Marvel Teams with Archie for Newsstand Digest Distribution

Marvel Comics and Archie Comics are having themselves a good old-fashioned team-up. No, that doesn't mean Iron Man and Wolverine are fighting alongside Archie Andrews, or that Hulk and Jughead are having a burger eating contest (Jughead smash) - this team-up is behind the scenes. The pair of publishers will work together on publishing new Marvel Digests, distributing them wherever Archie digests are sold. Yes, that means Marvel Comics are coming back to newsstands and grocery stores!

The partnership, announced in a press release on Publisher's Weekly, will be for six Marvel Comics Digest releases each year, sent out to "big box retailers, newsstand, and comic shops." The content inside will be from the pages of Marvel Comics, but the packaging and distribution comes from Archie.

The six digest per year model will start in 2018, with four in 2017 starting in June, with Marvel Comics Digest: Starring The Amazing Spider-Man. The next will feature the Avengers, and there are planned digests featuring individual Avengers like Iron Man, Thor, and Black Widow, and also featuring other characters like Wolverine and the X-Men.

"The Marvel brand, for decades, has been cultivating a popularity that has recently exploded worldwide," said David Gabriel, SVP Sales & Marketing, Marvel Entertainment in the press release. "Working closely with Archie, Marvel is beyond excited to continue its reach and exposure level as we offer our retailer partners, local comic shops and large chain retailers, a new, fun, and easily digestible way to dive into the Marvel Comics Universe and produce life-long fans."

"For years, Archie has made the digest format our bread and butter. We are supremely excited to spotlight iconic characters like Spider-Man and the Avengers through this major partnership with Marvel," said Jon Goldwater, Publisher/CEO of Archie Comics. "These books will serve as a great introduction to the Marvel Universe for new readers and a very special, curated selection of stories for existing fans. It's a win-win!"

Look for Marvel Comics, in digest form, at grocery stores and more starting June 2017! See the full first cover below.