Scared of Possible Changes to She-Hulk [Archive]

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jade_nova

01-06-2005, 09:42 AM

I was wondering if anyone else was scared of the upcoming revamp to She-Hulk. My biggest fear is they will make her more dramatic and less humorus.

Crimson

01-06-2005, 10:06 AM

The humour is what has made this series so popular... I doubt Marvel are going to bring it back as totally different style of book and even if it is darker I bet the writer gets some humour in there.

protege

01-06-2005, 11:17 AM

Well, the thing that's keeping me from buying the book, is the emphasis on Super hero law. Not real interested in "She Hulk legal."

Huh?

01-06-2005, 12:22 PM

The humour is what has made this series so popular... I doubt Marvel are going to bring it back as totally different style of book and even if it is darker I bet the writer gets some humour in there.Come on, it's Marvel, odds are it will be different, and will fail even worse.

This was one of my favorite books, and I desperately hope I am wrong. But, I wouldn't bet on it. :mad:

Huh?

01-06-2005, 12:24 PM

Well, the thing that's keeping me from buying the book, is the emphasis on Super hero law. Not real interested in "She Hulk legal."You really should pick this series up. It is not about Superhero law, it is a humor book that focuses on characterization and the lesser used Marvel U.

Dan_Slott

01-06-2005, 12:42 PM

Come on, it's Marvel, odds are it will be different, and will fail even worse.

This was one of my favorite books, and I desperately hope I am wrong. But, I wouldn't bet on it. :mad:

Oh pshaw.

Since it's still me doing it-- and editorial has been VERY supportive-- the time away from the book will be used to look at what we did that DID work and focus on THAT.

That said, I think the issues that worked the best so far were #3, #4, and #9.

And, yeah, I'd still like to stretch every now and then and experiment with different stuff/focus/formats (like we did on the all-Titania issue). But just like that was 1 issue out of 10... and I think that's a pretty good ratio for when to go off on a weird experiment.

But-- hey-- for the most part, in season 2, you'll be seeing:

Strange Superhuman Law court cases.

She-Hulk's personal life-- quirky soap opera that it is.

Her loveable supporting cast.

Cameos and guest stars from the Marvel U.

And a sense of fun and adventure.

Hope that puts some of your fears to rest, sir. :)

ttyl
Dan

chicainery

01-06-2005, 04:29 PM

But-- hey-- for the most part, in season 2, you'll be seeing:

Strange Superhuman Law court cases.

She-Hulk's personal life-- quirky soap opera that it is.

Her loveable supporting cast.

Cameos and guest stars from the Marvel U.

And a sense of fun and adventure.

Hope that puts some of your fears to rest, sir. :)

ttyl
Dan

Sounds like my kind of book!

Cayman

01-06-2005, 06:31 PM

I'd only be nervous if they were changing the creative team. But since Slott is staying, I don't see why the tone would change very much. Maybe the new #1 will give some of the audience a reason to check out a book that kind of came in under the radar the first time around.

Cay

Huh?

01-06-2005, 08:36 PM

Oh pshaw.

Since it's still me doing it-- and editorial has been VERY supportive-- the time away from the book will be used to look at what we did that DID work and focus on THAT.

That said, I think the issues that worked the best so far were #3, #4, and #9.

And, yeah, I'd still like to stretch every now and then and experiment with different stuff/focus/formats (like we did on the all-Titania issue). But just like that was 1 issue out of 10... and I think that's a pretty good ratio for when to go off on a weird experiment.

But-- hey-- for the most part, in season 2, you'll be seeing:

Strange Superhuman Law court cases.

She-Hulk's personal life-- quirky soap opera that it is.

Her loveable supporting cast.

Cameos and guest stars from the Marvel U.

And a sense of fun and adventure.

Hope that puts some of your fears to rest, sir. :)

ttyl
DanIt does put most of my fears to rest. Thanks for responding. Best of luck with this, man. I really hope this move keeps it alive. If they are letting you guide the book that makes me feel more at ease.

