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From the ComicsPro retailer summit, David Gabriel, Senior Vice President of Sales at Marvel Comics has announced that as a result of the Fantastic Four sales and media coverage, Marvel are going to kill a main character every quarter.

He also added "this is not a joke".

UPDATE: Gabriel did however specify that these storylines are NOT about killing characters. What's key is what comes AFTER the deaths. For example, after the Human Torch death, Spidey joined the team and the concept of FF?got an entirely new focus as Future Foundation.

Following that concept, he also claims that the new post-"Death of Spider-Man" storyline will result in the biggest media exposure Marvel's ever had. He didn't mention what it is, but he stated to the audience that this vague revelation is "confidential and not to be tweeted."

BobBretall wrote:http://www.bleedingcool.com/forums/show ... ry-Quarter

From the ComicsPro retailer summit, David Gabriel, Senior Vice President of Sales at Marvel Comics has announced that as a result of the Fantastic Four sales and media coverage, Marvel are going to kill a main character every quarter.

He also added "this is not a joke".

UPDATE: Gabriel did however specify that these storylines are NOT about killing characters. What's key is what comes AFTER the deaths. For example, after the Human Torch death, Spidey joined the team and the concept of FF?got an entirely new focus as Future Foundation.

Following that concept, he also claims that the new post-"Death of Spider-Man" storyline will result in the biggest media exposure Marvel's ever had. He didn't mention what it is, but he stated to the audience that this vague revelation is "confidential and not to be tweeted."

I guess a corollary will be to bring someone back to life every quarter as well so they stay "net neutral" on character headcount.

Even though they stress "these storylines are NOT about killing characters. What's key is what comes AFTER the deaths." It still seems to me that a company once known as "The House of Ideas" could come up with something a bit better to attract attention that a repeated string of character killings.

I suppose fans are encouraging this by buying up these "Death of..." storylines in record #s.

I (for one) have dropped Ultimate Spider-Man, I won't be contributing to sales for the "Death of Spider-Man"

Word spread quick after Marvel Senior Vice President of Sales David Gabriel spoke to the assembled comic retailers that the publisher would be "killing a character every quarter this year" as New Orleans retailer BSI Comics put it, but CBR found after contacting Gabriel that the announcement was more tongue-in-cheek than straightforward sales platform.

"It's partially true and said as a humorous response to the question 'What can you do to bring more outside folks into comic shops?'" Gabriel explained with a laugh. The SVP added that after the recent chart-topping death of the Human Torch in "Fantastic Four" #587 and an expected increase in national publicity for the Ultimate line's "Death of Spider-Man" event, he made the comment. Though fans may not want to hold their breaths to see who would get knocked off come quarter three.

"The actual point made was that these stories should not be seen as merely death stories, but more important is the aftermath," Gabriel explained of Marvel's position on killing characters. He noted of the "killing a character a quarter" comment "It was hyperbole...we've already promoted the big 'deaths.' So that part was true."

BobBretall wrote:http://www.bleedingcool.com/forums/show ... ry-Quarter

From the ComicsPro retailer summit, David Gabriel, Senior Vice President of Sales at Marvel Comics has announced that as a result of the Fantastic Four sales and media coverage, Marvel are going to kill a main character every quarter.

He also added "this is not a joke".

Webhead wrote: This may not be a joke but that is what Marvel's management has become.

BobBretall wrote:

Webhead wrote: This may not be a joke but that is what Marvel's management has become.

But, as it turns out, it WAS a joke......or at least an attempt at one.