Do you guys feel the Marvel momentum slowing down?

[Hensley300]

Just wondering. I know i just posted x-statix is being canceled but it brings up a valid thought. The rejuveniation of Marvel title story lines coupled with CGC in late 2000-2001 really got the comic collecting hobby kicking again and has and I am assuming is still bringing in new readers, albeit at a much lower rate than 20 years ago but my point is: i feel like things are slowing down a bit and almost degressing: multiple variant covers, many new titles carrying the same x-characters or spider-man for instance. Seems like its 2004 going on 1994 again. The relaunches arent really impressing me this time around and except for say, new x-men which has been rocking lately and x-statix which just seemed to pick up steam out of nowhere after about a 8 issue hiatus, i dont really know where spider-man or the other ummm 5 x-titles seem to be going since they have killed off some of my favorite characters like magneto and colossus. Anyone else got thoughts on this matter? conflicting or not?

[sckao]

Anyone else got thoughts on this matter? conflicting or not?

 

Are you trying to say that you miss Bill Jemas?

[delekkerste]

I've had very similar thoughts lately. I thought 2001 was one of the best years in Marvel's history and things have degenerated slowly since then. I think they've made some pretty poor decisions of late, as you've pointed out.

[Aman619]

Bill's still at Marvel...theyve got him locked up in a room upstairs...

so maybe if it gets worse, theyll have to put him back in charge.

Good ol' crazy Billy J!!

[Smokinghawk]

Marvel seems to ADORE two mistakes in particular:

 

1) we don't need a gajillion versions of the same title. I can't count how many spider-books or X-books there are and more are coming. Whittle it down.

 

2) Quit cancelling series and then re-launcing them just to give us another #1 issue.

 

They make other mistakes too, but those two REALLY bug me.

[blowout]

we don't need a gajillion versions of the same title. I can't count how many spider-books or X-books there are and more are coming. Whittle it down.

 

They are doing exactly what every other short-sighted company does when they latch on to something successful...milk it for all it is worth. See examples in TV such as CSI, and Law & Order.

 

Trouble is, do it too much and the audience stops watching/reading altogther.

[dolphinsrwj]

the one thing i hate the most is when the relaunch a series starting at #1

[blowout]

the one thing i hate the most is when the relaunch a series starting at #1

 

Yep, its definately a bad sign when a company keeps giving readers a supposed 'jumping on point'.

[jduran1]

They broke their promise of no second printings. Though I think overall Marvel is doing a lot of things right they allowed DC to sneak up behind and whack them on the back of the head. This will cause them to rebound even harder and do something absolutely amazing like signing Alan Moore and McFarland to do a a Spider-man series together Then they will sign Stephen King to do a Horror series. and then and then .....................

[Hensley300]

1. no more relaunches

2. bring back those cutting edge ideas into titles but not by cutting titles to solve the problem (most of the time i quit buying a book isnt because i am not interested in the character, its just the story hasnt gone anywhere in like 6 months, and i usually give it that long

3. dont cancel x-statix dammit!

[shiverbones]

i think they came to a screeching hault. I don't read a single book anymore they put out. I was up to 8 a month or so, but the magic is gone, the books are empty.

[awe4one]

The problem is non-continuity of their titles and the move towards telling more "relevent" stories.

 

Each title pretty much stands alone now. Events in two titles, even if they feature the same character(s), aren't necessarily related. Spidey can go visit the Negative Zone in one issue while staying in Manhattan in another and act as if the trip never happened. This kills anyone needing to buy any other Marvel title. Some say it's good.....I think it destroys what made the Marvel Universe special.

 

Also, realism has killed some of the Marvel magic. These are high-adventure/fantasy/escapist comics acting like the next episode of the OC or Cops. If I want to read about the war on terrorists or a mad bomber, I can read the newspaper. The comics are supposed to give you 15 minutes in another world with heroes that have extraordinary powers fighting against extraordinary dilemmas. The realism aspect takes away the "extraordinary" and grounds it in reality. Well....frankly I can get reality through other, more well rounded and accurate, venues.

 

Jim

[Robert]

I'm down to six Marvel books and two of those (Runaways, Supreme Power) are going on hiatus after August. I wouldn't be surprised if a third (She-Hulk) gets lost in this Avengers Disassembled nonsense.

 

I used to spend almost all of my money on Marvel growing up; now it's 70% DC, 10% Image/Dark Horse/indie and 20% Marvel. I'm just not that fascinated with Wolverine and Spider-Man to be interested in more than a handful of what Marvel publishes each month.

[shiverbones]

i mourn the covers of the past that would actually show some conflict to get you interested as well, not all these GQ shots & that [!@#%^&^]. How about spiderman punching a villain for instance!

[blowout]

i mourn the covers of the past that would actually show some conflict to get you interested as well, not all these GQ shots & that [!@#%^&^]. How about spiderman punching a villain for instance!

 

The 'poster' cover is one of the worst concepts the JQ has come up with in his time at Marvel. Every issue looks the same.

[MK Ultra]

What momentum?

 

I used to read mostly marvels as a teen, now I read mostly DC's. It seems they have the stories, characters, and artists. Marvel seems to have the over abundance of titles with the same characters. Another new xmen comic? I don't want that.

[highlite23]

I'm sure it's been stated, but ..."with great power comes great responsibility", Marvel should sit and read that line over and over again and not assume all comic book fans are lemings and hype seeking missles drugged up in the last few years who will only pick up the popular charecters at infinitum.

 

That's all i got.

[hobbes]

What momentum?

 

I used to read mostly marvels as a teen, now I read mostly DC's. It seems they have the stories, characters, and artists. Marvel seems to have the over abundance of titles with the same characters. Another new xmen comic? I don't want that.

 

ditto

[Stronguy]

i mourn the covers of the past that would actually show some conflict to get you interested as well, not all these GQ shots & that [!@#%^&^]. How about spiderman punching a villain for instance!

 

The 'poster' cover is one of the worst concepts the JQ has come up with in his time at Marvel. Every issue looks the same.

 

I asked Scott Hanna a/b this back in November. He said that it had to do with getting the cover art to Diamond 6-8 months before the books actually hit the stands. He said that most of the story lines are planned at a high level this far in advance but they are really not getting enough plot detail to get a "telling" cover done.

 

He also said that Marvel was trying to push back on this and get back to doing good covers. He indicated that "many" of Marvel's artists are getting tired of doing pin-up covers.

[awe4one]

I asked Scott Hanna a/b this back in November. He said that it had to do with getting the cover art to Diamond 6-8 months before the books actually hit the stands. He said that most of the story lines are planned at a high level this far in advance but they are really not getting enough plot detail to get a "telling" cover done.

 

If true, this is insane. Sounds to me as if Diamond needs to be accommodating the comic publishers a little more than the other way around....

 

Jim