Which company handles late books better?

[Brian Cronin]

In your opinion, which company handles late comic books better, D.C. or Marvel?

-Brian

[Reptisaurus!]

DC has never commisioned a cover for a story and then reprinted an old story WITH the new cover.

So DC wins.

Yeah, OK, it was like 1976 the last time this happened, but I'm still bitter. I want to see the Thing/Tigra/Thundra/Impossible Man Fantastic Four, dangit!

[Brad Curran]

DC has never commisioned a cover for a story and then reprinted an old story WITH the new cover.

So DC wins.

Yeah, OK, it was like 1976 the last time this happened, but I'm still bitter. I want to see the Thing/Tigra/Thundra/Impossible Man Fantastic Four, dangit!

Now I do too.

[K'Nort]

The question just makes me realize that I have no idea how either one handles late books. Don't they just sort of ignore it? Keep changing the date on the ship lists and not say anything else?

[Gingold]

The question just makes me realize that I have no idea how either one handles late books. Don't they just sort of ignore it? Keep changing the date on the ship lists and not say anything else?

DC is more likely to use fill-in artists (like in Infinite Crisis) to get their books out on schedule. Marvel is more likely to hold off publishing the books until the creative team has completed the issue (like the Ultimates or most recently, Civil War).

[Expletive Deleted]

At the moment, neither. DC goes to fill-ins too fast and Marvel avoids them to the point of absurdity. I'm willing to wait for quality work from a creative team I enjoy, but once you're measuring the lateness of a corporate superhero comic in years, things have gotten just a bit silly.

If it's in any way creator owned or even just intricate and personal, sure take as long as you need. But putting out an issue of Wolverine fighting the Hulk shouldn't take six months. Ditto Daredevil, Bullseye, and four-plus years.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

DC because they made Kevin Smith write a years worth of stories before publishing, and Marvel, after teaching DC this lesson, still have uncompleted mini's from him.

I think Crossgen did it best - they built in their fill-ins so that everyone knew in advance which issues would have a guest artist, and they usually got good talent for them.

DC also had Starman which had the awesomness of the 'Times Past' issues, so they still win.

At the moment, neither. DC goes to fill-ins too fast and Marvel avoids them to the point of absurdity.

Yeah, but Marvel did get burnt big time during the whole 'Give it to Chuck Austen to write', 'Give it to Igor Kordey to draw' days.

[Reptisaurus!]

At the moment, neither. DC goes to fill-ins too fast and Marvel avoids them to the point of absurdity. I'm willing to wait for quality work from a creative team I enjoy, but once you're measuring the lateness of a corporate superhero comic in years, things have gotten just a bit silly.

If it's in any way creator owned or even just intricate and personal, sure take as long as you need. But putting out an issue of Wolverine fighting the Hulk shouldn't take six months. Ditto Daredevil, Bullseye, and four-plus years.

Oh. Marvel's better, then. I think it's perfectly fine to put books out on a "Whenver the hell we feel like it" schedule. I'd rather have it good a couple years down the road than crap now. Inventory stories and reprints always bothered me. Also, well, all the Marvel books I buy seem to come out on time, and I'm still waitin' on Seven Soldiers.

Although, yeah, six months does seem a little excessive. It ain't like you're writing MAUS or something.