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News: Marvel Solidifies Plans for Prose Line
posted May 26, 2004
May 26, 2004 -- Continuing an era of rapid expansion by the big two into auxiliary sales areas and reinforcing the notion of the bookstore as the place to be for comics companies, Marvel Entertainment solidified plans for its prose line of books in announcements coinciding with the Book Expo America. Marvel released a sequel to its young adult
Mary Jane,
Mary Jane 2, in June amid the
Spider-Man 2 movie publicity bonanza.
Editor Ruwan Jayatilleke, formerly of Scholastic, confirmed plans for a three-pronged approach to making and marketing Marvel's books: children, young adults and adults, with trade dress and content choices made to correspond to the expectations of each group. In addition to Mary Jane 2, Marvel announced books featuring their high-profile characters Wolverine and Spider-Man.
The company plans to publish between ten to 15 titles a year starting in 2005, perhaps taking some of the shelf space formerly held by properties of declining interest like
Star Trek and those without corresponding efforts in major media, like the books set in the various Joss Whedon vampire franchises.
Originally Appeared in The Comics Journal