Come on... snap out of it!

[Kevin Boyd]

Sorry Zonker, it was not my intention to imply that this was a new thing in the mid-80's, as "freelancing" has been a part of the industry for as long as anyone wants to look.

 

I just feel it became more prevalent when DC specifically targetted "Marvel guys" Byrne and Miller (both had worked for DC before on small projects) for their post-Crisis revamp of Superman and Batman. Tighter continuity, use of the same talent and the retirement of the old DC "star editors" made DC and Marvel more interchangable than ever. Marvel is better at cultivating new talent artistically, DC did the same with their writers.

[Kevin Boyd]

IDW is never on the ship lists (if that's where you culled your stuff from)

 

I was looking at the IDW section in the new Previews.

[Stark This-migration]

Conan

The Goon

Swamp Thing

 

Conan is the best comic published today, hands down. If you are a Marvel zombie, you'll love this book.

 

Dark Horse really out did themselves with the new Conan book. This new story looks to even better than the first.

 

Donut, I met a guy at the Balt. con that said I should look you up here or on ebay to ask you about price variant IM books. Do you have any available? Thanks

[rob_react]

 

Generally that kind of narrow minded brand loyalty thinking went out the window in 1985-6 (when DC adopted a Marvel style continuity and hired Marvel's "big guns" to revamp their characters.

 

That was the turning point for me. With the high profile projects they did during that time they got me interested big time in what they were doing (although I had already been following the Wolfman/ Perez Titans stuff so I wasn't a true Marvel Zombie anyway). From that point forward I stuck around, a decision helped mightily by the fact that DC has generally been the quality leader since then.

[Kevin Boyd]

That was the turning point for me. With the high profile projects they did during that time they got me interested big time in what they were doing (although I had already been following the Wolfman/ Perez Titans stuff so I wasn't a true Marvel Zombie anyway). From that point forward I stuck around, a decision helped mightily by the fact that DC has generally been the quality leader since then.

 

Pretty much the same story here, although you can add Camelot 3000 and Saga of the Swamp Thing to Titans on my list of pre-Crisis DC purchases. Like most kids I read DC's when I was very young (1972-1976) but had gone exclusively Marvel from 1977-1982 until I started frequenting comic shops and the new books from every company were side by side on the new issue rack and I started buying the aforementioned DCs and the occasionally independant like Elric, Cerebus, Nexus, American Flagg!, Mage, etc.

 

Crisis got me interested in the DCU, Byrne got me into Superman, Miller got me back into Batman, Perez - Wonder Woman, Truman - Hawkman, Chaykin - Blackhawk, Bates/Broderick - Captain Atom, Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire - Justice League, Waid - the Flash and so on...

[rob_react]

PLANETARY, which, shipping schedules aside, is my favorite "current" book by a comfortable margin.

 

What exactly is this (PLANETARY) about? I've just hear that it is a good book with inconsistant arrival times.

 

To add to what I plucked from DC before... billed as "Archeologists of the Unknown" the Planetary group is out to discover the secret history of the world. Generally that means supernatural and superhuman hijinks that have gone on underneath the world's radar (either intentionally or not...) In practice, Ellis takes this archeologist/detective premise and uses it to explore and examine a lot of cool pop culture every issue (most issues work well as standalone stories) while still introducing new concepts and weaving a pretty crazy overall story that's runs through basically the entire series. Characters from comics, b movies, pulps, literature and real world history are all tossed together into the blender that is Ellis' crazy, bearded head and output in new and imaginative ways. Mix those with the Ellis original stuff (which is mighty cool) and couple all THAT with Cassaday's art and you've got one of my favorite series of all time.

[rob_react]

Camelot 3000, Saga of the Swamp Thing , American Flagg!

 

Actually, come to think of it, I was reading those and The Spirit reprinits from Kitchen Sink, as well.

[Zonker]

Sorry Zonker, it was not my intention to imply that this was a new thing in the mid-80's, as "freelancing" has been a part of the industry for as long as anyone wants to look.

