BOUGHT/THOUGHT Thread for 6/21/06: SPOILERS Inside!

[deemar325]

I don't know. He said he was gonna stop reading comics. You know, because of that whole Antman thing he had. Guess he just stopped coming. I was just thinking about the guy a couple of weeks ago. I was going through the How would you do it thread looking for something I did awhile back and was reading some of his stuff. He had some damn good ideas. Kinda miss the guy. He got on a lot of peoples nerves with his Bendis Bashing, but, he was always cool with me.

Sad to see him go.

 

[deemar325]

Deemar, im still here. I always wondered what happened with Bat-Mantis and Mr. X.

Yeah those guys just up and left.


I leave sometimes too, but I check in if I'm busy.

 

[deemar325]

geez you guys are reminiscing like you're old

I guess 2003 is old, actually. Just realizing that now must make me really old

Well I still dislike you. Not much changed there.

 

[supermarvelman]

Super-Skrulls mini has been great, It's my favorite mini's out of all the Annihilation mini's. I'm kinda pissed at who the traitor was though.

(1)Super-Skrull
(2)Nova
(3)Silver Surfer/Ronan

 

[Dread]

Its an odd thing. Intially I supported marvels (well joeQs) reasoning behind advertising the bigger books as it will reap a larger reward. But IMO opinion that only really works if:
a) You keep a trim comic line
&
b) You're willing to let the lower selling (unadvertised) books run due to percieved quality. Which is a good approach as the trade market theoretically should eventually show this.

Marvel doesn't.
It releases book after book (some of which are really good) and allows them to fend for themselves. It then cancels them after the standard 8-12 issues and wonders why, despite good word of mouth, they aren't selling.

Oh forgot to include my standard gripe about hyping good titles. Howling commandos got so much attention with the preview which would have been better served with something, you know, good.

You hit the nail on the head; despite how many titles Marvel cuts for whatever reasons (usually sales), they are always replaced by something else; X and Spider-books are rather notorious for this. Every time one X or Spider book would be cut to "trim the line", and in less than a year, almost 2 books have replaced it, like a hydra monster.

To give fair credit, Marvel does have a few titles that they keep publishing despite low sales; MTU sells abysmally, and it is still chugging along, probably due to Marvel feeling they "owe" Kirkman for MARVEL ZOMBIES (and keeping ULTIMATE X-MEN afloat after Vaughan left). RUNAWAYS sells rather poorly month-wise, too (although it remains in the Top 100 and outsells MTU by a few slots), although digest sales justify this (it sells well via digests). I just wish THE THING was spared. But, we bash Marvel a lot for their mistakes, so I figure its fair to point out areas where they do well.

But on the whole, you're correct. Usually when Marvel has chosen to properly hype a new title, their selection of which has been dubious; HOWLING COMMANDOES was critically panned and faded out despite an agressive campaign; shame better books couldn't get that.

 

[Ben Urich]

I think Marvel's promotion is really what kills a lot of books. I imagine they spend a hefty chunk of their budget promoting X- and Spider- titles, which really don't need any promotion (the logo on the front sells itself).
DC is much more wise with this. Yes, they toot their Super and Bat books, but they also give the time of day to lesser-known titles and characters.

 

[Darthphere]

To expand on my short review of Eternals #1. Look this book is excellent, I had no clue what the Eternals were before hand and it was so easy to follow. The writing top notch, easily the best ive seen from John Romita Jr. On art. And I absolutely love, LOVE how its so grounded in the 616 continuity. Its such a great book. I remember a couple of years back I had pretty much given up on comics, only picked a few titles here and there and Neil Gaiman and 1602 brought me back full force into comics. The man can do no wrong for me.

 

[deemar325]

Glad to hear it Darth.

 

[Darthphere]

Glad to hear it Darth.

Man, I dont know why more people cant write comics like this. Almost makes you wuish Gaiman would write something more mainstream. Hell, id buy New Avengers if he was on it.

 

[Dread]

To expand on my short review of Eternals #1. Look this book is excellent, I had no clue what the Eternals were before hand and it was so easy to follow. The writing top notch, easily the best ive seen from John Romita Jr. On art. And I absolutely love, LOVE how its so grounded in the 616 continuity. Its such a great book. I remember a couple of years back I had pretty much given up on comics, only picked a few titles here and there and Neil Gaiman and 1602 brought me back full force into comics. The man can do no wrong for me.

I agree. I said in my review on Page 1 that ETERNALS #1 is one of those few comics, even for a #1 issue, that I could say ANYONE could read and be filled in properly.

 

[deemar325]

Gaiman is doing movies now. Which is a good thing, but I hope it doesn't take away from his comic work.

 

[Darthphere]

I agree. I said in my review on Page 1 that ETERNALS #1 is one of those few comics, even for a #1 issue, that I could say ANYONE could read and be filled in properly.

Yeah, I think thats why I loved. I had read up a bit on the Eternals before I bought the comic but saw that I reallly didnt need to.

