The worst part about comics is that they only come out once a month. I wish comics came out everyday. I don't understand why people cant just read them at their own pace regardless of when they come out
I want people to put their money where their mouth is. If you complain that a book you are reading stinks? Drop it like a hot potato. Trust me--I can sympathize with the "collector mentality" that most of us have, and it took me a loooong time to shed it. But if I can, you can too.
Similarly, if you're talking up a book? Buy it. Get others to buy it. I can use Action Lab to provide perspective on this. Lots of people tell us that we are putting out good, quality books. We've gotten quite a few award nominations, and expect more in the future. But when it comes to people actually buying books and supporting the company, the support is light. I see the numbers every month.
This isn't meant to be sob story to convince you to try ALE books. Just using the company I am the most familiar with as an example.
The worst part about comics is that they only come out once a month. I wish comics came out everyday. I don't understand why people cant just read them at their own pace regardless of when they come out
I think (I'm basing it on reading the complaints) its because spending $3.99-$4.99 on 2 comics of the same title each month is expensive. Maybe that extra issue's cost could've gone to another title for the month. So, because of budgetary issues, you might still be buying 12 comics in a month, but only 8 different titles.
The worst part about comics is that they only come out once a month. I wish comics came out everyday. I don't understand why people cant just read them at their own pace regardless of when they come out
I think (I'm basing it on reading the complaints) its because spending $3.99-$4.99 on 2 comics of the same title each month is expensive. Maybe that extra issue's cost could've gone to another title for the month. So, because of budgetary issues, you might still be buying 12 comics in a month, but only 8 different titles.
M
Exactly.
I feel like the industry canabilizes itself with double shipping. They sell more books of the titles that are best sellers but leave little room for smaller books to grow. 18 issues of Avengers in a year means there are six (possibly even more since the double shippers are usually 3.99) other books you can't afford.
The other issue is that art teams usually can't keep up with accelerated shipping, so you get superstars teams, and then they only deliver 3 issues before you get a fill in. It hurts the quality and consistency of the best-sellers.
The worst part about comics is that they only come out once a month. I wish comics came out everyday. I don't understand why people cant just read them at their own pace regardless of when they come out
I think (I'm basing it on reading the complaints) its because spending $3.99-$4.99 on 2 comics of the same title each month is expensive. Maybe that extra issue's cost could've gone to another title for the month. So, because of budgetary issues, you might still be buying 12 comics in a month, but only 8 different titles.
M
Then why don't you just buy the second issue the next month if you cant afford them both in one month?
The worst part about comics is that they only come out once a month. I wish comics came out everyday. I don't understand why people cant just read them at their own pace regardless of when they come out
I think (I'm basing it on reading the complaints) its because spending $3.99-$4.99 on 2 comics of the same title each month is expensive. Maybe that extra issue's cost could've gone to another title for the month. So, because of budgetary issues, you might still be buying 12 comics in a month, but only 8 different titles.
M
Then why don't you just buy the second issue the next month if you cant afford them both in one month?
I don't have this issue, because of the 5 issues I get, Dynamite Entertainment doesn't double. If you bought the 2nd issue in the next month, it'd snow ball. Now the following month you'd have 4 issues of that 1 title to buy. If you bought just 1 of those, the following month you'd have 5 issues to buy, etc. If you're buying month-to-month, who's to say the next issue you need to buy is still at your LCB store months from now.
At that point, is it even worth buying the series?
I dont know, for me, isn't it always better to have more choice? Would you rather have 12 issues of Batman a year that you buy when DC wants you buy them or a 100 issues of Batman and you buy them when you feel like it?
I dont know, for me, isn't it always better to have more choice? Would you rather have 12 issues of Batman a year that you buy when DC wants you buy them or a 100 issues of Batman and you buy them when you feel like it?
The problem is that there would never be just 100 issues. You buy 1 and 2 more come out. Now there are 101 issues, and so on and so forth. Double shipping puts a lot of readers in a position where they either have to fall behind forever, give up, or shell out more money than they want to to catch up or keep up which leads to:
The worst part about comics is that they only come out once a month. I wish comics came out everyday. I don't understand why people cant just read them at their own pace regardless of when they come out
I think (I'm basing it on reading the complaints) its because spending $3.99-$4.99 on 2 comics of the same title each month is expensive. Maybe that extra issue's cost could've gone to another title for the month. So, because of budgetary issues, you might still be buying 12 comics in a month, but only 8 different titles.