Hey, even if it doesn't do well enough for marvel, I feel like you won't have any trouble getting something new - you are great. Come to think of it, is there anything else you are working on in addition to she-hulk?

Oh, by the way, try and fit Howard the duck into more stories. Cameos are fine, but it tickles me to see him in the MU.

Thanks again for the response. :)

comic_lover

01-07-2005, 12:48 AM

Gaz

01-07-2005, 06:13 AM

Never cared for She Hulk as a humorous book,to me it was far too campy...then again,you have a book about a huge green lawyer.If fans loved the book the way it always has been,Marvel shouldn't change it...but I've always believed She Hulk's humor should be like that of Spider-Man.. a little bit smart ass.

Have you picked the new series? The humour is very much in the Spidey vein but a little more prevalent. Hell, issue 4 was a team up w/ Ol' Webhead and was probably the most enjoyable of a good run.

mechngnr

01-07-2005, 06:41 AM

If it ain't broke....

One of my favorite titles. I hope we still continue to see the lesser known characters in cameos. Part of the fun for me is going "Wow that character still exsits huh"

Dermie

01-12-2005, 08:08 PM

. Come to think of it, is there anything else you are working on in addition to she-hulk?

I'm not Dan, but....
He has a 5 issue Spider-Man/Human Torch miniseries starting this month.

And he apparently has some as-yet-unannounced Avengers-related project coming up. This may or may not be the Slott-written project that Paul Pelletier is doing after leaving She-Hulk.

SabrinaMorrell

03-05-2005, 10:28 AM

The humour is what has made this series so popular...

:confused:

It wasn't popular...it got critical acclaim but tepid sales.
The whole purpose of the relaunch and the new push is to help the book become a popular hit...
But I have a feeling that a Superhero Law Book
with more Yucks than Action doesn't scream smash success sales-wise.

I hope it is a hit, though....Marvel needs more high profile solo female books.

(BTW, I enjoy the book tremendously incase you are wondering)

Mike Smash!

03-05-2005, 11:00 AM

Oh pshaw.

Since it's still me doing it-- and editorial has been VERY supportive-- the time away from the book will be used to look at what we did that DID work and focus on THAT.

That said, I think the issues that worked the best so far were #3, #4, and #9.

And, yeah, I'd still like to stretch every now and then and experiment with different stuff/focus/formats (like we did on the all-Titania issue). But just like that was 1 issue out of 10... and I think that's a pretty good ratio for when to go off on a weird experiment.

But-- hey-- for the most part, in season 2, you'll be seeing:

Strange Superhuman Law court cases.

She-Hulk's personal life-- quirky soap opera that it is.

Her loveable supporting cast.

Cameos and guest stars from the Marvel U.

And a sense of fun and adventure.

Hope that puts some of your fears to rest, sir. :)

ttyl
Dan

My fears are definitely rested, Dan!

Can we get some more weird obscure villains too? You have a talent for making the goofiest bad guys seem cool.

stealthwise

03-05-2005, 01:14 PM

I can't wait for the second trade to hit after getting that first one. I'm also on board for the ongoing each and every month once the relaunch starts. Hopefully the book gets the same shot in the arm that Runaways did!

I also have a friend who claims "rational ignorance" about the title, stating that he doesn't like the character and that even bothering to read the title won't be worth his time to discover that he dislikes it. How can I trick him into reading it? Can you slap "Alpha Flight" or something on the cover, Dan? :)

Gaz

03-05-2005, 02:36 PM

Try giving him issue 4, and tell him it's really a Spidey story?

Lurker

03-06-2005, 05:58 PM

I'm onboard for the 2nd go-around. In fact, "Single Green Female" is in the mail as I type, and for the record, She-Hulk did sell out at my shop.

