Marvel Adds Gatefolds to Comic Book Covers

Posted on June 12, 1997

Marvel Comics, a comic book publisher, will establish a new milestone in publishing history with the introduction of a new format for all of its monthly titles, beginning June 12, it was announced today by Shirrel Rhoades, Executive Vice President, Publishing, Marvel Comics Group.

Central to the redesign is the exclusive addition of gatefolds to each front cover. The gatefolds provide a foldout enhancement that features an extra two pages inside each comic book. The inside left page provides an index of the books' key characters, each with a concise biography and relevant editorial references. On the right is the "story-so-far," a short synopsis of the last few issues, highlighting plot developments and story summaries.

Following May's Flashback campaign, this new packaging is another step in Marvel's commitment to revitalizing the look and readability of comic books to reach a broader base of Marvel followers, which now spans three generations.

According to David Schreff, President and COO, Marvel Entertainment Group, "Comic books have become so specialized that only a core group of fans currently feels comfortable jumping into a storyline. As the market leader we intend to improve our formats so that our stories appeal both to current fans as well as to those just joining in for the first time or after many years away."

"Marvel views the new gatefold as a means to bridge the generations and their varied perspectives of Marvel characters. The gatefold cover is designed to provide a commonality and a shared starting point or frame of reference to each issue," stated Rhoades. "This is Marvel's answer to the opening credits found in television dramas, which allow viewers to jump right into the existing storylines."

Since the 1920's, comics have been characterized by a sequential paneled story, contained within the confines of each publication. In the 1960's, legendary Marvel creator Stan Lee (Spider-Man, X-Men, The Incredible Hulk) revolutionized comic book storytelling by introducing serialized books.

Marvel's monthly publications have been likened to graphic soap operas, depicting super heroes with human challenges and frailties. The vulnerabilities and the soul-searching complexities of the characters in the Marvel Universe has historically been the signature trait of its super heroes and the key to their evergreen popularity. The intent of the comic book redesign is to balance dynamic, fresh elements that appeal to new readers, while remaining mindful of the heritage and tradition recognized by Marvel's loyal fans.

Complimenting the gatefolds is a new cover dress for the comics, featuring:

-- Colorful depictions of main characters in the left corner box, along with publication month and series issue number.

-- The Marvel Comics logo boldly etched onto the top left corner for increased shelf recognition.

-- The new Marvel tag line "The World's Greatest Comics!" centered across the top of each cover.