The Marvel Thread

[Podmark]

I imagine that super hero movies don't really drive people to comic books that much. Everyone knows the major comic book heroes and probably read a comic at some point in their lives. Most people probably know whether they're interested in super hero comics already.
I think that's why we see huge sales boosts for The Walking Dead and Watchmen when those came out. Yes they are comics but they're comics that the mainstream isn't familiar with yet.

Personally I'm of the opinion that comics are a secondary entertainment medium and that there probably isn't anything that can be done that can significantly increase sales over a long term. So Marvel and DC keep pulling these big media moves to ensure attention stays on them so they don't fade out of mind for the fringe readers.

[Talavar]

I was thinking how Dark Knight, Amazing Spidey and and the Avengers movies should had a higher impact sales wise. A lot of people don't know (and don't care) which character is DC and which one is Marvel, they see everyone as just "super-heroes".

And the people who don't know the difference between Marvel and DC are never going to pick up a superhero comic anyway.  Going after those people is as useful as marketing iPads to the Amish.

[John Jr.]

I was thinking how Dark Knight, Amazing Spidey and and the Avengers movies should had a higher impact sales wise. A lot of people don't know (and don't care) which character is DC and which one is Marvel, they see everyone as just "super-heroes".

And the people who don't know the difference between Marvel and DC are never going to pick up a superhero comic anyway.  Going after those people is as useful as marketing iPads to the Amish.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. A lot of people know the characters from tv, movies and games and they will buy comics in some point of their lives, but they don't care about "this guy is DC, but the other one is Marvel". Here, in Brazil, the same publisher (Panini Comics) have the rights for the DC and Marvel lines, so all our super-hero comics come from the same publisher. Most kids I know who read comics aren't interested in the publisher name (in fact, most of them don't care about writers and artists too, just the characters).
Of course we still can buy comics in newsstands, so it's a different game.

[Previsionary]

John has a point. There are people out there, those who do NOT follow companies, who do not know where each character belongs. I've heard discussions of people thinking Green Lantern was a Marvel character or that the Avengers were DC. These people went out and watched the movies and saw the toons. If the books were presented to them in a convenient locations, and there are areas where that still happens, they would at least browse them. Don't write off the variables.

[detourne_me]

Way off topic, but I believe that Superheroes, as a genre, have transgressed the medium of comic books.  Yes they are originally from comics, but that doesn't mean a fan needs to read the comics to be aware of the characters, stories, tropes and themes.
How many of us know everything about vampires, but have never read a vampire novel? (raises hand)

So, keeping this in mind, I don't lament the fact that movie sales don't bring in new readers. I'm more excited about the fact that one of my favorite genres is afforded a wider audience because of the popularity of the genre across all media - not just the origin.

Of course it would be nice to have that same kind of synergy Harry Potter had, where the sales of the novels kept increasing with each new media product, but just the sheer volume of comics to be bought can be a bit troublesome for new readers....

[Previsionary]

Det also has a point, and the problem with comics in the 00s in general is that the companies have moved away from general exposure as far as comics go. Comic stores are specialty stores, and not everyone has a Barnes/Nobles in their close vicinity. Moving comics out of general markets was a huge mistake, imo. I remember browsing through many a DC/Marvel (specifically ultimate) books a decade or so ago (right next to the gaming/gossip mags), and then they disappeared off the shelves. Heck, in the 90s, they gave away mini comics in video boxes of shows like X-men: TAS (X-men: Adventures). Companies need to work on their synergy, me thinks.

[Talavar]

The difference between films of Harry Potter, for example, helping to sell more novels and superhero films not really helping to sell more comics is I think largely the fault of continuity.  I mean, the Harry Potter books and movies are basically telling the same story, with the same characters - the novels are just a more-detailed version.

On the other hand, say a fan of the Captain America & Avengers films wants to read comics about Cap.  In those two movies you have a character barely introduced to the modern world, where in the comics he's been in the modern world since the '60s, had numerous secondary identities, major supporting cast changes, death, resurrection, heading SHIELD - I think in the ultimate line he just got elected president.  Not only the plot, but the characterization is wildly different than what your movie fan has just seen.  To a new reader it's both confusing and daunting.

