Comics One More Day Discussion Thread

[nobndfan]

The "selfishness" is not for us to judge, because Marvel Comics Inc. can do to its characters whatever they like, because the bottom line is that Marvel Comics Inc. owns the character of Spider-Man and not the fans.

And Marvel is looking to maintain fans for many generations to come rather than to keep the ones they had now that have dwindled over the years...

I don't like it... did NOT like OMD at all... but at my age, I can now enjoy Spider-Man comics like I once did... anxiously waiting for the next issue... as opposed to waiting many more years for someone to try and "right the ship" yet again, and fail miserably.

Ah, but I can judge it. I buy (or bought, past tense) their material. I'm hoping others judge the same way, by not buying the books.

I mean, even if you are okay with the marriage being dissolved (and that's the royal "we", not pin pointing or picking on you), it's got to grate that so much else just went out the window on whim.

I swear, Marvel reminds me more of Congress every day. Don't listen to the people who pay your salaries, just do your own thing.

Arg.

 

[TalesMN]

Marvel Comics Inc. can do to its characters whatever they like, because the bottom line is that Marvel Comics Inc. owns the character of Spider-Man and not the fans.

That's only valid as long as the book remains with healthly monthly sales. It only takes an exceptionally big decrease in buyers for Joe Q to swallow his ego and reverse OMD.

 

[farmernudie]

While a maker of a product can indeed theoretically change their product however they want, WHENEVER they want....it seems like REALLY POOR business to "correct a product" because some of it's consumers "may be dead and gone" in 20 years from now or so.

We also may be alive and well and wishing to purchase their product for the next 20 years or 30 or more...?? Who knows!?

I mean, to lose whatever number of faithful consumers PRESENTLY....for a CHANCE at some new ones...by replacing the current product with an alternate one??

Hmn.

I'd frankly like to be personally PURCHASING my favorite character I've grown up and loved, and have faithfully bought all these years since conception till now (but not during clone saga-time).

I personally AM ticked off they don't care about their consumers opinion and that the BIG BOSS knows better than the consumers who have spoek with their money all these years.

 

[nobndfan]

The people who originally read the books, and are still reading them in many cases, are part of the biggest "boom" in American history. So, they don't have a readership cause the boomers are older? Who did THAT math?

 

[Endless Flight]

It's apparent that Marvel's business plan to gain new readership is flawed.

 

[Endless Flight]

You're thinking too "short-term"... I mean long after we're both dead and gone.

The first 250 issues of ASM, barring a few exceptions, are pure Spidey Gold, which was basically the first 20+ years of the web-slinger's comic life... and while very few of those buyers are around now, they helped spawn new generations of Spider-readers, many of whom still read nowadays (or have stopped), but the last 20+ years of ASM has been lacking in what the first 20 years had... and with purchasing numbers down as they have been over the last decade, Marvel is looking for "less baggage" and more "Spider Gold" in hopes to "sell" Spider-Man to newer readers AND the generation to come.

At my store, while I know of a few that have stopped buying ASM, I know a few more that have jumped on and are LOVIN' it, and these are guys with young children.

I'm not saying BND will be a success... but I'm willing to bet that Marvel is willing to risk losing a few hardcore fans in order to "potentially" gain a few more in the long run.

This of course is all speculation on my part.

Cheers...

I dunno, when I went to the store, I saw at least fifteen to twenty copies of 546 sitting there. I chuckled under my breath, especially after the clerk there told me they were selling 'pretty good'. It's anecdotal, and Marvel may be bracing for the big backlash hoping that new readers will catch on, but I don't think this is the best way to go about doing it.

The only way Marvel will get new kids to latch on is to change the distribution of the books back to what it was back in the late 70s early 80s. Ten year old kids just don't wander into comic book stores. I didn't get started in the hobby that way, and most people I know didn't. The only way my five year old daughter knows comics exist is because I told her they existed. She never sees them anywhere beside my longboxes.

 

[Miss Webb]

It's apparent that Marvel's business plan to gain new readership is flawed.

Truth be told, I never knew a plan had been added.

They're out of touch, really. The idea of just jamming anything down people's throats "because they say so" is bound to bomb at some point. Sure, some people will like it but overall it just grates your nerves.

