As I've said in interviews, Superior has been a
really hard book to promote.
The creative team on this title has worked very hard to end
each issue with either a big status quo change, twist, or cliffhanger.
And in order to protect those, it's always hard to talk about what's coming up
next without spoiling future developments.
Quick example: If you haven't seen the cover to SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #7-- if it were up to me-- I'd rather you
didn't, because that cover and solicitation does give an upcoming thing away.
But the flipside to that would be
not having some of the cool stuff on the inside of the book being reflected on the outside.
I even feel like the cover to SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #4 gave away too much.
Imagine if for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #122, The Night Gwen Stacy Died, if that cover appeared in a catalog that every fan could read three months ahead of its release. That would suck, right?
Is what we're doing here on par with that classic by Gerry Conway, Gil Kane, and John Romita Sr.?
Dear God, no. :-P Of course it isn't. But you get the point I'm trying to make, right?
I think a lot of the success of the original Superior run
did hinge on us freaking everybody out with the twist at the end of ASM #698, and then everyone coming along for the ride after that. If we'd blown the twist there ahead of time, reading that story wouldn't have had nearly the same impact.
Me
not talking about Superior is
because I care about the story that Mark, John, Edgar, Joe, MR, Ellie, and I are telling.
I want you to get the most out of each issue and experience everything fresh on your first read through.
I
can say that Mark's pages have been stunning with each and every new issue! I'm very proud of SSM #5 (out on March 27th). SSM #6 is one of my faves -- fans of Anna Maria Marconi... you NEED these next two issues. I can't wait to see what Mark makes of the plot for SSM #7 (there are some... things that happen there that are very... unnerving). And I'm already starting to break down the issue after that... But I feel like even though I'm being vague about things, I'm beginning to say too much. Again, this is a damn hard book to promote.
That said... Here's PART of an unlettered panel for SSM #5. Happy? ;-)
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