SybaritaCybernetico

03-07-2005, 07:27 AM

I'm onboard for the 2nd go-around. In fact, "Single Green Female" is in the mail as I type, and for the record, She-Hulk did sell out at my shop.

Well, then u might like this...don't forget this October, you have a date with Lady Justice ;)

http://www.tomburgos.com/SHEhulkcover.jpg

Lurker

03-07-2005, 09:30 PM

Hell Yeah.

SuperJ

03-09-2005, 04:59 AM

I'd much rather see a more serious book than yet another sitcom-inspired "quirky soap opera" book about She-Hulk. Must She-Hulk always be a humor character? I know that's how many people see her (and that will never change) but do they own the character lock, stock, and barrel? Can there never be a serious-themed book about She-Hulk without all the absurdities? Or is the serious stuff going to only be reserved for when She's in her human ID? I think I already know the answer to this given the gentleman writing the book (why would it veer in any direction other than the one in the first series?) and that's why I'm not only not picking up the relaunch, but also generally going to ignore all other projects he works on.

I'd be very happy to see She-Hulk written by other Marvel writers who provide a different approach to the character than the present one.

Matches Malone

03-09-2005, 06:00 AM

I'd much rather see a more serious book than yet another sitcom-inspired "quirky soap opera" book about She-Hulk. Must She-Hulk always be a humor character? I know that's how many people see her (and that will never change) but do they own the character lock, stock, and barrel? Can there never be a serious-themed book about She-Hulk without all the absurdities? Or is the serious stuff going to only be reserved for when She's in her human ID?

The "quirky soap-opera" stuff was over after the first few issues. IMO it was a huge mistake to market this book as being similar to Ally McBeal. Like most males on Earth, I *hated* Ally McBeal. But She-Hulk very quickly evolved past that into a straight humor book.

How seriously are we really supposed to take She-Hulk anyway? She's been treated as a humor character because that's the only way she's ever achieved any popularity.

Kaskratiski

03-09-2005, 06:41 AM

The "quirky soap-opera" stuff was over after the first few issues. IMO it was a huge mistake to market this book as being similar to Ally McBeal. Like most males on Earth, I *hated* Ally McBeal. But She-Hulk very quickly evolved past that into a straight humor book.

How seriously are we really supposed to take She-Hulk anyway? She's been treated as a humor character because that's the only way she's ever achieved any popularity.

I will respectfully disagree.
There's no reason why she can't be taken seriously.
She can be taken as seriously as we take any other super-powered character...after all we are talking about basically absurd concepts...gamma giants, men that fly,women that stop bullets with bracelets,etc.

In my opinion the book could have humor and still have a more serious tone....what I personally couldn't stand about the few issues I read was the
ham-handed little details like the *She-Hulk* comics within the comic, the fourth-wall-almost-breaking, and the general self-awareness of the book.

I personally would prefer more humor of the garden-variety way, because I think the kind of jokes the book uses totally halt the flow of the plots.
It's like in the middle of the stories, we have a couple of unnecessary jokes shoehorned in that scream "LOOK AT ME!!! I'M FUNNY! GET ME?"...

Not to mention that I DESPISE anything Ally McBealish...and that in spite of me being a female (Yes, there are women that hate that show)
When I read that the pitch of the book had an Allyish spin, I still decided to give it a try because I had heard of the good buzz, yet the book still disappointed me ...

But that's just an opinion, of course, everyone likes different things and I can respect that.

icctrombone

03-09-2005, 01:37 PM

I bought the last 6 issues and really enjoyed the run . Great Peletier art and fun seeing all the other characters that are in the MU. That 11th issue had Jack Kirby like action sequences.

Lurker

03-09-2005, 08:47 PM

SuperJ

03-09-2005, 09:19 PM

I enjoy quirky little books like She-Hulk and I think a more "grim and gritty" take on the character would ruin her charm, and well, her character. Like the excellant Deadpool series under Kelly and Priest, She-Hulk fills a niche. One I'd like to see her occupy for a long time.

