"Bromance." Love the term or hate it, it's become a part of the nation's vernacular -- and apparently, it's become a part of the comics world, too. The follow-up to last year's "Marvel Romance" collection, this August's "Marvel Bromance" will offer up some of the greatest "bromantic" moments from the publisher's long history, featuring Spider-Man, Wolverine, Deadpool and other popular characters engaging in good, old-fashioned male bonding... superhero-style.
Whether it's Tony Stark and Jim Rhodes, Cable and Deadpool or Spidey and the Human Torch, guys-only adventures have yielded some funny -- and occasionally endearing -- moments in Marvel history. Given MTV's history with covering great moments in "Bromance" history, Marvel wanted to give Splash Page readers the first look at the never-before-seen Jorge Molina cover to "Marvel Bromance."
"The best way to think of 'Marvel Bromance' is as a celebration of male bonding at its best," explained Jeff Youngquist, Senior Editor of Marvel's Special Projects Division.
“Last year, we put out the 'Marvel Romance' trade paperback, collecting some of the best stories from that genre from the '60s and '70s -- and this year, we had 'Marvel Romance' Vol. 2 on our schedule. The problem was, we had no idea what to put in it, and no one seemed very enthusiastic about the book," said Youngquist of the collection's origins. "Finally, it came time to solicit the book, and we still hadn’t figured out what to put in it. David Gabriel was over by my desk one day looking at a cover mockup or something, and the topic came up again, and I said, 'Forget Marvel Romance. We should just do Marvel Bromance, instead.'"
"A week or so later, he asked me why I hadn’t submitted the paperwork for it yet," continued Youngquist. "So I quickly got in touch with Jeph York, my crack researcher, and he and the Handbook writing team helped hammer out the contents for the collection. And the rest is history."
Along with the Molina cover, Marvel has also provided Splash Page readers with a better look at the "Fist Bump" cover use to promote the "Marvel Bromance" collection in Previews Magazine. Created by Nelson Ribeiro, Production Coordinator in Marvel's Special Projects Division, the cover features a pair of very familiar fists giving what's become the most widely recognized sign of affection among "bromantic" pals.
"Handshakes are too corporate and hi-fives are great for sports but we needed something that would instantly get the point across that this was something special," said Ribeiro of the image. "I mean, you just don’t go around throwin’ pounds to anybody. Sure, maybe if you’re a certain webhead and the president it works for first encounters, but most people reserve the pound for their top tier of friends."
"So, once we had an idea there was no questions as to whose hands would be on that cover. Spidey and Wolverine have been through so much over the years there’s no other way to describe their relationship but as a 'Bromance,'" explained Ribeiro. "Even though this cover won’t see print, it’s ok with me, because I got something just as good: All my coworkers gave me a pound when they saw it."
You can check out issue #19 of "Cable and Deadpool," one of the stories featured in "Marvel Bromance," over at Marvel Digital Comics. As for the rest of the collection, the official synopsis offers up a mess of other stories, writers and artists whose bromantic contributions to Marvel lore will be found in the collection.
MARVEL BROMANCE TPB
Written by J.M. DEMATTEIS, STAN LEE, ROGER STERN, MARY JO DUFFY, CHRIS CLAREMONT, LEN WEIN, FABIAN NICIEZA, BOB LAYTON, DAVID MICHELINIE, CHRISTOPHER PRIEST & BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH
Penciled by KERRY GAMMILL, GENE COLAN, MARK BAGLEY, JOHN BOLTON, JOHN BUSCEMA, PATRICK ZIRCHER, MARK BRIGHT, SAL VELLUTO, JACK KIRBY & BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH
All New Cover by TBA
If This Be Bromance--! Marvel’s greatest buddies take the spotlight in this one-of-a-kind collection, and it’s male bonding like you’ve never seen — as Cable and Deadpool swap stories, Wonder Man and the Beast share a plane ride, Spidey and the Human Torch battle back-to-back, Wolverine makes a bet with Nightcrawler, Black Panther and Everett Ross lay their feelings on the line…and the Warriors Three set sail for fun! Plus: Captain America and the Falcon, Iron Man and Jim Rhodes, and more! Be here as Marvel says, “I love you, man!” Collecting MARVEL TEAM-UP #121, CAPTAIN AMERICA #126, AVENGERS TWO: WONDER MAN & THE BEAST #1, POWER MAN AND IRON FIST #79, CLASSIC X-MEN #4, MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #30, CABLE & DEADPOOL #19, IRON MAN #216, BLACK PANTHER #25, TALES OF SUSPENSE #78 and MARVEL FANFARE #15.
224 PGS./Rated A …$24.99
What do you think, folks? Planning to buy into the "Bromance" of Marvel's guys-only collection? Let us know what you think in the comment section!