* Everything that's wrong with DC in the Geoff Johns era, in one tweet.
* Retailer Brian Hibbs wrings his hands over Marvel NOW! Oh dear, oh dear. While I can usually get behind exasperation that one of the corporate comics publishers is shuffling the deck chairs rather than engaging in real improvements to their line, I'll say it again: Bendis off Avengers is exciting news to anyone who wants readable Avengers comics. Hickman writing Avengers has a very good chance of being fun and selling well. And the worst-sounding Marvel NOW! title announced so far sounds much better than the best DC's New 52 initiative has had to offer. Right now Waid's Daredevil, Rucka's Punisher and Slott's Amazing Spider-Man are fun, dependable reads that keep me coming back despite my reservations about Marvel in terms of its corporate ethics. So, far from thinking Marvel is driving own the wrong road, I'm curious about Marvel Now! and even wondering what Bendis will do with his idea for X-Men. At least this time he has one. Hibbs accuses Marvel of not "having their head in the game." This from the guy who once told me that everyone who buys Love and Rockets also buys Superman. So, grain of salt and all that.
* Speaking of which, it's kind of amazing to me that anyone could interview DC's Jim Lee and Dan Didio and not ask them "How the fuck do you sleep at night?" But ICv2 manages to pull it off.
* Tucker Stone calls sequels like Before Watchmen "a way of attacking literature." That's a sentiment I can get behind. Before Watchmen, it should be remembered, is also an attack on Alan Moore, and creativity, and I honestly mean this, me. And you. And everyone who cares more about human beings than profit margins.
* Tony Isabella explains how to have a successful comics garage sale. As he notes, it helps if you're Tony Isabella, but many of his tips are applicable to general garage sales, or selling comics on eBay. He also posts his summer garage sale schedule, so if you're anywhere within driving distance of Medina, Ohio, go check out Tony's vast accumulation of stuff available at low, low prices.
* The aforementioned Mr. Isabella also looks at recent Marvel comics and notes his distaste for the direction Captain America's character has been headed in. I haven't read any Cap comics in a while, so I don't know exactly what he's talking about, but I have a pretty specific idea of what Steve Rogers will or won't do, and I'm pretty sure Tony and I would be on the same page on that one, so I'm curious how Marvel's been mismanaging one of their greatest characters.
* I guess Ultimate Cap has found his way to the 616. At least his costume design.
* In the wake of All-Star Superman, could there have been a more disappointing Superman series than Grant Morrison's Action Comics? Probably. But here's Himself talking about the book anyway. Never one to miss an opportunity to kick Alan Moore in the nuts, Morrison notes "No one can do 'Before We3' but me and Frank Quitely! No one can do 'After Seaguy' except me and Cameron Stewart. I never signed a contract I regretted, and I never felt cheated by DC. My own experience proves they can be reasonable and honorable, if you deal with them in an adult fashion and I have to take that into account before I condemn anyone working there today over decisions made in the past." Yes, Grant, Alan Moore dealt with DC in a childish fashion, I'm sure that's the case. Thank you for finally explaining it in a thoughtful, nuanced manner that we can all not only understand, but fully agree with. Morrison=Adult, Moore=Child. I guess that's how someone with Morrison's alleged intelligence justifies continuing to work for a company that has gone out of its way again and again to screw Alan Moore, Tony Isabella and other creators.
* Online music piracy is not the main way in which people get music for free. That's interesting. I'd imagine there's not a lot of people burning their favourite comics to CD to share with their pals, though.
* Uncomics: Oh, my God. Poor David Letterman.
* Uncomics: Roger Ebert is the wisest, most reasonable man on Earth.
* Uncomics: Bruce Springsteen profiled in The New Yorker. Warning, it's long and really well-written.
Alan!
ReplyDeleteGood to see you blogging again!
I'm with you. I'm looking forward to what Hickman will do with The Avengers. I've liked a lot of what Hickman has been doing with both his creator-owned work and his corporate work.
As for Captain America, Brubaker's run has been just ok for me. He's had some great artists to work with, but the stories have been mild. I do hope that he's rewarded handsomely for any thing that the Captain America sequel will derive from his comic book work. I guess we'll see.