Official Press Release

Marvel Comics is pleased to announce that artist JoshUA Middleton has agreed

to an exclusive creator contract with the publisher through the year 2004.

Middleton will be brining his unique brand of comic book art to Marvel as

regular cover artist of the May-debuting NEW MUTANTS ongoing series, as well

as interior artist for the enigmatic "NYX" series, debuting later in 2003.

Middleton's agreement gives him the opportunity to pursue all aspects of the

artistic process for his Marvel work - from pencils to inks to colors ... a

challenge the artist has enthusiastically accepted.

"What has pleased me so much is Marvel's willingness to embrace my process,

allowing me to create good work the only way I feel I've been successful -

on my own," said Middleton. "It has not been my experience that this is

normally the case in the mainstream arena, so the notion that I could work

for Marvel Comics and be able to handle every aspect of the art is just

remarkable."

Middleton described the "heart" of his relationship with Marvel as, "To

produce something beautiful, and hopefully memorable."

"Marvel has made it possible for me to draw something I can believe in on

the grand stage, provided all the support such an endeavor requires, and has

rewarded me for choosing to give it everything I have," the artist said.

Middleton's agreement with Marvel also allows him to continue work on his

much-anticipated creator-owned project, "Sky Between Branches".

"There was never a question of what to do with "Sky between Branches", as

Marvel offered from the outset to allow me to continue on with the project

should I desire to do so," said Middleton.

"I've been such a huge fan of Josh's work, but it wasn't until I saw the

work he was doing in 'Sky Between Branches' that it became very evident that

this guy was onto something completely different and stylistically

unexplored in comics," said Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada. "His

impeccable draftsmanship coupled with great storytelling and a unique color

sensibility makes Josh, in my mind, one of the hottest new talents to keep

an eye on. I so firmly believe this that I... hmm, actually, that's an

announcement for another day!

"We're thrilled that Josh has come on board and joined the Marvel family. So

far he's thrilled Marvelites with his beautiful covers and a few pages here

and there, just wait until he sinks his teeth into one of our ongoing

books!"

NEW MUTANTS, an ongoing series by writers Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina

Weir, with pencils by Keron Grant and covers by Josh Middleton, debuts May

21st.