Games Workshop and Marvel Comics

[t209]

It's been like three months by now and no one here is talking about it, so I am just posting weird news relating to comics here.


Games Workshop (the owners of Warhammer 40,000 franchise) and Marvel are going to team up to create comics. Plan to release for 2020 and tons of responses, ranging from normal to horror (like a comic company known for superheroes trying to write a war story where is a theocratic and authoritarian space empire is the good guy of the setting since the other side are hungry space bugs, nihilistic space skeletons, traitors who live in the universe's equivalent of hell, and treacherous space elves).
Any thoughts?

Comments

[owlbrigade1]

I do hope that a Ciaphas Cain graphic novel, or ongoing, is on the list. I really do.

[t209]

Well, assuming who is going to write it.
Last I remember Abnett is the only one who worked for Warhammer 40,000.

[silverhammerman]

This could be fun. I know a lot of Marvel's British talent are tabletop gaming fans, Kieron Gillen in particular has (I believe) talked about 40K specifically in the past, so I feel like they could get some good creative teams on this.

It does seem weird for Marvel to be taking this on, since they're usually concerned with there own IP, Star Wars is there only other big thing right now and it covers similar science fantasy material. Just seems like Marvel doesn't really need this partnership, and that could mean that they don't make it a major priority, which couldn't be good for the books. Darkhorse really seems like the more obvious fit for a publisher.

[locuatico]

I recall Forbes recently released an article showing that sales for Superhero comics are down. really down. Being outsold by Manga and kid-oriented comics & graphic novels.
Wonder if this decision was in any way related with that.

[bj_l]

That's been happening for over 15 years. It's why Marvel used to release manga sized Digest books for low selling series and they often kept the series' alive (Spider-Girl and Runaways for example).

[locuatico]

well... yeah... they have been decreasing for years now. But I mean that they are officially at the point in which only making superhero stuff is no longer an option.

[silverhammerman]

Superhero sales always seem to be going down, but honestly if Marvel were looking to goose their numbers, I feel like Warhammer 40K is not the way to go. I mean, a ludicrously over the top tabletop gaming property is pretty niche, certainly far moreso than the Marvel Universe or Star Wars.

[locuatico]

oh agreed. I just find the timing interesting.

[locuatico]

My feelings are pretty much the same as with anything Warhammer related: It's something that exists.

[speedingtortoise]

I've just started getting into 40k, so I'm looking forward to seeing what they produce! I also habe hopes that the Eisenhorn tv show will be good.

[cricharddavies]

I'm surprised. Given the setting's cheerful advocacy of sociopathic behavior, I would have thought DC would be all over it.

[shakalooloo]

Both Kieron Gillen and Si Spurrier wrote for the old Warhammer Monthly comic, so Marvel does have some writers with experience of the setting. Pretty much any of the British ones of a certain age...

[icon_uk]

IIRC author Kim Newman (Anno Dracula, Drearcliff Grange) also did work for them.

[icon_uk]

Pleae reduce the image above the cut to no more than 300x400, in line with board rules, or put it below the cut.

[t209]

You got it.

[jmacq1]

Is it just me or is Games Workshop going hard on licensing in ways they never have before? Between this, the Funko pops, the Eisenhorn show, and the Bandai action figure they seem really hungry to branch out all of the sudden.

As for Marvel. It almost feels like it's come full circle. Once upon a time licensed books were a big deal at Marvel (Late 70's/Early 80's with stuff like Star Wars and GI Joe most prominently). Are they starting to veer in that direction again?

[cainofdreaming]

My thought? Giev more Deff Skwadron! Gork and Mork order it!

[shakalooloo]

Daemonifuge deserves an ending, damnit!