Category Archives: Comics
I Hate When Comic Book Advertising Goes Negative
Let me ask you a question, both comic book fans and non comic fans alike. The Amazing Spider-Man is about to reach the milestone issue #700 this fall. Would you be more or less inclined to buy the comic if the writer went around telling everyone that you’re going to hate it?
Writer Dan Slott seems to think that we’re going to hate what he does to the character in Amazing Spider-Man #700.
I already kind of hate the cover
This kind of comic book advertising – or hype – annoys me to no end. So why is Slott doing it? Why is Marvel Comics doing it? Why even write the story if you know that fans are going to be angered and upset with you? But then for that matter, what is the balance between keeping your fans happy and entertained vs. writing compelling and interesting stories?
The answer to all of these questions is easy. Anger is an emotion, and as long as they get some emotion out of comic book fans, that’s good writing. Right? Makes sense to me. But why not instead try for the happier emotions like love or delight? Why use Amazing Spider-Man #700 to write a story that you know the fans of the character are going to hate? But I digress.
I’m not trying to say that comic book writers should be afraid to write stories that anger the fans, that they should never push the boundaries and try for something new and different. My problem is with then going ahead and using the potential anger as a selling point.
Here is what Slott said in a recent interview about what he has planned for Amazing Spider-Man #700:
I’m really happy with our 1-2-3 punch of #698, #699 and #700. I think people are not going to forget this one. This story will raise some really strong emotions in Spider-Man fans. It will probably be one of the biggest things I ever do to a Marvel Comics character in my career. I don’t know if people will start making little dart boards of me or not for this one. I’ve said it before, but I’m going into hiding after issue #700 comes out. I’m not looking at message boards. I’m not poking my head up out of that hole, because what happens in issue #700 is big!
He’s joking about having to go into hiding because of how angry the fans will be at him. How is that funny? Why can’t he say something nice about the comic? Even with this big change coming, why not hype it up as something awesome and cool? Why be negative about it? This frustrates me. When I pick up Amazing Spider-Man #700 in a few months, I’m going to be worried and afraid to see what happens. I would prefer to be excited and elated to see what happens.
(And that’s assuming USA Today doesn’t spoil the change a week or a day in advance, like Marvel is wont to do these days.)
The story, for anyone curious, is that longtime Spider-Man arch-nemesis Doctor Octopus is on his death bed. He has only hours left to live, and he’s horrified at how little he’s accomplished with his life. But in those final hours, Doc Ock discovers Spider-Man’s secret identity. What he does with this knowledge is apparently going to anger all of us Spider-Man fans.
Are we sure he can do anything more than just wet himself?
Let me explain my position a bit more. Comic book fans hate change. It’s why all the most popular superheroes remain relatively the same today as they were when they first appeared decades ago. Comic book fans like reading about their favorite heroes doing awesome things. If you change the character or change the things they do, it’s not the same comic anymore. It’s not the same enjoyment.
On the flipside, comic book writers have a job to do. They want to tell new and exciting stories about character that they love just as much as the fans. But if they can’t change or shake up the status quo, the stories are going to get really stale really fast. How many times can Batman fight the Joker before you’re just reading the same story over and over again? Why not let the Joker reap some real, life-altering carnage? Why not let the Joker do something so huge and evil that Batman is forever changed?
A good example of this fans vs. writers conundrum happened only a few years ago in Spider-Man comics, a story called One More Day.
You’re not reaching hard enough!
In 2007, Marvel decided that they needed to make Spider-Man more appealing to younger readers, because that’s just good business. The comic book industry can’t survive on its old, aging fans forever. Kids need to read comic books too. But at the time, Spider-Man was happily married to Mary Jane Watson, and had just revealed to the world that he was secretly Peter Parker. So his identity wasn’t a secret anymore. Marvel’s line of thought was that kids don’t want to read about an old married guy with the weight of the world on his shoulders. They want a young, single, happy-go-lucky Spidey! But they couldn’t kill Mary Jane or have them get divorced, because nobody wants to read about Spider-Man the widower or Spider-Man the divorcee.
So Marvel decided to tell a story in which Spider-Man uses black magic to reshape his life.
With Spider-Man’s identity known to the world, his arch enemies send an assassin to kill Peter Parker. But the sniper’s bullet instead shoots Peter’s beloved Aunt May, and her life hangs in the balance. After exhausting all other possibilities to save her, Spider-Man then makes a deal with the Devil in order to save Aunt May’s life. The Devil’s fee is Peter and Mary Jane’s marriage. He wants the soul or essence of marriage between them. They eventually agree to pay this price, and the Devil uses his magic to save Aunt May. He then makes everybody forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. And he changes history so that Peter Parker was late to his wedding day and he and Mary Jane never actually got hitched. In order to maintain two decades worth of stories where they were married, Marvel said that Peter and Mary Jane were only ever in a long term committed relationship.
Spider-Man fans the world over HATED this story. And for good reason.
Because he made a DEAL with the DEVIL!