M
Then why don't you just buy the second issue the next month if you cant afford them both in one month?
Sure you could wait and buy some issues later, but that might mean searching through the back issue boxes at a con months down the road if your LCS sells out.
Double shipping works against one of the main goals publishers claim to have - getting new readers. If someone walks into a store and pick up issue #1 of a title and comes back to the store 5 or 6 weeks later looking for issue #2 and that title is already on issue #4, that book has probably lost that person unless that first issue was just fantastic on every level. Most people will not drop 12 bucks to catch up, especially if the same thing will happen the next time they come to the store.
I hear what you all are saying about limited budgets, believe me, I know! But I love getting 2 issues of All New X-Men in my DCBS box every month. Mostly because it is the title I am enjoying most and I can't get enough of it. I felt the same way when Daredevil was double shipping. For me this came about at a time when I was actually cutting back the budget to just keep the books I was really enjoying and eliminating the bottom two or three titles in my stack that I sometimes didn't even get around to reading. I discovered that I would rather have two issues of a title I was really digging than picking up extra stuff I was only 50/50 on. I'm not being deliberately contrarian (not that I'm above that) it's just that in this particular case the books that I'm buying that are being double shipped are some of my favorites.
I dont know, for me, isn't it always better to have more choice? Would you rather have 12 issues of Batman a year that you buy when DC wants you buy them or a 100 issues of Batman and you buy them when you feel like it?
Back when I read Batman, I got every one of his titles. I would sometimes get a non-Batman title as well. When the budget was tight, I dropped the non-Batman title. When it got even tighter, I would stop getting the mini-series. Tighter yet, the Nightwings and Birds of Preys went to the cut list.
Yeah, I would want 100 (good) issues of Batman a year...if I could afford them. I also might want to pick up an Event book, Marvel title, non-Big Two, etc. If I can only afford the 100 issues of the Batman title, then I cannot really pick up the other books I would be interested in.
Put another way, my wife and I only make so much money a month. Once we deduct our bills & necessities, we have a little to enjoy. I would love to make monthly trips to Boston to see the Sox, Celtics, Bruins, and Pats play. To do that, I have to sacrifice something else; mortgage, food, toys for our daughter, etc. At some point, how our money is spent needs to be assessed for benefits vs. consequences.
Again, I would rather be able to pick up 12 different titles each month verses 12 issues of 8 different titles. I would venture a theory the struggling books are being effected by the limited funds and resources of the buyer. Double shipping a $3.99 to $4.99 comes with consequences. Now if those two issues a month TOTALED $3.99 to $4.99 a month, then that would be a different discussion.
-Hating on things before they come out. Yeah, I know, we're fans, so we're like that, but it is time to stop. I don't know if the Walking Dead spinoff will be good or not and neither do you. I don't know if Ben Afflec will be a good Batman and neither do you. I don't know if a comic coming out in 2015 will be any good or not. So, let's just wait until the stuff drops before we hate on it.
I agree with a lot of what Cory is saying, but especially this. A little skepticism is healthy, of course, but at least be willing to keep an open mind that a decision you question could, in fact, turn out alright. A whole lot of people decried the casting of Heath Ledger as the Joker (or going back even further, about Michael Keaton as Batman), and then looked really stupid a year later when they were raving about how awesome he was.
One of the more embarrassing things in comics fandom in the 80's was the ENDLESS parade of letters about how horrible the Batman movie would be in Comics Buyer's Guide. The director did Pee Wee's Big Adventure and the lead actor was a comedian, I mean, COME ON, it'll be JUST like the 60's TV show which was an painful embarrassment and everyone involved with that show needed to be put in prison, amiright?
The hate people used to have for the Batman TV show was something that I found annoying, to be honest. "It's not like the Batman comics!" Thank Ghods, since the Batman comic when they started work on the series was filled with Batman visiting alien worlds, traveling in time and other stupid stuff. I watch the Batman TV show now and I see names of comics writers in the credits, adaptations of Batman comics and a sense of fun that the modern stuff doesn't have any more.
Still...I wish people would wait for something to come out before they hate it. I didn't like DC's marketing plan for the New 52, and felt they were not planning well for it...I didn't say that I didn't care for the books until I read them. ^_^
Here is something I want to go away - "Top Secret!" Solicitations.