 

I just feel it became more prevalent when DC specifically targetted "Marvel guys" Byrne and Miller (both had worked for DC before on small projects) for their post-Crisis revamp of Superman and Batman. Tighter continuity, use of the same talent and the retirement of the old DC "star editors" made DC and Marvel more interchangable than ever. Marvel is better at cultivating new talent artistically, DC did the same with their writers.

 

Particularly as it pertains to the retirement or promotion of the old-guard DC editors like Julie Schwartz, Joe Orlando, Giordano.

 

I also perceive that "freelancing" prior to say 1970 was a much more rare (and career-limiting) occurance. Seems like you worked for 1 company or another, and risked being black-balled if you sought work across the street. (Hence a lot of the pseudonyms people used in the Silver Age when working for Marvel, like Mickey Demeo = Mike Esposito).

 

I mean, Gil Kane was a DC guy until the very late Silver Age. Once he went to Marvel, you rarely saw his work at DC again until things blew open in the 1980s. (Though I suppose his Thunder Agents was below the rader and not perceived as a real threat).

 

John Romita did romance stuff at DC until he took over Spider-Man for Marvel and then never looked back.

 

Steve Ditko famously wandered from Marvel to Tower to Charlton to DC throughout the 1960s, but seems like it was always an either/or proposition, not working at multiple places simultaneously.

 

Kirby, Severin, Ayers, Roy Thomas, Buscema, Larry Lieber, Don Heck were all Marvel throughout the 1960s. (and Stan of course)

Kane, Garner Fox, Infantino, Murphy Anderson, Broome, Kanigher, Russ Heath, Kubert, Ross Andru, Cardy, Jim Shooter (!) were all DC throughout the 1960s.

 

Neal Adams probably did more than anyone to break down those walls.

[awe4one]

Guess it depends on why you buy your comics. If it's only because you like the characters at one company and are unwilling to sample another company's product then sure, why bother if your favorite Marvel characters start going downhill?

 

Maybe I wasn't clear enough Kevin. The point I was trying to make was if you're already reading comics, doesn't matter which publisher, you'd have already been exposed to other publisher's comics. And if you already aren't buying them than the chances you'd find "a whole other universe" or genre to grasp upon are slim if you decide to drop the comics you already are reading.

 

I just used Marvel as an example since you used them...

 

Jim

[Kevin Boyd]

Then you weren't very clear. You specifically referred to Marvel, and this post was originally Marvel-centric, or what to do if you don't want to be Marvel-centric.

 

I used Hensley3000's post as a stepping stone as he is an individual who says he is leaving comics because he's not happy with Marvel (but really I think it's an excuse to save some dough), but it's been a point raised often enough here on these boards that a lot of individual's pride their abandonment of comics on the output from Marvel Comics. Rarely do I ever hear... "I hate what they've done to Batman... that's it... I'm Out!" or "the new Hellboy is taking too long to come out". I still have yet to hear "They killed Sue Dibny. I will never buy another comic again." or "those DC 2nd print sketch covers are killing our industry and encouraging speculation" (which they are).

 

But you will hear it from Marvel fans. "They've screwed around with the Avengers, that's it, I quit!" or "I hate the Marvel variants, I quit!".

 

Seems everyone's passions rise and fall with the Marvel publications. What this thread is trying to say is that they don't have to, there are good comics out there. If you want to claim that there are not, then you are wrong and you really haven't been looking.

 

And btw everyone should be reading Planetary.

[helionaut]

What exactly is this (PLANETARY) about? I've just hear that it is a good book with inconsistant arrival times.

 

I'd add that Ellis has a very slick way of presenting current cutting-edge theoretical physics and quantum theory and getting great stories out of it. The idea of creating a math equation so detailed that you can use it to rewrite reality is something thrown around in some fringe scientific circles, along with practical time travel and teleportation. He also reexamines comic icons in a dark way, like that last couple issues that dealt with the fourth member of "the four," the evil counterpart to the "Planetary" group, whom we hadn't seen till then. It's just incredibly cool and imaginative science-fiction, and I can't imagine anyone but Cassaday doing the art. Whether you are into superhero comics (especially Marvel), Hong Kong action movies, Godzilla movies, James Bond-style spy stuff, old pulp stories, or pure science fiction, you'll find a lot to like in Planetary.

