Why Marvel doesn't publish MCU comic adapdation?

[Morsoth]

Why these books doesn't exist is something I cannot understand... I know that in the 1990's, all the DC Batman movies got a comic book adaptation, (damn, even Catwoman got a comic book adaptation!) and I loved these! They don't add much to the story, but it's fun to rediscover the movie in an illustrated form.

Marvel publish the "Prelude" tie-ins before each MCU movie, but why don't they also adapt the movies themselves in comic book form? Not sure if it could appeal to many here, but I think it would sell well. Anyway, personally, I would be very interested in buying more Earth-199999 comics!

[Starter Set]

it does sound like easy money true enough.

[Vic Vega]

They did do some.

There was a Iron Man comic (I am Iron Man!) that was a prequel to Iron Man 2.

Then there was Nick's Big Day, which follows Samuel L. Fury up to the point where SHIELD finds Cap.

I guess they either didn't do that well sales wise, or it got harder for Marvel to find artists who could draw reasonable likeness of the actors involved.

[Prof. Warren]

I imagine they don't do movie adaptations like they used to for the same reason that DC doesn't - movies are so readily available in home formats.

Movie adaptations used to be made back before movies could be owned on VHS or DVD. They still lingered on into the home format era for awhile but eventually trickled off as a product of an earlier time. It used to be that comic adaptations of movies were the only way for most fans to "own" the movie. Movie adaptations do still pop up here and there - like they just did the Rogue One book, I think. But it's a rare thing now just because the times have changed.

[Morsoth]

That's right, they did a Star Wars Rogue One adaptation lately... Well, maybe you are right, maybe I'm just being nostalgic!

[vitruvian]

Why these books doesn't exist is something I cannot understand... I know that in the 1990's, all the DC Batman movies got a comic book adaptation, (damn, even Catwoman got a comic book adaptation!) and I loved these! They don't add much to the story, but it's fun to rediscover the movie in an illustrated form.

Marvel publish the "Prologue" tie-ins before each MCU movie, but why don't they also adapt the movies themselves in comic book form? Not sure if it could appeal to many here, but I think it would sell well. Anyway, personally, I would be very interested in buying more Earth-199999 comics!

Don't know if you've noticed, but the Prologue tie-ins are basically adaptations of the previous movies that led up to the one about to come out. So, the short answer to your question, is they do publish adaptations, just not under the titles you would expect.

[WebLurker]

That's right, they did a Star Wars Rogue One adaptation lately... Well, maybe you are right, maybe I'm just being nostalgic!

Star Wars does get their comic book adaptations.

As I understand it, a lot of the MCU prelude comics just retell the movies. E.G. Spider-Man: Homecoming was just an adaptation of Civil War with a couple of bonus scenes.

[Morsoth]

Don't know if you've noticed, but the Prologue tie-ins are basically adaptations of the previous movies that led up to the one about to come out. So, the short answer to your question, is they do publish adaptations, just not under the titles you would expect.

Well, I really would love to get a comic book adaptation of Doctor Strange (I already have the 2 different novels) just too bad they never did it in comic form for him (yet). I have the 3 Prelude tie-ins comics and the inspired "Mystic Apprentice" OS for now.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I rather have more stories set in that universe rather rethreading what the films did. Showing what happens after the film could ve fun but i could see them being limited by the movies in what they could do.

[Derek Metaltron]

They included adaptions within preludes, mostly. I Am Iron Man! was an adaption of the first Iron Man film, they also adapted Iron Man 2 and 3 I think. First Avenger was adapted as a Prelude for Winter Soldier's release, as was the original Thor for Dark World's release. But there were also proper preludes done for some of those movies.

The prelude for Ragnarok currently is adapting both Incredible Hulk and Thor: The Dark World as well.

[Digifiend]

Yeah, as a general rule, new characters get new preludes, sequels get adaptations of the previous film.

