Paul Jenkins responds to "The Return"

[Darthphere]

I don't take much of what he said in the alleged conversation seriously. I just boil it down to him getting an assignment with some restrictions and that's it. If it was a bad story it's management's JOB to tell him so and ask for another. If it got through as it was it's because a lot of people fumbled the ball, not just the writer.

Word.

That sounds incredibly logical and understandable. So really, why didn't he just say that?

Does it matter? Then people would just say what theyre saying already "Oh look, he's not taking any of the blame for it."

 

[BrianWilly]

Maybe it wouldn't matter to the idiots who are threatening him with mutilation and rape, but it would matter to a lot of people. And it should matter to him. Or else what's the point of him writing a statement like this anyway? Just to goad and antagonize people? Heaven forbid any writer ever says "Look, this is what they were thinking, and this is what I was thinking, and that's just the story that came about. Sorry if you don't like it." and just left it at that without the obnoxious fanbaiting that writers seem to be so fond of.

Oh, wait, Joss Whedon does that. Gee, I guess that's why he's awesome and everyone else isn't. *shrug*

 

[Tropico]

Maybe it wouldn't matter to the idiots who are threatening him with mutilation and rape, but it would matter to a lot of people. And it should matter to him. Or else what's the point of him writing a statement like this anyway? Just to goad and antagonize people? Heaven forbid any writer ever says "Look, this is what they were thinking, and this is what I was thinking, and that's just the story that came about. Sorry if you don't like it." and just left it at that without the obnoxious fanbaiting that writers seem to be so fond of.

Oh, wait, Joss Whedon does that. Gee, I guess that's why he's awesome and everyone else isn't. *shrug*

We have no way of knowing why. It could very well be that he prefers to give a bogus answer instead of blaming higher ups getting himself in hot waters or becoming persona non grata. I've worked jobs where I've had to either shut up, make something up or take the blame myself as long as I didn't pass the buck to the higher ups. If you do, they either chew you out in private (sometimes publicly) or take the blame "graciously" while you notice a continuing pattern where you're treated like crap for the coming weeks or months. But, like I said, it could be anything.

I hope that it was ignorance at how rabid we can be. Maybe he thought people would back down if he showed some wit. Poor sucker!!

 

[Darthphere]

We have no way of knowing why. It could very well be that he prefers to give a bogus answer instead of blaming higher ups getting himself in hot waters or becoming persona non grata. I've worked jobs where I've had to either shut up, make something up or take the blame myself as long as I didn't pass the buck to the higher ups. If you do, they either chew you out in private (sometimes publicly) or take the blame "graciously" while you notice a continuing pattern where you're treated like crap for the coming weeks or months. But, like I said, it could be anything.

I hope that it was ignorance at how rabid we can be. Maybe he thought people would back down if he showed some wit. Poor sucker!!

For some reason, it seems that Jenkins gets stuck with these controversial projects. Speedball into Penance, Captain Marvel coming back, and I believe he's the one that got rid of webshooters.

 

[Tropico]

For some reason, it seems that Jenkins gets stuck with these controversial projects. Speedball into Penance, Captain Marvel coming back, and I believe he's the one that got rid of webshooters.

You already know how I feel about the whole Speedball thing, even then you don't see me saying that he's a hack and he should be fired. Otherwise, why would I be encouraging people to buy the Inhumans TPB in the Silent War thread? From what we've seen both times he has been given directives and had outside "input". I'm supposed to call for his dismissal for doing his job?

 

[deemar325]

Yeah, and it seems he didn't even know who Captain Marvel was, which was another mistake.

Yeah that rubbed me the wrong way. How the f--k your gonna let a guy who hasn't a clue who Cap'n Marvel is write his return?

 

[Dread]

For some reason, it seems that Jenkins gets stuck with these controversial projects. Speedball into Penance, Captain Marvel coming back, and I believe he's the one that got rid of webshooters.

