CBR: Axel-In-Charge - Dec 16, 2011

[CBR News]

For his last full column of 2012, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso looks back at the biggest challenges of his first year on the job and looks forward to how "Avengers Vs. X-Men" will change the whole Marvel line.


Full article here.

[red eyes]

Whilst i'm a big fan of Gambit, i don't think it would be a good idea to give him a solo, especially nowadays. Just a better role in an Xbooks, which he seems to be getting now in Legacy and Astonishing.

[Majinoaw]

Whilst i'm a big fan of Gambit, i don't think it would be a good idea to give him a solo, especially nowadays. Just a better role in an Xbooks, which he seems to be getting now in Legacy and Astonishing.

Gambit has his run in the 90s. The market just won't support his type of character anymore.

Plus antiheroes are the norm now.

[Mart]

It seems weird that Kieron Gillen isn't involved in this event - I wish Marvel would dump this daft 'architects' promotion.

[visi]

Did I see Pietro in those X Factor preview pages? That's interesting

[Rheged]

Over the past year, we'd seen the market stop supporting what we call "stranded" limited series -- meaning limited series that were a part of continuity, but for some reason were discounted by readers as perhaps inessential reads -- so we initiated multiple-ships of most of our core Marvel Universe titles.

For "some reason?" The reason is right there in the name you've chosen for them, Stranded Limited Series, as they're pretty much stranded without any support or marketing push to make them 'essential reading' in the environment Marvel, not the reader, has created, where only certain books 'count.'

Plus, flooding the market last year with all the confusing Thor and Cap miniseries certainly didn't help matters.

Do I like this trend? As an editor and a reader, I do not. In an ideal world, people would be drawn solely to what they deem good material; whether or not that material counts would be less relevant than whether it was good -- not irrelevant, just less relevant.

This is a great sentiment, as an editor, and EIC, _he_ is the one that can change the market, and bring it closer to an ideal world where it's not mostly about books that 'count.' But instead, his side of the column is all about the big event, and not one mention of an upcoming book that's great, but less relevant.

Thank you Kiel Phegley for asking about pricing and double shipping concerns of budget minded fans, even if I'm disappointed in the answer. And a big thank you, and to Axel Alonso also, for taking the time to do these columns each week. They often make my head explode, but I appreciate you both taking the time to do them and interacting with the fans.

[Seguun]

Nice Preview Art for the X-men.

[Treqqor]

Whilst i'm a big fan of Gambit, i don't think it would be a good idea to give him a solo, especially nowadays. Just a better role in an Xbooks, which he seems to be getting now in Legacy and Astonishing.

Isn't "Whilst" used for a period of time, not meant to replace "while" in the contrastive sense? Just something I remember reading.

As for the topic, I do agree with this. Lower tiered characters are having a tougher time attracting an audience and, as much as I love the character, I know the series wouldn't last.

On the other hand, at least I'd get a few more issues to add to my collections, so I say no harm in trying!

[red eyes]

Isn't "Whilst" used for a period of time, not meant to replace "while" in the contrastive sense? Just something I remember reading.

As for the topic, I do agree with this. Lower tiered characters are having a tougher time attracting an audience and, as much as I love the character, I know the series wouldn't last.

On the other hand, at least I'd get a few more issues to add to my collections, so I say no harm in trying!

I used the wrong word, apoligies.

But i agree with you. I'd buy every copy, but it'd probably only last for a few months before being cancelled, same thing that happened to Hawkeye, Black Widow, Herc etc...

[timeismoney]

Now that is what i like to hear a Man who love the industry and not the brand.

[Chiasm]

Wow someone at Marvel who actually understands the true risks of double shipping and doesn't just insult those questioning it. Axel admits that double shipping may well cause readers to drop other books they are reading (something I've said many times here and been put down by Wacker for). Axel is gambling that that Marvel's net readership stays the same.

It is a concern. Of course, part of the risk is ours: We realize that someone who is buying four extra issues of "Deadpool" in a calendar year might, as a result, pass over a 4-issue limited series that we publish. But keep in mind, those four issues probably replaced a Deadpool limited series or something similar.

[theXfactor]

My biggest problem with the double-shippings is that it increases the amount of artists for a title and they almost never have similar styles. That really bugs me.
I also think that they make it harder for smaller titles to succeed. If someone needs to trim down its pull-list because of the double-shippings, it's very likely that the "less important" titles will get dropped.

[Whalers77]

I actually think a solid Gambit ongoing could do very well. Gambit has a very very big core group of fans. In my opinion, I'd bet it would sit right around MoonKnight status. And if they wrote it well, could do even better. Further, given his lack of attention in X-Men, more people would pick it up than before since they can't find him in 5 other comics like before.

If there is no chance of an Ongoing, at least give this guy a role front and center (cough XML main character cough). I'm sorry, but I just don't think people want to read about Namor, Hope, Science Club, and some of the other characters we are getting too much of...

[Pixie_Solanas]

I actually think a solid Gambit ongoing could do very well. Gambit has a very very big core group of fans. In my opinion, I'd bet it would sit right around MoonKnight status. And if they wrote it well, could do even better. Further, given his lack of attention in X-Men, more people would pick it up than before since they can't find him in 5 other comics like before.

If there is no chance of an Ongoing, at least give this guy a role front and center (cough XML main character cough). I'm sorry, but I just don't think people want to read about Namor, Hope, Science Club, and some of the other characters we are getting too much of...

Gambit has zero ties to the big megaevent crossover extravaganza coming up. Expect diminishing returns from the character.

[Metal Sphere]

That is some nice art on UXM #4, and Luppacchino's work on X-Factor is as pretty as ever. Looks like ole Pietro has stopped by as well.

I like AA's statement that he'd rather read a great story that's out of continuity rather than one that draws from and builds upon it. Unfortunately, most of the market seems to be continuity junkies and I'm at a loss as to what can be done to remedy that.