Marvel will launch a prose fiction line in June with an adaptation of Civil War.  Stuart Moore will pen the novel that adapts one of Marvel’s most popular events and its bestselling graphic novel from the last ten years. 

The novels are being positioned as appealing to new readers and drawing them back to the comics.  “Releasing our most acclaimed graphic novels as prose fiction not only allows us to reach a different audie4nce with these stories, but also give us a chance to bring those readers back to the comics that started it all,” Marvel SVP Sales David Gabriel said.

There have been many novels based on Marvel properties, dating back to the 1960s, but this will be the first time that Marvel has produced prose fiction based on its own characters.  The most recent licensee was Pocket Books, which acquired the license in 2005 (see “Marvel Announces Four Book Licensees”).