Where Else Could the Marvel Family Work?

[Brian Cronin]

Okay, let's presume for the sake of this question that the Marvel Family does not make sense co-existing in the DC Universe with the likes of Identity Crisis and Outsiders (where children aren't just kidnapped and saved - they're BRANDED - yay!).

Presuming that, where WOULD the Marvel Family make sense?

For instance, would a Marvel Family series, cut off from the rest of the DC Universe, sell? Like an Ultimate continuity (or "All-Star" continuity). Are we to believe that the Power of Shazam sold poorly not because people were not interested in buying the characters, but rather, because they were not interested in buying the characters mixed together with the DC Universe?

How about a "DC Adventures" style of story? Like the "Marvel Age" comic line at Marvel. Is that viable, or is that just dooming the book to a quick and ugly death? Does anyone know what the reaction was to the back-up Shazam! story in the expanded Teen Titans Go?

Is there enough of a Manga market in American comics to support a Marvel Family title? The concept seems to go along well with the Manga idea...but would it sell?

Captain Marvel, at one point in the 40s, had two titles a month, both of which were selling 500,000 copies a month.

Is there really not 30,000 readers out there for this book in 2006?

And where would these 30,000 readers be best reached - Manga, "Marvel Age-style" or "All-Star"?

-Brian

[Shellhead]

Maybe an All-Star title would work for the Marvel Family. Leave them in the DCU, but have that be their own, idealized version of the DCU, with limited interaction with the other DC characters. Ideally, something like the amazing work that Morrison and Quitely are dong with All-Star Superman, only with a different creative team.

I'm stuck regarding the creative team. Obviously, many modern writers would be unsuitable, because they wouldn't respect the way these classic characters should be treated. That means no Winick, no Grayson, no Meltzar, etc. Maybe Mark Waid. As for artist, the Marvel Family should be drawn in a clear and simple manner, without excessive linework (like Jiminez or Lee) and maybe with a strong inker.

[JeffreyWKramer]

I think that if it was done as a self-contained book - ALL-STAR or whatever - it could sell. The key would be the right tone (and I think ALL-STAR SUPERMAN is a perfect example of the sort of tone one would want) and the right creators. The more I think about it, the more I think Brian K. Vaughan would probably be a great choice as writer. Grant Morrison, of course, would be fantastic.

BTW, I don't think the failure of Ordway's POWER OF SHAZAM was completely due to the book being in the DCU (though that didn't help). I think it was mostly due to the fact that while Ordway clearly loves and respects those characters - much more than, say, Winnick - he didn't really know how to tell good stories appropriate to those characters. His stories were too serious, and pretty lacking in whiz-bang action and adventure and fun. There wasn't much of the real unique feel of the Marvel Family - it was just a middle-of-the-road, generic superhero book.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

I would say in their own universe with no set creative team.

Keep it rotating and you'll get the sense of adventure and writers trying to out do each other like you got in the Golden and Silver Ages.

I think J. Torres would be good as one of the writers for it, and Erik Larsen showed the series a lot of love in a recent column of his.

I think Rob Liefield would be perfect as the artist.
Okay, I don't at all, but it would be intresting to see him draw the Marvel family.

[Dan Apodaca]

I bet Ed McGuinness would work well for the art on a Marvel Family book.

Or Stuart Immomen. Damn, that would be sweet.

[JeffreyWKramer]

I bet Ed McGuinness would work well for the art on a Marvel Family book.

Or Stuart Immomen. Damn, that would be sweet.

Immomen would indeed be sweet. Written by Vaughan or Morrison.

[Cei-U!]

I think the Shazam! characters would work best in a series of oversized hardcovers (a la the Asterix and Tintin volumes) written for beginning readers, kept continually in print and sold through childrens' book outlets rather than comic shops (with steep discounts offered to schools, doctors' offices, etc.) I really think it's time for comic fandom to loose their death grip on the Marvel Family and let their natural audience rediscover them.