I'm not looking to be spoiled by solicitations, but this crap of an entire line going "Top Secret" for a month is played out. We get it - "Everything Changes With This Issue" because "Things Will Never Be The Same Again!"
*sigh*
You know, I think if the staff writing your solicitations can't manage to write a solicitation with SOME information that doesn't COMPLETELY spoil the story, then you probably need to hire some new talent.
Give me something - ANYTHING - that makes me want to give the book a chance! I'm old and jaded now, and if I see that Top Secret thing, I can only assume that one of three things is happening:
1.) Some terrible change to the book is coming arbitrarily based on some current trend, with the idea of cashing in before the trend goes completely cold.
2.) The book is getting sucked into some line-wide event that I don't want to read anyway.
3.) There is a creative team shake-up, and this is JUST being used to cover for the delay of not having a writer.
If it isn't one of those things, prove me wrong. Tell me something about the book.
The comics-related thing I always hate hearing is "so-and-so famous creator is sick and out of money, and has no health insurance." If that went away in 2014, I would be happy.
The comics-related thing I always hate hearing is "so-and-so famous creator is sick and out of money, and has no health insurance." If that went away in 2014, I would be happy.
...because you want them all to be healthy and secure, right? Not because poor people are a pain in the ass...right? Throw me a bone here and tell me I read that with an overly cynical eye. Please!
The comics-related thing I always hate hearing is "so-and-so famous creator is sick and out of money, and has no health insurance." If that went away in 2014, I would be happy.
Amen. I'd also like the "This guy used to work in comics and is now in this horrible job" stories to go away. There are a lot of talented people out there that I would love o buy new work from.
-Hating on things before they come out. Yeah, I know, we're fans, so we're like that, but it is time to stop. I don't know if the Walking Dead spinoff will be good or not and neither do you. I don't know if Ben Affleck will be a good Batman and neither do you. I don't know if a comic coming out in 2015 will be any good or not. So, let's just wait until the stuff drops before we hate on it.
Are we talking about HATING vs having an opinion of a casting decision based on an actor's previous screen work? Because even though I am not a fan of the casting decision I am still going to see the movie but Batflec has to blow me away. But to to be fair I was going to see that Runner Runner movie of his that bombed when it comes out on DVD because that I thought that role might show a different side of him.
I think there is a HATING v. OPINION line. My opinion of a Batman older then the other heroes (despite who's cast) & the supposed sequel of a superhero with other superheroes getting added to the cast is negative. I'm not hating the movie, just voicing my opinion about it.
M
You're right about there being a line between hating and having an opinion. You can express an opinion or concerns about something, but coming up with big slams or insults, or making things extreme hyperbole is something else.
-Hating on things before they come out. Yeah, I know, we're fans, so we're like that, but it is time to stop. I don't know if the Walking Dead spinoff will be good or not and neither do you. I don't know if Ben Affleck will be a good Batman and neither do you. I don't know if a comic coming out in 2015 will be any good or not. So, let's just wait until the stuff drops before we hate on it.
Are we talking about HATING vs having an opinion of a casting decision based on an actor's previous screen work? Because even though I am not a fan of the casting decision I am still going to see the movie but Batflec has to blow me away. But to to be fair I was going to see that Runner Runner movie of his that bombed when it comes out on DVD because that I thought that role might show a different side of him.
I think there is a HATING v. OPINION line. My opinion of a Batman older then the other heroes (despite who's cast) & the supposed sequel of a superhero with other superheroes getting added to the cast is negative. I'm not hating the movie, just voicing my opinion about it.
M
You're right about there being a line between hating and having an opinion. You can express an opinion or concerns about something, but coming up with big slams or insults, or making things extreme hyperbole is something else.
OK, there's another thing to go away in 2014: Ever-so-clever reviews. You know the ones, with he cutesy, punning headlines and the endlessly "witty" slams on creators and the story. Criticism is an art...f you don't think so, just read Dorothy Parker or Mark Twain, but too often, the people who write reviews on-line seem to want to read bad books so they can bring up their anger at Joe Bronie for a story he did back in 1999 about a character they liked, or they write to showcase a bunch of new insults they thought up.
