Anyone Else Notice How Lax Marvel's Getting With Their Release Schedule?

[Fannymac]

More and more, if a book is running late, Marvel just seems to be skipping a month here or there. Some prime examples:

ASTONISHING X-MEN - The first run was such a disaster that they had to put the book on hiatus, then come back as a bi-monthly.

FANTASTIC FOUR - Two of the last six months have had nothing from the main title.

NEXTWAVE - Nothing scheduled for August.

SHE-HULK - #11 was just solicited for September, which means between now and then, a month gets skipped.

I know DC has it's problems with terminally tardy books (Teen Titans) or missing months (Supergirl, the All-Star books), but I think DC is just overextended right now, what with 52 and all. Marvel just doesn't seem to care.
I certainly don't think we're getting better stories now than we were 30, 20 or even 10 years ago, when this never seemed to be a problem. No, I attribute it to two things......writers and artists today just aren't held accountable any more....it's sort of a "WHATEVER!" attitude. There's no.....hunger. Plus, I think everyone's spread WAAAAY too thin......between their next graphic novel, screen play, TV show or what not, when do they have time to do their comics work?!?!?
OK, I'm feeling better.......stepping off the soapbox now!

[RichBamf]

What about Ultimates?

[Fannymac]

Originally Posted by RichBamf

What about Ultimates?

I'm a purist.....never even bothered starting with them.....and it's probably a good thing!!!!

[DDura711]

Isn't Nextwave GONE?

[Fannymac]

Originally Posted by DDura711

Isn't Nextwave GONE?

Nope, they're just skipping a month (August).....issue #8 was just solicited for September!

[Kdawg59]

I think you can blame tardiness in any and all books on Image... They were habitually late and were still some of the top selling books ever. Marvel and DC sees that they don't lose readership and the change their policies..

Does Spidey/ Black Cat by Kevin Smith ring any bells

[JR2]

Originally Posted by Fannymac

More and more, if a book is running late, Marvel just seems to be skipping a month here or there. Some prime examples:

ASTONISHING X-MEN - The first run was such a disaster that they had to put the book on hiatus, then come back as a bi-monthly.

Goes back to monthly in August with issue #16. #17 is solicited in the next Previews.

Originally Posted by Fannymac

FANTASTIC FOUR - Two of the last six months have had nothing from the main title.

True. Honestly, I'm not a big FF fan, I'm not too upset about this one, other than on principle, of course.

Originally Posted by Fannymac

NEXTWAVE - Nothing scheduled for August.

Already answered. A month was skipped.

Originally Posted by Fannymac

SHE-HULK - #11 was just solicited for September, which means between now and then, a month gets skipped.

I'd rather Marvel do this than solicit a book they know will be late. Daredevil: Father anyone? The master of this is Todd MacFarlane with Spawn. I dropped that book long ago, but he was soliciting monthly even though the book was shipping 6-9 months late. At least the book usually went returnable.

Originally Posted by Fannymac

I know DC has it's problems with terminally tardy books (Teen Titans) or missing months (Supergirl, the All-Star books), but I think DC is just overextended right now, what with 52 and all. Marvel just doesn't seem to care.

Yep, it does. Getting worse, too. See the recent resolicits for Teen Titans, Supergirl, and the All-Star books. By the way, Tony Daniel (the artist on Teen Titans) has rarely been able to keep a monthly schedule so we really shouldn't be surprised on this one. How many people care about the All-Star books anymore?

Originally Posted by Fannymac

I certainly don't think we're getting better stories now than we were 30, 20 or even 10 years ago, when this never seemed to be a problem. No, I attribute it to two things......writers and artists today just aren't held accountable any more....it's sort of a "WHATEVER!" attitude. There's no.....hunger. Plus, I think everyone's spread WAAAAY too thin......between their next graphic novel, screen play, TV show or what not, when do they have time to do their comics work?!?!?
OK, I'm feeling better.......stepping off the soapbox now!

I think the better stories part depends. The writers and artists aren't held accountable as they were in the past. Then again, in the past many of these guys worked in the "bullpen." Yes, too many of the writers are using comics as a side gig or just dabbling while the next big Hollywood project comes to pass. Few of the artists that ever worked for Image can put anything out on time.

But, the biggest problem is us. For the most part, we still buy this stuff when it's horribly late (and by we, I mean comic collectors in general).

We stop buying late stuff and it will eventually stop being late (or possibly stop being at all).

I think I just broke my soapbox....