 

[MyPokerShirt]

lots of stuff to respond to:

1) All the guys that said downloading was "lame", "not cool", other-generic-childish-putdown, i have one thing to say to you:

"shhhhhh"

Thats the only way i cannot scream at you. There is so much difference between downloading and buying it's ridiculous and i hate all the times i've bought a book and it's been **** (The Last Chistmas #1 -- wtf were they thinking. they put a song in a comic book. yeah, that works, cos everybody's gona know the tune it goes to. utter crud. worst...comic...ever.)
I like buying comics and i think i should be allowed to sample comics before i read them. That's why there are previews right? What if i can't find the preview to a book, or it doesnt tell me enough? I'll download it. Sure im probably not going to buy the issue i downloaded but if i like it im sure as heck gona buy the next issue.
Example: Eternals #1. Im not gonna explain this again but my local comic shop is crap (see the thread on this topic, i posted there) and i was never gona be able to buy a copy. sucks. so i downloaded the issue and now i think i'll either (a)try harder to get the series or (b)buy the tpb when it's released. This book is amazing! I loved it. If i hadnt have read the dowloaded copy then i woulda gave up on this series.
Also there's a difference between wanting to help out the comic book industry and moaning at people about buying Marvel's comics. You know how much Marvel make these days?? urgh, its sickening. *Calm, PokerShirt... Calm...*

(2)Giant-sized Hulk was awwwwful. 2 stories that were meaningless in the grand scheme of things and a reprint of a classic. As to the Hulk dream about killing heroes -- yeah like that one scene is gonna have any effect on the Planet Hulk storyline at all. um... nope. waste of money.

(3)Please stop throwing around childish insults due to a disagreement based on opinion. The Hulk as a comic, with the brutish dumbass personality in charge has very little scope for interest, but the struggle they developed between Bruce Banner and Hulk makes it interesting. Personally? I won't be buying hulk any more. But thats IMO, i dont see why all the above arguments happened.

(4) New Avengers: Xorn impersonated Magneto right? He was powerful. He had a twin brother who was depowered (also surname Xorn or something, the magneto-impersonator died) and due to the telepathic(??) or mind-powered nature of the powers -- that was the personality of the power that took over Michael. So, due to their link with magneto, it searched out magneto. On NewJoeFridays theres a bit explaining it way better -- http://www.newsarama.com/NewJoeFridays/NewJoeFridays03.html

It really was just a way of tying up two threads - House of M and Xorn. Havnt read it yet but it sounds a tad naff. The whole New Avengers thing was a good money making scheme and a good way of capitalising on three popular figures -- spider-man, wolverine and brian michael bendis. hey, its what got me into the book, but i admit it could be a lot better. shame.

(5)i retract my crappy non-existant argument. apparently DC promote independent/ upcoming/ small books quite well and i dont wana get flamed

 

[Anubis]

...what on earth are you talking about?

 

[MyPokerShirt]

sorry i havnt read this thread for pages. i was back reading a responding to stuff as i went. there was some stuff said cos i sed i downloaded a comic. im waaaay behind..

 

[Anubis]

Oh, I see. Well, anyway, in response to your question. Marvel and DC are pretty much the same. They promote what they wanna promote. Some books get canned after a couple of issues (Like when DC canceled Bloodhound which was a great book that got little to no advertising.) And sometimes they stick with it, like with Manhunter, which due to fan out cry, they saved from cancelation. Marvel saved Spider-Girl many many times over the years. And even though it's getting canned at 100, it's getting another shot later on.

As far as good DC comics, Manhunter is one. You said you recently read Batman, which has been really good for this one year later crossover they've been having. After it's over, then you have the great Grant Morrison and Adam Kubert taking over Batman, and Paul Dini of Batman the animated series and the great J.H. Williams taking over Detective Comics. Superman has been great, Robin, Green Arrow, Outsiders, and many more. That's just Superhero stuff though. Over at DC's Vertigo label you got Fables, DMZ, Y-the Last Man, Testement, and other books. Then theres the Wildstorm Universe which used to be an image proporty owned by Jim Lee, and later bought by DC. Many great books on that label like Ex Machina. A lot of theyr'e superhero books are getting revamped in September with some serious talent on the books. Grant Morrison and Jim Lee on Wildcats, Morrison also on Authority, Garth Ennis (Of Marvel's Punisher) on Midnighter, Gen 13, Deathblow, and others. All of which will be at a perfect jumping on point.

The thing is, no one company is better than the other. That's just your perception. If you go into things with an open mind, you can enjoy just about anything. Ignore that thing in your head that says DC characters are one dimensional or whatever bulls**t that hasn't been true since the 70's. You have to allow yourself to experience more. Theres a lot more out there.

Check out Eli's Recommendations thread over in the Misc comics fourm. It's the perfect place to find stuff.

 

[Darthphere]

I still have no clue what Poker shirts's post was about.

 

[Anubis]

Neither do I, I just felt like sharing.

 

[PWN3R]

Man, I dont know why more people cant write comics like this. Almost makes you wuish Gaiman would write something more mainstream. Hell, id buy New Avengers if he was on it.

Would you buy Ultimate stuff if he wrote on it????

 

[Darthphere]

Would you buy Ultimate stuff if he wrote on it????

Probably, im a hypocrite like that.

 

[Darthphere]

Oh yeah, I also read Birds of Prey, pretty good, it definitely got better after a crappy first issue.

 

[PWN3R]

My shop didn't have Giant Sized Hulk. confused:

I agree on everything with Darth, Eternals was great!

 

[yenaled]

I've been really enjoying the Super Skrull mini. The arts a bit off, but dude, last issue was sick. Super Skrull taking a rag tag bunch of convicts and turning them into a fierce army. And the betrayl. Oh man, actually made me feel for the guy. Trust me, it's been good. Rohnan, well, I haven't been enjoying it as much as the others, but it's still pretty good.

That's a good of a suggestion than any, thanks, I'll go and pick them up

 

[Darthphere]

My shop didn't have Giant Sized Hulk. confused:

I agree on everything with Darth, Eternals was great!

 

[yenaled]

I've been really enjoying the Super Skrull mini. The arts a bit off, but dude, last issue was sick. Super Skrull taking a rag tag bunch of convicts and turning them into a fierce army. And the betrayl. Oh man, actually made me feel for the guy. Trust me, it's been good. Rohnan, well, I haven't been enjoying it as much as the others, but it's still pretty good.

That's a good of a suggestion than any, thanks, I'll go and pick them up