Please, if you are doing a review, write about if you liked it or not and if you think it's worth the money. If you are doing criticism...well, then dig in, do your research and wow us...I'd LOVE to read some real comics criticism. I just read a great article about the 1970's Marvel black and white mags than made me hunger for that sort of thing, but too often, comics "criticism" is "Boy, that Chuck Austin sure does suck, doesn't he? Haw haw haw..."
Can we add "if your review includes the physical handicaps of the creator (ie he's fat or she's ugly)" then you really don't have a review of the material, just want to insult the creator.
I'd add this for fans of the creator commenting on the reviewer, also. I don't want to hear that if I don't like Morrison's work on Action Comics, its only because I'm not smart enough to get what he was doing.
When I review books - which I still do - my main question going in is "Do I feel justified telling someone to spend their $5-10 on this book?" From that I can extrapolate out as to why this book is worth YOUR money...not mine...YOURS. I tend to focus on writing, art and overall packaging...usually in that order.
That said - I have one coming soon from Comicspectrum.com about Centaur Vaginas. Yes, you read that correctly. Centaur. Vaginas. Two words that I never in my life thought I would use in the same sentence. This is all of course if my editor will let me get away with it.
When I review books - which I still do - my main question going in is "Do I feel justified telling someone to spend their $5-10 on this book?" From that I can extrapolate out as to why this book is worth YOUR money...not mine...YOURS. I tend to focus on writing, art and overall packaging...usually in that order.
That said - I have one coming soon from Comicspectrum.com about Centaur Vaginas. Yes, you read that correctly. Centaur. Vaginas. Two words that I never in my life thought I would use in the same sentence. This is all of course if my editor will let me get away with it.
Things I wish would go away in 2014 (but know will probably won't)
1. Double Shipping. 2. Having to prove your a fan by how much you know 3. Spoilers 4. Stun themes (zero months, etc.) 5. Over-hype 6. The New 52 (One can hope)
Things I wish would go away in 2014 (but know will probably won't)
2. Having to prove your a fan by how much you know
Amen. Kudos to you* for knowing more about Battlestar Galactica than i do, sir. I'm sure you're a real hit with the ladies at parties. Now STFU and let me get back to enjoying the show on whatever level I choose to.
;) No worries. Battlestar Galactica? Is that the one where people fight toasters? Do the toasters fight the people with actual toast cause that would be kind of cool.
Things I wish would go away in 2014 (but know will probably won't)
1. Double Shipping. 2. Having to prove your a fan by how much you know 3. Spoilers 4. Stun themes (zero months, etc.) 5. Over-hype 6. The New 52 (One can hope)
The comics-related thing I always hate hearing is "so-and-so famous creator is sick and out of money, and has no health insurance." If that went away in 2014, I would be happy.
Amen. I'd also like the "This guy used to work in comics and is now in this horrible job" stories to go away. There are a lot of talented people out there that I would love o buy new work from.
I'm not sure I get this observation. Are you guys tired of the Bill Mantlo type stories where he is very sick and needs assistance. I'm not being snarky but why does this all too common occurrence bother you? As our beloved creators get older it will only happen more and quite frankly how clear does it need to be that the Big 2 rose up on their backs only to discard them.
The comics-related thing I always hate hearing is "so-and-so famous creator is sick and out of money, and has no health insurance." If that went away in 2014, I would be happy.
...because you want them all to be healthy and secure, right? Not because poor people are a pain in the ass...right? Throw me a bone here and tell me I read that with an overly cynical eye. Please!
Ouch, yes, you are a bit cynical. I think it is tragic that our crazy health system leaves people bankrupt just because they got sick. And it always hits home when it is someone who wrote or drew a comic I liked. I'm not a poor-people-basher, because I think our systems are rigged for the most part.
Comments
It's more comics! How is that not good!
The worst part about comics is that they only come out once a month. I wish comics came out everyday. I don't understand why people cant just read them at their own pace regardless of when they come out
Similarly, if you're talking up a book? Buy it. Get others to buy it. I can use Action Lab to provide perspective on this. Lots of people tell us that we are putting out good, quality books. We've gotten quite a few award nominations, and expect more in the future. But when it comes to people actually buying books and supporting the company, the support is light. I see the numbers every month.
This isn't meant to be sob story to convince you to try ALE books. Just using the company I am the most familiar with as an example.
M
I feel like the industry canabilizes itself with double shipping. They sell more books of the titles that are best sellers but leave little room for smaller books to grow. 18 issues of Avengers in a year means there are six (possibly even more since the double shippers are usually 3.99) other books you can't afford.
