MARVEL DOUBLE-SHOT: Twice as nice!

By: Arnold T. Blumberg
Date: Friday, October 12, 2001

A few months back CINESCAPE featured an exclusive interview with Marvel Knights Group Editor Stuart Moore, in which he detailed plans for the launch of a new anthology to replace the current MARVEL KNIGHTS title. We now know a few more details about the series, to be named MARVEL DOUBLE-SHOT, and here they are, with first peeks at some of the interior art in the works for the series.

Debuting this month, MARVEL DOUBLE-SHOT will replace MARVEL KNIGHTS for a short run, to be followed by a relaunch of the original anthology, which will then adopt a "team book" approach to storytelling. DOUBLE-SHOT's two story format harkens back to the early days of the Marvel Universe, when characters like Captain America, Iron Man, and the Incredible Hulk shared titles and even cover space with co-stars who had not yet won the right to their own book. For this new anthology, Glenn Fabry of PREACHER fame will be providing cover paintings.

"Issue #1 kicks off with a PUNISHER story," says Moore. "[It's] written by regular PUNISHER writer Garth Ennis with rare interior art by Joe Quesada, Marvel's editor-in-chief, and inker Danny Miki."


The first issue will also feature a Daredevil adventure written and drawn by Rob Haynes of DAREDEVIL: NINJA, one that promises to address certain mysteries surrounding Daredevil's long-time nemesis, the Kingpin of Crime. As seen in the artwork accompanying this feature, the Punisher and Daredevil look like they have their work cut out for them in this premiere issue.

"Issue #2 leads off with "Fury's World," a wild tale of NICK FURY, AGENT OF SHIELD, by superstar writer Grant Morrison (NEW X-MEN, JLA) and hot new artist Manuel Gutierrez," says Moore.

Issue #2 also features a surprise return by a (somewhat) beloved '70s Marvel horror icon the Man-Thing! Ted McKeever of METROPOL will be crafting the new tale of the swamp creature with the burning touch.

DOUBLE-SHOT #3 will team fan favorites Greg Rucka (WHITEOUT, SPIDER-MAN'S TANGLED WEB) and ELEKTRA cover artist Greg Horn for a story about, who else Elektra! The tale will be rendered in a fully painted, computer-aided style. Cloak & Dagger will also make an appearance in the third issue in a story by Peter Gross of BOOKS OF MAGIC and Ryan Kelly. The two have already made a name for themselves as the team behind the Eisner-nominated LUCIFER (that's Gross and Kelly, not Cloak & Dagger).

Gene Ha of TOP TEN and John Totleben of SWAMP THING and MIRACLEMAN have also been tapped to provide stories for future issues of DOUBLE-SHOT. The series is shaping up as a showcase of talent rivaling and perhaps surpassing that of past marvel anthologies like MARVEL FANFARE and MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS. Not only will DOUBLE-SHOT provide another welcome shot of nostalgia for the revitalized company, but it will also run longer than its initial commitment of four issues.

"We held it over due to popular demand and too much good material to run," says Moore. "It started off as a way to have some fun and fill in the hole left in the schedule by the team book. But it's turned into a great way to work with some of the best writers and artists in the industry, who may only have room in their schedule to do a short story," says Moore.

Teaming the best and the brightest in comics to tackle some of the strongest, edgiest characters in Marvel's stable of stars, DOUBLE-SHOT could be an exciting series to round off a year that has seen Marvel climb once more to the pinnacle of the comic book medium. Steal yourself for a double dose of adventure and intrigue this winter!