IDW to tell Marvel origin stories to middle grade readers in new series

IDW Publishing is going to retell the origin stories of some of Marvel's most popular superheroes again but this time for middle grade readers as part of their Marvel Action line.

In December the publisher will debut Marvel Action: Origins #1, a new monthly series written by Christopher Eliopoulos and illustrated by Lanna Souvanny. Each issue will tell two origin stories - one of a hero and one of a villain. The debut issues retelling perhaps Marvel's most famous origin story of them all - Spider-Man's - along with a take delving into the dark motivations of the Mad Titan, Thanos.

Subsequent issues will feature origin tales of the Hulk, Ghost-Spider, Venom, and others.

"Creating a gateway for young readers to learn more about the amazing characters of the Marvel Universe is a dream job," says Eliopoulos in the Marvel Action: Origins announcement. "In this series, readers are going to learn about the emotions and inner thoughts of these heroes and villains while learning about values and character. It's a series that shows the character behind the characters!"

"When I got asked to work on Marvel Action: Origins, I was super-excited… and to begin with Spider-Man, the very first Marvel superhero I'd met as a kid, it was perfect!" adds Souvanny. "Nowadays, lots of kids discover superheroes through the movies, and Marvel Action: Origins is a great way for them to further explore their favorite characters through comic books. These are crucial chapters for younger fans, who identify and grow with the heroes as they become superheroes."

Each issue will feature three different covers - one by Souvanny spotlighting the issue's hero, another by Souvanny spotlighting the issue's villain, and a retailer Incentive edition by Agnes Garbowska.

"The Marvel Action line at IDW has focused on creating kid-focused stories about the most popular Marvel superheroes, including Spider-Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and the Avengers," says editor Elizabeth Brei. "We're delighted to bring some of the most famous stories in comic history -- the origins of heroes and villains -- to the page for kids to revisit or hear for the first time. It's really fun to hook a new generation of comic fans on superhero stories!"

You can bet Spider-Man’s origin story is one of the best Spider-Man stories of all time.

Newsarama is a comic book website covering news, interviews, features, deep dives, reviews and more. Now part of GamesRadar, the website was first established in 1995 by Michael Doran.