• Phase 1:
  
  • Iron Man: I Am Iron Man
  • Marvel's Iron Man 2 Adaptation
  • Iron Man 2: Public Identity
  • Iron Man 2: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1
  • Captain America: First Vengeance
  • Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger Adaptation
  • Marvel: The Avengers Prelude: Fury's Big Week
  • Marvel: The Avengers: Black Widow Strikes
  • Marvel's Thor Adaptation
  • Marvel's The Avengers
• Phase 2:
  
  • Marvel's Iron Man 3 Prelude
  • Marvel's Thor: The Dark World Prelude
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier Infinite Comic #1
  • Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Prequel Infinite Comic #1
  • Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Prelude
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron Prelude: This Sceptre'd Isle Infinite Comic #1
  • Marvel's Ant-Man Prelude
  • Marvel's Ant-Man - Scott Lang: Small Time Infinite Comic #1
  • Ant-Man: Larger Than Life #1
• Phase 3:
  
  • Marvel's Captain America: Civil War Prelude
  • Marvel's Captain America: Civil War Prelude Infinite Comic #1
  • Marvel's Doctor Strange Prelude
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Adaptation
  • Marvel's Spider-Man: Homecoming Prelude
  • Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok Prelude

You'll find links to descriptions of them all under comic tie-ins here: http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Earth-199999

[dragonmp93]

Isnt that what they have been already ?.

[Morsoth]

Yeah, as a general rule, new characters get new preludes, sequels get adaptations of the previous film.

Oh great, thanks for the explanation!

Isnt that what they have been already ?.

I just bought the Doctor Strange Preludes, so I wasn't aware of that rule.

[Kaijudo]

I feel like they'd kinda be throwing money away. The movies are based on the Marvel Comics universe, which continues to run and function (though quality certainly comes and goes) for a long time. Most comic fans want to read about that universe, not one based on movies inspired by them. And since the idea of movies bringing new readers to comics hasn't really panned out, there doesn't seem to be much reason to create a book that would cater to those people.

[Ascended]

I feel like they'd kinda be throwing money away. The movies are based on the Marvel Comics universe, which continues to run and function (though quality certainly comes and goes) for a long time. Most comic fans want to read about that universe, not one based on movies inspired by them. And since the idea of movies bringing new readers to comics hasn't really panned out, there doesn't seem to be much reason to create a book that would cater to those people.

I do think there might be a market for OGNs set in the MCU.

The issue with comics in the MCU is that you're very limited in what you can do. You'd have to run everything by the people behind the MCU to make sure it lines up with their plans (and potential plans). And given how tight-lipped the MCU is, even getting an answer to "Do you ever plan on using Beta Ray Bill?" would require security clearance to rival nuclear code access. That's a lotta red tape.

But maybe what you could do without as much hassle is fill in the blanks between films. For example, at the end of Age of Ultron we see Steve and Nat assemble the new Avengers. We don't see them again until Civil War, where we get one scene with only part of the team. What happened between those moments? And where were the Avengers when Ant-Man fought Falcon? Or when Thor fought Malekith in London? OGN's could answer those questions (not that some of the comics haven't).

You could also use them for the crossovers we'll never get to see in live action. There are legal and contractual limitations that prevent the tv characters from showing up in the movies (as well as Fiege not being down for it, I hear) or vice versa. But comics could likely bypass those problems. So if you want to see Daredevil get approached by Iron Man about Avengers membership, or see Quake team up with Captain America to take down a Hydra base, this is the format it's gonna happen in.

I think the way to do it is with OGN's and not mini-series. Mini's are just going to reach the same audience the regular comics do, and selling 100K copies isn't worth the effort when you can do MU original work. Treat the MCU OGN's like DC's Earth-1 series; high production value with name creators, and distributed and marketed in bookstores not as comics, but in the sci-fi/fantasy novel section. DC's been pretty successful with the E-1 books, and this is the distribution method most likely to reach the movie fans not already reading comics.