Guess what? DETECTIVE #853 will be late.

[Sean Walsh]

http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/02/11/forewarned-is-forearmed/

Neil Gaiman informs people on Twitter (however that thing works or whatever it is...) that 'TEC 853 will be out on March 18th now.

[the goddamn batman]

Well, I guess I won't rush out and get the first part then.

[Batman was taken]

Jesus Chr--...

The first issue was good, if a little strange, but come on. He's had months to get this done.

I guess on the plus side, this shouldn't affect BFTC at all.

[HopeLantern]

Until DC can reduce problems like this, they will always fall behind Marvel. 3 weeks late is a bit ridiculous since he's supposed have had all summer to work.

Edit: Okay, I'm reading Batman #686 right now. Once you go to the back, you see that Kupert has been sketching this out since June 2008. Really have to ask what happened...

[F1uke]

I agree. It's ridiculous that it's going to be 5 weeks in between two parts, especially since he has known for like 6 months that he was doing this.

[TROUBLEZ]

What are they doing over there? Anything done by some big names is always delayed.

[Sean Walsh]

I'm really hoping the Kuberts are on their way out of DC. As great as their finished product is, the delays their artwork created were atrocious.

Apparently Adam (whose art I prefer more than Andy's) is doing some Wolverine cover in a few months, which seemingly means his exclusive contract with DC is done.

And while Andy's art was wonderful in BATMAN #686, it's embarassing that Part 2 will be 3 weeks late with SO much lead-time.

[Tanjint]

How ashamed has Joe Kubert gotta be at the work ethic of his son?

Or maybe that's it? Aren't adam and andy professors at the joe kubert school?


-T

[HaroldAllnut]

http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/02/11/forewarned-is-forearmed/

Neil Gaiman informs people on Twitter (however that thing works or whatever it is...) that 'TEC 853 will be out on March 18th now.

Goddamn it. That just really grinds my gears, especially since today's issue was so fantastic.

[SpideyZERO]

Yeah. Really need to wait for a long time for the conclusion

[jjdknight89]

havent picked it up yet. worth the $4?

[40footwolf]

Oh for God's sake, suck it up. A few extra weeks isn't going to kill you and it'll look nicer to boot.

Bunch of weenies.

[jjdknight89]

Oh for God's sake, suck it up. A few extra weeks isn't going to kill you and it'll look nicer to boot.

Bunch of weenies.

These people get paid to do a job that has a certain deadline. Let the customers get what they want. After all the delays with R.I.P. we deserve better.

[Ben Reilly#6]

Aw, crap. Now I can't pick up both parts until March. And after I've heard such great things about it...

[paulski]

If it is Kubert's fault that this book is late, umm... nah, I got nothin'.

I mean, I've lost all respect for their level of work ethic and professionism already so there's not really anywhere left for me to go.

[nepenthes]

whatever to the lateness :rolleyes:

If I was as successful in my chosen profession as Kubert is in his...then I'd be very happy. good on him

[Matt Linton]

These people get paid to do a job that has a certain deadline. Let the customers get what they want. After all the delays with R.I.P. we deserve better.

Well, no, they really don't get paid to do a job that has a deadline, since Marvel and DC choose to delay a book rather than replace a late artist. Like it or not, that's the business, now. Thirty years ago we'd have seen a fill-in artist, or an inventory story, or maybe even a reprint, and there are downsides to all of those.

As for the customer getting what they want, presumably more customers want to see Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader by Gaiman and Kubert, and getting that means having to wait a few extra weeks.

[Arkaengel]

Oh for God's sake, suck it up. A few extra weeks isn't going to kill you and it'll look nicer to boot.

Bunch of weenies.
I don't think it's excessive to expect a publisher to hit a deadline, especially on a high-profile issue of a flagship title. A professional publishing company should be capable of getting product out the door in a timely fashion.

[HopeLantern]

I don't think it's excessive to expect a publisher to hit a deadline, especially on a high-profile issue of a flagship title. A professional publishing company should be capable of getting product out the door in a timely fashion.

Agreed. Dates being pushed back should be minimal. Especially when the artist has had a while to complete the work...

[Libaax]

Well i was excited about picking up part 1 until i saw this.


I can wait until the next part is out.

[Matt Linton]

I don't think it's excessive to expect a publisher to hit a deadline, especially on a high-profile issue of a flagship title. A professional publishing company should be capable of getting product out the door in a timely fashion.

The problem is that Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader? has a narrow window to be published in. It had to fit after RIP and Final Crisis (the latter of which had delays) and it, presumably, had to come before The Battle For The Cowl, so waiting until Kubert had both issues drawn before soliciting it probably wasn't an option. And at the point at which it would have been clear that he was going to be late, getting another artist probably wouldn't have worked, either.

