have been bolded.  Enjoy.

Question: Will Marvel ever go simultaneous with digital and physical release?
No.  Physical comics will stay, at this time.

Question:  Avengers Initiative one shots?
Dan Slott:  Yes, we have one coming out soon.  It’s a real tear jerker, you’ll love it.

Question:  Any chance of the Reckoning War, next two years?
Dan Slott:  You never know, maybe?

Question: No smoking rule… why meth in Spider-man?
Answer: He uses meth, but it isn’t in a good way.  He doesn’t want smoking portrayed positively in any of his books.  We use swearing too much…”*&#!…” I’m not crazy about it.  It takes you out of the story, and it loses its effect.

Question: Avengers Initiative #7, a great solution for why Spidey’s identity could go under wraps… why not use it along with Mephisto?
Answer:  Avengers Initiative #7 is going to be worth a bunch of money!  Go buy it!  Some important stuff happens.  Remember that.  Anything that happens to Spider-man should happen in Spider-man books.  You need to wait for the pay-off.  People keep saying that 20 years of continuity is ruined.  No.  The only thing that has changed is the wedding day.  Stay tuned, it will be filled up.

Question:  Street Fighter’s coming back… any plans for Marvel vs Capcom?
No.

A huge amount of stuff will change because of Secret Invasion!  If the universe is even still standing!
Question:  Illegible nerd question!!!!
Applause…”HE CAN DO MATH, YES!!!”

Question:  If you were to make a toy version of Spidey’s webslingers, would that break as much as they do in the comics?
No.  And over the next few months, they won’t break at all in the comics either.

Question:  Why are my favorite books always coming out late?
Answer: Because they’re yours.  No.  Only a few bump back that much.  We are aware, and we’re trying to overcome with ins and specials.

Question:  Are you ever going to delve into the evil baby thing in Cable?
Yes.  It will be a worst-case-scenario situation.

Question:  New Iron Man book, redemption book…?
Yes.  We are so damned jealous of the things coming up for this book.  They’re going to be great.
Invincible Iron Man #1 preview (8 page) will be going up extremely soon (tonight or tomorrow).  Check it out.
Covers are arguably the most important part of a comic.  They need to standout.  Marvel tries to make their covers as outstanding as possible.

Question:  Any plans for Man-Thing?
Answer:  Not currently.

Question:  Anymore plans for Juggernaut?
Yes.

Question:  Will Aunt May ever realize she hooked up with a Skrull.
Answer: Only after the pregnancy.