Bought/Thought March 25th *SPOILERS*

[Dread]

And now we have some more interesting characters (Rockslide, Dust, Elixir, Pixie). New Mutants/New X-Men is an example that Marvel gets it, not that they don't.

If what you're talking about is for Marvel to do more things like Walking Dead, or Fables, or Sandman, well, that's not their niche. I would love to see them try things like that, but another rule of business is that when you try to be all things to all people, you end up presiding over a big, confusing mess.

But virtually every character from New Mutants/Academy X/New X-Men has been woefully mishandled. Many of the more unique ones were either slaughtered or thrown into limbo by Kyle & Yost when they took over. There's no point for a junior league of trainee X-Men when there are only 300 mutants worldwide, and half of them are already X-Men or their enemies. Many would claim that those four characters were among the least interesting of the Academy X/New X-Men staple of characters. Elixir half the time is just there for his power. Rockslide is another tanker idiot.

The X-titles really can't support spin off titles and a spin off that is, "X-Men, only younger" may not be unique enough anymore. But, it sold in 1986, so it gets relaunched, and relaunched, and relaunched.

THOR, ironically, is the best example of how to do it right. While it was unintentional, he was off the shelf for a good four years, which built a lot of yearning. Marvel waited until a creator came along with a unique, distinct, and viable idea for the book and a reason for him to exist, rather than, "because he's Thor and we've always published Thor", which isn't a reason. And lo and behold, even despite woeful delays and a weak economy, THOR now sells some 78k-90k when it ships.

I would like to see MAX become more like VERTIGO, rather than, "do the same Marvel stuff, just toss in more cussing and gore".

 

[iloveclones]

Yeah, I really have never seen much good come out of MAX.

But I really have to disagree with you about New X-Men. This was a title that I really didn't follow, but when the characters I mentioned above showed up in another title (X-Force- or Team Stabby-, Uncanny, WWH:X-Men) I always liked the appearances.

Besides, if titles being relaunched ad naseum didn't happen, we wouldn't have Nova. Or the latest incarnation of Iron Fist. I'll accept the mis-steps for the occasional hit.

 

[Dread]

Yeah, I really have never seen much good come out of MAX.

But I really have to disagree with you about New X-Men. This was a title that I really didn't follow, but when the characters I mentioned above showed up in another title (X-Force- or Team Stabby-, Uncanny, WWH:X-Men) I always liked the appearances.

Besides, if titles being relaunched ad naseum didn't happen, we wouldn't have Nova. Or the latest incarnation of Iron Fist. I'll accept the mis-steps for the occasional hit.

NOVA and IMMORTAL IRON FIST prove my point. Both were not relaunched as ongoing titles until there was a creative team involved along with an editorial push towards a relevent hook. It wasn't just, "relaunch Nova because we have always published Nova". Please. The last ongoing volume of NOVA before this one was done by Erik Larson at the end of the 90's, and it tanked in a year. This time NOVA was only relaunched after ANNIHILATION had boosted him and had a clear purpose, a clear agenda, a clear reason to exist besides, "because he always has." The same with Iron Fist. Brubaker and Fraction had a clear new agenda and new ideas to launch with him, and created a book with a unique, distinct identity. That also didn't rely on Luke Cage. Yeah, I am sure the editorial board thought Iron Fist being DAREDEVIL and on NEW AVENGERS would help, but it was the unique take and the strong creative team that kept that book afloat over a year.

If something is relaunched with a clear agenda, the problem with the last failed launch having been addressed and fixed, then by all means go for it. But too often, especially with some X-Spin-offs, there is little attempt to address what went wrong, just, "we have to publish TITLE X, because we always have, we must, we must, we must!" The world would not come to an end if there was no NEW MUTANTS material for a year, even two, until they could find a way to make it stick beyond 12 issues.

My thing is, care enough about the franchise to honestly address it's flaws and correct them, rather than putting lipstick on a pig every time. But maybe if I was involved in a corporation and was involved in the limiting "Group-Think", I'd feel differently. The first step towards solving a problem is admitting there is a problem, but sometimes Marvel (and DC) only think as far as the creative team, not anything deeper, for "solutions".

 

[Mr. Green]

I hope that's the case, since I don't really care to see Loeb have any influence on the crossover at all.

I wouldn't mind seeing a crossover or something. Then the people who are buying Hulk can see how much better Skaar's book is right now.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, even though it was just a construct, seeing the Hulk back on Sakaar and interacting with the denizens there just made me realize how badly he really should have stayed there.

World War Hulk made me realize that.