CBR: Hawkins Talks Top Cow

[CBR News]

Top Cow's President and Chief Operating Officer Matt Hawkins spoke with CBR about their place in the industry, keeping their universe managable and what fans can expect from the Cow at Comic-Con International.


Full article here.

[eggie]

Grea article! I love that Top Cow doesn't glut the market with their books. They keep their total number per month low which lets them keep the quality on those books very high. Phil Hester's long run on The Darkness has been absolutely fantastic! Artifacts has been really good as well!! I love Top Cow!

However, I am so tired of people labeling Top Cow as "T&A comics"! Yes, the Top Cow artists draw great women, but doesn't Marvel and DC do the same? Emma Frost anyone? Psylocke? Ms. Marvel? Wonder Woman? Power Girl? All publishers draw their female heroes to look attractive...that's just the way it is.

[ScotsScribbler]

I think Top Cow is a great asset for Image, with the Witchblade, Fathom and Darkness Universes, and Image is definitely one of the better comic publishers out there.

But I just read Graveyard of Empires #1 and it was amazing until it turned into just another shitty zombie comic.

I'm rooting for Image, but really? Come on guys... buy a ticket. There is plenty of zombie and vampire shit out there.

[ScotsScribbler]

I think Top Cow is a great asset for Image, with the Witchblade, Fathom and Darkness Universes, and Image is definitely one of the better comic publishers out there.

But I just read Graveyard of Empires #1 and it was amazing until it turned into just another fucking zombie comic.

I'm rooting for Image, but really? Come on guys... buy a ticket. There is plenty of zombie and vampire shit out there.

[wildstorm3]

Top Cow is one of only a few companies that puts out QUALITY books each and every month. I have been reading Top Cow since Day one and have never been disappointed. I love how you can just get Darkness or Witchblade and not even have to read Artifacts that is running at the same time (if you aren't reading Artifacts, get on it).

As for the T&A aspect, I think that it got this "tag" due to the fact that when Top Cow started out it was all you saw in ads and covers. But now, even though there are women in their books, Top Cow has moved beyond the cheesecake factor and put out books that stand on their own without T&A in your face. As for the covers, sex sells.

[Christian Beranek]

I always appreciate Matt's honesty. He tells it like it is and makes no qualms about it. I can see Top Cow being around another 20 years with this kind of business sense and focus.

[mobbdeep]

These guys are delusional to think their T & A rep is undeserved or that they no longer do it. Look at what is offered in Previews or on the stands, they still do it. To defend themselves with the "everybody else is doing it" is even weaker since Marvel & DC have never done it to the degree that Top Cow has.

They built their business on it and its disingenuous to say otherwise. Its not even a matter of taste, just own it & make it yours.

"Cheesecake sells and can be fun" is a lot more honest selling point when you don't have the character libraries that Marvel & DC can trade on without it.

[wildstorm3]

These guys are delusional to think their T & A rep is undeserved or that they no longer do it. Look at what is offered in Previews or on the stands, they still do it. To defend themselves with the "everybody else is doing it" is even weaker since Marvel & DC have never done it to the degree that Top Cow has.

They built their business on it and its disingenuous to say otherwise. Its not even a matter of taste, just own it & make it yours.

"Cheesecake sells and can be fun" is a lot more honest selling point when you don't have the character libraries that Marvel & DC can trade on without it.

So what you are saying is that marvel or DC has never used T&A to sell books. I point you to Heroes for Hire #13 bondage cover, X-Force #9 Choi cover, or batman the Widening Gyre 3.

Every company does it, thats a fact. But with Top Cow and other companies, it's what made the book stand out on the shelves back in the day.

[mobbdeep]

So what you are saying is that marvel or DC has never used T&A to sell books. I point you to Heroes for Hire #13 bondage cover, X-Force #9 Choi cover, or batman the Widening Gyre 3.

