While DC is topping the comic book sales charts with its “Absolute” line, Marvel Comics writers are now reduced to begging fans and retailers to order their books that are tied to the MCU movies.
It comes after Tom Brevoort’s comments, which further highlight how out of touch Marvel’s leadership has become.
What does Dan Slott say?
Dan Slott is now publicly pleading with fans and retailers to support his new Spider-Man comic, Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day – obviously tied to the upcoming movie release this summer – warning the book could be dead by issue #5 if readers don’t show up.
Marvel recently canceled the Imperial line with their fifth and sixth issues.
In a video making the rounds online (watch below), Slott directly asks fans to put the series on their pull lists and urges comic shops not to treat it like just another Marvel launch.
He says issue #1 will get ordered because it’s a first issue, but stresses he needs support on issue #2 and beyond. He also warns that if readers don’t back the later issues, the book could disappear by the fifth issue.
Marvel recently canceled plans for Dan Abnett’s Imperial Guardians as an ongoing series before the first issue was even released, reducing it to only five issues instead.
Written by DAN SLOTT
Art by MARCUS TO & MARCOS MARTIN
Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
Variant Cover by PAT GLEASON
On Sale 5/13
Dan Slott asks fans to support issue #2
Slott’s comments stand out because they sound less like confidence and more like concern.
He says fans who enjoyed his Spider-Man run should order the book now, then turns to retailers and says he needs them on issue #2.
Slott adds that too many books get all the attention at launch, only for readers and shops to move on right after the first issue.
That tells you Marvel knows a flashy issue #1 doesn’t mean much if the numbers fall apart right after, which are often inflated by loads of variant covers and Marvel’s new “Blind Bag” gimmick.
Marvel’s problem goes beyond one comic
Slott also points to a bigger problem at Marvel.
According to him, Marvel books are effectively lined up in short windows, and if the support isn’t there for issues #2 and #3, the series may not survive past issue #5.
That says a lot about the current state of Marvel Comics, where even major characters and recognizable creators apparently need to beg readers for support.
Spider-Man should not be a hard sell. Yet here we are.
Fans have heard this before
The bigger issue is that Marvel keeps leaning on relaunches, gimmicks, and short-term sales tactics instead of giving readers a reason to stay. Fans might check out a debut, but many are clearly not sticking around. They’re also not interested in MCU adaptations.
So when a longtime Marvel writer is openly telling readers and retailers to keep the book alive past the first issue, it comes off like another sign Marvel Comics has a retention problem.
Getting fans to buy issue #1 is easy, but keeping them through issue #5 is the real test.
Marvel may already know what’s coming
Slott’s plea feels like Marvel sees the drop-off coming.
A healthy Spider-Man comic usually sells itself. A writer going out and asking fans to order now and warning shops not to ease up after the debut suggests there is real concern about what happens once the launch hype wears off.
That is not exactly a great sign for confidence.
Comics should inspire the movies
Back in 2019, Kevin Feige took control of all of Marvel, including Marvel Comics.
Brevoort recently made things even clearer when he said the comics now “serve as creative fodder for film and animation development.”
That says it all.
Marvel Comics used to help inspire the movies and the MCU. Now the books feel like they answer to film executives who don’t understand comics and don’t seem to care much about them either.
Marvel Comics should be its own creative force, not a farm system for Hollywood. The books need freedom to breathe, create, and build stories for comic fans first.
