The December solicits are out and about. Marvel is bringing back Phoenix to keep us all warm, courtesy of their newly-exclusive hire Matthew Rosenberg, joining Donny Cates at upcoming Marvel Writers Retreats.

There has been a lot of worry about Marvel of late, as people have seen sales slide away, an ever reliance on marketing gimmicks and a lack of taking any kind of initiative that sticks.

In 2002 the now-CCO-of-Marvel-but-Editor-In-Chief, Joe Quesada, held an interview with the New York Observer . It is the kind of interview that could not happen today without the internet burning down in a blaze of outrage

But I suppose, Joe Quesada wasn't standing for President Of The United States. Anyway, he had some choice words for DC Comics.

It was this published exchange that saw Paul Levitz appeal to Marvel executives to fire Quesada. So offended were DC Comics higher-ups that it stopped any co-operation between the two publishers over any project, specifically until both Joe Quesada and his then-boss Bill Jemas were fired. They only got the latter.

However these days it could be argued that Marvel Comics have X-Men, Spider-Man, The Avengers – and don't know what to do with them. Sales in store see their titles regularly beaten by Nightwing and the Flash, not just Batman and Superman. Sales of regular Marvel titles have slip-slid away. Maybe they should call themselves Disney Comics?

These days it is DC Comics executives who are saying to me that they wish Marvel could pull themselves together, as the industry needs a strong Marvel. The very same thing Marvel executives used to say to me about DC Comics.

Marvel Legacy is an attempt to try and right the ship. The lenticular variant covers, however, did a lot to alienate the retailer base. And retailers are facing a cold winter. January and February are traditionally weak sales months for comic books stores and this year it is believed they could be harder for many more than usual.

And so Avengers #675. The classified listing that isn't even on the December lists sent out to news websites, but is on next week's order forms. And a classified Guardians Of The Galaxy #150 too, both advance solicited for January.

I have been told that, unlike what Bleeding Cool had heard rumoured for later from Marvel, this is not a planned Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic Avengers run. It is also not a line-wide event or crossover. Which is all very easy to say, as it's saying what it isn't rather than what it is.

But lips are being kept tight shut for now.

I am told that the big name retailers have been privately told what Marvel Comics is planning for January but it's not being shared down the food chain. It's being kept just amongst certain employees even at Marvel. But Marvel is promising retailers directly something big, steady and on time they can put promotion behind.

The next Avengers movie is in the Spring. Whatever Avengers #675 is, is meant to be a big deal leading up to that to both anchor comic fan and casual fan interest alike.

Some details will be released before New York Comic Con. Some at the show. Marvel has a tendency to announce its comics news at New York.

Whatever it is, this will be a biggie. Not another lenticular cover. Or, at least, not just a lenticular cover.

No pressure.