For comic fans of a certain vintage, the Marvel Swimsuit Specials of the early ’90s were a yearly event. They seemed like they were everywhere, sometimes on the stands themselves but primarily used as images for mail-order ads in comics. Like the real-world Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, the Marvel Special was an (in)famous excuse for the hottest artists of the time to draw characters like Storm, Mary Jane Watson, Psylocke, and even The Punisher in their Summer best, often showing a lot more than just their powers. Long forgotten except for funny internet article fodder, the specials are looked back on with both laughter and a little bit of shame, something best kept to the dustbin of comic publishing history as things to bring up at parties for a laugh.
That is, until Marvel realized that they can cash in on the success of Marvel Rivals and pair it with a new special. And lo, the Marvel Swimsuit Special is reborn as The Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes, & Rivals!
When the heroes of the Marvel universe discover that the Roxxon corporation is planning on releasing an AI-created “Swimsuit Special” to discredit the heroes in the public eye, Janet Van Dyne decides that the heroes should take matters into their own hands and create their OWN Swimsuit Special with anyone who wants in. Thinking that having consenting heroes will help them change the narrative, a team of Avengers make the rounds of the Marvel universe, enlisting the help of the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and others into joining the new special to draw attention away from Roxxon’s plans (it’s kinda like the “Taylor’s version” of her albums, to use a reference the youth will understand).
Marvel
Is is silly? It sure is! But that’s what makes Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs’ script work. The meta narrative does tend to get a little too on the nose at times, but you can tell that the two writers behind Image’s Local Man and a host of other comics are having a lot of fun both poking fun at and having fun with the concept of this new special. The original specials were really just glorified pin-up magazines, so adding some plot, no matter how thin, makes this feel like it’s more substantial than the ones published 30 years ago. Plus, the extremely continuity light story is great for those who only know the characters from the various multimedia properties Marvel has taken over (although it’s clear that Marvel is banking on cashing in on the popularity of Marvel Rivals with this).
The main story art, handled by Nick Bradshaw, is well suited for the narrative that connects the pin ups. His style is perfect for the slightly goofy nature of the story, but also allows him to really flex his artistic muscles with a variety of characters. Bradshaw draws an impressive amount of Marvel heroes in this issue, so it’s not a surprise that someone of his caliber would want to do something like this. While it’s a little jarring going from the main art to the standalone pin up pieces by artists like Adam Hughes, Mirka Andolfo, Aaron Kuder, and others, having someone with a clear style like Bradshaw helps solidify the narrative story that Seeley and Fleecs come up with.
The Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes, & Rivals may not be for everyone, but if you’re looking for a silly story that has minimal impact on the universe as a whole, it’s a great time. While I’m not surprised that Marvel wanted to capitalize on the Rivals game again, I am surprised that this was what they decided on doing (but then again, DC has already beaten them to the punch with their specials the past few years). As silly as the main story was, it was a great idea to lovingly poke fun at the old Swimsuit Specials while also admitting that there’s a reason why we’re picking this up. For a little bit of time, it was the early ’90s again…just without all the hologram covers.
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