First of all, people actually liked Peter and Mary Jane’s marriage. It wasn’t like the fans wanted the two of them to break up, the fans were happy with the union. So sacrificing the marriage in the name of sales is just revolting. Second, Peter Parker MADE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL in order to make this happen. And it wasn’t part of some larger story where this choice came back to haunt him in the end and he regretted the whole thing or learned a lesson. This was a one time thing. Marvel wanted Peter to be single again, so they just thought up the first mystical being who might have the kind of power and magic to make it happen. It didn’t seem to matter to Marvel that Peter Parker as a good and heroic character would be forever tainted by MAKING A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL!
I know comic book fans who stopped reading Spider-Man after One More Day, fans who still hold a grudge against Marvel and refuse to go back to Spider-Man comics because of it. I don’t blame them.
And the point I’m trying to make with this example is that comic book fans will hold a grudge and will stop buying your comic if you write a bad story and piss them off.
Still, I want to emphasize that I’m not saying that writers should never anger their fans. It’s an old rule when writing fiction that you hurt the ones you love, especially when it comes to character. If you never change the status quo of the character or hurt them in some way, you’ll never have interesting conflict in your stories. So by all means, Slott can do whatever he wants to Spider-Man in issue #700. Let the fans get mad. Maybe it’ll turn me off reading Amazing Spider-Man for awhile, but I know I always come back eventually.
I’m just saying that if you’re writing a comic book that you know will harm the character and anger the fans, maybe you shouldn’t brag about it.
((P.S. My guess is that Slott is going to kill Mary Jane!))
Superman and Wonder Woman Sitting in a Tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!
Long the fodder of Elseworlds tales and creepy fan fiction, DC Comics has decided to go ahead with an in-canon, for realsies, kissing and everything relationship between Superman and Wonder Woman. This is the New 52 people, you’re living in it!
But speaking as a longtime comic book reader and occasional curmudgeon, I am absolutely, 100% in favor of this hook-up.
I think new romantic relationships between classic superheroes is a good thing. It’s new, it’s exciting and it’s much better than just resting on the old, classic, long-boring relationships. Superman and Lois Lane? Please. Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson? Been there, done that. Gambit and Rogue? Sayonara, Sugah!
Give me Superman and Wonder Woman. I want to read about Iceman and Kitty Pryde. And, most especially, I want Spider-Man and Captain Marvel!
The absolute worst thing that DC could do instead would be to create a brand new love interest for either Superman or Wonder Woman. Just look at Carlie Cooper in Spider-Man comics. She was created for the sole purpose of eventually becoming Peter Parker’s new girlfriend. Whatever stories the writers tried to give her, like being a police investigator, were just window dressing for her eventual existence as Peter Parker’s girlfriend. There was no drama. No ‘will they/won’t they’ playfulness. When a new female character is created solely for a relationship – or male character, for that matter – it’s just so fun to read.
This, however, will be fun to read. Wonder Woman is not beholden to Superman. She’s not around just to be his girlfriend. She had a lot going on right now. In fact, her comic series is a lot better and much more critically acclaimed than Superman’s title. He’s the one in dire straits here. So I, for one, want to see where this relationship goes. It’s going to debut next week in Justice League #12. I think it has a lot of potential.
What do you guys think? I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments!
Review: Saga: Volume 1
I’ve gotten a request from an old friend of mine to review something other than superhero comics, and I’m going to take him up on that request because I would like to expand the reach of my blog. Unfortunately, the only non-superhero comic I’m reading these days is Saga by writer Brian K. Vaughn and artist Fiona Staples. This is unfortunate because I would like to read more independent work, but it’s fortunate because Saga is probably the No. 1 most high-profile, independent, non-superhero comic on the stands today. A lot of comic book fans are reading Saga, and I think that makes it the perfect addition to my review cycle. I’ve decided to review the first six issues in one fell swoop – seeing as how they make up Volune 1 – and then pick up from here on out issue-by-issue.
Saga: Volume 1
Saga is a strange and heartfelt story about a young couple trying to raise their newborn daughter in the middle of a war. But it just so happens that it takes place in outer space and everybody is some kind of freaky alien. On top of that, it seems like Vaughn and Staples are trying to be as insanely weird as possible, sometimes sacrificing story for weirdness.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
There is no denying that Saga is, so far, a very well-written and well-drawn comic. Vaughn and Staples are two professionals at the top of their game, and that shows on every page. It’s the story and the progress that I find at least slightly lacking. After six issues, our two main characters, Alana and Marko, seem to be spinning their wheels as they bounce from one threat or danger to the next. Even though we’re told that they’re on the move, the setting still remains “vague alien wilderness”. They have fought off a new threat or evil menace in every single issue, and none of their opponents have stuck around long enough to make any kind of lasting impact.
It’s like Vaughn thinks we have no attention span and he must fill his book with as much new action as possible. The main characters are in a near constant state of panic from all this action. But I would prefer him to slow down and take time to smell the roses of this universe he is trying to build. As a result, I don’t feel as connected with this world and these characters as I would like to be. I’ve seen my fair share of weird alien worlds in fiction, but Vaughn’s is particularly strange, and yet he’s not giving us much of an opportunity to get to know everything he’s created.