[AJM]

What's the big deal? If it was appearing in the pages of one title, there'd be at least a four-week gap as usual. Aren't you guys used to waiting a month for the next part of a story anyway? As long as the product's good, who cares when it comes out? The fact is, all you guys complaining about it will buy it just the same. I understand it may be mildly irritating but there really are more important things to worry about.

[nepenthes]

there really are more important things to worry about.

sincerely! this is just people whinging because they can. it's just a comic book and a great one at that, I'd rather wait two months for Kubert to finish it than have it rushed or some other artist put on

[TROUBLEZ]

The fact is, all you guys complaining about it will buy it just the same. I understand it may be mildly irritating but there really are more important things to worry about.

Nah, I won't.
I bought two issues of Morrison's entire Batman run and didn't stick around for the giant RIP event that ended/or didn't end in Final Crisis.

I was actually kind of interestd in this story because I thought it would be an imaginary story like "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow." Is it part of RIP, or fit into it? That combined with the lateness killed any interest I had in getting this book.

I guess theres more important things to worry about, but it seems the standards of comics just keep getting lower and lower.

[Matt Linton]

It IS an imaginary story like "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow".

[CYOTI]

whatever to the lateness :rolleyes:

If I was as successful in my chosen profession as Kubert is in his...then I'd be very happy. good on him Kubert's primary profession currently is an art teacher.

[40footwolf]

These people get paid to do a job that has a certain deadline. Let the customers get what they want. After all the delays with R.I.P. we deserve better.
You DESERVE better?

You're getting a Batman story by NEIL GAIMAN and ANDY KUBERT, both of which are men who are doing their best to bring you the best story possible, with bonus material in the back, for a total of about eight bucks, and you DESERVE BETTER?

[TROUBLEZ]

Maybe DC should have promoted it as a bi monthly story or in Batman Confidential or anything else.
Didn't he have problems with drawing Superman on time or was that his brother?

[Mundungus]

If it's only being delayed a week what's the big deal?

It's not like it's Ultimate Wolverine Vs. Hulk or Daredevil: Target.

It can be irritating sometimes, but I'd rather have a fully polished book late than marred by fill-in artists.

I agree that it diminishes a sense of professionalism, but--we're getting the book when we get the book. It's still going to sell up the wazoo.

If it's from a less impressive writer or artist, but this is Neil Gaiman!

[Captain Jim]

If it's only being delayed a week what's the big deal?


It was supposed to come out February 25.

But this is old news; we had a long discussion about this on another thread a week or so ago.

Bottom line, I'm convinced the Kubert brothers couldn't make a deadline if their lives depended on it. Personally, I picked up part one and skimmed it, but will wait to read it until I have part two in hand.

[Maestro]

I thought the point of a crossover like this was so you got to read the story quicker. This might have well been two issues of Batman, that way no one would be disappointed or surprised when they were a month apart

[thebhamgunslinger]

Edit: Okay, I'm reading Batman #686 right now. Once you go to the back, you see that Kupert has been sketching this out since June 2008. Really have to ask what happened...
I thought this same thing when I read the thread title.

[stealthwise]

Wow, I was just joking when I called this one last summer...

[thebhamgunslinger]

Wow, I was just joking when I called this one last summer...
Do you want your prophet star now or do you want to wait....:biggrin:

[TROUBLEZ]

I did end up getting it!

Good call AJM.

I didn't see the latest issue of Cyblade out, so this looked like the best plan feed my need for some comic adventure. I was a little unsure at first, but the design sketches in the back sealed the deal. I love little extra stuff like that, especially since the letter pages are gone.

So far I'm intrigued by the first 4 pages I've read so far, and I'm enjoying the story/dialogue and art more than anything I've seen in Batman since HUSH (well, Dini's Detective was good, but the art was always hit or miss with me).
I also like that it's a very interesting story and premise and that it only takes up 2 issues.
I was overreacting with the delay, if it's only a week extra, plus it is extra pages.
It's just that DC has a really bad reputation for professionalism in my opinion, and news like this just adds to it.

Anyways, I like Gaiman and that's mostly why I bought it. Hopefully DC will focus on smaller, but interesting story arcs like this.

[letter18]

while I understand people want what theyve been expecting I really can't get behind all the lateness outcry.

If these guys wanted to stress and sweat deadlines they would be working in an office and a 3 piece somewhere. As it is they are artists...

so...

wouldnt you rather Gaiman(if it is his fault) takes the time to do the line justice as opposed to worrying about his deadline? I suspect that's how most garbage issues get rleased in the first place.

As cliche as it is... you can't rush the creative process

[TROUBLEZ]

If these guys wanted to stress and sweat deadlines they would be working in an office and a 3 piece somewhere. As it is they are artists...



Maybe the editor shouldn't assign monthly work to artists who are known to miss deadlines, and maybe certain artists shouldn't take assignments with monthly deadlines that they know they can't meet. I can imagine if it's a problem that happens once in a blue moon, but it seems like the artist is always missing deadlines.

