I like the new characters, but the complaints about familiarity are legitimate. Marvel changed too much too fast.
It seems as though we are getting closer to that, but we won't have the full picture for a while.
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COMICS!!! |OT| May 2017 - Every Empire Falls
- Thread starter Messi
- Start date
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Brianimaniac
Banned
The thing is, though, I don't think they're "killing" as many books as people say. I think a lot of these things are just "minis that could turn into ongoings", and that the cancellations are "okay, we're just leaving that as a mini". They just don't want to say upfront that anything is a mini because those supposedly don't do well for them, and they want to retain the option to go ongoing if something is a breakout success.
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
What is the next big thing from Image?
Cancellation with this regularity makes them look bad and makes it look like they are just winging it.
Tragicomedy
Member
I mean, I'm still invested, but only in the form of a six month delay on MU. I don't have much incentive to stay on top of the latest issues. And it still feels like a hostile relationship at times.
Why? Is the current strategy working? Doesn't seem to be. Tossing out books that immediately die on the limb or rebooting isn't lighting up the charts. And they're seeing diminishing returns with each reset.
That's the weird part. I don't feel like anything in the recent Marvel comic lineup feels like it's written to become a future film. Maybe Civil War II? But that was largely panned and hurt other books sales.
Were the Inhumans supposed to be the next big movie franchise? Maybe Disney tried pushing them some with IvX. Now they can go to die on a crappy TV show where they belong.
If Disney was pushing them to do meat and potatoes storylines with MCU flavors, I could see your point. But they don't seem to be. What's Disney intending to do with a Cho Hulk? Mosaic? Hellcat? Green Gun Guy?
These are all Marvel Comics decisions and books. I don't see a world where Disney is pushing these decisions.
You mentioned DC riding high for a year. DC is definitely going to do another soft launch within the couple years because that is the nature of things. The thing is DC figured out what Marvel still hasn't grasped in 4 years.
stop making heroes fight each other every event.
They will let us know when they know.
Freezasaurus
Member
The problem I see is that these "minis" are more interesting than their permanent books. Their main line is stale and they're not doing anything to change that.
I wouldn't expect to see another one of those anytime soon for various reasons.
Tragicomedy
Member
I'm keeping up with several Rebirth books, and I still realize this is coming sooner rather than later. It's easy to get swept up in the hype, but I'm off the opinion that DC is already releasing several absolutely garbage books in this lineup. This sales spike will eventually sputter and we'll see the next relaunch.
On a monthly basis, I read an equal number of quality Marvel and DC books. That alone is a success for DC, since I wouldn't even touch their stuff during New 52.
Brianimaniac
Banned
I'm loving big core stuff like Cap, Thor, and Spider-Man as much as I ever have. I don't know how anything sells or if anyone else likes it, but these are runs that are equal to or not far behind the best I've ever read for the characters. I'm not a stock-holder, so I don't care if they're in financial ruin as long as I'm loving these books as much as I am.
They probably told him that this and WoW are proof not every book with your name will sell.
Tragicomedy
Member
That's the correct mindset. The sales tracking (does it even include digital?) affects me only if a book I enjoy is getting the axe. If not, who cares? I'm enjoying comics.
List!
Batman #23
Curse Words #5
Flash #22
Green Arrow #23
Invincible #136
Nightwing #21
Superman #23
Hickman FF dominating my Marvel reading.
What books do you believe are garbage? I'm curious. I actually agree some of the books have downturned. I know you don't like the Harley book but other than that?
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
I think we will get relaunch next year after Metal or what ever is going on at the end of the year. It might be more of a rebranding than a renumbering of the line.
Removing the Rebirth banner?
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
That or changing the name to something else.
"Not Marvel"
knowing damn well they set him up to fail.
MHWilliams
Member
Because they've only been riding high for a year. Never said it was only going to be for a year, only that there are multi-year swings between Marvel and DC.
This is really all I'm saying. There are things that DC is doing that help and will stretch on beyond this relaunch, like double-shipping the best-selling marquee titles. But by and larger creative teams will shift, DC will get cocky, and in late 2019, we'll be saying the same thing in reverse.
Garbage books? Huh. There's only a few really. Justice League does absolutely nothing for me. I want to like Cyborg, but it's emotionally dead. Action Comics, Batman Beyond, and Trinity are also non-starters for me.
