In this week's installment of Marvel Comics Senior Vice President of Sales David Gabriel's GABRIEL NOW! column, the SVP primarily discussed the rationale behind ending long runs of the publisher's most popular titles to make room for the new Marvel NOW! #1 issues.

"Originally we recruited the input of the talent on all our key titles to make them partners in this process," Gabriel said. "Editorial didn't just go around choosing titles to cancel and new titles to create. It was really a collaborative process that we've been working on for over a year now. Once the key books were discussed, books like'Iron Man,' 'Thor,' 'Captain America,' 'Avengers,' 'X-Men,' then we all felt we could really start playing and make this recharge of the marvel universe something really invigorating!

"With'Amazing Spider-Man,' the reason was obvious -- the book for 700 issues was all about Peter Parker," he continued. "With Peter out of the picture, and a new Spider-Man on the scene, it made the most sense to start with something that signified that change."

Gabriel also stated that backorders for most of the Marvel NOW! launch titles already released have been significant, and noted that the book fans would want to get their hands on following "Amazing Spider-Man" #700 was "Avenging Spider-Man" #15.1, which launches on the same day.

The SVP of sales also revealed a plethora of new art, including Skottie Young and Joe Quesada's take on "Savage Wolverine," Young's "Young Avengers" variant cover and a preview from "Indestructible Hulk" #3.

(From L to R) "Savage Wolverine" variant covers by Joe Quesada and Skottie Young, "Thor: God of Thunder" #4 Olivier Coipel Variant, "Young Avengers" #1 Skottie Young Variant

"Indestructible Hulk" #3 preview pages by Leinil Yu