Marvel Wants to Replace Spidey with Iron Man as New Flagship Character

[cyberhubbs]

Really? It seems simple to me. Top of the universe usually means you get the best artists and writers on your title, and you are probably selling in the top 10. If you are one of the top selling books, then you are in no danger of cancellation. Ergo, if you want to continue reading about your favorite hero uninterrupted, then you want them "at the top."

If your favorite hero is for example Moon Knight (certainly NOT at the top of the universe) you are probably tired of the constant cancellations and reimagining of the character, and hoping that THIS change will be the one that actually sells.

That's usually the wrong reasons, honestly. Top artists and writers don't necessarily mean the best writers and artists for the title. Just means the guys who do get put on those titles probably get paid more.

[Highland Chicken]

If the Spidey comics mattered why give Tony the centerstage of the marvel new comics

The same reason Marvel lets captain marvel continue despite it being in cancellation numbers for ages: To promote the movies.

outside of comics Spidey is always the second comer to Ironman and the Avengers,

The chart I posted earlier quite literally proves the opposite.

he's like robin status now.

...what?

[jimishim12]

The same reason Marvel lets captain marvel continue despite it being in cancellation numbers for ages: To promote the movies.

The chart I posted earlier quite literally proves the opposite.

...what?

I mean't in-universe and as a character protagonist perspective.

[MajorHoy]

By the way, some selected results from the Top 300 Conic Books list for April 2015 (http://icv2.com/articles/news/view/3...ual-april-2015):
11th = SPIDER-GWEN #3 - 102,234 copies
12th = AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #17 - 99,964 copies
13th = DEADPOOL #45 (250TH ISSUE) - 96,897 copies
18th = AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #17.1 - 68,907 copies
21st = AVENGERS #44 - 62,939 copies
23rd = AVENGERS ULTRON FOREVER #1 - 60,351 copies
24th = SILK #3 - 58,755 copies
29th = NEW AVENGERS #33 - 55,437 copies
40th = AVENGERS #43 - 47,200 copies
55th = NEW AVENGERS ULTRON FOREVER #1 - 42,349 copies
78th = SUPERIOR IRON MAN #7 - 34,440 copies
80th = RETURN OF LIVING DEADPOOL #3 - 34,220 copies
93rd = SPIDER-WOMAN #6 - 32,041 copies
94th = SUPERIOR IRON MAN #8 - 32,006 copies
97th = SPIDER-MAN 2099 #11 - 31,665 copies
103rd = MILES MORALES ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #12 - 29,318 copies
104th = AVENGERS OPERATION HYDRA #1 - 29,302 copies

[Huntsman Spider]

It should be mentioned that in DC, the various Robins are among the top popular characters in the universe and fandom. Dick Grayson is the most iconic, especially for having long since moved beyond Robin to his own heroic identity of Nightwing and having even assumed the mantle of the Batman himself at least twice, not to mention being a founder and leader of the Teen Titans, DC's most iconic and popular superhero team that isn't the Justice League, and the most trusted, respected, and liked hero in that setting that isn't Batman or Superman. Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and most recently Damian Wayne all have their shares of fans and great character development, with Jason being the somewhat black sheep of the Bat-family as a rogue vigilante who's not afraid to kill and struggles to find his place in the world after his resurrection, Tim maturing into a figure with the analytical and strategic skills to possibly surpass Batman himself once he reaches full adulthood and succeeding Dick as the leader of the Teen Titans, and Damian growing into a genuine hero who has actively rejected the side of his lineage that comes from Ra's al Ghul to embrace his father Batman's ideals. It's a great disservice to both them and Spider-Man to suggest that Spider-Man having the same status as the Robins is a downgrade on his part, when the Robins, especially Dick Grayson for reasons already explained here, are the most iconic figures in DC that aren't Batman or Superman in the same way Spider-Man is the most iconic figure in Marvel that isn't Wolverine or Iron Man.

