Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Marvel Comics | Tagged: christian cooper, marvel swimsuit special

An End To Wokeness With The Return Of The Marvel Swimsuit Special?

Is this an end to wokeness with the return of the Marvel Swimsuit Special? Or is it a new beginning? We take a look...

Published Fri, 18 Apr 2025 05:57:08 -0500

Article Summary

Marvel revives the Swimsuit Special after 30 years, hinting at an end to 'wokeness' with its bold return.
Comics legend Warren Ellis humorously recalls Marvel's edgy past with Chris Cooper's 90s Swimsuit Special.
Renowned artists like Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs helm the new Swimsuit Special, bringing a fresh twist.
Marvel characters set for a swimwear fashion shoot, coinciding with Marvel Rivals game costume designs.

So who says there are no benefits to Donald Trump being President again? Because after thirty years, Marvel Comics is bringing back the Marvel Swimsuit Special in July 2025 as Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes & Rivals #1 which suggests this might be a regular thing. for the next four years at least. The one-shot will also debut designs for in-game costumes coming soon to the Marvel Rivals video game. People aren't wanting to play as Magik for no reason after all.

The Marvel Swimsuit Special was an annual magazine-styled comic book published by Marvel Comics from 1991 to 1995. A parody of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, the series featured pin-ups of Marvel Comics characters in swimwear. The fan service-driven nature and its overt sexual objectification of Marvel characters caused controversy, especially since. Does its return indicate a shift in thinking? Maybe, but the original was equal in its treatment of male and female characters, and as Warren Ellis said on the issue edited by Christian Cooper of Central Park fame, "He did one of the funniest things I ever saw at my time at Marvel. Back then, Marvel would release a summer book called the Marvel Swimsuit Issue, which was exactly as awful as you think it is. What they used to call "fan service" and "good girl art." Except for one year, Chris Cooper somehow got hold of it. And that year's issue was the gayest thing you ever saw. Like, gaydar installations all over the Northern Hemisphere just straight up burst into flames. Anyone who beheld that book from a distance of twenty feet became, by genetic testing, 3% gayer. It was so f-cking funny, it was so not what Marvel did at the time, and it was so well played."

So we'll see, shall we?

MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL: FRIENDS, FOES & RIVALS #1
Written by TIM SEELEY & TONY FLEECS
Art by NICK BRADSHAW, NIC KLEIN, MARGUERITE SAUVAGE, LUCIANO VECCHIO & MORE
Wraparound Cover by ADAM HUGHES
Wraparound Variant Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by TAURIN CLARKE
Variant Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN
Virgin Variant Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN
On Sale 7/9
THE SWIMSUIT SPECIAL RETURNS! Roxxon Comics is at it again when they release their own UNAUTHORIZED SWIMSUIT SPECIAL! Wasp is on the case and seizes the opportunity for Marvel's heroes to do their OWN swimwear fashion shoot all over the world! But fear not, True Believers, we know what you're REALLY here for! This super-sized special features splash page after splash page of gorgeous art, but with a story so you can pretend you're "reading it for the articles"…

"Throughout the '90s, fans enjoyed a lighter side of the Marvel Universe in Marvel Swimsuit Special, an annual one-shot that featured breathtaking artwork of Marvel characters in beach attire and swimwear. This unique and beloved special makes its long-demanded return this July in MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL: FRIENDS, FOES & RIVALS #1!

"Primarily an artist showcase, Marvel Swimsuit Special presented pinups from the industry's top talents in a magazine-style format, complete with tongue-in-cheek articles and descriptions. Each year, a light-hearted plot brought the heroes to a different setting, from the jungles of the Savage Land to the shores of Monster Island. MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL: FRIENDS, FOES & RIVALS #1 continues the tradition with an overarching story written by Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs and drawn by superstar artist Nick Bradshaw that stars Earth's Mightiest fashion designer, Janet Van Dyne, aka the Wasp! In addition to Bradshaw, fans can look forward to unforgettable, instantly-iconic imagery from top artists like Nic Klein, Marguerite Sauvage, Luciano Vecchio and more. The issue will also include designs for new costumes coming soon to the Marvel Rivals, the mega popular multiplayer video game from Marvel Games and NetEase Games.