Dissecting Tom Brevoort On The Future Of The Fantastic Four

In the lifespan of the universe? Yes, at some point. Everything dies.

But not this week.

Okay, so the Fantastic Four is not getting cancelled this week. Indeed, we don't see Marvel cancelling any book they've solicited so far, and we have solicits up to August/September already.

He also says,

Anyway, there's a lot of fear and crazy going on out in the world as people jump to conclusions and work themselves up into a lather. It was a good weekend for those that profit from such things, I expect.

Bleeding Cool would like to reiterate that our original sources for this story were from Marvel folk, that we contacted Marvel representatives before publication and were given a nice firm "no comment" and no concerns expressed about publishing the articles. That was in contrast to another story which we have, to date, chosen not run as there are other concerns which we have been asked to consider. And we hae also withdrawn stories recently after being assured they were untrue.

But Tom then says something very interesting.

We are publishing FANTASTIC FOUR. Next month, we will be publishing FANTASTIC FOUR. A year from now, assuming that it's still selling well, we will be publishing FANTASTIC FOUR.

Well now. That is meant to give the impression that Marvel will be continue to publish Fantastic Four in the interim. Bleeding Cool has stated that the reason that Marvel is cancelling the series is so as not to give Fox Studios any publicity or support for their Fantastic Four movie. That movie comes out at in June 2015.

So in June 2015, a year from now, there is less of a reason for Marvel not to publish the book. Note how specific the language is and how much it allows for wiggle room. Tom Brevoort could moonlight for the Doctor Who Restoration Team talking about missing episodes…

Given enough time, anything can happen—we went a couple of years, for example, without a THOR series, as well as a year and a half with FF, AVENGERS, CAP and IRON MAN not being a part of the Marvel Universe. So anything can happen. But it probably won't.

Which doesn't address the specifics at all.

And for the couple of folks who punctuated their complaints by saying that they were dropping all of their Marvel books, and switching over to DC—well, first off, you must think that I'm a very simple man. But you can, as always, do with your time and money as you will. I will point out that if the purpose of your endeavor is to insure the continuation of FANTASTIC FOUR, then perhaps buying MORE FANTASTIC FOUR would be in better service to that goal than buying less. Just a thought.

Indeed, if Marvel could demonstrate that dropping Fantastic Four would be a serious financial problem, then the concerns from up top might just go away. So you've been told.

Oh, and James Robinson sent me notes for the 75th Anniversary Special story that he is doing this morning. And as you'd expect, the Fantastic Four are at the core of it.

Wonderful. And what happens then? It was the 75th Anniversary magazine lacking Fantastic Four on the cover that caused some concern, if I recall.

This is the most beautiful non-denial denial I have ever seen.

So are the Fantastic Four books getting cancelled for the duration of the promotion for the movie? I don't know. I have been told by two Marvel sources that they are. I have seen documents addressed to sketch artists for Marvel trading cards not to draw Fantastic Four or associated characters. I have also, today, been told that Fantastic Four art assets have been withdrawn from Marvel's FTP site that licensors access.

But, as ever, we'll have to wait and see.

Say, instead of the previously suggested The Fantastic Avengers as a work around, how about the Fantastic Seventy-Five?