 

They were fairly regular with a bi-monthly or so schedule up through issue 15, IIRC, then they took about 18 months off. They started up again late last year or early this year and seem to be bi-monthly again, but not strict.

[Kevin Boyd]

The oversized Absolute Planetary hardcover ships on October 6th.An expensive proposition for a non-fan for a an introduction (the trades are widely available and that's the best place to start), but I personally can't wait to see Cassaday's gorgeous Planetary art in such a great format. I have the previous Absolute editions - LOEG (another great series), Danger Girl, and Authority volumes 1 & 2 (Volume 1 is great stuff, especially for fans of the Ultimates).

 

I'm hoping that the Absolute LOEG Volume 2 gets announced soon but there are plans for an Absolute Batman: Hush..

 

PS thanks again to mitol for taking my Planetary hardcovers to Atlanta earlier this month. He got Ellis to sign them for me (I've already had them personalized by Cassaday).

[OldGuy]

Conan

Y The Last Man

100 Bullets

Identity Crisis

DC The New Frontier

Wanted

[awe4one]

Seems everyone's passions rise and fall with the Marvel publications.

 

I think Joe's hype machine has alot to do with it. Readers get sucked in time and again to only be disappointed because the hype overstated the actual product. when this happens often enough, they blame Marvel as a whole and not the individual title or issue that caused it.

 

Bob Wayne, and DC in general, are much more subtle...

 

What this thread is trying to say is that they don't have to, there are good comics out there. If you want to claim that there are not, then you are wrong and you really haven't been looking.

 

I'm not disagreeing here...

 

But just because there are comics available doesn't mean people that drop the ones they have an "emotional" attachment with will necessarily like those.

 

Jim

[Kevin Boyd]

But just because there are comics available doesn't mean people that drop the ones they have an "emotional" attachment with will necessarily like those.

 

No one said they would, although I am recommending that they take a look around before they leave in a huff.

 

Thanks for straightening that out.

[deathlok]

I bought two Planetary TPB and was very dissappointed in it. It was not that interesting of a read. After hearing about it so much I expected a lot more. Perhaps I got the wrong two TPB's, but they were recommended by my LCS owner.

 

So it is not for everyone.

[Kevin Boyd]

Too bad DL, "All Over the World and Other Stories" is the first one and is the intro to the series.

 

In each of the stories the Planetary team encounters a thinly veiled allegory for an existing comic book or fantasy creation. I'll indicate below who they are supposed to be:

 

Preview - the Hulk

#1 - Shadow, Tarzan, Fu Man Chu, Doc Savage, Dan Dare and other '30s pulp heroes open a portal to another plane of reality and encounter a group of super-heroes that resemble the Justice League.

#2 - Godzilla and monster island

#3 - The Spectre

#4 - Captain Marvel

#5 - Doc Brass's (Doc Savage) story

#6 - The Fantastic Four

[rob_react]

I bought two Planetary TPB and was very dissappointed in it. It was not that interesting of a read.

 

Can you expand on that?

 

Which books, did you pick up, by the way.

[deathlok]

These were the two I have read. Are there better stories?

 

[Kevin Boyd]

DEFINITELY. Those are two prestige format one-shots. Check out the first tpb if you can.

 

Planetary/JLA is not very good and is more of an Elseworlds than a part of the storyline.

 

Planetary/Batman is part of the storyline and has great Cassaday art, but was kind of soft story-wise.

 

First tpb: ALL OVER THE WORLD AND OTHER STORIES

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1563896486/qid=1096048713/sr=ka-3/ref=pd_ka_3/002-9891581-9957622

 

Second tpb: THE FOURTH MAN

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1563897644/qid=1096048713/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-9891581-9957622

 

The third tpb probably won't be out until the new year, but it is out in hardcover.

 

There is another Planetary tpb CROSSING WORLDS which reprint those two one-shots and the Planetary/Authority one-shot.