That’s not to say Saga is too out of control. Underneath all of this action and weird excitement, Vaughn and Staples are creating something rather beautiful. I just wish they’d let that part shine more than the constant need for action.
Join me after the jump as I introduce you to the characters and run down the story so far.
Review: X-Factor #242
The deck clearing continues in X-Factor #242, as writer Peter David removes a few characters, settles several dangling plotlines and offers at least one little hint about future strangeness. It’s an entertaining issue, with more than a couple funny lines, but you’d be hard pressed to find a more by-the-numbers issue. I don’t mean that to be cruel, but look no further than the fact that this issue stars Darwin of all characters to see just how unimportant and workmanlike this is in the grand scheme of things.
X-Factor #242
Darwin is the red-headed step child of the X-Men franchise. And being rechristened as a demon-hunter is either the most brilliant or the stupidest choice possible for the character.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
Like I said, it’s a good issue. The story is solid, the characters are themselves and it’s funny in places. The art by Leonard Kirk is also great, as usual. It’s just the fact that PAD is taking care of business is evident on every page. He’s got some plans for the new Marvel NOW! relaunch, which involves a smaller cast for X-Factor and new stories. So this issue, and this Breaking Points storyline, are all about removing characters as safely and calmly as possible. He’s also tying up dangling plot threads that I don’t think anybody particularly cares about anymore, and he’s doing it as quickly and as cleanly as he can.
For longtime X-Factor fans like me, it’s a fine enough issue. No major complaints. Other than that, it’s not much of anything. Unless you’re a huge Darwin fan. Or are excited to see Wolfsbane as a mom.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Good News and Sad News for The Boys
Starting with the sad news, comic book maestro Garth Ennis’ final issue of The Boys will be released in November. The comic isn’t being cancelled, it’s just coming to its natural conclusion. Issue #72 will bring an end to Ennis’ epic, exciting, disgusting, violent story about a gang of ruffians whose job it is to keep arrogant, perverse superheroes in line. The Boys is a wickedly twisted comic, combining gross-out humor with gritty, hard-hitting truths about the nature of power and accountability. I couldn’t recommend it more – if you’ve got the stomach for it.
This seems symbolic of something…
The Boys has a wonderful history behind it. Originally commissioned as a Justice League story at DC Comics, the series was eventually rewritten with new characters and handed over to their Wildstorm publishing arm, which dealt with comics that were a bit grittier than the family friendly DC Universe. But then the top brass at DC was so disgusted with the content of The Boys that they cancelled it after six issues – only for Ennis to shop around and get picked up by Dynamite Entertainment, a rival publisher. Six years later, The Boys is one of Dynamite’s top-selling books, allowing Ennis the chance to conclude the story on his own terms.
I love The Boys. I don’t read it regularly though. I like to wait a few months/years until several issues and storylines have built up, then I grab some collected editions and read a lot at once. Seeing as how it’s one long story with a beginning, middle and end, I think it works well in larger readings instead of issue-by-issue. I haven’t caught up with The Boys in years, so I’m kind of excited to reach the end, then I can read the entire saga!
It’s exactly as badass as this
A little synopsis: The Boys is all about a man named Wee Hughie, a Scotsman living in a world of superheroes. Only instead of noble boy scouts like Superman and Spider-Man, the superheroes of The Boys are arrogant, conceited, misogynistic jerkasses. They’re still heroes, they still fight crime and defeat villains, but they are loathsome human beings who think the world revolves around them. Hence The Boys, a government-sponsored group of badasses who use their own super-powers to punish superheroes who go too far. Wee Hughie is recruited into The Boys and suddenly his life gets a lot more complicated, filled with all manner of insane, perverted, and sometimes lovely people.
There are two major ongoing stories. One is about the Homelander, the Superman-esque lead hero who begins to realize that, with his unstoppable power, he can do anything he damn well wants and nobody can stop him. The Boys have something to say about that. The other is about Wee Hughie falling in love with a pretty girl – who is secretly one of the superheroes he’s joined The Boys to stop!
The face of a man in love
Like I said, I cannot recommend this series enough. Garth Ennis’ writing is almost as good here as it is with his Punisher MAX stuff. The characters are fascinating and complex, the action is awesome and the humor is funny too – if you can stomach it. Seriously, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything more disgusting than The Boys. Copious amounts of bodily fluids, rape, misogyny, gerbils stuffed into asses; this stuff is insane. But it’s good. Damn good.
Speaking of good, the good news about The Boys is that it looks like the movie might be back on track. That is if you can believe a single Tweet from would-be director Adam McKay. A movie adaptation by Universal Studios had been in the works, but they eventually dropped the project. McKay now says that Paramount has picked up The Boys and they’re in development!
The face of a man born to play Wee Hughie
That may or may not be news worth celebrating. Everybody’s heard of ‘Development Hell’ in Hollywood, which The Boys has been stuck in for some time. There’s a chance that this movie will never get made. But just the possibility of seeing Simon Pegg suit up as Wee Hughie is worth mentioning. Keep your fingers crossed, everybody!
Henchman-4-Hire