[spidervenom]

Someone should saw his hands off and sew it onto a monkey, at least it be on time.

[Captain Jim]

wouldnt you rather Gaiman(if it is his fault) takes the time to do the line justice as opposed to worrying about his deadline?

I am certain in my own mind that Gaiman is not the problem here.

[chipsnopotatoes]

I'm happy to wait. The artwork in this current issue is worth it.

[TROUBLEZ]

Someone should saw his hands off and sew it onto a monkey, at least it be on time.

Or just hire someone else to do layouts, or backgrounds, or advertise it as a month and a half between issues instead of monthly.

[Spiffy]

Jesus Chr--...

The first issue was good, if a little strange, but come on. He's had months to get this done.

I guess on the plus side, this shouldn't affect BFTC at all.

Don't assume the delay has anything to do with Gaiman. Kubert seems like a more likely culprit (although given the very high quality of his results on Part I, maybe this time its worth the wait).

Unless you've misplaced your "he's" in that statement and meant Kubert.

EDIT - Yup. I see reading more through this topic that this is pretty much the same conclusion everyone else has come to. Kubert's the delay. Gaiman just had the misfortune of being the one to talk about it publicly.

[Rev. Calibos]

while I understand people want what theyve been expecting I really can't get behind all the lateness outcry.

If these guys wanted to stress and sweat deadlines they would be working in an office and a 3 piece somewhere. As it is they are artists...




And ultimately it isn't that big of a deal.....we're still going to buy it, we're still going to enjoy it and the world will keep spinning as the delay isn't going to cause it stop rotating and dive into the sun.....

......but it is annoying and as consumers of the product that DC produces we have every right to be annoyed.

The artwork is fantastic.....but how much more time does it take to knock out a quality issue?

Mark Bagley, another fantastic artist, is able to put out two comics every month (4 half issues of Trinity) every month, on time, every time.


wouldnt you rather Gaiman(if it is his fault) takes the time to do the line justice as opposed to worrying about his deadline? I suspect that's how most garbage issues get rleased in the first place.

We would prefer it if they spent the time (since, what was it, June?) allotted knocking out the issue that they were signed on to do.

If this was a random thing it would be different but it's not. Batman: RIP was a high profile project that was consistently late. Final Crisis is DC's highest profile project, again, consistently late.

And that's the thing, we WANT a quality product.....we WANT a quality book with a great story and great art.....yet if other creators are able to accomplish that mission within the time frame that they signed on to complete the work (of their own volition, mind you) why can't the Kuberts?

If the art is taking that much longer to complete, if they weren't sure that they could knock this out on time why did they accept it in the first place?


As cliche as it is... you can't rush the creative process

You certainly can. We see the results of this 'rushed' creative process on a monthly basis. They're called 'comic books'.

[nepenthes]

ok it's late, not cool, everyone agrees on that. But how many words does it really need though? Some people spend more time complaining about lateness than it would take to actually read the damn thing :rolleyes:

[Rev. Calibos]

ok it's late, not cool, everyone agrees on that. But how many words does it really need though? Some people spend more time complaining about lateness than it would take to actually read the damn thing :rolleyes:

How many words do any of the topics on CBR need?

I didn't think that a Rumble between Aunt Bea and Aunt May would take 12 pages but it is what it is. :smile:

[Captain Jim]

Back when CrossGen was alive and doing comics, they only let any of their artists do one book/ month (either pencils or inks, not both). And they also made them work from 9-5 in the company studio, five days/week. And I learned something from that - lots of artists can do fantastic work if they take their time and aren't forced to rush for financial reasons (and, on the other hand, aren't allowed to be lazy or work other jobs either)

The Kubert brothers are widely (and rightfully) acknowledged for their high quality work. But lots of artists could do just as well if they took as long to do it.

[Chad]

wouldnt you rather Gaiman(if it is his fault) takes the time to do the line justice as opposed to worrying about his deadline? I suspect that's how most garbage issues get rleased in the first place.

As cliche as it is... you can't rush the creative process

I was really impressed with the amount of effort that went into part one of this story. In a time when most stories can be told in a single issue but are stretched out over four parts, we got two complete tales in a regular sized issue of Batman. Kubert used various artistic styles that were not only carefully researched by the artist - from Dick Sprang to Bob Kane to Frank Miller to Bruce Timm - but were layered throughout the story in such a way that allowed for the reader to really get an appreciation for who Batman has been over the past 70 years. Batman's not even dead and he's sure to back in six month's time and yet, here are two professionals who know that while Batman's death is just the latest in a long string of gimmicks DC has been using over the years, are nevertheless insisting on giving him the send off he deserves. Keep in mind, if the bottom line was getting this issue out on time, they could have easily decompressed the Catwoman story to fill up an entire issue by inserting multiple splash pages of Batman leaping through the air or whatever and having part two of eight ready for next week. Besides, stories that come along once every 15 years or so don't usually adhere to 30 day schedules.