Yes, I believe he was, during the DISASSEMBLED crossover. It's like when Millar and Bendis need a break from controversy, they turn to Jenkins.

And I get that no writer wants to shoot blame at superiors or peers. I understand that. It just gets annoying that is always CERTAIN types of stories that unleash that venomous professional backlash, and lessons are never learned about what the audience tolerates. And when professionals have to vent, the industry is such that only the audience can be the punching bag. Whenever someone calls a professional on some flaw, rarely is it acknowledged or admitted, but we're assumed not to have read it right. True, not every Marvel or DC writer does this, but it seems to be the rule and not the exception as time moves on.

This is a chicken-egg debate. One could argue that the Internet has allowed a minority of comic fans to become a very hostile audience. On the other hand, when they are fed stories that repeatedly seem to ignore their desires, trudge over the past, or include endless tragedies, deaths, rapes, turmoil, etc. in such vivid and sometimes hopeless detail, it tends to bring out strong emotions. Writers will say, "oh, they take this stuff too seriously." Baloney. If you're a writer and you don't want your stories to elicit some emotions, then you're not in it for the art, and are just a hack with a typewriter. Even WWE writers know damn well what emotions they are targetting. So the writers seem to believe that what jazzes the audience up are controversies, and the audience backlashes, and it goes back and forth.

Jenkins made no mention of the Newsarama forums but I don't deny how hostile they may have been. Some fans get downright nasty, and yes, SHH is very tame in comparison. That is why I've stuck here. I used to post at what I call "old Wizardworld", basically their original message boards from 2000-2001 (before their boards wigged out and started deleting accounts randomly, which led me to Spider-Man Hype and thus here) and things got VERY hostile there. I've also lurked worse. But he didn't mention it and instead made it out in context that he was looking at any fan who disliked THE RETURN and giving a rasberry. It won't work well, but I hope he vented well. I hear it can be healthy.

Again, it is always those certain types of blunders, those unique messteps, that bring on a harsher criticism even beyond the usual "interfret" that is hostile to anything. But they don't get it.

 

[Darthphere]

Jenkins made no mention of the Newsarama forums but I don't deny how hostile they may have been. Some fans get downright nasty, and yes, SHH is very tame in comparison. That is why I've stuck here. I used to post at what I call "old Wizardworld", basically their original message boards from 2000-2001 (before their boards wigged out and started deleting accounts randomly, which led me to Spider-Man Hype and thus here) and things got VERY hostile there. I've also lurked worse. But he didn't mention it and instead made it out in context that he was looking at any fan who disliked THE RETURN and giving a rasberry. It won't work well, but I hope he vented well. I hear it can be healthy.

Actually he did:

I should have known to expect something like this. A few weeks ago I made the rookie mistake of speaking directly to fans via this esteemed website when I wrote in to explain a discrepancy in the solicitation for Civil War: Front Lines #11. To be honest, it was an apology for a mistake made in the solicitation copy, although it was described as an “apology” (in quote marks) by one “fan.” Four hundred and sixty venomous posts later, I was a beaten dog. I had not realized I was some loathed by so many of you. But I was unprepared for the fallout from The Return.

And either way, since the column is a Newsarama thing, one can conjecture he's speaking straight to them.

Also, he posted this, I'll put in italics for easy quoting.

"... this post has the clearest perspective. Look, you're fine saying you think the book sucks. No problem. Can't win them all. I try very hard to provide everyone their money's worth but I don't always get it right.

The *expectation* for the book far outstripped what the book was ever going to be. Hindsight tells me the expectation was that we'd wrap up everything, whereas this book is exactly as you describe: a prequel. A teaser for a future series where we bring the character back and try to justify it. The Sentry story was put to me thusly: "We should try to tie up the loose end of the Sentry because we need to see how and why he makes a decision to go one way or the other. It was not particularly covered in Civil War so we'd like you to do it in the Return."

That's what we did, like or dislike."

