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Post by driver1980 on Nov 2, 2023 7:26:08 GMT -5
Indeed. I just don’t know how hard it can be for anyone who knows their alphabet.
I bought Kojak on DVD recently, and the store I go to (HMV) has its TV show boxsets in alphabetical order. Had I also wanted to buy, say, Andromeda and Westworld, it would not have taken me long to find those other shows despite being at the opposite ends of the alphabet.
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Post by tartanphantom on Nov 2, 2023 7:40:27 GMT -5
Released 30 years ago today:  Maybe it’s time I read this, been meaning to for years.
Nothing against the storyline, but I always thought, even back then, that the facial expression on the cover art of issues 1-2-3 of that series made Aquaman look like he was in dire need of a laxative.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Nov 2, 2023 8:18:00 GMT -5
I saw the January Marvel solicitations. None of their Superhero titles are numbered higher higher than the low teens, most are single digits. So I guess they just start over now after every story arc. It must be very difficult to get back issues in the right order. What a mess, glad I gave up on new books from the big two. (With occasional exceptions) That they do.... ALWAYS every writer, but sometimes just a new story line. Aaron's Avengers was the only book in recent memory that went over 50.... I think Moon Knight is the longest running right now (28), and is ending in a couple months. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Nov 2, 2023 8:28:48 GMT -5
Nothing wrong with skimming the dialogue and captions in those more wordy older comics IMO. I've been going through a lot of Silver and Bronze Age stuff in the last few years and so much of the text is superfluous and repetitive, especially during a binge read It definitely depends... some of it is insightful and interesting introspection, which is essential and (IMO) missed in modern comics. I'll take a good thought balloon over the main character talking to his side kick/AI/tech person over a headset any day, which is the current convention. OTOH, the 'every issue is someone's first' text that describe the heroes powers and origins is pretty skippable. |
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Post by driver1980 on Nov 2, 2023 8:29:56 GMT -5
It feels like they may be missing a good marketing trick, e.g. imagine how Marvel could hype a 50th or 100th issue of Darth Vader. Yes, the story inside is the most important, but they could do something fun:
On sale now, the epic 50th issue of the Darth Vader comic! A milestone in the Dark Lord's Journey!
On sale now, the monumental, galaxy-shattering 100th issue of the Darth Vader comic!
Of course, that would require a lack of ego and some fun, rather than a dry, corporate mindset.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Nov 2, 2023 8:33:39 GMT -5
Released 30 years ago today: Maybe it’s time I read this, been meaning to for years. I had fond memories of this... I started weekly comic buying a bit after this and went back and got it... It didn't hold up as well as my memories did. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Nov 2, 2023 8:38:43 GMT -5
Released 30 years ago today:  I rarely bought this comic, so I had no strong feelings about it ending. Did someone here inform me that Byrne demanded a title change from West Coast Avengers to Avengers West Coast? I believe the original title sounds better, it rolls off the tongue more naturally. I mean, consider this: which sounds better, West Coast Wrestling or Wrestling West Coast? Wasn’t Force Works sort of a replacement for this title? It was definitely a similar roster... the book's stated purpose was to be a 'proactive' superteam... with Scarlet Witch as both the team leader and a sort of crystal ball trying to predict where problems would be. That lasted a few months, then it essentially because an Iron Man title, first as part of 'Hands of the Mandarin' then (Ugh) the Crossing. It only lasted an issue or two after that. |
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Post by driver1980 on Nov 2, 2023 8:56:29 GMT -5