Actually, I'm not talking about taking it to the extreme here. I doubt I'd enjoy a dark "grim & gritty" She-Hulk any more than you would (in fact I usually avoid those types of books with a few exceptions). However, how would it be so bad to simply do a She-Hulk comic without all the slapstick, puns, and absurdities? Why should that forever define the character? Will She-Hulk ever be anything but a ridiculous joke? After reading the buzz about the upcoming relaunch (and seeing the current mess) I'm starting to seriously doubt it. If She-Hulk is going to be pigeonholed as a purely comedic novelty act whose only moments of serious drama come from her human ID then all I can say is what a waste of a Marvel character's potential.

Satana Hellstrom

03-09-2005, 10:31 PM

Actually, I'm not talking about taking it to the extreme here. I doubt I'd enjoy a dark "grim & gritty" She-Hulk any more than you would (in fact I usually avoid those types of books with a few exceptions). However, how would it be so bad to simply do a She-Hulk comic without all the slapstick, puns, and absurdities? Why should that forever define the character? Will She-Hulk ever be anything but a ridiculous joke? After reading the buzz about the upcoming relaunch (and seeing the current mess) I'm starting to seriously doubt it. If She-Hulk is going to be pigeonholed as a purely comedic novelty act whose only moments of serious drama come from her human ID then all I can say is what a waste of a Marvel character's potential.

You know, I see your point.
I believe that a balance could be good.
The new book, as written, is too absurd for my taste,(especially with all the fourth-wall breaking...memories of Byrne!) but I wouldn't mind a book in the vein of Spider-Girl...it has lots of humor and a really fun vibe, but the main character is never a joke, and the action and villains are serious.

What I'm saying is, a character can be funny and humorous in nature without the book itself being a silly joke-a-thon.
if some people like that, good, but I don't really care for that kind of thing...

meethraa

03-11-2005, 08:45 PM

However, how would it be so bad to simply do a She-Hulk comic without all the slapstick, puns, and absurdities?
I don't know if it would be bad or not, but wouldn't it be like almost every marvel book out there?

On a different note, anyone knows if the artist for the first few issues will be back? I got the first trade and loved his art but the last couple of issues (with the "shrinking prison") were not very good looking, so I hope that last guy is not the regular artist for the revamp.

Dan_Slott

03-12-2005, 05:54 AM

Hi!
At the moment, I am SO backed up w/ work that I REALLY shouldn't be taking the time to post online... But I just wanted to let you guys know that I really appreciate your support and that I'm plugging away, trying my best to give you some entertaining comics (hopefully worth the $2.99 price tag).

Kaskratiski and Satana Hellstrom,
Thanks for taking the time to voice your concerns. Sorry the book isn't giving you what you'd like out of a SHE-HULK book. But the mood, tone, and timbre of the title is something we're all very proud of. Well over 300 comics come out every month-- and with a 2nd/3rd tier character like She-Hulk, I feel that it's important to carve out a niche for ourselves. And so far, the plan seems to be working.

Remember, the book isn't REALLY being cancelled, it's being put on hiatus. Why? According to our numbers, the book has a core audience between 23 and 24 thousand readers-- and the title ranks high in Marvel's top 20 performing books, in that its sales stay solid and even with very little drop. This would have been MORE than enough for the book to stay around for a good long time-- ala SPIDER-GIRL. But Marvel feels that a relaunch, coupled with a BIG push, could greatly increase those numbers, and ensure not only the book's longevity, but its overall ranking as well.

