CBR: Wacker Redfines Marvel Adventures

[CBR News]

The newly appointed gatekeeper for Marvel Comics focused on attracting younger readers, Steve Wacker spoke with CBR News about the joys of done-in-one stories and his search for the next Rob Liefeld.


Full article here.

[Pixie_Solanas]

Wacker, we need more girl drama books. With fashion pinups in the back. kthxbi.

[Addams]

Well, bringing new readers always should be the first priority next to keep the one you already have. (but after all who cares about these dudes if there is enough new readers to replace them ?)

[Frostious]

and his search for the next Rob Liefeld.

Must...resist...urge...to post...reaction image...

[Seresecros]

I recommend the art of Leirus.

[Beast]

I'm still surprised they haven't done a Marvel Adventures: X-Men book.

Seems like a no brainer. And would probably appeal to those X-Fans who don't like the current stuff.

They'd have freedom to play with the cast without being beholden to continuity and such. Would be a great read.

Get some of the best and most iconic X-Men together on the same book. Ignore stuff like Jean being dead, Cat Beast, etc.

I really enjoyed the Marvel Adventures: Avengers book when it was being published for that very reason. It was just good fun.

[Hulk_Is]

I don't like reading Paul Tobin for one.

[XPac]

I'm still surprised they haven't done a Marvel Adventures: X-Men book.

Seems like a no brainer. And would probably appeal to those X-Fans who don't like the current stuff.

They'd have freedom to play with the cast without being beholden to continuity and such. Would be a great read.

Get some of the best and most iconic X-Men together on the same book. Ignore stuff like Jean being dead, Cat Beast, etc.

I really enjoyed the Marvel Adventures: Avengers book when it was being published for that very reason. It was just good fun.

It is kind of odd that there's no Marvel Advetures X-men, now that I think about it.

Maybe because Storm and Wolverine were already X-Men, they didn't go that route. But having Logan on multiple teams never stopped them before.

[Sabrewulf]

That last line was kind of eeire as to me it's pushing talent like Fraction that will deter kids from reading comics when they get older.


As for the all ages thing. Marvel don't do subtle very well. These books feel forced and dumbed down.

This was doen right when it was the Untold Tales Of Spiderman.

Truthfully, Marvels all ages line should be in continuity. I was 8 when i started reading in continuity black and white spider-man reprints. The fact the stories meant something and were connected to something bigger just blew my mind back then.

Okay you have got Spider-Girl which will no doubt soon be cancelled. There's your first book in a new all ages line. Spider Girl numbers would make it the bestselling All Ages book also allowing it continue below the usual cancellation cut off point.

Follow up with a book featuring the Future Foundation kids.

Power Pack?

New X-Men?

Young Allies?

Thunderstrike?

It doesn't always have to be Spiderman. Plus it's hardly helping the numbers. Not dumbed down and in continuity seem more of an issue than the characters these books focus on

Just go back to that 80's mentality for All Ages comics. It really isn't rocket science. Go back to what worked.

[XPac]

That last line was kind of eeire as to me it's pushing talent like Fraction that will deter kids from reading comics when they get older.


As for the all ages thing. Marvel don't do subtle very well. These books feel forced and dumbed down.

This was doen right when it was the Untold Tales Of Spiderman.

Truthfully, Marvels all ages line should be in continuity. I was 8 when i started reading in continuity black and white spider-man reprints. The fact the stories meant something and were connected to something bigger just blew my mind back then.

Okay you have got Spider-Girl which will no doubt soon be cancelled. There's your first book in a new all ages line. Spider Girl numbers would make it the bestselling All Ages book also allowing it continue below the usual cancellation cut off point.

Follow up with a book featuring the Future Foundation kids.

Power Pack?

New X-Men?

Young Allies?

Just go back to that 80's mentality for All Ages comics. It really isn't rocket science. Go back to what worked.

I think there are plenty of Marvel Adventures titles that were fun without being dumbed down.

At one point in time Marvel Adventures Avengers was one of my fave books. You can be all ages and even a little goofy without actually being dumb.

[Beast]

As for the all ages thing. Marvel don't do subtle very well. These books feel forced and dumbed down.

Go read Jeff Parker's run on Marvel Adventures: Avengers and X-Men: First Class.
They are anything but dumbed down. A perfect example is Ego: The Loving Planet.

Frankly anyone who says that must not have actually read any of the MA titles at all.

[Anxy]

Johnny DC is doing it right with titles like Tiny Titans and Brave & the Bold.

Fun stories that play with continuity but have no obligation to it.

Deliciously adorable character design (we need Tiny Titans toys, like, NOW.)

A feeling that these aren't "dumbed down" versions of the "grown-up" series, but that they have their own appeal to kids and parents together.

"Super Hero Squad" comes close but there's something clunky and not quite loveable enough in the design, and the comic and cartoon does tend to get a little mired in continuity, which I really don't think is needed for a kids' series.

The Avengers cartoon and companion comic are good for older kids, as is DC's Young Justice. But for little ones, Marvel needs to look at what DC is doing.

I'm sure there's been good writing in the Marvel Adventures line, but nothing about it looks special or enticing. Heck, they could do a relaunch of Spidey Super Stories and I bet it would get a lot of love.

[Sabrewulf]

I think there are plenty of Marvel Adventures titles that were fun without being dumbed down.

At one point in time Marvel Adventures Avengers was one of my fave books. You can be all ages and even a little goofy without actually being dumb.

Yeah bu they don't sell. Books can be fun and goofy and in continuity. Just give them a banner like Marvel Age, which suggests its 'All Ages' as opposed to a kids book.

[Beast]

I don't think the Superhero Squad comic really gets mired with continuity.

As for the cartoon, yeah there's an overarching story... but it's not that heavy to figure out.

Hell some of the greatest kids cartoons weren't afraid of having continuity. See Gargoyles (pre Goliath Chronicles) for example.

[Beast]

Yeah bu they don't sell. Books can be fun and goofy and in continuity. Just give them a banner like Marvel Age, which suggests its 'All Ages' as opposed to a kids book.

They didn't sell well because some people figure that if it wasn't in 616 continuity, it wasn't worth reading. Which is frankly a nonsense mindset. Also, the sales weren't dependant on the individual issues anyway. The trades in book stores were what they were focusing sales on.

And regardless, they sold well enough to run a very very long time until Marvel cancelled and reformated and relaunched the line.