[John Jr.]

Det also has a point, and the problem with comics in the 00s in general is that the companies have moved away from general exposure as far as comics go. Comic stores are specialty stores, and not everyone has a Barnes/Nobles in their close vicinity. Moving comics out of general markets was a huge mistake, imo. I remember browsing through many a DC/Marvel (specifically ultimate) books a decade or so ago (right next to the gaming/gossip mags), and then they disappeared off the shelves. Heck, in the 90s, they gave away mini comics in video boxes of shows like X-men: TAS (X-men: Adventures). Companies need to work on their synergy, me thinks.

Agreed. Like I said before we still have comics in newsstands here in Brazil, and believe me, it really helps to get the occasional reader...
Talavar is right about the confusing/complex chronology, but  I believe Prev nailed the main problem.

[Previsionary]

Talavar, this is why it constantly disappoints me that both DC and Marvel keep cancelling their easy access/new reader friendly books. You can't keep telling the fans that you want new fans/eyes and then do everything in your power to keep them from even being able to put a toe into the water. Even I, as a long time fan, feel a little daunted at going back to DC or Marvel because of how much has changed since I last read. I never understood their thinking on that.

Just an example, but my niece went through a really heavy Spider-man phase. At the time, only Spider-man 1 & 2 were out, with 3 on the way. Back then, I had a few choices of books I could safely show her without worrying about anything. Years later, those choices dried up. I wouldn't dare show her anything now if her interest ever resparked in any comic property by the big 2.

[Podmark]

Some comments from this week's Marvel comics:

Spoiler

X-Men Legacy: Happy to see David Baldeon back on art. House cleaning continues as Gage ends Rogue and Magneto's relationship - this makes me sad. Also there's some hints as to Magneto's post AvX role. One more issue as this run crawls to a close.

Amazing Spider-Man: I don't have much to say about this issue. For those interested Alpha was essentially depowered but his powers will return and Spider-Man will give him another shot at being a hero in the future. More exciting next week the Hobgoblin arc begins! Been waiting for this for a while.

Secret Avengers: Enjoyed this especially since it focuses on Agent Venom and (the probably a fake) Ant-Man, two favorites of mine. Rick Remender continues to write good stuff, I look forward to Uncanny Avengers.

Wolverine and the X-Men: I don't really care much about Doop, but as a one shot story this was fun.

[detourne_me]

Talavar, this is why it constantly disappoints me that both DC and Marvel keep cancelling their easy access/new reader friendly books. You can't keep telling the fans that you want new fans/eyes and then do everything in your power to keep them from even being able to put a toe into the water. Even I, as a long time fan, feel a little daunted at going back to DC or Marvel because of how much has changed since I last read. I never understood their thinking on that.

Just an example, but my niece went through a really heavy Spider-man phase. At the time, only Spider-man 1 & 2 were out, with 3 on the way. Back then, I had a few choices of books I could safely show her without worrying about anything. Years later, those choices dried up. I wouldn't dare show her anything now if her interest ever resparked in any comic property by the big 2.

well there are new ultimate spider-man and avengers:emh (both based on toons) books
and the young justice comic is very much in continuity for the show.

[Deaths Jester]

Wow..look at me...I say a short sentence or two about how poor the comics are looking nowadays and a whole new converstaion begins.  Didn't know I had it in me! 

[BentonGrey]

Well, a DC sponsored poll pointed that they got about 5% new readers, the rest was some relapsed readers who came back (about 25%) and some guys buying lots and lots of comics (about 20 titles each). So, they got a few new readers, but convinced their regular ones to buy more comics. I wouldn't be surprised to find Marvel had a similar change.
And I agree with DJ, with the movie effect the sales rise should be even higher.

I can't imagine that Marvel's results were much different, and the thing is, most of those returning prodigals, like me, will read for a time, realize that nothing has changed, and eventually drop their books.  Thus, a massive event caused very little long-term change...but that's a conversation we've already had.

