Fialkov Brings Spidey's Sidekick to Pittsburgh in "Alpha"

[ShaggyB]

Quote where I said that "no one will buy this comic."

that's playing semantics

Nobody wants to read about Alpha.

what does that mean? If no one wants to read it, why would they buy it? You know the two are related in terms of comics right?

As I said before: "That indicates that you feel nobody wants to read it. That's a Zero for number of interested people. If no one is interested, no one buys it. If that's not what you meant, it is what you said and is not a straw man argument."

[Shade 20x6]

I imagine that a fair number of people who want to continue to follow Peter will pick up this book. Some may pick it up due to the artist, due to the writer, or due to an ignorance of the character.

I'll concede that "nobody wants to read about Alpha" was too all-encompassing of a statement to make, but my belief still stands that this will sell poorly.

[oldschool]

I imagine that a fair number of people who want to continue to follow Peter will pick up this book. Some may pick it up due to the artist, due to the writer, or due to an ignorance of the character.

I'll concede that "nobody wants to read about Alpha" was too all-encompassing of a statement to make, but my belief still stands that this will sell poorly.

OK. And how would you define "sells poorly"? Just curious. I can envision this selling in the 30k range which, in 2012, is not so poor at all for a mini-series.

[stephen wacker]

I imagine that a fair number of people who want to continue to follow Peter will pick up this book. Some may pick it up due to the artist, due to the writer, or due to an ignorance of the character.

I'll concede that "nobody wants to read about Alpha" was too all-encompassing of a statement to make, but my belief still stands that this will sell poorly.

Do you think anyone who buys it might like it? Or are they all just completists getting duped?

Also please define "sell poorly". If it makes money for Marvel is it a win?

SW

[Froggy]

i've never really seen plati's work, do people have suggestions?

I wonder what Fialkov will do and he's a pretty good writer so i'm interested

[Mikey Brown]

I'm really hoping this leads to more Marvel work for Fialkov. Dude does great work. And Froggy, I believe Plati's work is in the same style as Ramos. I think....

[Kevin Nichols]

Oh my sweet fancy Christ!!! Who cares how well the fucking book sells?!?! Are you a stockholder???? Seriously, why do you care? Is it really your problem if the book doesn't sell? If you're not interested in it, don't buy it. It's that simple.

Not only that, but Steve held out a god damn olive branch and asked you for your opinion on what kind of book you'd be interested in, and you IGNORED IT!!! What the hell are you looking for? Are you just that dead set on trying to stick it to Wacker? That seems to be a very sad existence to me.

[Shade 20x6]

Honest question: as you seem to have read a lot of comics and have some hard core opinions...what sort of books are you looking for? What kind of things would get you interested in this character? Or any new character?

SW

This is what typically catches my attention as a prospective reader:

Someone I want to root for. - Like a lot of people, I like rooting for the underdog. But the character still has to be likable.

Someone I can relate to. - I think most people are attracted to superheros because they like to picture themselves as that hero. It helps tremendously when the hero shares a lot of qualities with the reader, which has been a major selling point of Peter Parker for a long time now.

This is why it's also important to have a character that is grounded primarily in reality. Take the radioactive spider bite away from Peter Parker, and he's just like you or me. But when you make him too detached from reality (making him overpowered, having him constantly hanging out with cosmic beings, giving all of his friends powers, etc.), you start to lose that "every man" aspect of the character and hinder the readers' imagination.

I think this is what interests me about Kaine. He's basically a more adult version of Peter Parker. Peter was fine when I was younger, but now that I'm older and wiser, Kaine is easier for me to relate to.

Someone who can be a total badass from time to time. - Everyone wants to just totally lose control every once in a while. Fictional characters allow this to happen without fear of real-world consequences. It's a liberating feeling and helps to "cast off the shackles of society," if you will, for a time.

[Shade 20x6]

OK. And how would you define "sells poorly"? Just curious. I can envision this selling in the 30k range which, in 2012, is not so poor at all for a mini-series.

I expect this to sell in the same range as the Anya Spider-Girl series. Maybe a little better if Peter makes regular appearances.

[Shade 20x6]

Do you think anyone who buys it might like it? Or are they all just completists getting duped?

Sure, some of the people who purchase it will like it. Every thing ever created has its fans.

But completists are a very real lifeblood of the comic book industry, and some will surely pick this up, even if they don't like Alpha. I know this from first-hand experience.

Also please define "sell poorly". If it makes money for Marvel is it a win?

Seeing as how Marvel is a business, making money is generally a win. However, what's the opportunity cost? Will it potentially alienate readers, costing long-term revenue? Would Marvel make larger profit margins by working on a different project?

[Shade 20x6]

Oh my sweet fancy Christ!!! Who cares how well the fucking book sells?!?! Are you a stockholder???? Seriously, why do you care? Is it really your problem if the book doesn't sell? If you're not interested in it, don't buy it. It's that simple.

Not only that, but Steve held out a god damn olive branch and asked you for your opinion on what kind of book you'd be interested in, and you IGNORED IT!!! What the hell are you looking for? Are you just that dead set on trying to stick it to Wacker? That seems to be a very sad existence to me.

Settle down chief, I'm not ignoring anybody. I don't have a lot of free time, especially during the week.

[Spider-Frog]

I hate to say it, But I think Alfalfa may still be a possible candidate for Inferior Spider-Man.

In Dan Slott's latest he interview says that there was probably some confusion regarding Fialkov's interview. Basically, It is possible that at least part; and maybe all of Alfalfa's Mini takes place before ASM#700.

Anyway, Judge for yourselves, Here is the Link:http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=42033

Maybe the whole point Of Alfalfa's Mini skirt is to show how he becomes the new INFERIOR Spider-Man.

[Shade 20x6]

My thought is that Peter's appearances may be in the form of flashbacks.

I hate to say it, But I think Alfalfa may still be a possible candidate for Inferior Spider-Man.

In Dan Slott's latest he interview says that there was probably some confusion regarding Fialkov's interview. Basically, It is possible that at least part; and maybe all of Alfalfa's Mini takes place before ASM#700.

Anyway, Judge for yourselves, Here is the Link:http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=42033

Maybe the whole point Of Alfalfa's Mini skirt is to show how he becomes the new INFERIOR Spider-Man.

[stephen wacker]

Seeing as how Marvel is a business, making money is generally a win. However, what's the opportunity cost? Will it potentially alienate readers, costing long-term revenue? Would Marvel make larger profit margins by working on a different project?

It will alienate no one. You're just a bit hysterical on that point.

I think you're very short-sighted and inconsistent in general, but thanks for the answers.

SW

[ShaggyB]

I expect this to sell in the same range as the Anya Spider-Girl series. Maybe a little better if Peter makes regular appearances.

and do you think that book didnt cover its costs? Do you feel that book didnt make a profit? (The issue being whether it generates enough profit to continue its existence... the idea that they print a book and lose money on it seems odd to me.)

Wouldnt anything that makes a profit be "worth" doing for marvel? (ie not flushing money away.)