[Shinglepants]

Please don't start a Spidey version of the CompleX thread, the original is embarrassing enough.

I see no reason to worry. Spidey is a huge seller and a massive part of Marvel's history, he'll always have is book printed. As long as that's the case, why worry about status?

[Vegeta]

Spidey is now for the same demographic as My Little Pony and other kid shows, do we really want a Kid Appeal Spidey that is treated like Ultimate Spider-Man show. Spidey used to be the cool hip hero for grown ups cooler than batman and superman now people are calling him a g rated deadpool with no sense of puberty.

I don't see how the marketing is any different for Spidey than Iron Man. Both have adult sized T-shirts and high end merchandise, and both have kid sized attire and Playskool kid toys as well. "Iron Man's Armored Adventures" wasn't any more "adult" in tone then "Ultimate Spider-Man" (in fact it starred a Teenage Tony Stark and Pepper Potts, they reinvented him specifically to be MORE kid friendly then he usually is). Iron Man's movies and comics aren't rated "R" with sexy adult situations while Spidey is "G" rated audiences only.

If I hang up an Iron Man poster in my living room, I'm going to get the same mockery from my non-comic book reading friends that I would receive if it were a Spidey poster. It's not like they look at it and go, "Oh Iron Man, your clearly a well adjusted adult!" and then look at my Spidey poster and say "Spider-Man? What are you, a BABY???"

They are both equally lame in a non-fanboy's eyes.

[Vegeta]

That's usually the wrong reasons, honestly. Top artists and writers don't necessarily mean the best writers and artists for the title. Just means the guys who do get put on those titles probably get paid more.

True, but it does mean they have had some success in the past, apparently they have written something to inspire a sense of quality in their work. You put someone like Neil Gaiman on your title, it's going to generate buzz and you'll at least see a spike in sales on the first couple of issues.

[SpiderNerd]

This is no surprise. In all honesty, I think Iron Man has been the lead for several years already. It's not really a change.

[Cosmic Spider]

Yeahh, Spidey ain't sweatin' it.

Spider-Man is a modern myth. He is embedded in our cultural consciousness and beloved across the World.

Iron Bland has had a couple of good movies; but there isn't any way that he is going to match or exceed Spidey's overall popularity. Brevoort is certainly entitled to his fantasies; But, One might as well claim that Iron Bland is going to eclipse Batman or Luke Skywalker in popularity.

Heck, I am even considering spreading my personal belief that Mephisto is really the Easter Bunny. It's just as likely.

[Aruran.]

Amazing Spider-Man Vol 3 #1 had over 500 000 preorders, let's see how the new Iron Man series does before jumping to a conclusion.

I will say that if you get Iron Man on the same level of Spider-Man and Wolverine, then you can make Iron Man apart of every team and not Spider-Man. Which can help Spider-Man stories stay grounded.

[boots]

i can't really understand why people have an issue with this.

[Aruran.]

i can't really understand why people have an issue with this.

Insecurities.

The only issue I can think that could happen (so not likely) is Spider-Man declining in a massive amount of quality where the sales put it out of the top 100.

[CrimsonEchidna]

Yeah, it's not going to work. Spidey is leaps and bounds the most marketable hero world wide.

[Frontier]

I don't see how the marketing is any different for Spidey than Iron Man. Both have adult sized T-shirts and high end merchandise, and both have kid sized attire and Playskool kid toys as well. "Iron Man's Armored Adventures" wasn't any more "adult" in tone then "Ultimate Spider-Man" (in fact it starred a Teenage Tony Stark and Pepper Potts, they reinvented him specifically to be MORE kid friendly then he usually is). Iron Man's movies and comics aren't rated "R" with sexy adult situations while Spidey is "G" rated audiences only.

Though I think Iron Man Armored Adventures took itself far more seriously than USM does most of the time, and didn't insult my intelligence quite as much .