I imagine that super hero movies don't really drive people to comic books that much. Everyone knows the major comic book heroes and probably read a comic at some point in their lives. Most people probably know whether they're interested in super hero comics already.
I think that's why we see huge sales boosts for The Walking Dead and Watchmen when those came out. Yes they are comics but they're comics that the mainstream isn't familiar with yet.

Personally I'm of the opinion that comics are a secondary entertainment medium and that there probably isn't anything that can be done that can significantly increase sales over a long term. So Marvel and DC keep pulling these big media moves to ensure attention stays on them so they don't fade out of mind for the fringe readers.

Pod...I think you're being a bit too narrow minded.  As Prev. and JJ pointed out, just because people aren't responding to what has been done, it doesn't mean that they wouldn't respond to anything.  Providing easy access to comics, making comics accessible, and actually building synchronicity between their other media undertakings and the books themselves would likely have a pretty profound effect, but only if they targeted all of these efforts, UNIFIED efforts, to recruiting and keeping NEW readers.  Unless comics start getting kids to read again, and managing to hold on to those kids as they grow, there isn't much future for the medium as it has existed.  In other words, yeah, if the big two continue to try the same thing again and again, they'll continue to get the same results...but if they changed the game, they might just see something different happen.

[Podmark]

Pod...I think you're being a bit too narrow minded.  As Prev. and JJ pointed out, just because people aren't responding to what has been done, it doesn't mean that they wouldn't respond to anything.  Providing easy access to comics, making comics accessible, and actually building synchronicity between their other media undertakings and the books themselves would likely have a pretty profound effect, but only if they targeted all of these efforts, UNIFIED efforts, to recruiting and keeping NEW readers.  Unless comics start getting kids to read again, and managing to hold on to those kids as they grow, there isn't much future for the medium as it has existed.  In other words, yeah, if the big two continue to try the same thing again and again, they'll continue to get the same results...but if they changed the game, they might just see something different happen.

Perhaps, and I probably came off more pessimistic than I intended, and I wasn't really accounting for a game changer either. There is certainly room for growth, and there are lots of things that the comics industry could do to improve things.

Continuity is clearly the biggest problem. How do you sell a brand new reader on Captain America, for example, when there's hundreds of in canon solo stories, Avengers stories, etc. to read - all of varying tone, and quality.

[BentonGrey]

Pod...I think you're being a bit too narrow minded.  As Prev. and JJ pointed out, just because people aren't responding to what has been done, it doesn't mean that they wouldn't respond to anything.  Providing easy access to comics, making comics accessible, and actually building synchronicity between their other media undertakings and the books themselves would likely have a pretty profound effect, but only if they targeted all of these efforts, UNIFIED efforts, to recruiting and keeping NEW readers.  Unless comics start getting kids to read again, and managing to hold on to those kids as they grow, there isn't much future for the medium as it has existed.  In other words, yeah, if the big two continue to try the same thing again and again, they'll continue to get the same results...but if they changed the game, they might just see something different happen.

Perhaps, and I probably came off more pessimistic than I intended, and I wasn't really accounting for a game changer either. There is certainly room for growth, and there are lots of things that the comics industry could do to improve things.

Continuity is clearly the biggest problem. How do you sell a brand new reader on Captain America, for example, when there's hundreds of in canon solo stories, Avengers stories, etc. to read - all of varying tone, and quality.

Yep, a completely blank slate is the only thing that's going to really change things, as far as I'm concerned, though preferably they'd do this in conjunction with a great TV show. *looks sadly at Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and its great accompanying comic*  The continuity issue would be less of a problem going forward, given the nature of the digital age, especially if they could find ways to make electronic back-issues more easily available and more high profile.  You can put physical books in the toy isle of Walmart or the like, but how do you get kids to notice something digital?  Perhaps partner with websites kids visit?

