Zeppo--don't worry about the differences in storytelling between the Vertigo books and the mainstream superhero books from the Big Two. Coltrane68 is right...if you're enjoying the stories in Amazing Spider-Man, it's most likely that it's still worth buying. The storytelling styles for the superhero books are similar to soap operas; they're meant to keep continuing and developing new storylines, with definite endings or closure to overall storylines a rarity. Most of the Vertigo books seem to be developed with a definite beginning, middle, and end in mind, and each chapter builds on the events of the previous chapters, much like the Wire from HBO. That show was developed with a definite structure for the story they wanted to tell, and most of the Vertigo series these days seem to follow a similar structure. Fables, for example, seems to have been expanded from its original plan of running a certain number of issues. The only superhero book that I can think of in recent memory that was conceived with a definite ending in mind was James Robinson's Starman, but I'm sure there are other examples.
In terms of Wildstorm, I think the beginning of the downward spiral were the events around and after 9/11, when DC editorial continued to censor the work of Millar's Authority, and the plans to release Garth Ennis' Authority series were scrapped. Although books like Wildcats 3.0, Automatic Kafka, and Stormwatch: Team Achilles had lots of critical acclaim, the sales never seemed to recover from the early days of the DC merger. Many of the big name talent that had previously worked for Wildstorm left for other publishers (Ellis and Hitch, for example). Alan Moore wrapped up his work on the ABC titles. The final nail in the coffin was the premature collapse of the "Worldstorm" relaunch, where Grant Morrison never followed through with his planned work on Wildcats and the Authority. Sales and confidence in the line in general have slid ever since. Sure, there have been lots of quality works from the line in the meantime, but too little sales and too little exposure have diluted the line.
And here I thought the show was the result of 100% CGI magic...computers don't need rest...
My disillusionment grows with each passing moment...
;)
J/K, guys! Hey, it's your show...we're fortunate to have you folks work on it to begin with. I don't argue with free. That's why y'all can set your own hours. We'll see you when the show returns! Excelsior!
I really don't think Disney's aim in this move is to start changing things around at Marvel just for the sake of making changes. Maybe a little, but I expect most things will remain the same as before. They made this move in order to generate further capital.
Hopefully this will result in two benefits for us fans: the infusion of capital will enable Marvel to lower the prices of its $3.99 books back down to $2.99, especially if there aren't extra pages. Hopefully it will also allow Marvel to further support books that aren't performing well financially, but are critically acclaimed. Too bad this move came too late to help books like Captain Britain and MI-13.
July 4, 2009 6:57 am Logan probably just framed one of those "Wolverine Art Appreciation" variant covers...I think that one was for "Pride and Prejudice" #1.
But seriously, I was encouraged by the direction of the series for the majority of the season (the Lana episodes were a serious backslide), but I agree with most of the other comments...the finale should have had a lot more to do with the fight between Doomsie and Clark. Even with the budget constraints, they could have implied a lot of the battle off-panel with rumblings in the distance in the city, crumbling buildings, news reports of a cataclysmic battle between unknown combatants, etc. Clark should have emerged totally smashed up, clothes in tatters (goodbye, Crows jacket!), face bloodied and bruised, slowly healing.
I also don't buy Clark totally turning his back on humanity, just because of a couple of bad apples. He's been on Earth for 20+ years, but isn't aware of humanity's dark side? Especially the way he's turning his back on Chloe after she's lost the love of her life...wha? Huh? The only explanation (and I'm not fully versed in Smallville-lore, so I might be mistaken) is that maybe Doomsday was emitting residual traces of the Black Kryptonite radiation, causing Clark's Kryptonian traits to rise to the top, effecting his emotions and his thinking. Otherwise, it's totally out of character.
I'm not writing off the series, but S9 (let it be the last season, please) needs to have a lot more Clark/Lois interaction, a commitment to follow-through on character change, and a real direction for the series that every episode advances upon. Or something.
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"Osama Reborn"
oops...Erik Larsen's already got that covered.
Never mind.
Nice work, David!