Cei-U!
I summon the lateral thinking!

[Greg Hatcher]

I like Kurt's idea, but really, you put a series of Mary Marvel digests in Barnes and Noble with someone like Ed McGuiness on the art chores and it'd be a license to print money. Seriously. Split the difference between Kurt's concept and a manga series, in other words.

And do something aimed at girls FIRST. I have been teaching classes for kids who want to do comics for over a decade now and I'm telling you my student ratio averages about three times as many girls as boys. Girls LOVE comics. They just don't love standard-issue superheroes or comics shops. You find them in malls and chain bookstores. So if you want to get your numbers up fast, you find a way to get the Ranma 1/2 demographic to pick up the book.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

Girls LOVE comics. They just don't love standard-issue superheroes or comics shops. You find them in malls and chain bookstores. So if you want to get your numbers up fast, you find a way to get the Ranma 1/2 demographic to pick up the book.

As if Greg - Marvel tried that with 'Trouble', and against all odds, it failed - it was the reason cited many times by them as to why such a market doesn't exist!
They got a writer known for over the top action and little characterisation who likes to tell rather than show things happening, an artist who specialises over the top female cheesecake, filled it with teen characters bed hopping, made sure it only had dramatic impact if the characters were the parents of a superhero, and put scanitly clad photos of young girls on the cover!

I mean if that didn't attract the young female market, then what the hell would?

(and damn me for forgetting this in the 'most pretentious comics' thread.)

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

I bet Ed McGuinness would work well for the art on a Marvel Family book.

Or Stuart Immomen. Damn, that would be sweet.

Paul Smith could be nice.

[Gingold]

In all the discussion about why the Marvels haven't had much success in comics over the last few decades, I rarely see the biggest problem get addressed- the title of the book. The whole copyright/trademark issue regarding the 'Captain Marvel' name hurts the characters more than anything else. When I was little I was very confused why the comic was titled Shazam! At first I thought the character was called Shazam, but then he seemed to be called Captain Marvel in the books. But Marvel had its own Captain Marvel. And what's the deal with that wizard? It confused me and annoyed me and I decided to read Superman instead. I'm sure I wasn't the only one. I understand why it has to be done that way, but it's like having a rule that Wonder Woman's adventures can only be printed in comics called "Great Hera!".

As for the question asked, I agree with others that an All-Star Superman style approach would probably work best. I don't mind having Cap interacting with the DCU. I think the DCU all in all, is a richer place for having the Monster Society of Evil and Bulletman a part of it, but Marvel Family characters shouldn't be anywhere near Outsiders, Identity Crisis or the like.

I love the Manga and children's book ideas too. So natural and obvious that they'll probably never get done.

[Brian Cronin]

I dunno, I mean, he had a popular TV show under the name Shazam!, didn't he?

-Brian

[AllisterH]

The Harry Potter books are held as the standard for the age group people think Cap. Marvel should be argetted at, and really, in terms of "serious" stuff, wouldn't you say the Potter books have a lot more serious issues than anything the classic Cap Marvel books from the 40s had?

Similarly, the manga popular in the bookstore aren't exactly filled with sweetness and light either so why do people think reprints of the 40s era Cap would make a dent in the market.

[Brian Cronin]

To be fair, I don't think anyone here has mentioned the Harry Potter books.

I think folks like Cei-U! are aiming at younger than the Potter crowd.

-Brian

[Cei-U!]

To be fair, I don't think anyone here has mentioned the Harry Potter books.

I think folks like Cei-U! are aiming at younger than the Potter crowd.

Correct. I see the Marvel Family as the entry point to the genre for beginning readers (5- to 8-year-olds). The Potter books are written for pre-teens and young teens.

Cei-U!
I summon the family friendly fantasy!

[Bright-Raven]

Funky:

Sarcastic much?

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

Funky:

Sarcastic much?

Yeah, but I wish I could claim absurdist humour with that one.

Just a shame/embarrasment that it happened.