[Podmark]

I'm not convinced tying into a cartoon (or movie) is the way to go (I mean as an exclusive direction). Not unless you've got the live action people totally on board.
You run a serious risk of feeling like a secondary/supplementary medium. For example I'm a fan of the Young Justice cartoon, which has a (apparently very good) comic written by one of the show runners - but I don't read it. I've thought about it and probably will get the trade eventually, but so far I haven't. The reason why is that my understanding is that the comic plays in the gaps between the episodes, and that hurts my interest.


As a gateway tying into a show/movie works, but after that you need to stand on your own... unless you created a new paradigm where watching/reading both was essential, neither was the primary work. 

[detourne_me]

Cyclops was right. and again they are turning Cap into a whiny loser that comes off looking like a bossy winner. (especially if you look at the preview for uncanny avengers at the way he's bullying havok around)

[Previsionary]

I'm of the mindset that Marvel/DC really needs to keep their light, easy to read books around to satiate the newer fans that might come their way via the toons/movies. The Adventure line was perfect for that when the writers didn't write the books as if they were for 2 year olds. Marvel and DC really messed up by getting rid of all those books. Like I said before, I would never let any kids read the majority of their book line up now. Even the 90s had a better selection of books you could actually find a child reading in school.

[Tomato]

I'm not convinced tying into a cartoon (or movie) is the way to go (I mean as an exclusive direction). Not unless you've got the live action people totally on board.
You run a serious risk of feeling like a secondary/supplementary medium. For example I'm a fan of the Young Justice cartoon, which has a (apparently very good) comic written by one of the show runners - but I don't read it. I've thought about it and probably will get the trade eventually, but so far I haven't. The reason why is that my understanding is that the comic plays in the gaps between the episodes, and that hurts my interest.


As a gateway tying into a show/movie works, but after that you need to stand on your own... unless you created a new paradigm where watching/reading both was essential, neither was the primary work.

I'm gonna defend the young justice comic, as it's just about the only marvel/dc comic I look forward to reading anymore. Whereas most tie-in books have to avoid doing stories that have any relevance to the plot of the show, because YJ is written by one of the shows creators (Greg Weisman, of Gargoyles and Spectacular Spiderman lore) the comic can weave in and out of the storyline from the show and give more details about the stuff going on in the background that the show doesn't have time for.

For example, the little blurb we saw with the Clayface fight... we're told that Aqualad made a bad call and that he was distracted, but the show doesn't tell us what the call was and why it was a mistake. The comic fills in that information, and thus feels more like an expansion of the series rather than a normal tie-in book.

[Previsionary]

So... UE told me about this:

Superior Spider-man

MJ and Spidey reunite?

[laughing paradox]

So, the Uncanny Avengers came out this week.. what did you think?

I liked it. It's a solid beginning to a new era and even though I knew who to expect, the ending was still a decent surprise.

Anyone else like it?

[Silver Shocker]

I picked it up this week, and I thought it was rather good.

[Talavar]

Confirmation from NYCC: a new Nova ongoing is coming, written by Jeph Loeb, and a new Guardians of the Galaxy, written by Brian Bendis.  Sigh.  At least now maybe Avengers books will be good.

[Podmark]

I've been meaning to make a few comic posts over the last couple weeks but I've been sick and busy.

News

As Talavar posted the new Guardians of the Galaxy has been confirmed with Steve McNiven on art (yay). So I'm not a Bendis booster either but I'll definitely be giving this series a try, I really liked the previous one. Not sure about Nova though. It is supposed to be Sam Alexander, but will they ever get around to explaining what happened to Richie and how Star-Lord, Drax and Thanos are even alive. That's been bugging me.
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/guardians-of-the-galaxy-brian-bendis.html

New Young Avengers title is confirmed by Kieron Gillen with art by Jamie McKelvie and Mike Norton. New lineup includes: Wiccan, Hulkling, Hawkeye, Noh-Varr, Miss America, and Kid Loki. Some new customes have been promised. Looking forward to this, but it feels weird to have the Young Avengers with so many of the originals missing.
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/marvel-now-young-avengers.html

