Marvel Expands Scholastic Deal With New Miles Morales, Shuri, and Ms. Marvel Graphic Novels

The heroes of Marvel Comics have resonated with fans of all ages for generations, with new readers exploring the comic franchise more and more. As a new announcement proves, the company is about to connect with young readers in a whole new way. On Thursday, Marvel Entertainment announced a new multi-year agreement with global publishing company Scholastic, with the plan of releasing a series of original graphic novels featuring Marvel characters. These new graphic novels will be published through Scholastic’s Graphix Media imprint, and will fold in beloved characters like Miles Morales/Spider-Man, Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, and Shuri.

The first book in the new deal will be Miles Morales: Shock Waves, written by Justin A. Reynolds (Opposite of Always, Early Departures), with art from Pablo Leon (The Journey). In Miles Morales: Shock Waves, Miles Morales is a normal school kid who happens to juggle school at Brooklyn Visions Academy while swinging through the streets of Brooklyn as Spider-Man. After a disastrous earthquake strikes his mother’s birthplace of Puerto Rico, Miles springs into action to help set up a fundraiser for the devastated island. But when a new student’s father goes missing, Miles begins to make connections between the disappearance and a giant corporation sponsoring Miles’ fundraiser. Who is behind the disappearance, and how does that relate to Spider-Man?

“Ever since he entered the Marvel Universe a few years ago, Miles has struck a deep and personal chord with fans around the world,” Lauren Bisom, Editor of Marvel’s juvenile publishing, said in a statement. “As Spider-Man, he embodies that classic coming-of-age story. But as Miles, he represents so much more—and his life experiences, his culture, and his ability to embrace his inner strength make him one of the most important and inspirational heroes in the Marvel Universe.”

Future books will revolve around Kamala Khan, which will be written by Nadia Shammas, and Shuri, which will be written by Roseanne A. Brown. More details surrounding both titles are expected to be released in the coming months.

“Our relationship with the Marvel publishing team is a true collaboration and partnership,” Debra Dorfman, VP & Publisher, Licensing, Media & Brands, said.. “As we grow our OGN list in licensing under Graphix Media, we can’t think of a better team to work with. How lucky are we to have Justin A. Reynolds and Pablo Leon collaborating on the first book about Miles Morales? We are equally as thrilled to welcome Nadia Shammas and Roseanne A. Brown to Scholastic.”

“The first books in our collaboration with Marvel have been enthusiastically received by critics and readers alike,” added Michael Petranek, Executive Editor and Manager, Graphix Media. “We are thrilled to bring fans of these amazing characters more stories to enjoy. We can’t wait to take our readers on new adventures and expand the breadth of our storytelling with Marvel.”

“After launching our prose novels with Scholastic earlier this year, we’ve seen a huge demand for more Marvel stories and entry points into the Marvel Universe,” said Sven Larsen, Vice President, Licensed Publishing, Marvel. “These middle-grade OGNs are the perfect next step to bring more readers in with the visual storytelling Marvel fans know and love. We’re thrilled to build our collaboration with Scholastic and tell brand-new stories that represent the world around us, both through our characters and the creative teams behind them. We can’t wait to introduce you to this next chapter for Marvel’s heroes.”

Are you excited to see Marvel and Scholastic partnering on new OGNs? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!