The hiatus ALSO gives new readers-- who may have been tempted by all of the good buzz, both online (at over 20 sites where it was awarded "Best of 2004" honors, like AINT IT COOL NEWS and PAPERBACK READERS) and in print (as seen in WIZARD, NewTYPE USA, and THE NEW YORK TIMES)-- a chance to get caught up on our two trades. And it's already workig. The first SHE-HULK trade, which came out in November, had a strong showing and was one of Marvel's best selling trades, coming in after two BENDIS! SPIDER-MAN TPBS-- but placing ahead of big name mainstream titles (like DAREDEVIL, PUNISHER, JLA, and OUTSIDERS).

meethraa, Lurker, icctrombone, Matches Malone, Mike Smash!, and SabrinaMorrell
Thanks for supporting the book, and I'm glad you're enjoying it. Hope you're all onboard for the relaunch in October! I promise that we'll keep bringing the fun-- and packing the run with lots of quirky done-in-ones-- with lots of Shulkie, humor, action, and Marvel U. magic! :)

SybaritaCybernetico, Gaz, and stealthwise
I really appreciate you guys taking the time to spread the word! If you want to try getting people to read SHE-HULK, I'd suggest letting them read an issue for FREE! All of issue #8 can be found at:
http://www.marvel.com/dotcomics/index.htm
and all of #5 can be found at:
http://www.milehighcomics.com/firstlook/marvel/shehulk5/

Thanks again,
Dan

Lurker

03-13-2005, 10:48 AM

At the moment, I am SO backed up w/ work that I REALLY shouldn't be taking the time to post online... But I just wanted to let you guys know that I really appreciate your support and that I'm plugging away, trying my best to give you some entertaining comics (hopefully worth the $2.99 price tag).

I'm sure all of us who post here appreciate your interaction with us and your efforts to entertain us. October can't come soon enough.

Kaskratiski and Satana Hellstrom,
Thanks for taking the time to voice your concerns. Sorry the book isn't giving you what you'd like out of a SHE-HULK book. But the mood, tone, and timbre of the title is something we're all very proud of. Well over 300 comics come out every month-- and with a 2nd/3rd tier character like She-Hulk, I feel that it's important to carve out a niche for ourselves. And so far, the plan seems to be working.

Yep, that's exactly what I was trying to point out earlier. The Punisher under Ennis since 2000 is another great example.

The hiatus ALSO gives new readers-- who may have been tempted by all of the good buzz, both online (at over 20 sites where it was awarded "Best of 2004" honors, like AINT IT COOL NEWS and PAPERBACK READERS) and in print (as seen in WIZARD, NewTYPE USA, and THE NEW YORK TIMES)-- a chance to get caught up on our two trades. And it's already workig. The first SHE-HULK trade, which came out in November, had a strong showing and was one of Marvel's best selling trades, coming in after two BENDIS! SPIDER-MAN TPBS-- but placing ahead of big name mainstream titles (like DAREDEVIL, PUNISHER, JLA, and OUTSIDERS).

meethraa, Lurker, icctrombone, Matches Malone, Mike Smash!, and SabrinaMorrell
Thanks for supporting the book, and I'm glad you're enjoying it. Hope you're all onboard for the relaunch in October! I promise that we'll keep bringing the fun-- and packing the run with lots of quirky done-in-ones-- with lots of Shulkie, humor, action, and Marvel U. magic! :)

I think the second trade drops April 27th. Any plans for a one-shot/special between May and October to keep the buzz up?

cactusmaac

03-13-2005, 12:26 PM

Gauss

03-14-2005, 11:21 AM

I'd much rather see a more serious book than yet another sitcom-inspired "quirky soap opera" book about She-Hulk. Must She-Hulk always be a humor character? I know that's how many people see her (and that will never change) but do they own the character lock, stock, and barrel? Can there never be a serious-themed book about She-Hulk without all the absurdities?

Out of curiousity, what did you think of She-Hulk's latest Avengers stint? It was a bit more serious than her series has been, but also a good run for the character, I thought.

And while I pretty much never buy single comics these days (no real comic stores in my area), I do intend to support any She-Hulk trades that are forthcoming. :) Excellent stuff.