 

[Kanon]

I dunno, when I went to the store, I saw at least fifteen to twenty copies of 546 sitting there. I chuckled under my breath, especially after the clerk there told me they were selling 'pretty good'. It's anecdotal, and Marvel may be bracing for the big backlash hoping that new readers will catch on, but I don't think this is the best way to go about doing it.

The only way Marvel will get new kids to latch on is to change the distribution of the books back to what it was back in the late 70s early 80s. Ten year old kids just don't wander into comic book stores. I didn't get started in the hobby that way, and most people I know didn't. The only way my five year old daughter knows comics exist is because I told her they existed. She never sees them anywhere beside my longboxes.

You have to add that, if you see long time readers get screwed in favor of a new group of potential readers, using one of the lamest twists in comic history, you have to be very stupid to think in investing your time waiting to be screwed wherever Marvel thinks they need to reboot again.

 

[Endless Flight]

Absolutely.

You know, when I was a new fan around ten years old, I couldn't wait to get my grubby little hands on back issues, to try and find out what had happened up to that point in time in Spidey's life. And for the most part, it was fairly easy, because almost every issue had a self contained story, and the book was written for my age group.

I feel for the poor kid who's got to figure out what the hell is going on after getting into Spidey now.

 

[farmernudie]

KANON: You have to add that, if you see long time readers get screwed in favor of a new group of potential readers, using one of the lamest twists in comic history, you have to be very stupid to think in investing your time waiting to be screwed wherever Marvel thinks they need to reboot again.

Ah, very good point there.

Why start collecting, as you say, because if Joe gets the urge to re-re-boot at any time, regardless of the fans opinions at any point, like he did currently....he will.

Because, maybe these new fans will die in 30 years and he may feel he needs to make it younger for a chance at gaining an even younger audience again (or those who are younger after the young ones get "old" in 5 or ten years.)

Since it is obviously not at all about the CONSUMERS (FANS) at this point....Marvel will just throw spideyon the rocks literally and figuratively at will...all in the name of "the younger (YOUNGER!!) fans that may come upon the scene.

I just personally think it is bad business to start ignoring us consumers in order to pursue agendas of an EIC.

 

[Endless Flight]

I miss Jim Shooter...

 

[Blader5489]

Truth be told, I never knew a plan had been added.

They're out of touch, really. The idea of just jamming anything down people's throats "because they say so" is bound to bomb at some point. Sure, some people will like it but overall it just grates your nerves.

Yeah, Marvel sure is set to bomb. All those best-selling books that dominate the market on a monthly basis are a recipe for failure.

 

[farmernudie]

Endless Flight: I feel for the poor kid who's got to figure out what the hell is going on after getting into Spidey now.

Absolutely.

Now you've got two realities.

Kids will read thinking Pete never married...as the new comics state.

But then they'll read a world where they DID marry.

A world where Harry died.

A world where Harry never died.

Problem is/was...Spidey has fallen victim to being written for EVENTS...and not for his actual "character".

All the "arcs" and different creative teams, constantly, do not help either.

It is like trying to run a good business with a complete monthly turn-over of staff. No continuity of care...as we say in the health field.

 

[Blader5489]

Problem is/was...Spidey has fallen victim to being written for EVENTS...and not for his actual "character".

All the "arcs" and different creative teams, constantly, do not help either.

It is like trying to run a good business with a complete monthly turn-over of staff. No continuity of care...as we say in the health field.

Wouldn't you have to read BND to make a judgment like that?

 

[DoomRulz]

You should all check out Cable and Deadpool #50, there's an amusing reference to OMD in there.

Spoiler

SM: What did you do, Deadpool?
DP: What did I do? Leap in logic much? Two plus two equals five much? Assume makes an ass out of U much?
SM: So...what did you do?
DP: Accidentally transported all these dinosaurs into midtown Manhattan. But I had nothing to do with the Venom-look-alike, I swear!
Weasel: He didn't!
SM: Great, you got sidekicks now.
DP: I call them a loyal supporting cast Mr. holier-than-thou-fugitive-from-the-law Spider-Man. And I don't have to make a deal with Mephisto to have it either.
SM: ?
DP: Never mind.

Next page:
DP: Come to think of it, isn't this whole alien underoos thing your schtick?
SM: It's a race of alien symbiotes--they bond to a host like chest hair to David Hasselhoof.
DP: See, even your pithy references have been time-twisted! I'm so confused!

lol t:

 

[Kanon]

I LOLed at the second one

 

[Brand]

You should all check out Cable and Deadpool #50, there's an amusing reference to OMD in there.

