The news came down Friday morning, from every credible comic-reporting outlet that Bill Jemas would be leaving his position as President of Marvel Publishing by January. Reports appeared on Comic Book Resources, Newsarama.com and Comicon Pulse giving details about the changing of the guard.
This fueled speculation that the Epic line was going to be shelved, what with it being Jemas’ baby and all. Then, late in the day Friday, Marvel announced that they were suspending open submissions to the line.
This all let to me getting several concerned e-mails about the fate of ?Young Ancient One?.
Let me assure everyone, as I have been assured by the folks at Marvel, that ?Young Ancient One? will be published, on schedule in February. The book is well underway and it, along with any other Epic books that are underway, is still on track.
I personally hope that the Epic announcement really is exactly what Marvel says it is: a restructuring and reworking and not (as some are suggesting) the end of the line. It?s hard to express how exciting an opportunity it has been for me to create this comic and watch it grow into the book that it?s becoming. It?s something I?d hope that many other budding creators have an opportunity to experience.
As for Jemas? departure, I?m not privy to any additional details other than what can be read at the links above. Some people seem to be celebrating this turn of events. I wouldn?t be one of them.
Marvel Comics have come a long way in the past ten years. There was a point where Marvel fare was a stagnating pool of creatively bankrupt books, retreading the same worn ground again and again.
Not everything Marvel has tried has worked. I love the Ultimate line. I?m less crazy about superhero comics where the superhero doesn?t show up. To me, comics that take on controversial topics are interesting, but they still have to be well executed.
Success or not, at the end of the day, the waters have been stirred and the bar on quality at Marvel has been raised to new heights. A lot of the credit for that goes to Joe Quesada whose Marvel Knights line was the first sign of light at the end of the tunnel. But some of it has to go to Jemas.
Epic was another bold experiment that was met with equal measures of skepticism and enthusiasm. Jemas opened the Epic door that I (and a handful of others) was able scurry through before it closed again. For that I?ll always be grateful.
Ack!!! I was too slow. Well, as Rob says, hopefully it’s a restructuring and and not a total tear-down. I’m glad to hear YAO is still on track.
Any chance you could rework it for another publisher? Keep at it, man!
–Possible, but unlikely… it was deeply rooted in Marvel lore.
However, I AM thinking about re-working my “Who Wants to be a Superhero?” concept to try and do something with on my own. I might still apply for the show, but it’d be so much cooler to see my concept take flight without it.
I want to read Young Ancient One! Never heard of it until now, but can you tell me if it ever came out and where?
Hi David,
Only one issue of Young Ancient One ever saw print as part of “Epic Anthology Presents” #1 in 2004. I have copies if you’re interested. Contact me via the contact link at the top of the page if you want to buy one.
– Rob