CBR NEWS: The CBR Year End Round-Up

[Jonah Weiland]

Four of CBR's regular news writers get together to discuss the trends in the comic industry over the past year. Cross-overs, multiple covers, top talent reviving B-grade characters, fanboy entitlement and much more in part one of our four part year end round up.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/ne...em.cgi?id=9263

Agree or disagree? We'll have more year end wrap ups to come in the next three days.

[Jack Zodiac]

Pretty much in agreement with all of them. We saw a return to the huge, giant, year-long, mega-crossover event at both DC and Marvel, but they definitely felt more "organic" than they have in the past ten to fifteen years, and seemingly had large and most likely lasting impacts on their respective universes.

I liked Andy's review of 2006. We saw a lot of alternate covers in '06, the likes of which we hadn't seen in nearly a decade, but instead of each cover having worthwhile art, they were almost exclusively Turner or Lee, and uncolored, uninked sketches. Not really worth it. He didn't even mention Dynamite, though, and their six or seven various covers for Red Sonja with very great art. Hell, Ross and Hughes both did variations of one issue. That's pretty worthwhile.

And again, I agree with Andy about DC finally wising up and asking, "why aren't we giving our title characters worthwhile talent?" Something I've been asking for years, now.

[Solaris]

I think they made some very good points, Jonah. I agree with some of them that the "variant" covers idea in general is a bad thing. I mean, you've even got tv guide (and they've been doing this for a while) trying to boost sales by providing 4 different variant covers for a week... but at least they were all photos pertinent to the piece being promoted (i.e the 4 Star Trek covers). To promote variants by simply giving them a penciled version, or worse, using some of the interior art, just plain sucks, IMO. Let's face it: cover art is supposed to be fantastic, well done, catch the eye of the potential buyer, AND say something about the story that's intriguing enough to make people want to buy the copy. From what these guys are saying, I seriously doubt the "variant cover" phenomenon is adhering to these principles, in general. The cover's paper and ink quality is *supposed* to provide you with a superior picture, something you think is really cool. When it doesn't do that, what's the fucking point? *shrugs*

I found the rest of the debate interesting, and fascinating at times, especially with their takes on "Infinte Crisis" and "Civil War." Some liked one or the other, some liked both. I applaud their caution that the tactics used therein should be used cautiously and not overdone. We want fresh, not "this weeks version of the same song and dance."

One point that was barely touched on, but one that I think is highly pertinent AND interesting, is the potential impact over the last few years on comics by films MADE of comic characters. We've seen the phenomenal successes of many comic movies, including the X-men series, Spiderman, and now the Donner Superman movie. I'd like to see someone in the industry take a look (and maybe get someone to do some statistical analysis) on whether or not these movies have created *NEW* readership for the comics the movies derive from, and if so, what was the key in each movie in doing so.

I think the movie genre, with today's potential for awesome sfx that can truly do justice to a character's super powers (not to mention those of the villains) can go a long way toward generating new readers, and increasing the comics market (aside from the fact that the movies themselves generate income for the comics companies).

Maybe at some point one or more of the columnists will get a chance to get some info on all that, surveys and such, and find out the answer to that question. :)

[stealthwise]

After reading that, I'd have to say that it probably IS the best year for comics in quite some time, but I have to conclude that the majority of the books just aren't being written for me.

[andy khouri]

[Andy] didn't even mention Dynamite, though, and their six or seven various covers for Red Sonja with very great art. Hell, Ross and Hughes both did variations of one issue. That's pretty worthwhile.

You're right, Jack. Dynamite have put real effort into the quality of their variants. However, they are among the worst offenders this year in terms of abusing the variant cover trend. In my view, giving Dynamite props for publishing attractive variants is kind of like congratulating someone for having stopped beating their wife.

[MAK15]

definitely liked this year comic-wise, but I can't wait to start the new-year with civil war #6.

However, two things grabbed my attention in that article.

the first is the variant covers. I feel that they're a great way to make money, provided that the atlernative isn't an enhanced comic page or whatever. As an artist myself, I enjoy the 'variants' mainly because I like to look at/posses something that is, in my opinion alone, better than what is the normal cover art. Take the Michael Turner variants for Civil War #1,2 and 4 were astounding, taking the two leaders of the war (Iron-man/Captain America) and posing them that showed great emotion with those affected by their actions in the background. #4 had Clor summoning lightning with battered anti-reg heroes at his feet. those three kicked major ass. However, Turner's variant for # 5, with the Punisher towering over a beaten spider-man, didnt really do much for me, as I felt that the main cover, where frank castle's gun is only seen, was more effective. Heck, I know that I enjoyed certain variants of the 'Marvel Zombies' sereis because cartain variants parodied certain events that I enjoyed. I also liked the New Avengers variants during the 'Sentry' story arc where all the covers looked like old comic covers.

but enough on that subject.

The other subject was on new readership. I feel that the main diterant(did I spell that correctly?) for new readers are these long-ass story arcs. I'll admit to only coming back to comic books at 2004, but before I left my hobby(which I mostly blame on the original clone-saga of spider-man) most stories were limited to one-two books, unless the title was a maxi/huge event, then that was different. I remember being able to waltz into the comic book store, pick up a spider-man, green lantern or whatever had a cool cover(again, me with pictures) and read them and be satisfied because a villain's plans were thwarted, and it was all done before dinner time.