Spoiler

SM: What did you do, Deadpool?
DP: What did I do? Leap in logic much? Two plus two equals five much? Assume makes an ass out of U much?
SM: So...what did you do?
DP: Accidentally transported all these dinosaurs into midtown Manhattan. But I had nothing to do with the Venom-look-alike, I swear!
Weasel: He didn't!
SM: Great, you got sidekicks now.
DP: I call them a loyal supporting cast Mr. holier-than-thou-fugitive-from-the-law Spider-Man. And I don't have to make a deal with Mephisto to have it either.
SM: ?
DP: Never mind.

Next page:
DP: Come to think of it, isn't this whole alien underoos thing your schtick?
SM: It's a race of alien symbiotes--they bond to a host like chest hair to David Hasselhoof.
DP: See, even your pithy references have been time-twisted! I'm so confused!

lol t:

C&D is one comic that will be sorely missed. Baby!Jean is not a fitting replacement for Deadpool's awesomeness.

 

[farmernudie]

BLADER: Wouldn't you have to read BND to make a judgment like that?

Um....uh....well....since I've only stated it ten million times in various posts....YES, one WOULD have to read it. I've read all these issues of Bland New Day. I would not spend a dime on them tho, admittedly, again. If you actually read any of my posts, you'd have seen me talk about how I've read them, and I'm not gonna rehash and tell you whose issues and where I've read them since I've already talked about it.

Are you making a judgement then that continuity of a comic, or that continuity of a staff doing the comic generally is NOT a good thing?

You always are RIGHT THERE to jump on my opinions negatively.....yet don't reply to the actual points I was actaully talking about.

Are you Spidey In a Tree with a different name...? Or Joe Q...?

I honestly often wonder, and think you're one of the two, due to your signature demeaner.

 

[Themanofbat]

I feel for the poor kid who's got to figure out what the hell is going on after getting into Spidey now.

Absolutely.

Now you've got two realities.

Kids will read thinking Pete never married...as the new comics state.

But then they'll read a world where they DID marry.

A world where Harry died.

A world where Harry never died.

Problem is/was...Spidey has fallen victim to being written for EVENTS...and not for his actual "character".

All the "arcs" and different creative teams, constantly, do not help either.

It is like trying to run a good business with a complete monthly turn-over of staff. No continuity of care...as we say in the health field.

Heh heh... it must suck to be a Batman fan... or any DC character fan for that matter... with all the reboots DC has done.

Imagine all those DC books where Batman fought aliens, or used a gun in the earliest issues... must really confuse the "new" readers... heck, even an old reader who read "A Death in the Family" must be scratching their heads nowadays...

It's an assumption to think that people who read comics will get "confused", because things change in comic books, and at one point or another, unless we've been buying Spider-Man since issue #1, we all had to jump in at some point, and there might have been confusing stories...

For example... when I was 8 years old in 1975, I started reading ASM and Harry Osborn was the Green Goblin, yet in Marvel Tales, which unbeknowst to me reprinted the ASM drug stories, Norman was the Green Goblin... wtf??? There was a Gwen kicking around but people talking about how she died in the letter's pages.... wtf??? Any old reader of Captain America would be VERY confused to pick up a Cap comic nowadays and seeing BUCKY as the new Cap... wtf??? Or a RED Hulk... wtf??? And don't get me started on the confusing aspect of the Ultimate line...

You guys paint out these "changes" as some earth shattering thing to any new reader reading about and might get confused about stuff in back issues... but the reality is that they can easily research this stuff on the internet and/or do what I did as a young reader and buy more issues to get the full story and try to understand what exactly occured. While these potentially "confused" new readers might read OMD and barf, at least they'll understand why things are the way they are now... you're underestimating the curiosity factor of the "new reader" when we all did the same thing ourselves and became life-long Spidey fans....

Sheesh....

 

[Endless Flight]

You guys paint out these "changes" as some earth shattering thing to any new reader reading about and might get confused about stuff in back issues... but the reality is that they can easily research this stuff on the internet and/or do what I did as a young reader and buy more issues to get the full story and try to understand what exactly occured. While these potentially "confused" new readers might read OMD and barf, at least they'll understand why things are the way they are now... you're underestimating the curiosity factor of the "new reader" when we all did the same thing ourselves and became life-long Spidey fans....