The cover to the new Uncanny X-Force has been revealed. Bishop is the villain and we have a female Fantomex and a mohawk wearing Storm. Those last two have me wondering if this might involve alternate realities as Storm has been shown in All New X-Men and Wolverine and the X-Men previews and she has her normal hair in those.
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/marvel-now-uncanny-x-force-1-cover.html

Jonathan Hickman had a conference call about Avengers and New Avengers a week or two back. The New Avengers book will feature the Illuminati characters (Mr Fantastic, Iron Man, Black Bolt, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and Namor) plus Captain America and Beast subbing for Xavier. Interesting choice and Hickman states that the two books will be sister titles. Also Avengers is now supposed to have a roster of about 25. Black Panther and Namor on the same team after AvX and Wakanda should be entertaining.


Comics

AvX is over and here are some thoughts:

Spoiler

Ultimately I think I liked it. It was a long story and most of the tie-ins were weak, but I like what it accomplished and how it wrapped up the X-Men storylines of the last several years. The thing about the story is that it's really just about people being idiots and not working together. The end result - Hope using the Phoenix to restore mutants is exactly what Cyclops wanted, and if the Avengers hadn't got in their way then that's what might have happened. A one issue story - mutants restored. Instead of fighting the two teams should have worked together to train and prepare Hope and prepare contingencies if something went wrong. But no, instead we get a war because we can't get along - there's a moral there.

I really liked how everything played out with Cyclops and I'm really looking forward to how his story plays out. I just hope they don't try to turn him into a proper villain though. Putting him in a normal prison in AvX Consequences is dumb, he should be in some SHIELD facility.

I'm happy that Hope is still around, but I'm not happy she's going to try living a normal life - it makes sense but I'm rather her appear in a book. I grew to like Hope over the years so I'm happy they didn't kill her off. One thing I didn't like about AvX is that the Lights played no role whatsoever in the story, which makes no sense in terms of everything played up in Generation Hope.

I liked Uncanny Avengers. I've enjoyed Remender's most recent Marvel titles and I'm hoping for more of the same.

Spoiler

I both love and hate the ending with the Red Skull getting Xavier's brain. Love it because there's some cool stuff you could do with that. Hate it because come on the guy just didn't, stealing his brain just isn't right Skull.

I continue to enjoy Wolverine and the X-Men

Spoiler

Last issue ended on a sad note as Broo has apparently been killed by the Hellfire Club. He's been showed in future previews though and he seemed like a big part of the book so I'm hoping he pulls through. Though they might just pull a Secret Avengers.

One thing from Secret Avengers

Spoiler

A few months ago Eric O'Grady, the most recent Ant-Man, was seemingly killed and I was sad. Then he came back and I was happy. Now it's been all but confirmed that the returning O'Grady is instead a double agent LMD which makes me kinda sad again but the story has been pretty cool. Now he has become the Black Ant and is ready to attack the team.
Also Hawkeye is an idiot in this book.

[Previsionary]

Why won't they just leave Bishop alone? I knew he would come back eventually. Marvel isn't done digging his hole yet. Still not happy with the illuminati returning, but wevskies.

[SickAlice]