Now, it takes roughly 3-6 issues to get anything done in a comic book. Granted, the writing(as well as the writers) have changed since I was a kid, and these new stories require more time to get to the pyro-thecnics, the booms, the shocks and awes, etc.

So instead of writing many 'one-shots' (a new term for me as I re-entered comicdom) the companies get these writers to make several issues worth of story. This gives the comic more time to build up suspense, and with an urge to shell out my 2.99 for the title again next month. But this also gives the artists more time, too. There isn't some important fight scene between Dr. Doom and the Fantastic Four that's rushed in 30 pages. No, now that fight can last 30-90 pages, with planty of space to show more character detail and emotion.

However, the one-shots that are so often times unwritten by the big companies, are what brings new readers aboard. Exiles #86, I believe, is what got me on the exiles fan-wagon. instead of saving the world from the Mole man or even Krakoa the living isle, the group of dimension hoping soldiers had to eat a danish to save planet earth from a shi'ar invasion.

And I've been a fan ever since. The problem with the long story arcs is that they daunt the new reader. They require the reader to buy so many issues os they know what's going on, which sometimes the reader does not want to do. So, if there were more one-shots made by the big companies, new readers might be more interested in becoming long-term fans. the one-shots will be there saying "HEY! look at me! I'm a book that defines a well-known character! BUY ME!" and the new reader will buy it, and will become familiar with a character they will look forward to every month.

okee, that's my two cents.

[Jack Zodiac]

You're right, Jack. Dynamite have put real effort into the quality of their variants. However, they are among the worst offenders this year in terms of abusing the variant cover trend. In my view, giving Dynamite props for publishing attractive variants is kind of like congratulating someone for having stopped beating their wife.

I'm not condoning it, I'm just adding that while Andy was right about DC publishing really low-quality variant covers, at least Dynamite was making an effort to give people better quality art on their covers. And for what it's worth, if a consumer has any restraint at all, they'd only buy the cover that attracts them the most, not all five.

Good analogy, though. ;)

[Jonah Weiland]

Part two is now online as the guys delve into the problems with late shipping books, and look at the revitalization of Image Comics in 2006:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/ne...em.cgi?id=9267

[Jack Zodiac]

I agree with George on late writers/artists potentially hurting sales, and in the long-term the book itself. Sure, the fans might not have a problem with waiting, or with putting up with fill-in artists (not something I have a problem with myself), but in cases where the book is weeks, even months late, it get ridiculous. Like Civil War. Wasn't this supposed to be Marvel's big Summer event? Still, fans shovel that crap down their throats like it was candy.

[howyadoin]

I agree with George on late writers/artists potentially hurting sales, and in the long-term the book itself. Sure, the fans might not have a problem with waiting, or with putting up with fill-in artists (not something I have a problem with myself), but in cases where the book is weeks, even months late, it get ridiculous. Like Civil War. Wasn't this supposed to be Marvel's big Summer event?

Case in point: the pre-Civil War arcs in Captain America and Iron Man were supposed to lead into the event, but they weren't published till months after the crossover started.

[Jack Zodiac]

And Frontline, one of the mini-series tie-ins, is already up to issue nine or something, and Civil War #6 hasn't even come out yet.

[howyadoin]

And Frontline, one of the mini-series tie-ins, is already up to issue nine or something, and Civil War #5 hasn't even come out yet.

Is Frontline the one where they've been taking classic war poetry and crucifying it to fit the crossover?

Talk about fucking morally offensive...

[Jack Zodiac]

Yeah, that's the one...

I never read the last chapter of any of them because, well... contrasting this superhero brawl to WWII, Vietnam, and comparing Reed's pocket-universe-prison to the Japanese camps in the US... is wretched. The storytelling format for the lead stories, though, have been pretty interesting, and aside from the poetry bit, the series is better than Civil War itself.

[howyadoin]

I never read the last chapter of any of them because, well... contrasting this superhero brawl to WWII, Vietnam, and comparing Reed's pocket-universe-prison to the Japanese camps in the US... is wretched.

Yeah, that's putting it mildly. You'd have to be quite the douchebag to do that.

[robbyv]

I think MAK15 made some interesting points.

I read a lot of comics as a youngster in the 70's into the early 80's. Stopped when our country had a major economic crisis in '83-'84 (Philippines), started again in the mid-90's. On and off every few years, but finally gave up around 5 or 6 years ago when I stopped buying any monthly title. I've only bought maybe one to three graphic novels a year since. Since then I've read a few popular English-translated manga which I found extremely satisfying.

I used to love superhero comics, but now I can't relate to them. Even if there were good or interesting stories out there, the extremely confusing cross-overs and the "new reader" unfriendliness of it all is just not worth the effort, given the multitude of other more satisfying entertainment (like tv shows or video games). I could try putting in the effort to ease myself into it, but many times before I ended up disappointed -- with the "event" series ending up a dud, or worse, becoming uninteresting due to a combination of lateness and dull storyline. There's just nothing in mainstream DC/Marvel to attract new readers, and they don't look like they're trying.

I'm not about to give advice to Marvel/DC on how to grow their readership -- this is just a reaction. But speaking as someone who WANTS to find a reason to start reading comics but can't find any, I hardly find my sentiments uncommon.