Sheesh....

Gee, maybe the declining numbers in comic sales go along with all of these retcons they've been doing the last twenty years? Spidey sales didn't bottom out until 1996, when guess what happened.

You give 10 year olds too much credit methinks. How do you expect them to understand it all when people who've read the book for 30 years can't figure it out! If you had asked me to do that kind of work back in 1983, I would have dropped it there, and went and played with my G.I.Joe figures.

 

[farmernudie]

Well...i see what you're saying TMOB, however, I personally growing up DID know Marvel Tales were reprints...because it stated what issues they were reprinting if you looked closely.

(And you can just tell from the art and other visual cues...)

But yeh...that's why I've always loved Marvel, cause as you point out, DC has always felt to me like their characters in general never progressed in any way...and they were rebooted and reconfigured way too much for my taste. they were just PLUGGED INTO the new story of the month.

DC heroes felt like ICONS....and less like anyone I can relate too.

Currently, (that's why i can't stand it)....Spidey feels very "DC".

Now, don't get me wrong...i like to read a good Batman, JLA, DC book here and there....but they don't hook me for the long run like Spidey (And other Marvel books have) in general over the years.

Joe has stated he wants to take Pete back, make him hipper again, and "TIMELESS"...kinda like a DC "Icon"....which to me, (and that again is just an opinion of mine people) is a mistake. Peter is NOT Charlie Brown, like Joe has tried to use as an analogy for his changes a while back. Nor is Peter a "DC ICON"...he is a character that felt "Real" and progressed to some extent, and that we could relate to.

I hate to say it, but Marvel has achieved to totally undermine my favorite character in the world...and i look down at him now...because he's so....i dunno....just wrong.

 

[Endless Flight]

Marvel has become what they used to lampoon DC for. They used to brag about how they didn't reset and reboot their characters and universe.

 

[Blader5489]

Um....uh....well....since I've only stated it ten million times in various posts....YES, one WOULD have to read it. I've read all these issues of Bland New Day. I would not spend a dime on them tho, admittedly, again.

So...you're stealing them?

I honestly often wonder, and think you're one of the two, due to your signature demeaner.

I must be, because there are only two people in the world who like BND, right?

 

[farmernudie]

Blader: So...you're stealing them?

Uh.....yeh...... ......I wear a mask and everything. (Ya know, your response is too offensive to actually reply...like I've said, I've talked about before WHOSE comics I've read...but even if i talked about it again, you'd either ignore the truth or make up your own. BUt yeh, I am not personally gonna buy them.)

I must be, because there are only two people in the world who like BND, right?

I used the word demeanor, (meaning you ACT like Spidey in a Tree).

I never said ANYTHING along the lines...that you must be him because you LIKE OMD or BND or whatever.

Why is it, you get defensive and turn everything to being about whether you like BND or not??....and you make up things and make statements that outright ignore what posts say...?? Very bizarre stuff man. I swear you just enjoy starting things...by spouting random phrases that ignore what others actually say. Everything a person says on this board is NOT about whether you like BND or not. Sheesh.

 

[Venom 1988]

You should all check out Cable and Deadpool #50, there's an amusing reference to OMD in there.

Spoiler

SM: What did you do, Deadpool?
DP: What did I do? Leap in logic much? Two plus two equals five much? Assume makes an ass out of U much?
SM: So...what did you do?
DP: Accidentally transported all these dinosaurs into midtown Manhattan. But I had nothing to do with the Venom-look-alike, I swear!
Weasel: He didn't!
SM: Great, you got sidekicks now.
DP: I call them a loyal supporting cast Mr. holier-than-thou-fugitive-from-the-law Spider-Man. And I don't have to make a deal with Mephisto to have it either.
SM: ?
DP: Never mind.

Next page:
DP: Come to think of it, isn't this whole alien underoos thing your schtick?
SM: It's a race of alien symbiotes--they bond to a host like chest hair to David Hasselhoof.
DP: See, even your pithy references have been time-twisted! I'm so confused!

lol t:

lol ah that Deadpool. His wittyness and lack of the "fourth wall" will never cease to amuse me