Was OMD pointless?

[Ben Smith]

To answer the primary question, the purpose of all stories is to entertain.

The idea that the stories should also "count" and/or "matter" to the ongoing narrative is a peculiar part of comic book fandom, and not something I understand. I prefer to be entertained first and foremost, not worry about how each story is going to affect the larger universe. Otherwise, it's a little bit like putting the cart before the horse, and that's how you end up with Flash Rebirth and the secret origin of Barry Allen's bowtie.

If there's a story I didn't like, no problem, it's not part of my personal continuity.

Fans like to take the puzzle pieces that serve as 50 years worth of stories produced by hundreds of different people, and then fit them all into the same puzzle perfectly, and they are never, ever going to do that.

[Lars C]

So where is the difference between OMD and Flash: Rebirth? OMD was a way to make Peter single, and Rebirth was a way to bring back Barry Allen.

[Ben Smith]

So where is the difference between OMD and Flash: Rebirth? OMD was a way to make Peter single, and Rebirth was a way to bring back Barry Allen.

One featured Spider-Man, and the other featured the Flash

[David Walton]

Fans like to take the puzzle pieces that serve as 50 years worth of stories produced by hundreds of different people, and then fit them all into the same puzzle perfectly, and they are never, ever going to do that.

There have been some fun stories that came about because writers tried to reconcile things that didn't add up. Like Wolfman's Burglar Saga, where he tried to explain why the burglar ended up in Queens. Not a perfect explanation (he much preferred Raimi's take), but a damn good story.

[Ben Smith]

There have been some fun stories that came about because writers tried to reconcile things that didn't add up. Like Wolfman's Burglar Saga, where he tried to explain why the burglar ended up in Queens. Not a perfect explanation (he much preferred Raimi's take), but a damn good story.

Sometimes its great, no question, but I think it still has to be grounded in a good story first, not just a story where the sole purpose is just to explain a continuity error.

[Lars C]

One featured Spider-Man, and the other featured the Flash

Wow, you're just bristling with class, aren't you?

[Ben Smith]

Wow, you're just bristling with class, aren't you?

bris·tle (brsl)
n.
1. A stiff hair.
2. A stiff hairlike structure: the bristles of a wire brush.
v. bris·tled, bris·tling, bris·tles
v.intr.
1. To stand stiffly on end like bristles: The hair on the dog's neck bristled.
2. To raise the bristles: The cat bristled at the sight of the large dog.
3. To react in an angry or offended manner: The author bristled at the suggestion of plagiarism.
4. To be covered or thick with or as if with bristles: The path bristled with thorns.
v.tr.
1. To cause to stand erect like bristles; stiffen.
2. To furnish or supply with bristles.
3. To make bristly; ruffle.

I don't think you're using that word correctly

[stephen wacker]

Not what I meant. I never said they killed the market nor have I ever thought so. I just remember them (as I was working a comic shop at the time) being a really bad idea that Marvel's marketing really loved. As it was explained to me from a few people that worked in Marvel at the time the editorial and creative people didn't care for them, but marketing was obsessed with them. I let my frustrations with this current direction get ahead of me, and do apologize for coming at you in a more aggressive manner, but it really does feel like we're regurgitating the same bad ideas from the 90s. There was a lot of character swapping during that period (mostly from DC) and I don't really think any of them really worked for the long haul. The few that did work weren't headliners like Spider-man. How is that new reader that came in from watching the movie or TV show going to have a clue WTF is going on? Minor changes or background character changes is one thing, but to flip the main like that is something else. I guess I just don't get the point of why you're doing it, but I really wish I did. I do, however get you can't please everyone, and comics shouldn't be all things to all people. I really hope it works out for you and your crew. Your crew is really talented and I have really enjoyed their stuff outside of this decision.

I also worked in a store (one of the biggest at the time) and they were hardly a bad idea. They actually worked well as individual promotions for books. It got nuts, but the lesson from that is hardly that they caused problems by themselves.

I think for the most part the whole "regurgitating the same bad ideas from the 90s" is more a facile internet meme than an actual statement of fact.

It's a conclusion that people want to find and then they work backwards to make the facts fit. But it ignores other pertinent, more important issue like the amount of money in the market, number of stores, publishers, etc.

I'm not saying things couldn't go bad again, but the idea that publishing some big stories or variant covers (that people actually want) will do it is nonsensical.

Don't be so scared. I have more riding on this than you.

SW

[stephen wacker]

Considering how low comic sales are these days, hardly anyone does.

Hardly anyone reads period.

Comics are among the a strongest publishing model around. Other publishers would run over their dogs for our numbers.

SW

[stephen wacker]

OMD definitely made me ponder that question. That's why I've had a hard time really getting into the book since.

You've read every issue, so apparently not too hard.

SW

[stephen wacker]

You have had plans for Superior Spider-Man since ASM #2, and fans have been complaining about it?

Yes. Amazing was always meant to last 700 issues. We're just following through on the plan.

SW

[ShaggyB]

Hardly anyone reads period.

Comics are among the a strongest publishing model around. Other publishers would run over their dogs for our numbers.

SW

Im inclined to believe that with all the videogame magazine closures. Nintendo Power closed its doors. I remember reading that one when I was a kid.

[PoorRichard]

Hardly anyone reads period.

Comics are among the a strongest publishing model around. Other publishers would run over their dogs for our numbers.

SW

I work at Time magazine. If we had your numbers I would be fired. I enjoy your comics and posts, but I call BS on this one. Do you have any publishing experience outside of comics to back up that statement?

[stephen wacker]

I work at Time magazine. If we had your numbers I would be fired. I enjoy your comics and posts, but I call BS on this one. Do you have any publishing experience outside of comics to back up that statement?

Yes I do .

And this doesn't disprove my point since I said "among". The expectations and metrics between Time Magazine and any individual comic is different for sure. We also have hundreds of backlist collections which Time doesn't really.

Though I don't believe you really work for Time.

SW

[DracoDracul]

Hardly anyone reads period.

Comics are among the a strongest publishing model around. Other publishers would run over their dogs for our numbers.

SW

Maybe in the US, Japan laughs at our comics industry. Weekly Shonen Jump sells more copies in 2 weeks than the entire of DC in month (assuming an average circulation of 100,000 copies of each comic) and that's only one of Shueisha's magazines.