Read Uncanny Avengers. Not bad, solid comic to say the least. Read the latest WATX (obviously). Me and Jason Aaron aren't on friendly terms for awhile given the ending. I've always been iffy on this series as it is. It's not unwell for what it is, but I'm not sure if what it is is what appeals to me personally. Oh, and I did read Red She-Hulk of the new crop, almost forgot. The book surprised me, clean read and good on the action front. I have a heart for Machine Man as well so it won points with me.
Currently in a state of Corn Fusion with this Marvel Now! thing. Uncertain about Superior Spider-man, but at least the same talent is staying on. It seems like an awkward premise, but Slott hasn't steered me wrong yet on this so I'll have faith. I tend to follow certain talent. I'm also an X-men first person, not really so hot on Avengers and I have an off and on relationship with all of that stable. Now, It seems the talent is mixed around and I almost always have to read about Avengers if I want to read about mutants? Or vice-versa or whatever. Uncertainty is my best description for my feeling as I won't really knock anything until I've tried it. I love Hickman, don't care about the Illuminati. Care about Fantastic Four (due to Hickman though), don't really enjoy Fraction on team books. Marvel claims FF will be the sleeper hit of 2013...I'm not sure, are they saying this because the previous run was? I feel like the one is going to be the sleeper hit is Avengers Arena (I have yet to get excited, but left field books usually end up grabbing me) or Young Avengers (I love the YA, love Noh-Var, and love Vengeance, this looks like the series for me!) Not stoked about Bishop either, nor Forge for the same reason. Yet I somehow have an eyebrow raised for the X-Force book itself? Maybe that's for Cable and Domino. New Thunderbolts series that looks like Code Red really doesn't interest me. LOVE Captain Marvel, very refreshing and beautiful stuff. I'll give anything by Deconnick a shot that comes next. Only a Bendis fan when he's on a gritty/street book, not interested in new GoTg. Nova looks...eh, lol. Marvel shouldn't have jerked around DnA, that's all I'll say to that. Not sure I really care to read about a book focusing on Legion in Legacy, or whatever passes as Legion now days. Hulk doesn't really interest me, but looks like it could surprise me. AvX Consequences is okay so far...but just Avx run off. Not sure I'll finish it. A+X, despite having a really lame name looks like something I'll be interested in. I like short story/multi-talent compilation books. Yeah, Corn Fusion, that's about it. Though " All New All Different Your Marvel Universe " really isn't anything I'm not used to seeing after every event to two, so still not an overall surprise either. If for some reason Allred being full time at Marvel brings an X-Static series back the shelves my year will be made.

[detourne_me]

Ha! I feel the same way about these too SickAlice.
But... I can't wait for FF,   Allred on art with a character called Miss Thing? I'm sold!
I'm hoping she becomes the new U-Go Girl! (without the dying bit)

Also the main F4 title looks interesting, I hope they follow up on what adult Val has been planning.

Young Avengers might be pretty great too. I loved Vengeance as well and McKelvie's style can be similar to Dragotta's at times.

[SickAlice]

