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

[powerpackers90]

"While the masked head of Spider-Man has historically been most associated with Marvel as a defacto mascot, in the last ten years in every field outside of publishing Iron Man is Marvel Comics. If you’re talking about the people who see the films, buy the t-shirts or merchandise, watch the television shows, it all comes back to Shellhead. We’re going to make a concerted effort with 'All-New All-Different Marvel' to make Iron Man the forefront of the comic books’ universe as it is elsewhere."

Yeah I don't care if marvel pushed Tony more now. My only complaint is him out right trying to down play Spider-man again. if you asked people what comes to their minds first when you think Marvel, they will probably say Spider-man, followed by The Avengers as a whole.

[MajorHoy]

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

I can think of someone who might be considered "more marketable".

[SuperiorIronman]

Seriously guys? The spider merch isn't going anywhere. Yeah how dare Marvel promote another popular character, give me a break. Iron man has high movie popularity and is one of the more famous Avengers. It is completely understandable Marvel would promote Iron man content similarly to spider-man. Tell me really, is this really that big a deal? Spider-man will still be selling regardless.

[Mister Mets]

I can think of someone who might be considered "more marketable".

Not from what's been posted.

This will probably change depending on the MCU spidey film box office, honestly I don't know who marvel is trying to kid.Attachment 23044

[Mister Mets]

I want to see how popular Iron Man remains once you take Robert Downey Jr. out of the armor and equation altogether. A true case of Marvel being incredibly short-sighted and greedy.



This. There is no Marvel character that comes close to having the all-ages appeal that Spidey has.

What's short-sighted about getting a good creative team for Iron Man, or elevating his role in the Marvel Universe?

The latter is a decision that kinda makes sense given Iron Man's influence in-universe. It wouldn't really work for Spidey.

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.

There isn't much of a risk of Spider-Man getting cancelled.

[The World]

I get the mindset behind this, it won't work but I understand why they want to try. I can appreciate it.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

I get it, but it's worth noting, as a couple online have pointed out, that Marvel's shift from the rebel company that could to Disney media juggernaut is being accompanied by a shift of flagship character from Spider-Man--a nerdy kid that never got a break in his life made good with the help of family and friends--to Iron Man, a filthy rich charismatic womanizer whose problems are rooted in being just too awesome for the world, with any personal issues being self-generated and largely self-overcome. I think there's more to it than that, I think it isn't intended that way, but even so. Worth noting.

Interesting that if Slott's leaving Spidey, which seems likely, and gets replaced by Aaron or Ewing or Waid, Iron Man taking over as the Big Guy will also be the first time since 2008 or so since his book wasn't better than Spidey's (at least from a technical standpoint. I get preferring, say, Superior Spider-Man to Gillen's Iron Man, but the storytelling was just plain better in the second). Still definitely willing to give Bendis a chance to surprise me though, Old Man Logan's his best work in years.

[HUTHAIFA]

Here is the thing about Spidey. He is never at the center of a major event. Something might happen to him like get a new costume or some status quo change but he is never at the center. I have no problem with Marvel trying up the profile of any character but Spidey is Mickey Mouse, and no one touches the mouse

[Confuzzled]

I get it, but it's worth noting, as a couple online have pointed out, that Marvel's shift from the rebel company that could to Disney media juggernaut is being accompanied by a shift of flagship character from Spider-Man--a nerdy kid that never got a break in his life made good with the help of family and friends--to Iron Man, a filthy rich charismatic womanizer whose problems are rooted in being just too awesome for the world, with any personal issues being self-generated and largely self-overcome. I think there's more to it than that, I think it isn't intended that way, but even so. Worth noting.

Heh. Good observation.

Interesting that if Slott's leaving Spidey, which seems likely, and gets replaced by Aaron or Ewing or Waid, Iron Man taking over as the Big Guy will also be the first time since 2008 or so since his book wasn't better than Spidey's (at least from a technical standpoint. I get preferring, say, Superior Spider-Man to Gillen's Iron Man, but the storytelling was just plain better in the second). Still definitely willing to give Bendis a chance to surprise me though, Old Man Logan's his best work in years.

Aaron has been hit or miss though. He's been spectacular writing Thor and worse than Bendis while writing the X-Men.

[Confuzzled]

Yeah I don't care if marvel pushed Tony more now. My only complaint is him out right trying to down play Spider-man again. if you asked people what comes to their minds first when you think Marvel, they will probably say Spider-man, followed by The Avengers as a whole.

Yeah, I didn't bat an eyelash when I saw the announcement of Bendis on Iron Man. But then when Brevoort outright says inaccurate things like Iron Man is now officially more popular than Spider-Man when it comes to merchandising and television (heck, that statement even insinuates that it's only "Shellhead merchandise and television shows" that sell), is when I couldn't believe the massive amount of cluelessness/dishonesty from a company senior official as well as the disrespect shown towards Spidey's readers, buyers and audiences.

Let's face it. The reality is actually the other way around. It's only the movies where Tony is outperforming right now. That revenue though huge, is still comparatively lesser than the revenue generated by Spidey merchandise sales.

[Flash Gordon]

It's a lot of factors. Spidey had 3 real bad films that did well but got bad worth of mouth and never matched the success of the first 2. In the cartoons he's practically a Disney character, played for jokes. In the comics he's been diluted down so much with so many different SPIDER-MEN running around that it makes him irrelevant, and most importantly he's written as a different character now. The character is all over the place.

The beauty of BATMAN is that you can tell any story with him. It's all in his storied past. SPIDER-MAN pretty much has always been a dramatic underdog hero, and he's not anymore. These things come in waves though, Spidey will be back.

[JaggedFel]

Lol First the Came for the X-men and I said nothing. Then they came for Wolverine and still I said nothing....Then they came for Spider-man and there was no one left.

[CrimsonEchidna]

I can think of someone who might be considered "more marketable".

[SuperiorIronman]

Spiderman also has the benefit of decades of this whereas Tony and the gang have recently hit this level of popularity through the film's. The stats here don't matter because spider-man is going to sell regardless. Tony is popular out of the Avengers which is something that chart didn't take into consideration.

Recent years of Ironman sales gave Marvel the idea they could do this. The movies make money, tie ins made money, Ironman 2.0 made money for a tie in, the merchandise makes money and even those bad Sega games made money. While the comics aren't on spider-man's level and I mean how could they be? They didn't spend Marvel Now through Avengers now doing gimmicks and didn't spread ironman out as much with spin offs and oversaturate with three of the same charaecter something Marvel did in the Marvel Now era with spider-man and in the recent Avengers now.

It makes perfect sense Marvel would do this. This also lacks a ton of risk because they can move ironman merchandise anyways and that's proven. There wouldn't be so much if it didn't. So bringing this promotion to the comics since ironman with younger fans is recognizable, sells all sorts of product, is famous for the movies, and is charaecter Marvel owns the full rights to this makes sense.

[Ursalink]

NO WAY!!! The only reason because Iron Man has gotten so much popularity nowadays is because it didn't have the copyright issues with Sony like Spider-Man. But there's absolutely no way that the narcissist, arrogant and "know-it-all" Tony Stark will take Spider-Man's place as the big start of Marvel!! Spider-Man has been always the superhero whose readers identify themselves more than any other, and that can't be taken by Iron Man.

I think this is because of Iron Man's alternative self in Larval Earth, home of Spider-Man. In this world, Iron Man is actually Iron Mouse (we already saw him in the animated version of "Spider-Verse"); so anyone could say that was Mickey Mouse with Iron Man's technological armour. Nah ah, Spidey is the only one who deserves to be Marvel's icon!!