Marvel Studios is Not Coming to San Diego Comic-Con

In a revelation that will undoubtedly have ripples throughout geek entertainment and Internet message boards everywhere, James Gunn revealed today a surprise that seems akin to the ACC choosing to sit out the NCAA Tournament:

Marvel Studios will not have a presence this year at San Diego Comic-Con.

The news broke because James Gunn, sick with a cold, decided to sit in bed and answer fan questions first on Facebook and then on Twitter.

While chatting on the former, one fan asked him if he will be attending San Diego Comic-Con this year and Gunn replied, “I’m not sure. Marvel isn’t going, so I’m not sure I will either.”

James Gunn later elaborated via Twitter when a fan suggested that he could be lying for a surprise. Gunn reiterated his point by saying, “I have never lied about anything to the fans, ever.”

This is stunning news for superhero fans (i.e. Comic-Con’s bread and butter) since Marvel Studios has essentially turned the July exodus to San Diego into their own impromptu Macworld Expo, with Kevin Feige almost commanding his own Steve Jobs styled altar of worship from the faithful in Hall H.

More intriguingly, what does Marvel’s absence--when they have Captain America: Civil War coming up in the next year, plus Doctor Strange—mean for the viability of Comic-Con itself? Obviously, it is still a one-stop shop for Hollywood to attempt appeasement with the most fervent fan bases, however what seemed like a no brainer location to reveal our first images of the new Marvel Spider-Man (and perhaps who might be under that mask if they can keep it quiet until July) is turning out to be nothing at all…

More as we have it.