Replying “no comment” doesn’t mean it’s not from them. It could have been a version of solicit text that slipped out.

And “solicitation text can vary” – Marvel’s providing websites with completely different solicit text and data to Previews? I thought the data the websites got was FROM Previews. Furthermore, the Newsarama article says this is from the “Splash Page” section, not that it’s solicit text. (What IS the Splash Page section?)

Diamond and Previews magazine generally have nothing to do with it.

and Solicitation text can vary.

However, it’s still not Marvel’s solicit text. Marvel’s solicit text can be seen here: http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=10925

“Get ready for what will be the most talked-about and controversial comic event of the year — brought to you by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada. The stakes have never been higher for Peter Parker. At his darkest hours — and he’s had plenty — Peter has always had one shoulder to lean on, one person who’d remind him who he is, who he was, and who he can be. Now he’s about to lose that person. What would he do…what would you do, if you only had One More Day?”

And as noted on the Newsarama article, Marvel said “no comment” on the Dirt-Nap piece. This is a big sign they didn’t write it, as they wouldn’t be saying “no comment” about their own press releases (unless office communication is very bad there).

Despite somewhat vague wording, Diamond Comics Distributors is reporting in their Splash Page section in the newest edition of Previews that someone close to Peter Parker is headed six feet under during One More Day, “Gwen Stacy style”.

Reads Diamond’s piece:

“HEADED FOR THE CHOPPING BLOCK?

“Black Cat, Mary Jane, and Aunt May?

“Is it one of these ladies that take a dirt nap in the upcoming storyline ‘One More Day’? You heard it here, folks. A re-assuring voice and shoulder-to-lean-on is going to be taken out permanent-style in this four-issue storyline, which kicks off in Amazing Spider-Man #544 and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #24. This body check is whipped up by war horses J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada. Pain is promised. No tissues will be issued!

“Who next gets thrown under the bus like the long-lost Gwen Stacy? Details are hard to come by, but what we do know is that there ain’t much joy in Mudville. Spidey’s gonna get left out in the rain again, and oh, how the tears will flow.”

Just to review the syntax for clarity, despite mentioning Black Cat, Mary Jane, and Aunt May, these characters are only referenced in an open question manner. The only definitive claim made by Diamond is a “re-assuring voice and shoulder-to-lean-on is going to be taken out permanent-style”, seemingly implying it isn’t necessarily one of those characters

For their part, Marvel responded, “no comment” when asked by Newsarama for clarification of this story.

Talk amongst yourselves…

“HEADED FOR THE CHOPPING BLOCK?

“Black Cat, Mary Jane, and Aunt May?

“Is it one of these ladies that take a dirt nap in the upcoming storyline ‘One More Day’?”

I had no idea what the current ASM storyline was, so thanks for educating me… I’m still not interested.

They really should’ve done that story as a weekly, both so it’s out of the way of the other comics and as a trial run for doing it permanently. (Why do it blind when you can test it first?)

I’m cautiously optimistic about the ASM plan. I like weekly comics (when they’re good, anyway), and if they can rotate creative teams per storyarc (rather than issue), I think it could be pretty great.

The problem with the current model is that only the stories in Amazing (or Civil War or wherever) really matter, leaving the other titles to just kind of mill around waiting for the next big status quo change (For example, the last four months or so in ASM have chronicled a night or two of Spidey’s life, while whole other story arcs are going on waiting for him to not kill the Kingpin and change clothes again).

I’ve found the current one – with Kingpin and Punisher – working a lot better than, say, the New Avengers/Cloak and Dagger NYC trip story. The reason for the guest stars makes more logical sense – the Runaways need to hide out and are turning to their parent’s contacts (and the Punisher just shoots everyone near the Kingpin _anyway_). The New Avengers could’ve easily been taken out, especially when the quite good scene with Spider-Man and Gert & Victor ended with “*beats him up when don’t need to* Him grown-up! Grrrr!”. What a waste.

What you describe about X-Factor is how I feel when I read the Runaways digests. It feels so awkward to me when a Marvel superhero or storyline pops up in it.

Oddly I was liking X-Factor during the first couple of storylines, but something came up that made me miss a few issues. Oddly once that happened I just wasn’t motivated enough to catch up.

Too true! :(

It’s a pity too, because they could really do something with this. They’ve just made sure everyone knows in advance half or all of the cast will die. They could build on this. Every issue could be announced with as a countdown, both in online PR and on the covers – “They Have Only Three Months Left.”, something like that. Get readers and potential readers eagerly trying to work out which event or moment will lead to the inevitable slaughter. Make an _effort_, at least.

“I still can’t agree with the ASM plan. I think familiarity risks breeding contempt in this case.”

I admit I may be biased from being from the UK and growing up on weeklies & fortnightlies. A weekly frequency just seems like the best if you can do, especially if you want to do soap opera stories, long arcs and multiple cliffhangers. The new Amazing could be the comic equivalent of a (good) regular TV show.

Probably won’t, but hey…

I still can’t agree with the ASM plan. I think familiarity risks breeding contempt in this case.

Presumably the idea is to build interest and hype before the October solicits come out, so the orders will be higher. That sounds like a good plan, except they’re doing it too _soon_ before the solicits. We’ll have forgotten this by then. They might think the hentai cover mess has drawn attention to the comic and they can capitalise on it if they start the hype now; this would be daft, as that attention is mainly contempt and mocking.

And wouldn’t it make more sense for the text of the hype to go on the picture? Make it more like an ad? Use the same image, but with a slogan on it – “Out Of Business. Out Of Time.”, to borrow from another version of the press release I’ve seen.

On the weekly Amazing – I quite like this idea. From a sales POV, it makes sense, and having an almost-weekly title would work better for the soap opera/arc stuff tht Spider-fans seem to generally like.