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05-27-2017, 11:07 PM
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#1
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Columnist Thunder Mod
Super Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Denver Area, between Asgard and Krypton
Posts: 21,330
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Atlantic Magazine: The Real Reason for Marvel Comics' Woes
Wow, you know you're in trouble if The Atlantic is writing these kinds of articles about you.
Frankly, I pretty much agree with what's in here:
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertai...utm_source=twb
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05-28-2017, 08:19 AM
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#2
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Jedi Order
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Habs Nation
Posts: 28,094
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I agree with the article. Hard not to. Basically, short term gains = long term losses. Too many inexplicable relaunches, too many reasons for confused fans to not bother, too much manufactured diversity (i.e., Asian Hulk, Muslim Ms Marvel, Hispanic Spiderman, female version of this or that, and the list goes on...). And, then there's the cost of $4-$5 per book, some of which sell bi-weekly. At the end of the day, fans just want to be entertained. The older ones do not appear to be and there's way too much competition for the younger ones' entertainment dollar. Sure, there are some decent books out there but the sales figures suggest that people are moving on because the mediocre far outweighs the good. The movies are not attracting enough new interest either.
I had the audacity to bring up Jack Kirby's name on several occasions at various Facebook statue-fan pages to virtual complete silence. Most had no idea who he was. However, there were pages discussing how well the Doom PF is selling on the aftermarket.
I hate to say this but comics have gone the way of rock and roll. The days of Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty, Bob Segar, AC DC, Eagles, Dire Straits, Queen, Rolling Stones and so on are long gone and were replaced by the likes of Nikki Minaj, One Direction, and Justin Bieber and neverending interest in the Kardashians. And yes, I'm aware of how much of a old fogie fuddie duddie I might sound like... lol.
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05-28-2017, 09:07 AM
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#3
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Phoenix
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Posts: 12,136
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Very good article & I really agree with the majority of what the writers says. Modern Marvel/DC comic book collecting & reading has become an absolute quagmire of an exercise. I've almost stopped boxing my books on account that if I wait a year or two between organizing, I'm left figuring out which #1 issue of a series predates another #1 of the same character or series. I've refused to buy anything but "the core" title of an event book, which leaves me, all the time, wondering what the hell just happened & ends up causing me to eventually leave said "core book" after dropping a boat-load of cash on it. I'm pretty much sticking to the strong, linear, straight flowing books that are still being published.
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05-28-2017, 11:33 AM
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#4
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Yeah, I spend WAY too much time here!
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Shockingly...page one!
Posts: 18,641
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This is a tough read a s a comic fan, but not surprising.
Alonso's 'artists don't move the needle anymore' is a massive clue that he simply doesn't understand what makes good comics anymore and should go. When I think of great comics, I think of classic, or even modern pairings that have and will always stand the test of time.
Even off the top of my head I think of Stan and Jack, Bendis and Bagley, Kanigher and Kubert, O'Neill and Adams, Claremont and Byrne, Miller and Janson, Wolfman and Perez, Ennis and Dillon. Even Quietly and Morrison have created great legacy stuff. (This is so much fun I could do this all day...)
The key is consistency, not constant shuffling of titles and crew. By the time a new or old reader gets used to a book, it's cancelled or renumbered or retooled and provided that getaway for people to jump off the title.
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05-28-2017, 11:51 AM
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#5
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Hellfire Club
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Antalya/Turkiye
Posts: 4,197
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I usually wait for Omnibuses when it comes to Marvel. Only Wolverine is an exception, i may get TPBs or Deluxe HCs of Wolverine.
I don't follow events with a gazillion tie ins. I will probably get them when they get an Omnibus with all the tie ins though, if the event get enough praises.
There is no way that anyone can make me get a single floppy. (except free comic book day) I quit getting floppies long time ago.
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05-28-2017, 12:26 PM
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#6
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Yeah, I spend WAY too much time here!
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Shockingly...page one!
Posts: 18,641
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Dark Knight
I usually wait for Omnibuses when it comes to Marvel. Only Wolverine is an exception, i may get TPBs or Deluxe HCs of Wolverine.
I don't follow events with a gazillion tie ins. I will probably get them when they get an Omnibus with all the tie ins though, if the event get enough praises.
There is no way that anyone can make me get a single floppy. (except free comic book day) I quit getting floppies long time ago.
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I know I'm a grown man of 33, but still you have no idea the restraint I'm showing not to make an erectile dysfunction joke...
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05-28-2017, 01:57 PM
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#7
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Hellfire Club
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Antalya/Turkiye
Posts: 4,197
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RichBamf
I know I'm a grown man of 33, but still you have no idea the restraint I'm showing not to make an erectile dysfunction joke...
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I didn't know floppy also means that Let me assure you, i have no problem at that departmant. lol
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05-29-2017, 02:21 PM
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#8
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I like to make what's yours mine.
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: La Paz, Bolivia
Posts: 666
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Great article with plenty of great observations.
I still get monthly/weekly books because I love the experience. But, aside from Amazing Spider-Man, the books I get are largely unaffected by the mega-crossovers.
Crossover event hold little interest for me, and I typically skip them entirely. There are so many now that they hold little meaning. I would prefer to see 1 crossover every 2 to 3 years...events that are a long time building and have significant outcomes and consequences.
Forced diversity is a sticky subject, no doubt. I don't think any one of us here is against diversity in comics. But, there has to be a way to make new, interesting (and successful) characters and stories, rather than shoehorning change onto existing characters...
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05-29-2017, 05:55 PM
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#9
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Midnighter
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 4,838
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I dropped all Marvel books. What Axel and Joe Q have done to the MU is horrifically bad. As long as these hacks stay in charge at Marvel, I will not spend a dime to support them.
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