Every company does it, thats a fact. But with Top Cow and other companies, it's what made the book stand out on the shelves back in the day.

That is NOT what I am saying. What I am saying is right in your quote. Marvel and DC have not done it to the DEGREE that TC has.

I don't disagree that other companies do it, I just think that saying their rep is undeserved is completely disingenuous. They should embrace what they do as a selling point that is an alternative to larger companies with more established character libraries.

Of course it makes them stand out on the stands and for them to do it and shrug it off as something that is the industry standard is just a weak defense for something they should embrace and capitalise on.

[Dnld]

These guys are delusional to think their T & A rep is undeserved or that they no longer do it. Look at what is offered in Previews or on the stands, they still do it. To defend themselves with the "everybody else is doing it" is even weaker since Marvel & DC have never done it to the degree that Top Cow has.

They built their business on it and its disingenuous to say otherwise. Its not even a matter of taste, just own it & make it yours.

"Cheesecake sells and can be fun" is a lot more honest selling point when you don't have the character libraries that Marvel & DC can trade on without it.

I couldn't agree more. It tries to change public perception by coming out with quality stories but then contradicts itself and reinforces its 90s image with T & A covers, the first thing readers see. Train their artists to do quality covers that focus on composition and technique, rather than taking the easy, cheesecake way. Look at Vertigo and what they've done. Also, one of their defining titles was a leader of the "badgirl" movement, so shaking that stigma can be difficult.

[wildstorm3]

But if Marvel and DC were as "righteous" as you make them out to be then they would have never jumped on the bandwagon to begin with.

TC and other companies 15-20 years ago had to make an impression to put themselves on the map. The same way that Marvel when they first came out HAD to out big city crushing monsters on all their covers to sell their book. T&A was just what was "in" at the time in the 90's.

[mobbdeep]

But if Marvel and DC were as "righteous" as you make them out to be then they would have never jumped on the bandwagon to begin with.

TC and other companies 15-20 years ago had to make an impression to put themselves on the map. The same way that Marvel when they first came out HAD to out big city crushing monsters on all their covers to sell their book. T&A was just what was "in" at the time in the 90's.

Again, I never wrote or implied any company's "righteousness" in my post or the follow-up. What I wrote is what I meant with no reading between the lines necessary.

And again, yes, I don't disagree that was what was popular in the past nor do I disagree that it sells for any company if and when they do it. Its just that TC has done it almost exclusively, not once and awhile.

They could, and have, carve out a nice niche for themselves by capitalizing on that fact instead of trying to downplay it. Retailers who order their books and fans who read them are clearly not bothered by the content or how its presented given the fact that they are still publishing that genre more than others.

The company's idea that they don't traffic in cheesecake, that their rep is undeserved, and that it is okay since other companies do is weak. Thats all I said, period.

It would be no different than if Burger King answered charges that their food is unhealthy with "that is totally undeserved and McDonald's is unhealthy too". You can't say that your reputation is undeserved and simultaneously admit to that very reputation by claiming its ok because others do it.

Its a child's logic.

[rasx]

Mr. Hawkins didn't mention anything about Cyberforce. I know Topcows fantasy books are more popular but they need to have at least one ongoing sci-fi book.
Please Topcow bring back Cyberforce!

[Ballistic27]

Mr. Hawkins didn't mention anything about Cyberforce. I know Topcows fantasy books are more popular but they need to have at least one ongoing sci-fi book.
Please Topcow bring back Cyberforce!

Yes! Cyberforce, Witchblade, and The Darkness should always be ongoings at TC no matter what!

[eggie]

Mr. Hawkins didn't mention anything about Cyberforce. I know Topcows fantasy books are more popular but they need to have at least one ongoing sci-fi book.
Please Topcow bring back Cyberforce!

Seconded!!!

I remember Top Cow saying Kenneth Rocafort was going to be drawing a Cyber Force series post Hunter-Killer/Cyber Force crossover, though no writer was ever named...what happened to that?