Marvel Swimsuit Special Returns – Rivals Beach Day

Marvel is bringing back its famously cheeky Swimsuit Special after a 30-year hiatus, and this time the beach day is getting a very video game twist. The new one-shot, titled Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes, Rivals #1, mashes up Sports Illustrated style with comic book absurdity, with nearly every page designed to eventually show up in Marvel Rivals.

What’s the Beach Day Buzz?

The tongue-in-cheek premise casts Wasp as a high-end swimwear designer who customizes vacation looks for Marvel’s biggest heroes. The comic is described as “primarily an artist showcase” — lots of splashy art and magazine-style spreads, with just enough plot to pretend you’re reading it for the articles. The already revealed covers include Phoenix and Cyclops lounging by the water, Spider-Man and Psylocke surfing, and a wrap-around cover featuring Captain Marvel, Rogue, She-Hulk, Mary Jane, and Black Widow striking poses beside surfboards. Not all of those heroes have made the Rivals roster yet, but the publisher has confirmed that several of the swimsuit designs from the issue will be added to the game.

Game Meet Comic, Comic Meet Game

This isn’t the first time Marvel Rivals’ character popularity has influenced the comics — Jeff the Land Shark, the game’s breakout star, is getting his own solo series in June directly inspired by his in-game fandom. The Swimsuit Special continues that trend, but it arrives at a delicate moment for Rivals
Marvel Rivals Lattices

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