Say you’re a major publication with an urban, streetwise audience. Now, let’s say you want to create some sort of character, a superhero, that will appeal to your target demographic. What sort of comic book creator would you appraoch to help you with this sort of enterprise? Well, VIBE Magazine apparently thinks Stan Lee has the street-level approach that they’re looking for.

The urban character, which is in the development stage, could be the next Spider-Man or X-Man, contemporary and universally liked by all but targeted to the 15- to 34-year-old comic book, video game, and action-hero lover. The character will be marketed as an action hero and will grace the pages of VIBE, as well as having its own graphic novel. Creators will take the animated character to DVD, television, and to feature film. VIBE President Kenard Gibbs states, “We are very excited about this endeavor and branching VIBE outside the magazine arena. The hip hop consumer is into animation, DVDs, magazines, and other media, and we wanted to find a way to extend the VIBE brand by offering a new product.” VIBE Editor-In-Chief Mimi Valdes adds, “I can’t wait to hear how VIBE fans respond to the character! This is going to be a big draw to the magazine. Besides our readers looking forward to our feature articles, they can also follow the adventures of our superhero.”

“I’m as excited as a kid with a new toy to be able to create a unique, exciting, urban superhero for a magazine that I respect as much as VIBE,” says Stan Lee. “No one understands or talks to the urban market better than VIBE, and this is a golden opportunity for me to introduce a new, colorful superhero that the urban community can embrace as its own without resorting to typical ghetto cliches or stereotyping. Following the formula I know best, our first stop will be the pages of VIBE magazine, while our ultimate destination will be movies, TV, and DVDs. I can’t wait to get started.”

Peep the fizull pressizzle release here.

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