Nothing wrong with skimming the dialogue and captions in those more wordy older comics IMO. I've been going through a lot of Silver and Bronze Age stuff in the last few years and so much of the text is superfluous and repetitive, especially during a binge read I do understand that, although I believe my main point is about value for money rather than artistic merit. Sure, there was redundancy. It is redundant if, say, Superman says, “Ah, Jimmy’s signal watch. I still remember giving that to him prior to Metallo showing up. But this is no time for looking back.” However, thinking about it in monetary terms, getting rid of those things makes a comic feel more expensive. I don’t set a stopwatch when I read a comic, but I have a good idea of the passage of time, as most of us do. Starting an old comic at 9:30pm means I might finish it just as News at Ten starts. However, reading a modern Big Two comic at 9:30pm means I’ll finish it quickly and find time to do the washing up before watching the 10pm news. I guess I see it in the monetary context of other entertainment options. I can buy a top film for under £10, or 2 for £10 if a store has a sale on. I can buy a single season of a show, which might be 22-24 episodes, for £20 or less. A novel might be £8. Back in the day (80s), a DC book might cost 80p. £3-4 for one issue of what may well be a multi-issue arc isn’t a price that makes me feel I’ve spent my entertainment money well. Not when a streaming platform can offer me a lot of content for £7.99 a month. For the cost of 5 American comics, I could buy a coffee table book with hours of reading. I get that I am comparing apples and oranges. Can I really equate a coffee table book with 4-5 Marvel comics? No, maybe not. Is it wise to compare a streaming platform to 4-5 Marvel comics? Probably not. But what is real in any transaction is the feeling of money well spent. Paying £20 for a coffee table guide to Star Trek is fine (I did that), but £20 for 4-5 Marvel books, which won’t take long to read at all, won’t make me feel like it’s money well spent - especially as you don’t even get a letters page or a soapbox column thrown in now (I know letters pages aren’t totally extinct, but they are rare in the Big Two). Naturally, each person will make their own judgement about what is good value for money. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Nov 2, 2023 10:54:38 GMT -5
Rob Liefeld had a company with the name of Awesome so that it could be featured at the front of the Previews catalogue. And was then sued for violating Truth in Advertising laws!"  |
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Post by Rob Allen on Nov 2, 2023 12:25:38 GMT -5
Sure, it's easy enough to find West Coast Avengers among the W's if you know it exists and remember to go look for it. Marvel was hoping that some casual fans would pick up the latest issue of Avengers and notice the other book next to it, and go, "oh wow, another Avengers comic! Cool!"
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Post by driver1980 on Nov 2, 2023 12:34:52 GMT -5
My conspiracy theory is that they didn’t want West Coast Avengers next to the World Championship Wrestling comic because they were worried the wrestling comic might steal the superhero team’s thunder…
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Post by codystarbuck on Nov 2, 2023 13:48:34 GMT -5
My conspiracy theory is that they didn’t want West Coast Avengers next to the World Championship Wrestling comic because they were worried the wrestling comic might steal the superhero team’s thunder… If it had been about 5 years earlier, maybe. |
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Post by Batflunkie on Nov 2, 2023 15:59:28 GMT -5
Released 30 years ago today: Maybe it’s time I read this, been meaning to for years. David did a really good job with Aquaman in the 90's (hook hand and all), same with Waid on Flash, and even incorporated Arion: Lord Of Atlantis into the story |
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Post by codystarbuck on Nov 2, 2023 20:28:24 GMT -5
Released 30 years ago today: Maybe it’s time I read this, been meaning to for years.
Nothing against the storyline, but I always thought, even back then, that the facial expression on the cover art of issues 1-2-3 of that series made Aquaman look like he was in dire need of a laxative.
That's what the big fork is for! |
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Post by driver1980 on Nov 3, 2023 3:40:20 GMT -5
On sale 50 years ago today:  I believe the cover is based on page one of 1968’s The Incredible Hulk #108. I like it! The way we did covers at times was great. I do like this one, but I can’t find a US equivalent, so I’m wondering if it’s a UK exclusive:  What always seemed peculiar was seeing different characters sharing cover credits, like here:  Hulk and Dracula on a cover is bizarre. Today, there are very few ongoing reprint titles. EDIT: I am wondering why the UK called it Dracula Lives rather than Tomb of Dracula. |
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