I get anything with Jen in it, and love Allred so I'm getting FF. Reading my own words, I could probably reword the opinion on FF a little better (and pretty much all of it, half asleep and my brain was replaying the Walking Dead premiere at the moment). As far as Marvel Now! FF is concerned, I love Allred. I am noticing a lot of new readers and younger ones don't seem to as much, usually the opinion is regarding his style as too cartoon. I can't even argue with that. I know I like Mike's stuff because he's fan hard and nostalgic to me, I read books like Madman and X-Static. It would be like if Todd McFarlane announced he was doing a new book, people who read Spawn and bought the figures and what not would jump for joy, even if it was about a slice of bread (there's a super vague Slott reference, yes ;P). But there are those still that do appreciate Allred. But Mike isn't driving the vehicle, that's Fraction. Really, I did love his The Order (clearly by some of the skins I did). I also thought he fit Tony Stark like a glove. His X-men however I wasn't too comfortable with, and nor were a lot of readers. Fraction likes to write techy, that works for most fiction. His characterization seems to be that he tends to write characters like snobby overconfident stars. That worked with The Order, as that's pretty much what the characters were. Also with Tony Stark, since that's pretty much his lifestyle. When it came to X-Men, well that kind of demeanor fit people that like Namor, and Emma, and even Dr.Nemesis, but it was out of place when it came to people like Colossus and Cyclops. At least that's how I felt out (again, so did a lot of people, many to the point of being outspoken). Now, given the cast of FF he may actually be a good. I question it more though with Fantastic 4. I just don't see him fitting those characters, except maybe Johnny? But still it's not in my hands so this is speculation, anything could go. But do I see FF becoming a sleeper hit? Not really. FF was a hit already. But it was a hit because it was coming off the end of Fantastic 4 by Hickman, which was already hot, and off the death issue, which was red hot and front page comic news. And it stared Spider-man, Mr.Fantastic, Thing, Susan Storm, Franklin Richards, Dr.Doom, and Val upfront to name a few. I like vague stuff personally, I like the characters that make up the 4 in FF, but to wish for it to live up to success that the previous run had? I just don't see it. My experience is that it's the type of book that ends prematurely like most vague books staring vague characters do (see: Blue Marvel, Nextwave, X-23, recent She-Hulk attempts ect.), and readers are then online wondering why Marvel where such jerks and cancelled the most original book(s) they had. And the math is too obvious, because the majority of the readers whom actually pay for comics are going to pick up the ones staring the popular character first, your Wolverines, Spider-mans, Supermans, Batmans, and on, as well make a choice of ease on their pocketbook and get the family book that also represents the flagship characters, in this case the Fantastic 4 book over FF. I forecast a similar fate for Avengers Arena. I recall a series once upon a time not too long ago called Avengers The Initiative. When first in print, one would mention this series and most people would respond " Huh? ". At it's end the readers it pulled in loved it instead. But it really didn't pull because frankly, their aren't swarms of fans for characters like Tarene, Komodo, Cloud 9, Prodigy, Butterball, and whom else, nor even enough to keep a comic a float. So I think I'll like FF in that respect, I'm sure a few people will. But I think a few people coming in off the previous run are going to scratching their heads, and I think Marvel's being presumtious (or tossing out the usual sales pitch) when they say that books going to be their big hit. And I think all in all as far as Marvel Now! is concerned, their are many really innovative looking ideas slated, and there are a lot of really talented people to look fore ward too, but I think also overall they're going to alienate much of their hardcore fans with these drastic shifts, much as they did with Dark Reign. Like I stated in the DC thread, I do know the details of why they " have to " do all this as much as I understand why DC does, but I also know where the fallout will happen as well, and thus for myself the independents floated to the top of my list for their better ability to stay both refreshing yet stable at the same time. Additionally, I feel I see as much rebranding for Marvel here to relate to live action audiences as I do see relative to their new animation plan and production team (Loeb's Nova especially sticking out like a sore thumb) though can't say for certain whether that's a good or bad thing (good in the way it brings in more readers, thus keeping sales, comics and quality on the up, negative in the way it may diminish the quality of the reading and again alienate longtime readers? Just a probable of course). As a bonus, it looks like Marvel Now! will provide us with tons of chances to make meshes and skins through 2013. 
* noting: Whereas AvX ended as the flipside of Disassembled/House Of M, Marvel Now! appears (at least in reading from a lot of dialogue coming off NYCC at this point, particularly Alonzo) as it's Decimation. Sound about right to anyone else?

[BlueBard]

So... UE told me about this:

Superior Spider-man

MJ and Spidey reunite?

Why do I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach?

The title alone, "Superior Spider-Man", does not resonate with me.

The idea that MJ will be "getting together with Spider-Man" but it's not "Peter Parker Spider-Man" is even worse.

What is going on with Peter Parker that's leading into this?

[Podmark]

I've been reading some articles (here and here) about Brian Bendis's All New X-Men this past week and I'm actually pretty happy with what I'm hearing.
When it was confirmed he was coming into the X-Verse I was afraid he was going rebuild everything in his image the way he did when he took over the Avengers. But it sounds like he's going continue building on what was already there along with Jason Aaron.

Definitely looking forward to trying the book but Bendis' writing tends to wear on me so I'm not getting my hopes up.


Overall I'm pretty excited about Marvel now. New writers on Avengers is a very welcome change. The X-Books (which I like) haven't changed too much. We've got Guardians of the Galaxy and Young Avengers starting up again. Some of the costumes are questionable and Avengers Arena looks like a potential disaster but right now I'm looking forward to a lot of the relaunches.


In other news Slott either spoiled the identity of the Superior Spider-Man or he's playing with fans (I'm guessing the later). On twitter he apparently accidentally made a private post public that referred to

Spoiler

Miguel, presumably Miguel O'Hara the Spider-Man 2099.

Last week's Spider-Man featured the old and new Hobgoblins facing off, which is a story I've been looking forward to. Was actually planning some Hobgoblin skins but time has gotten away from me this month.