Let me tell you, as a long-time Marvel fan who's been absolutely glued to Marvel Rivals since its late 2024 release, reading Tom Brevoort's recent comments felt... well, a bit off, you know? Here's this massive hit of a game, bringing characters I'd almost forgotten about back into the spotlight, and a top Marvel editor is essentially saying, 'Eh, it's probably just the gameplay.' It's like your favorite chef tasting a fantastic new dish and saying the popularity is all about the plate it's served on, not the flavors. It just doesn't sit right.
Brevoort's Core Argument Feels Detached
Brevoort's point, made on his Substack, was in response to a fan named Joe who was excited about Cloak and Dagger's newfound popularity thanks to the game. Joe said they'd 'never been more popular,' and Brevoort's reply was essentially that the Rivals hype is about mechanics, not the characters themselves. He admitted there might be 'one or two outliers,' but overall, he hasn't seen a major link between game popularity and comic book interest.
Now, hold on a second. This is where my brain does a little flip. On one hand, he's downplaying the connection. On the other, in the very same breath, he confirms that Marvel is planning to do something with Cloak and Dagger in the comics soon, so that 'potential audience' from the game will have something to check out. Talk about sending mixed signals! It's like saying, 'This rain isn't making the ground wet... but here's an umbrella just in case.'
Why His Timing Seems Off
Here's the thing that really gets me: Marvel Rivals is still a baby in the grand scheme of things. As of 2026, it's been out for just over a year. To say there's no measurable impact on comic sales feels incredibly premature. The game's impact is still rippling through the fandom!
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Fandom Buzz is Real: Online, the chatter about lesser-known characters is undeniable. Places like Reddit and Twitter are full of players asking, 'Who is this cool character I'm playing?'
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The Sales Lag: Comic planning and publishing cycles are slow. It takes time for that newfound game interest to translate into someone walking into a store and buying a floppy. Dismissing the link now is like planting a seed and declaring it won't grow after a week.
Brevoort's quick dismissal feels almost self-defeating. He acknowledges a 'potential audience' from the game, then argues they aren't really interested in the characters outside of it. Which is it? If the game is a gateway, that's a good thing for comics!
The Evidence That Contradicts Him
Part of why fans are scratching their heads is that Marvel's own upcoming slate seems to tell a different story. It's hard to look at these and not see Rivals' influence:
| Upcoming Comic Project | Likely Marvel Rivals Connection |
|---|---|
| Doctor Doom 2099's Return | Doom 2099 is a major, playable villain in the game. Coincidence? I think not. |
| Jeff the Land Shark Reprints | Jeff became an instant meme and fan-favorite through Rivals. Capitalizing on that makes perfect business sense. |
| A New Cloak & Dagger Story | Confirmed by Brevoort himself, right after their in-game debut. |
Maybe these are the 'outliers' he mentioned. But if you have multiple outliers popping up at the same time a phenomenon occurs, maybe it's not an outlier—it's a pattern starting to form.
A Dismissive Tone That Hurts
Perhaps the most frustrating part for me, and I know for many others, is the dismissive quality of the response. Fans are reaching out, excited about a synergy between two Marvel mediums they love. They're pointing out a potential goldmine for the comics division. And the reply feels like a shrug. Marvel Rivals has been a breath of fresh air, introducing deep-cut lore to millions. For many of us, it is the best thing to happen to Marvel in years—reigniting passion and curiosity. To have an executive seemingly downplay that connection feels like they're not listening to the very audience they're trying to reach.
In the end, the proof will be in the pudding, as they say. When that Cloak and Dagger comic drops, if it sees a significant sales bump compared to their past books, it'll be the clearest sign that Brevoort's initial assessment missed the mark. The bridge between the game and the comics is being built, whether everyone at the publisher wants to admit it yet or not. And as a fan, I'm excited to walk across it.
