Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes & Rivals # 1 2025 Brooks Variant NM

Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes & Rivals # 1, published in July 2025, is a one-shot comic that revives the 1990s tradition of swimsuit pin-ups, featuring a lighthearted story to frame the artwork and tie-ins to the Marvel Rivals video game. 

The story, written by Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs, serves as a tongue-in-cheek framing device for the pin-ups. 

• Roxxon's Unauthorized Special: The issue begins with Roxxon Comics releasing their own unauthorized swimsuit special featuring AI-generated images of Marvel heroes.
• Wasp on the Case: In response, Wasp (Janet Van Dyne) organizes an official, globe-trotting swimwear fashion shoot for Marvel's heroes across the world, which provides the in-story justification for the featured artwork.
• A "Story" for the Articles: The issue uses this meta-narrative to present splash page after splash page of artwork, allowing readers to "read it for the articles" while enjoying the pinups. The story also subtly explores real-world anxieties about AI-generated art. 

The main draw of the special is the artwork from an all-star lineup of artists, featuring numerous heroes and villains in beach attire and swimwear. 

• Featured Heroes & Villains: The issue includes characters from the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and more. Pin-ups include a romantic moment with Rogue and Gambit, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, Spider-Man and Black Cat, and various other fun, character-driven pieces.
• Artistic Talent: In addition to the main story art by Nick Bradshaw, pin-ups are provided by top industry talents such as Nic Klein, Marguerite Sauvage, Mahmud Asrar, Ron Lim, David Marquez, Mirka Andolfo, and Luciano Vecchio.
• Video Game Tie-In: The issue includes designs for new swimsuit costumes that were later made available in the Marvel Rivals multiplayer video game.