Released by Marvel today in anticipation of the Retailer Appreciation Breakfast, we now have a title that says “SUPERIOR” with no writer or artist names attached. It’s looking to be a NYCC-based announcement that Marvel wants to keep under-wraps, and if it’s what I think it is then that makes sense.
See, here’s the thing: with things like this, rampant speculation is par for course. Newsarama is guessing Marvelman, which makes sense as Marvel filed for new Miracleman trademarks. ComicBookResources thinks the same thing, and again, it makes sense. Bleeding Cool is guessing it’s Millar-related, what with him having written a book called “Superior” and all.
However, I’d heard from a reliable source that the potential for a Spider-Man relaunch was around the corner, and our source has already been right about two Marvel NOW! books — which leaves me inclined to believe that yes, that’s a possibility. I’d love to see something done with the Marvel/Miracleman property already, but I’m not willing to believe that this is what’s going on. Not yet, anyway.
So, just to be different, I’m going to go ahead and throw the Multiversity hat in the ring and make a wild guess that this is the rumored Spider-Man relaunch. After all, this will supposedly be the biggest new launch for Marvel in 2013. What bigger way to relaunch than to give a book that’s about to hit issue #700 a brand new title and a new #1? And if you’re going to save an announcement for NYCC, why not have it be about the New York hero?
Looking at the solicits for upcoming Spidey issues only adds fuel to the fire. The October Marvel solicits note “Dark times are coming for Peter Parker and change is closer than you even fear” and “As we aim headlong to ASM #700, The Kingpin‘s latest plan turns one of Spider-Man’s greatest strengths against him,” while the solicit for issue #698 reads “The end of Spider-Man’s world begins when Doctor Octopus discovers who Peter Parker really is” and “(Fifty years goes by much…too…fast.)” Is it at all possible that we’re actually going to see the end of Peter Parker as Spider-Man at the hands of Doctor Octopus in the Marvel 616 somehow? And that whoever replaces him might be … Superior? I’ll guess: yes.
So there you have it, folks. “Superior Spider-Man.” Let’s see what happens.