The other issue is that art teams usually can't keep up with accelerated shipping, so you get superstars teams, and then they only deliver 3 issues before you get a fill in. It hurts the quality and consistency of the best-sellers.
At that point, is it even worth buying the series?
M
And a lot of people would rather buy the 12 different titles every month.
Double shipping works against one of the main goals publishers claim to have - getting new readers. If someone walks into a store and pick up issue #1 of a title and comes back to the store 5 or 6 weeks later looking for issue #2 and that title is already on issue #4, that book has probably lost that person unless that first issue was just fantastic on every level. Most people will not drop 12 bucks to catch up, especially if the same thing will happen the next time they come to the store.
Yeah, I would want 100 (good) issues of Batman a year...if I could afford them. I also might want to pick up an Event book, Marvel title, non-Big Two, etc. If I can only afford the 100 issues of the Batman title, then I cannot really pick up the other books I would be interested in.
Put another way, my wife and I only make so much money a month. Once we deduct our bills & necessities, we have a little to enjoy. I would love to make monthly trips to Boston to see the Sox, Celtics, Bruins, and Pats play. To do that, I have to sacrifice something else; mortgage, food, toys for our daughter, etc. At some point, how our money is spent needs to be assessed for benefits vs. consequences.
Again, I would rather be able to pick up 12 different titles each month verses 12 issues of 8 different titles. I would venture a theory the struggling books are being effected by the limited funds and resources of the buyer. Double shipping a $3.99 to $4.99 comes with consequences. Now if those two issues a month TOTALED $3.99 to $4.99 a month, then that would be a different discussion.
M
The hate people used to have for the Batman TV show was something that I found annoying, to be honest. "It's not like the Batman comics!" Thank Ghods, since the Batman comic when they started work on the series was filled with Batman visiting alien worlds, traveling in time and other stupid stuff. I watch the Batman TV show now and I see names of comics writers in the credits, adaptations of Batman comics and a sense of fun that the modern stuff doesn't have any more.
Still...I wish people would wait for something to come out before they hate it. I didn't like DC's marketing plan for the New 52, and felt they were not planning well for it...I didn't say that I didn't care for the books until I read them. ^_^
I'm not looking to be spoiled by solicitations, but this crap of an entire line going "Top Secret" for a month is played out. We get it - "Everything Changes With This Issue" because "Things Will Never Be The Same Again!"
*sigh*
You know, I think if the staff writing your solicitations can't manage to write a solicitation with SOME information that doesn't COMPLETELY spoil the story, then you probably need to hire some new talent.
Give me something - ANYTHING - that makes me want to give the book a chance! I'm old and jaded now, and if I see that Top Secret thing, I can only assume that one of three things is happening:
1.) Some terrible change to the book is coming arbitrarily based on some current trend, with the idea of cashing in before the trend goes completely cold.
2.) The book is getting sucked into some line-wide event that I don't want to read anyway.
3.) There is a creative team shake-up, and this is JUST being used to cover for the delay of not having a writer.
If it isn't one of those things, prove me wrong. Tell me something about the book.
Please, if you are doing a review, write about if you liked it or not and if you think it's worth the money. If you are doing criticism...well, then dig in, do your research and wow us...I'd LOVE to read some real comics criticism. I just read a great article about the 1970's Marvel black and white mags than made me hunger for that sort of thing, but too often, comics "criticism" is "Boy, that Chuck Austin sure does suck, doesn't he? Haw haw haw..."
I'd add this for fans of the creator commenting on the reviewer, also. I don't want to hear that if I don't like Morrison's work on Action Comics, its only because I'm not smart enough to get what he was doing.
M
That said - I have one coming soon from Comicspectrum.com about Centaur Vaginas. Yes, you read that correctly. Centaur. Vaginas. Two words that I never in my life thought I would use in the same sentence. This is all of course if my editor will let me get away with it.
Centaur Vaginas. :)
1. Double Shipping.
2. Having to prove your a fan by how much you know
3. Spoilers
4. Stun themes (zero months, etc.)
5. Over-hype
6. The New 52 (One can hope)
*generic "you", not you personally! :)
No worries. Battlestar Galactica? Is that the one where people fight toasters? Do the toasters fight the people with actual toast cause that would be kind of cool.