Marvel Takes Over ESPN Magazine

  by Tom Pinchuk 

All I'm wondering now is... who's got the best ups out of Iron Man, Thor and Cap?

I suppose this means that a truce has finally been reached in the decades-long conflict between jocks and fanboys. Marvel’s going  to be taking ESPN THE MAGAZINE over for the special NBA Preview that’s hitting stands tomorrow. Leinil Yu, J. Scott Campbell, Olivier Coipel and a lot of other artists have contributed to what could be best described as a “strike files” for the next season of NBA. Basically, all 30 teams are getting individual pin-ups that’ll mash them together with Marvel characters and classic covers. If you’re an ESPN insider, you can already check out most of the images on their site but, even if you aren’t, we still have a couple pics from this extra-special magazine. The one to right is sort-of a one-off What If…? from Joe Quesada. What if Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James founded the Avengers? Below, Greg Horn puts the 2010/2011 Miami Heat line-up into a composition that I really want to say is a homage to some classic X-MEN cover.

What’s brought about this titanic team-up? Corporate synergy. It turns out Disney also owns ESPN so, following the big acquisition this year, that makes Marvel its sister and this their first playdate as siblings.

If I were an NBA fan, I think both hemispheres of my mind would be erupting in an out-of-control electrical storm right now. Alas, while I love to shoot hoops and play pick-up games every weekend, I’ve never gotten into watching this stuff. Seriously, I have no favorite team. Well, maybe the Toronto Raptors because their mascot is rad. 


I do still think it’s quite cool that so many great artists’ work is going to be on display for a whole new audience to appreciate. Who knows? Maybe this could be the start of annual tradition, or even a regular partnership for the NHL, NFL and MLB previews. 

Or maybe it means that Nate Robinson will be the next guest in DEADPOOL TEAM-UP?

Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of  HYBRID BASTARDS!  & UNIMAGINABLE . Order them on Amazon   here  &   here.