The Power Of A Black Spider-Man

[Curtis Metcalf]

Curtis, you asked "shouldn't they be trying to create buzz in the press?"  I have no problem with that.  But there is a difference between telling USA Today that a member of the Fantastic Four will die and telling them specifically that the Human Torch is going to die.  There is also a difference in telling them that Spider-Man died/is being replaced and telling the world the details of the book before it is released.  If these stunts really work, the books with still be there for the general public to flock to if the story is printed on the Thursday following it's release rather than the Tuesday before.

I see. You're not against promoting the books, just the execution. You want teasers, not spoilers. Right?

[Battle]

Oh gosh, I miss the old days of reading comicbooks where NO ONE knew what was going to happen each month. Not like today with the advent of the internet. Back then, it was like picking up a daily newpaper.

[JLI Jesse]

I see. You're not against promoting the books, just the execution. You want teasers, not spoilers. Right?

That's correct.  I expect spoilers to be out there before the release of a movie or a comic, but don't want to see it come from the movie studio or comic publisher.

[Moose100]

I agree with this too. Your expression of your disappointment is more sensible than some of this vitriol I am seeing around the net tho lol.

I have always said that I think the periodical nature of comics is starting to fade away. It's all about trades and more episodic/event driven storytelling. That's not a complaint but just an observation. I mean these characters and the books will always be around but it's leaning towards that i think.

[JLI Jesse]

I have always said that I think the periodical nature of comics is starting to fade away. It's all about trades and more episodic/event driven storytelling.

I'm kind of with you.  I think the numbering of comics this is done.  I'd rather just every year be a new volume, 1-12, because with all of the renumbering, then magical changes back to original numbering, i have no idea where to stick my books these days.

I'm still a fan of getting my books in a monthly format though, but I think that's just because it can be easy to fear change

[Moose100]

I have always said that I think the periodical nature of comics is starting to fade away. It's all about trades and more episodic/event driven storytelling.

I'm kind of with you.  I think the numbering of comics this is done.  I'd rather just every year be a new volume, 1-12, because with all of the renumbering, then magical changes back to original numbering, i have no idea where to stick my books these days.

I'm still a fan of getting my books in a monthly format though, but I think that's just because it can be easy to fear change

I think that is the thing though. THe only thing keeping them from publishing like you proposed are old school readers like us and not to mention it is the way of things for their entire existence. I wouldn't even mind if they just published their entire arcs in trades and released them that way. But then what would be the point of cliffhanger endings?

[Reginald Hudlin]

All this will change dramatically with digital distribution.  Without having to do solicitations to retail months in advance, publishers will be able to really keep things a secret.  Not so much the mainstream publishers, who will probably always maintain a presence in print, but new jack publishers who will originate in digital and go to print only if there's a real demand. 

[Vic Vega]

Oh gosh, I miss the old days of reading comicbooks where NO ONE knew what was going to happen each month. Not like today with the advent of the internet. Back then, it was like picking up a daily newpaper.

When Superman and Robin ''died'', hundreds of thousands of folks bought those issues to see the happening for themselves.

Even more in the case of Superman.

I cant blame the comics companies for trying to create a feeding frenzy for thier own products.

If by spoiling a comic they can get a million curiosity buyers and thier regular circulation isnt even 100,000 copies, they'd be fools NOT to do it.

What they have to do is figure out of to hold on to even a small percentage of the curiousty seekers.

[JLI Jesse]

What they have to do is figure out of to hold on to even a small percentage of the curiousty seekers.

Now that is true.  I was young and didn't read Superman back then.  I bought Superman 75 when he died and Adventures of Superman 500 when he returned but nothing in between and nothing for a long time after.

[Moose100]

Yeah maybe it's the distributors that are basis for these spoilers? They want the most orders possible so they give them an incentive to buy/distribute alot. Again not a complaint. A company has the right to make as much money as possible. I wonder though with this Spidey news as big as it is if they would have done it any way in this digital day and age.

[Moose100]

Oh gosh, I miss the old days of reading comicbooks where NO ONE knew what was going to happen each month. Not like today with the advent of the internet. Back then, it was like picking up a daily newpaper.

When Superman and Robin ''died'', hundreds of thousands of folks bought those issues to see the happening for themselves.

Even more in the case of Superman.

I cant blame the comics companies for trying to create a feeding frenzy for thier own products.

If by spoiling a comic they can get a million curiosity buyers and thier regular circulation isnt even 100,000 copies, they'd be fools NOT to do it.

What they have to do is figure out of to hold on to even a small percentage of the curiousty seekers.

Vic! Whats good just read your post over at CBR!

[Battle]

All this will change dramatically with digital distribution.  Without having to do solicitations to retail months in advance, publishers will be able to really keep things a secret.  Not so much the mainstream publishers, who will probably always maintain a presence in print, but new jack publishers who will originate in digital and go to print only if there's a real demand. 

Back-in-th'-day, it used to be as simple as walking into a non-comic shop, the book you would want would be showcased on a verticle spinner rack or verticle magazine shelf and it would be fun to see all the different comicbook covers TRY to entice you (as a reader) to pick it up.

I would love to read RedJack's latest re-launch of BlackJack but part of the problem lies in the distribution; I really don't want to travel 30+ miles to a comic shop to pick up a comicbook and I don't want to give this grimy local comic shop my business because I would be further contributing to the distribution problem.  Buying a comicbook from an independant also seems troublesome because I haven't figured out how to purchase without a credit card or trust the payment transaction system without giving information about myself.



Then there's the inflated cover price point but that's a discussion for another day...!

[JLI Jesse]

Back-in-th'-day, it used to be as simple as walking into a non-comic shop, the book you would want would be showcased on a verticle spinner rack or verticle magazine shelf and it would be fun to see all the different comicbook covers TRY to entice you (as a reader) to pick it up.

Those really were fun times.  Finding something fun and unexpected, begging my mom to get it for me, and getting pissed at Rite Aid staff for bending/ripping half of the books 

[Battle]

Those really were fun times.  Finding something fun and unexpected, begging my mom to get it for me, and getting pissed at Rite Aid staff for bending/ripping half of the books 

Around my way, at Books-A-Million (a bookstore, not a comicshop) there this one cashier asshole who seems to have a nasty habit of bending my comicbooks when he bags 'em up at the register.   So annoying to have to tell him not to do that everytime I purchase a book from that place.

[Moose100]

It is interesting that Bendis is taking these bold steps in terms of creating a new black character. But on the other side of that we have people like Hickman who more or less said they are afraid to write black characters. it does nothing for diversity in opinion.

http://www.ifanboy.com/content/audio/Word_Balloon_Podcast_-_Jonathan_Hickman_Q_A_Part_One 1:16