Sales-wise? DC's below-the-cutoff books are Superwoman, New Super-Man, Cyborg, Kamandi, Blue Beetle, Earth 2 Society (gone already), Captain Atom, Shade The Changing Girl, Midnighter and Apollo, and Gotham Academy (cancelled).
That has been Marvel's MO since Now 2.0
Reminder, this was the same month where they were hyping up Empire #0
Brian Fellows
Pete Carroll Owns Me
Don't really know. I am looking forward to Gail Simone's new book Crosswind though.
This has been a pretty weak year for new Image titles for me. Pretty much only Curse Words and Extremity have stuck for sure and maaaaaybe Old Guard.
Tragicomedy
Member
I haven't read everything, but about 80% of their mainline books. The Superman books, Deathstroke, and Green Arrow are my most anticipated each month. Detective is dropping fast. Batman is a huge letdown, but I can't label it trash.
Terrible:
Justice League
Justice League of America
Harley
Blue Beetle
Hellblazer
Cyborg
Mediocre:
Hal Jordan
Green Lanterns
Supergirl
Flash - why am I still reading this?
Batgirl
Suicide Squad
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
I think the focus on imprints from DC could work out for them in the long by giving some alternatives to the main line.
I dont think DC want to remind people of DC you lol
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
The only reason that I'm reading Flash is because of the Button storyline.
That recent image reveal panel was dreadful.
true.
This so much! Young animal/hannah barbara allow everyone to be happy.
Brianimaniac
Banned
I tend to read roughly the same amount of great books from Marvel and DC whether they're considered to be doing well or poorly on the whole. Even at their worst, they're doing more good things at once than I have time and money for. They can put out 75 masterpieces a month if they want, but I'm still only going to read 2-5 books a week.
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
Aren't we getting a WildStorm imprint too?
At what point is it too many imprints? The Young Adult one coming next year too.
Brian Fellows
Pete Carroll Owns Me
A little Lupacchino makes every thing better.
Freezasaurus
Member
She's your answer to everything.
List for this week:
Batwoman #3
Cave Carson #8
Injustice 2 #2
Wild Storm #4
ROM #10
Curse Words #5
Invincible #136
Wicked + Divine 455 AD #1
Generation X #1
Secret Empire #2
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
Five is the limit I'm guessing. But that imprints might be a problem for them depending on the amount the books they give for each one.
Never.A publisher like DC and Marvel should reach out to as many different audiences as it can.
She's your answer to everything.
List for this week:
Batwoman #3
Cave Carson #8
Injustice 2 #2
Wild Storm #4
ROM #10
Curse Words #5
Invincible #136
Wicked + Divine 455 AD #1
Generation X #1
Secret Empire #2
She's a wonderful artist and a really wonderful Supergirl artist at that.
Had some great books though, as you well know. Shame it was such a half-hearted effort.
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
Wild Storm came out this week? I need to pick that up on Monday then.
Freezasaurus
Member
Hm. Had to start the Injustice 2 preload manually. Good news is the game is only 28GB.
#4 comes out Wednesday.
#4 comes out Wednesday.
Brian Fellows
Pete Carroll Owns Me
Comes out next week. We always post our buy list for next week on Saturday nights.
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
Damn.
Tragicomedy
Member
I never seen you ever write a critical word about DC, so pardon me if I don't take you as an objective patry.
Even our resident Blue Beetle stan wasn't high on the Rebirth book (that may have changed). I don't know who could possibly be. It's cringe worthy.
Because I'm loving DC right now! They're making good moves creatively and pr wise. When they make a move I don't like than I can call them on it.
Hell I'll give you a freebie. I think DC should fire EVS and stop working from him altogether because of recent events that have come to lite, and continual employment is a very poor choice. Also I don't like how we've not gotten any concrete Milestone progress. There should be more diversity books and creators. And we should start seeing more work from the Writers/Artist workshop crew.
And Poodlestrike did praise the Blue Beetle book recently.
MHWilliams
Member
When I jumped back to the April 2016 thread to see how we felt about DC then, Ross actually posted he hoped Rebirth would get DC back on track!
That's how bad it was!
Poodlestrike
Banned
BB did indeed start rough, but the editorial team managed to get Giffen to tone down the banter and, well, Giffen-isms after issue... I wanna say 4 or so? Will have to double check at some point.
Anyway it's a lot better now. Solid Blue Beetle shenanigans.
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