He's indirectly blaming the Marvel PR machine for hyping this up more than it should have, which is something that shouldn't be a surprise at this point from marvel.

 

[Tropico]

Can I post a pwned pic?

 

[Darthphere]

Can I post a pwned pic?

Go for it. I must ask why though.

 

[Tropico]

Because of your pwning post?

 

[Darthphere]

Because of your pwning post?

Ok, make it a good one though.

 

[Dread]

Actually he did:



And either way, since the column is a Newsarama thing, one can conjecture he's speaking straight to them.

Also, he posted this, I'll put in italics for easy quoting.

"... this post has the clearest perspective. Look, you're fine saying you think the book sucks. No problem. Can't win them all. I try very hard to provide everyone their money's worth but I don't always get it right.

The *expectation* for the book far outstripped what the book was ever going to be. Hindsight tells me the expectation was that we'd wrap up everything, whereas this book is exactly as you describe: a prequel. A teaser for a future series where we bring the character back and try to justify it. The Sentry story was put to me thusly: "We should try to tie up the loose end of the Sentry because we need to see how and why he makes a decision to go one way or the other. It was not particularly covered in Civil War so we'd like you to do it in the Return."

That's what we did, like or dislike."

He's indirectly blaming the Marvel PR machine for hyping this up more than it should have, which is something that shouldn't be a surprise at this point from marvel.

Touche'.

 

[deemar325]

Actually he did:



And either way, since the column is a Newsarama thing, one can conjecture he's speaking straight to them.

Also, he posted this, I'll put in italics for easy quoting.

"... this post has the clearest perspective. Look, you're fine saying you think the book sucks. No problem. Can't win them all. I try very hard to provide everyone their money's worth but I don't always get it right.

The *expectation* for the book far outstripped what the book was ever going to be. Hindsight tells me the expectation was that we'd wrap up everything, whereas this book is exactly as you describe: a prequel. A teaser for a future series where we bring the character back and try to justify it. The Sentry story was put to me thusly: "We should try to tie up the loose end of the Sentry because we need to see how and why he makes a decision to go one way or the other. It was not particularly covered in Civil War so we'd like you to do it in the Return."

That's what we did, like or dislike."

He's indirectly blaming the Marvel PR machine for hyping this up more than it should have, which is something that shouldn't be a surprise at this point from marvel.

I can understand that happening, it makes me not so pissed.

 

[Darthphere]

Touche'.

I also wanted to add that if this is the first Floggin you guys ever read, go back and read the others, theyre the same tone, but hilarious, mostly about his own family and stuff thats happened to him.

 

[Darthphere]

I can understand that happening, it makes me not so pissed.

Really, with every other marvel comic being touted as the book that will break the internet in half, it shouldn't be that far fetched to believe.

 

[PhotoJones]

what was the book that broke the internet in half the first time?

was that house of m # whatever?

 

[Darthphere]

what was the book that broke the internet in half the first time?

was that house of m # whatever?

#4 I think, Hawkeye's return.

 

[deemar325]

Really, with every other marvel comic being touted as the book that will break the internet in half, it shouldn't be that far fetched to believe.

It's not.

 

[PhotoJones]

ah. the internet bounced back quickly.

 

[Darthphere]

ah. the internet bounced back quickly.

I rebuilt it.

 

[Eros]

Paul Jenkins is cool, except for the whole makeing Sentry thing. Perhaps they should let the britt write an ongoing for Sentry,and make him cool.

 

[PhotoJones]

I rebuilt it.

good job.

now fix this stupid "bad request" message i get every other time i click on a thread.

 

[Darthphere]

good job.

now fix this stupid "bad request" message i get every other time i click on a thread.

I am not God.

 

[Dread]

what was the book that broke the internet in half the first time?

was that house of m # whatever?

Either HOM when Hawkeye returned or his death, one of those.

Marvel does overhype some books sometimes and create this backlash, even if it is naturally done in a zeal to sell.