That reminds me of a stupid animation I made a couple years ago...
"Thanos and the Cosmic Cubicle"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05m5BUv8nek
Zeppo--don't worry about the differences in storytelling between the Vertigo books and the mainstream superhero books from the Big Two. Coltrane68 is right...if you're enjoying the stories in Amazing Spider-Man, it's most likely that it's still worth buying. The storytelling styles for the superhero books are similar to soap operas; they're meant to keep continuing and developing new storylines, with definite endings or closure to overall storylines a rarity. Most of the Vertigo books seem to be developed with a definite beginning, middle, and end in mind, and each chapter builds on the events of the previous chapters, much like the Wire from HBO. That show was developed with a definite structure for the story they wanted to tell, and most of the Vertigo series these days seem to follow a similar structure. Fables, for example, seems to have been expanded from its original plan of running a certain number of issues. The only superhero book that I can think of in recent memory that was conceived with a definite ending in mind was James Robinson's Starman, but I'm sure there are other examples.
In terms of Wildstorm, I think the beginning of the downward spiral were the events around and after 9/11, when DC editorial continued to censor the work of Millar's Authority, and the plans to release Garth Ennis' Authority series were scrapped. Although books like Wildcats 3.0, Automatic Kafka, and Stormwatch: Team Achilles had lots of critical acclaim, the sales never seemed to recover from the early days of the DC merger. Many of the big name talent that had previously worked for Wildstorm left for other publishers (Ellis and Hitch, for example). Alan Moore wrapped up his work on the ABC titles. The final nail in the coffin was the premature collapse of the "Worldstorm" relaunch, where Grant Morrison never followed through with his planned work on Wildcats and the Authority. Sales and confidence in the line in general have slid ever since. Sure, there have been lots of quality works from the line in the meantime, but too little sales and too little exposure have diluted the line.
And here I thought the show was the result of 100% CGI magic...computers don't need rest...
My disillusionment grows with each passing moment...
;)
J/K, guys! Hey, it's your show...we're fortunate to have you folks work on it to begin with. I don't argue with free. That's why y'all can set your own hours. We'll see you when the show returns! Excelsior!
I really don't think Disney's aim in this move is to start changing things around at Marvel just for the sake of making changes. Maybe a little, but I expect most things will remain the same as before. They made this move in order to generate further capital.
Hopefully this will result in two benefits for us fans: the infusion of capital will enable Marvel to lower the prices of its $3.99 books back down to $2.99, especially if there aren't extra pages. Hopefully it will also allow Marvel to further support books that aren't performing well financially, but are critically acclaimed. Too bad this move came too late to help books like Captain Britain and MI-13.
Rest your voices, guys. Any more strain and you'd have use a voice simulator, Steven Hawking-style.
Doomsday? More like DoomsMinute...
Hey, that's all for me! Good night! Try the veal!
But seriously, I was encouraged by the direction of the series for the majority of the season (the Lana episodes were a serious backslide), but I agree with most of the other comments...the finale should have had a lot more to do with the fight between Doomsie and Clark. Even with the budget constraints, they could have implied a lot of the battle off-panel with rumblings in the distance in the city, crumbling buildings, news reports of a cataclysmic battle between unknown combatants, etc. Clark should have emerged totally smashed up, clothes in tatters (goodbye, Crows jacket!), face bloodied and bruised, slowly healing.
I also don't buy Clark totally turning his back on humanity, just because of a couple of bad apples. He's been on Earth for 20+ years, but isn't aware of humanity's dark side? Especially the way he's turning his back on Chloe after she's lost the love of her life...wha? Huh? The only explanation (and I'm not fully versed in Smallville-lore, so I might be mistaken) is that maybe Doomsday was emitting residual traces of the Black Kryptonite radiation, causing Clark's Kryptonian traits to rise to the top, effecting his emotions and his thinking. Otherwise, it's totally out of character.
I'm not writing off the series, but S9 (let it be the last season, please) needs to have a lot more Clark/Lois interaction, a commitment to follow-through on character change, and a real direction for the series that every episode advances upon. Or something.