Gaz

03-14-2005, 02:29 PM

SybaritaCybernetico, Gaz, and stealthwise
I really appreciate you guys taking the time to spread the word!

You're welcome, Dan. I stumbled over the book by accident, and I liked the soap opera type stuff.
Good luck with GLA, the relaunch and whatever else you got cookin'!:)

Master Darque

03-15-2005, 12:38 PM

It wasn't popular...it got critical acclaim but tepid sales.
The whole purpose of the relaunch and the new push is to help the book become a popular hit...
Well of course that's the whole purpose . As to the reasons behind the relaunch and any initial low sales numbers , I remember reading that it was because Marvel was so busy pushing some other title(s?) at the time that Shulkie started that she got kinda lost in the crowd ....maybe during Disassembled ?

Anyways , I dig the humor , but not so much the breaking thru panels stuff , and the constant references to it (the story) taking place in a Marvel comic . I have yet to pick up all the issues of the recent series ( have 1-5 and the last issue ) but will pick them up ....and check out the new series .

Btw .....I am LOVING the hell outta the Spidey/Torch book . Is there a thread for this series here someone can point me to ? Issues 1 and 2 had me seriously laugh out loud like I haven't with a comic for years !

noodleboy

03-16-2005, 08:19 AM

The last issue was classic, by far the best issue of the whole series. Can't wait for GLA and the relaunch, especially since the direction won't change. Out of all the many mainstream hero books I get monthly, it's such a great change to get a book like She-Hulk that's all about humor and tongue-in-cheek material.

Schmakt

03-17-2005, 02:03 PM

Ocotober?? damn.
I was thinking April for some reason...

I need the 2nd trade NOW. :)

Dermie

03-18-2005, 12:42 AM

Heh. Wonder what the guys who are doing Ultra were somking when they said their series was "Sex in the City meets superheroes".

How many straight males would that appeal to?

There were plenty of straight guys who watched Sex In The City---for the chance to see the women naked, having sex, etc. I'd guess they were appealing to those straight men.

Satana Hellstrom

03-18-2005, 05:53 AM

There were plenty of straight guys who watched Sex In The City---for the chance to see the women naked, having sex, etc. I'd guess they were appealing to those straight men.

Really?
All the straight guys I know hated the show, and they even told me that all of the girls (except the one who played the goody-two-shoes) were " too old and not hot enough to wanna watch naked"...
As for gay guys I know, they all loved the show, and they all mentioned the same reasons: the fashions, the soap opera-like love shenaningans and the snark/cattiness factor.

Master Darque

03-18-2005, 06:31 AM

I'm a straight guy that woulda watched the show ...if I had caught it from the beginning and had cable at the time . I think Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall are both still very hot . Sarah from her "Square Peg " days of my youth , and Kim of course from the 1st Porky's and later , the 1st Mannequin .
God , I'm getting old ...... and taking this thread off track !

SabrinaMorrell

03-20-2005, 08:59 AM

Oh pshaw.

Since it's still me doing it-- and editorial has been VERY supportive-- the time away from the book will be used to look at what we did that DID work and focus on THAT.

That said, I think the issues that worked the best so far were #3, #4, and #9.

And, yeah, I'd still like to stretch every now and then and experiment with different stuff/focus/formats (like we did on the all-Titania issue). But just like that was 1 issue out of 10... and I think that's a pretty good ratio for when to go off on a weird experiment.

But-- hey-- for the most part, in season 2, you'll be seeing:

Strange Superhuman Law court cases.

She-Hulk's personal life-- quirky soap opera that it is.

Her loveable supporting cast.

Cameos and guest stars from the Marvel U.

And a sense of fun and adventure.

Hope that puts some of your fears to rest, sir. :)

ttyl
Dan

I don't doubt it for a second, that the book will be fun and well-written.
I always enjoyed the book, IN SPITE of the art.
Too bad the art is gonna be so awful,(now that Juan Bobillo is back) in my opinion.