The Marvel/Top Cow deal.

[Expletive Deleted]

From Newsarama (http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=60999)

Marvel gets thirty-six issues drawn (and inked and colored) by Top Cow artists over the next two-and-a-half years and Top Cow gets to do eight Marvel/Top Cow crossovers in that same timespan.

Seems equitable. I'm not a huge fan of any of the artists named, but I suppose anything that builds buzz is good.

[BIG-X-FAN]

I think this is awesome. I'd like to Eric Basaldua on some X-Men related stuff. Maybe even something Avengers related. I am really looking forward to the Silvestri/Bendis title.

[dingo]

I am not sure it is really a good idea from Marvel. Basically they are getting the value of three years sallary for a top artist (they are providing full scripts for all 36 issues), and in return Top Cow get to use Spider-Man and Wolverine in four comics each.

Why bother?

I am sure on the open market they could to a bachelor auction of a character for the use of them in a crossover and get more than this value.

I think Top Cow is making a killing out of this.

[Expletive Deleted]

Why bother?One of the artists is Marc Silvestri, and putting him on a Marvel title, especially an X-title, is a guaranteed huge bump in sales.

[Sharcque]

pencilers that will eventually provide art as part of this deal include Kirkham, Eric Basaldua, Mike Choi, and Top Cow founder and CEO Marc Silvestri

Isn't that like all that's left of Top Cow anyway, penciller-wise?

[Aetherus]

It'll be interesting if Marvel gets involved with the City of Heroes title, considering Marvel had sued NCSoft over the MMORPG and recently settled out of court...

[Hrc]

Isn't that like all that's left of Top Cow anyway, penciller-wise?

No it isn't, but it's their current biggest talents.

One important thing about Top Cow is that they can always detect new artists that have a potencial for greatness.
The list of all the previous atists that started their careers at TC is really impressive: Michael Turner, David Finch, Billy Tan, Joe Benitez, Brian Ching, Randy Green, Talent Caldwell.

I for one am really looking forward to Top Cow's Marvel work.

[Ivan Isaacs]

Ah... Marvel comics swept by Silvestri clones... a dream come true. NOT!

While the artists may actually be talented their style is basically looking the same and that's annoying.

[streator]

i can't say that i'm familiar with any top cow artists other than silvestri, but i enjoy his work so the deal sounds good to me.

[Ivan Isaacs]

i can't say that i'm familiar with any top cow artists other than silvestri

Dave Finch? Michael Turner? Billy Tan? No?

[Dial Tone]

Dave Finch? Michael Turner? Billy Tan? No?

I'm pretty sure they're referring to "current" Top Cow artists, not people that started there.

[StoneGold]

It does seem like a better deal for Top Cow than it does for Marvel. But who knows. I mean, did anyone figure that Marvel would be getting a decent deal when they licensed out some of their work to Event Comics?

[TheSentryLives]

When you get the kind of artwork from silvestri and the people under him then yes it's a good deal. David Finch is a very good artist and his moonknight previews have people buzzing.

I think having this kind of talent available is very good and helps sell as well.

[streator]

I'm pretty sure they're referring to "current" Top Cow artists, not people that started there.
yeah, i was.
i don't read comics outside of marvel and while i do look over the dc solicts i can't say i have ever looked at top cow's.

[Lord_Archive]

Seems equitable. I'm not a huge fan of any of the artists named, but I suppose anything that builds buzz is good.
Depends who the writers are.

[Uncensored]

I really like Mike Choi's work, so I might buy what he ends up working on.

As far as the crossover thing goes; I'm not so sure. Not that I've read a huge amount of inter-company crossovers, but the ones I have had the misfortune of reading have been, well, less than stellar. Though, I must admit-- I wouldn't mind seeing Darkness/Daredevil.

[Hrc]

As someone who regularly reads Top Cow books I have to say that the current artists (the one's that are going to draw for Marvel) are extremely talented people. Their style grows and improves practically from one page to the next.

Top Cow never had a "house style" and they only want their artists to draw to the best of their abilities regardless of what style they're using.

David Finch once explained the reason why they used to draw in a similar style:

"In your Top Cow days, was breaking out of the mold like you and Brandon did encouraged, or did they prefer those who stuck with the house style?

Dave Finch: There was absolutely never a desire for a house style at Top Cow. It just works that way when you have a lot of artists in the same room. It can get incestuous creatively."

[Titan76]

I really wish Marvel would just buy Top Cow and then Silvestri would do art for Marvel all the time rather then just a few issue.

[Fireball]

I don't know why Marvel wouldn't just try to hire the artists on a freelance level, but seeing as they are working for Top Cow, they must be under some sort of exclusive deal.

I'm pretty much impartial towards all of this, I won't likely pick up the crossovers and not directly seek out the books that the Top Cow guys are doing unless it happens to be in a book I regularly read.

It's a great opportunity for the Top Cow talent to get some exposure, but that said, it's not a big deal to me.

[CURSD BLADE]

Its a shame Francis Manapul (Necromancer) and Wilson Tortosa (Battle of the Planets) didn't come as part of the package, both are the most unique and different of the Top Cow artists and the best IMHO.

Anyway, I think this is a great deal on both ends. Marvel benefits from having a large stable of artists to put on titles, giving their regular pencilers more breathing time between issues and a chance to give these newer guys some big guns to play with. If Marvel is blown away by any one of these guys, they could easily snatch them up to exclusives. This could be one of Marvels greatest recruiting moves ever. Not only that, but they get Marc Silvestri for a huge project.

Top Cow obviously benefits from the exposure of the crossovers with the Marvel characters, the exposure of their artists on household characters, and the $$$.

This is a great deal and I am very stoked. Its great to see some of these young, up-and-comers like Mike Choi and Eric Basaldua get some big projects to work on.

[CURSD BLADE]

Isn't that like all that's left of Top Cow anyway, penciller-wise?
Nope!

Other than Michael Choi, Tyler Kirkham, Eric Basaldua, and Marc Silvestri, there are


Francis Manapul (Necromancer)
Wilson Tortosa (Battle of the Planets: Princess)
Martin Montiel (The Darkness)
David Nakayama (City of Heroes)
Rodolfo Migliari (The Freshmen & City of Heroes covers)