The "Marvel Viewpoint" of the creation of Image 1 1

[fastballspecial]

Neat article something I always wondered about. 

Inside the Image Comics' founders exodus from Marvel - from Marvel's perspective | GamesRadar+

[Lightning55]

Thanks for posting the link - very interesting article, even being a 9 year old article.  I'm trying to remember all the perceptions of that time, but it's a bit foggy now after almost 30 years.  Makes you wonder what the comic world would look like if those guys didn't break off.  A "What If?" story yet to be told.

[Prince Namor]

I don't think there's necessarily anything new there. Todd became a millionaire working for Marvel Comics, and realized he could make even more money if he owned the content. He took a bunch of people with him as a safety net and most of them slowly fell out.

Probably the closest any of them came to the true spirit of what they talked about as their reasons for leaving (creative freedom, creator rights, etc.) was Erik Larsen. He owned, wrote, drew and published his book regularly for this entire time. He's also the closest to having any real ideas and story content that maybe isn't simply a direct rip off of everything else someone has already published.

The closest any of them came to the true REASONS they left (greed, the same as all the other publishers) was Todd McFarlane. 

Liefeld tried to do his own version of the X-Men, overextended his budgets, deadlines and welcome, and went back to sporadic work for the Big Two.

Lee tried to do his own version of the X-Men, and decided the regular pay at DC was a better career choice.

Silvestri tried to do his own version of the X-Men, and... thanks to the bad girl spike had a hit with Witchblade, but neither that or the Darkness have seemed to really survive without Michael Turner.

Jim Valentino tried to do his own version of Batman, had some interesting ideas, but couldn't muster the sales he needed and got into publishing.

Whilce Portacio tried to do his own version of the X-Men, and like most of the rest of this group, couldn't keep his deadlines. He had some health issues, and McFarlane brought him in to do some issues of Spawn, but he too went back to working for the Big Two.

[shadroch]

I love listening to the color blind describing a rainbow.

[Cat]

One thing I will give Liefeld credit for: he was the first person to have a super-team together  who became uber-celebrity, a level of celebrity unmatched by even the Fantastic Four. 

[WolverineX]

On 12/30/2021 at 11:09 AM, Mecha_Fantastic said:

One thing I will give Liefeld credit for: he was the first person to have a super-team together  who became uber-celebrity, a level of celebrity unmatched by even the Fantastic Four. 

As much as he get panned, it was pretty incredible what he accomplished for himself.  

Imagine going on late night TV at age 24.

 

[lostboys]

 

I was 13 years old.

I'm just glad it happened.

My Image collection may not be worth a ton but I really enjoy flipping through them

 

 

TRENCHER!

 

[Robot Man]

His art never did a whole lot of me but I have to hand it to him. He was one smart kid. And a heck of a nice guy when I have bumped into him at cons over the years. Very good to his fans. 

[MattTheDuck]

On 12/30/2021 at 8:22 AM, Wolverinex said:

As much as he get panned, it was pretty incredible what he accomplished for himself.  

Imagine going on late night TV at age 24.

 

A. Love Dennis Miller, but he's degrading the karp out of that book

B.  Rob refers to himself and the other Image founders as "cartoonists"

C.."that Superman #1 is what, like $50,000?"

[MetalPSI]

Sam Kieth - did some original content, but proved to be insanely difficult to work with (deadlines, unwilling to finish projects)

 

[batman_fan]

I had high hopes for Neal Adam’s Continuity Comics.  I thought the stories were pretty good and they had that Neal Adam’s artwork.

[fastballspecial]

On 12/30/2021 at 8:27 AM, Prince Namor said:

I don't think there's necessarily anything new there. Todd became a millionaire working for Marvel Comics, and realized he could make even more money if he owned the content. He took a bunch of people with him as a safety net and most of them slowly fell out.

Probably the closest any of them came to the true spirit of what they talked about as their reasons for leaving (creative freedom, creator rights, etc.) was Erik Larsen. He owned, wrote, drew and published his book regularly for this entire time. He's also the closest to having any real ideas and story content that maybe isn't simply a direct rip off of everything else someone has already published.

The closest any of them came to the true REASONS they left (greed, the same as all the other publishers) was Todd McFarlane. 

Liefeld tried to do his own version of the X-Men, overextended his budgets, deadlines and welcome, and went back to sporadic work for the Big Two.

Lee tried to do his own version of the X-Men, and decided the regular pay at DC was a better career choice.

Silvestri tried to do his own version of the X-Men, and... thanks to the bad girl spike had a hit with Witchblade, but neither that or the Darkness have seemed to really survive without Michael Turner.

Jim Valentino tried to do his own version of Batman, had some interesting ideas, but couldn't muster the sales he needed and got into publishing.

Whilce Portacio tried to do his own version of the X-Men, and like most of the rest of this group, couldn't keep his deadlines. He had some health issues, and McFarlane brought him in to do some issues of Spawn, but he too went back to working for the Big Two.

Really good summary there. Only thing I might add is Silverstri completely changed his art style with Cyberforce. He as average penciler
when he did X-men. His Cyberforce was stunning visually I thought. 

Always wondered what happened to Whilce he just flat disappeared for years. 

Agree Larsen was the closest. 

[fastballspecial]

On 12/30/2021 at 2:50 PM, batman_fan said:

I had high hopes for Neal Adam’s Continuity Comics.  I thought the stories were pretty good and they had that Neal Adam’s artwork.

I know right? I loved those books and they went nowwhere. 

I loved Ultraverse and still to this day think Breed was fantastic by Starlin.

 

[Prince Namor]

On 12/30/2021 at 11:03 PM, fastballspecial said:

I know right? I loved those books and they went nowwhere. 

I loved Ultraverse and still to this day think Breed was fantastic by Starlin.

 

Yeah there were a few of these Ultraverse/Bravura/Malibu books I picked up when they came out, like Starlin's Breed, Windsor-Smith on Rune, Chaykin's Power and Glory, Simonson's Star Slammers, and Dan Brereton's Nocturnals.

And then over at Dark Horse, the 'Legends' line with Miller's Sin City, Bryne's Next Men (and Danger Unlimited, and Babe), Art Adams' Monkeyman and O'Brien (a personal fav of mine), and Mignola's Hellboy.

Too bad the marketplace just collapsed... I found stuff like this so much more interesting than what was going on at Marvel.

[fastballspecial]

On 1/1/2022 at 12:56 PM, Prince Namor said:

Yeah there were a few of these Ultraverse/Bravura/Malibu books I picked up when they came out, like Starlin's Breed, Windsor-Smith on Rune, Chaykin's Power and Glory, Simonson's Star Slammers, and Dan Brereton's Nocturnals.

And then over at Dark Horse, the 'Legends' line with Miller's Sin City, Bryne's Next Men (and Danger Unlimited, and Babe), Art Adams' Monkeyman and O'Brien (a personal fav of mine), and Mignola's Hellboy.

Too bad the marketplace just collapsed... I found stuff like this so much more interesting than what was going on at Marvel.

Well I always held out hope Marvel would bring them back because they own them. Never has happened.
Rune and Breed were my favorites. I even participated in the redemption program at the time. I have multiple
Silver holograms, but tough to find in NM or higher.

 

[snitzer]

Updated URL sans the icky FB tracking… https://www.gamesradar.com/inside-the-image-comics-founders-exodus-from-marvel-from-marvels-perspective/

[Ken Aldred]

On 1/1/2022 at 6:56 PM, Prince Namor said:

Yeah there were a few of these Ultraverse/Bravura/Malibu books I picked up when they came out, like Starlin's Breed, Windsor-Smith on Rune, Chaykin's Power and Glory, Simonson's Star Slammers, and Dan Brereton's Nocturnals.

And then over at Dark Horse, the 'Legends' line with Miller's Sin City, Bryne's Next Men (and Danger Unlimited, and Babe), Art Adams' Monkeyman and O'Brien (a personal fav of mine), and Mignola's Hellboy.

Too bad the marketplace just collapsed... I found stuff like this so much more interesting than what was going on at Marvel.

I agree.  If you searched around, and despite the market being flooded with vapid dross, there was still good stuff to be found. That said, looking back, I could still have been a little more selective.

Edited January 1, 2022 by Ken Aldred