Ultimates pulled from Marvels schedules

[cyberglum]

Comics International #171 has an article this month. It states that The Ultimates is to be resolicited only when a monthly frequency can be assured by Millar and Hitch.
It goes on to quote Millar...

" Marvel did exactly what we wanted them to. Like everyone else I've been frustrated by the long delays between issues and so I asked them to stockpile six issues to garantee this book went out monthly again."
"Volume two is very much a sequel and so this seems like the logical place to have a gap. I'd rather see delays between volumes than issues and it's great Marvel getting behind us like this."

Well the first part sounds to me like the delays are down to Hitch, which is okay with me, I'm happy to wait for his art. The second part sounds like a pure dose of waffle. I can't workout their stratagy with the book. Just schedule it as a quaterly book?! Or is all this "we don't know when we're gonna publish it" meant to keep us all on tenderhooks?

Probably.

cyberglum

[Briel]

I think Marvel likes having such a prestgious feather in their cap, and pretty much lets Millar and Hitch do whatever they want to do.

This is gong to lead to trouble down the line though. You can't let one guy turn in his book once a year, and can other guys for being late. That's just bad business. And most books aren't going to sustain a fan base when consistantly late.

Waiting for the books to be in the can is also to stop screwing the retailers. The shop owners have already paid for this solicited book with there meager funds, and then it doesn't show up? That's not making any friends. The retailer needed to buy something he sell that month so he can stay in business.

So the real answer is Marvel is trying to keep retailers and the creative team happy at the same time, whil praying you will still want to buy it 6 months from now.

[Supes]

Um... sadly this might become the norm.

But look at what they do.

They needed Turner for Supes/Bats... to start up after the first 6. but he couldn't promise he'd be ready in time for #7... so he gets to start on #8 and they run a one parter... with a guest artist.

But again... this might become the norm. Holding a run of comics until the next run can go off without any delay.

[Briel]

It makes you long for the days when Byrne and Perez could draw three books a month on time.

Of course back in those days it was the only way to pay the rent. LOL!

Still anyone who can't maintain at least a bimonthly schedule should be confined to mini series.

I like Brian Hitch's work too, but I honestly don't see an improvement in quality over his Authority work which was monthly and on time. Especially not 4 months between issues worth.

Even John Cassaday's work is faster and better. Delays on Cassaday aren't due to slowness, just taking on too many projects at once.

Of course Planetary is ten times the book that Ultimates is anyway, and well worth the wait.

I say if you want to save comics as a medium go retro. Print them on newsprint in four color process to get the cost down. Get them out on time. Advetise boks that need help, not ones that sell bajllions already. Save the nice paper for the TP's.

I know publisher focus on older readers now beause a lot of kids don't read anymore, but when we die off there will be a problem. A kid can buy a video game for 20 to 40 bucks and play it for months. That gets him 10 to 15 comics that he reads in 2 to 3 hours.

That doesn't add up. We need a way to make comics dirt cheap again.

I for one am willing to sacrifice computerized coloring effects to do this.

And now DC charge as much for their books as Indis do. Why? Well because they can, but that's not good for the long run. With external advertising they should cost less. Those video game ads must generate some revenue.

Do less in house ads per page count. Divide a page in four and show four new books.

Stop wasting story space on a whole page of what happened last issue. Comics all the way through the 80's handled that with a little paragraph box. Canning the letters page to relace it with a synopsis is bad. Letters pages make the fans feel like they belong. This especially important to younger readers who need that.

Tomb Raider has one of the best letters pages out there. Becuase the ages wander from 8 to 50 or so. And every reader is given the same respect. Fans get their picture published whether they #### or not. Renae Geerling is like the best editor alive.

I've never written to a book, but I see how important it is to those who do. I have sent internet messages but there is no way to know if they got read or not.

I will say that for Dark Horse. I wrote and the guy actually wrote back. Of course not many have time for that, but it was cool.

Make books fun again. A least old time heroing is coming back. I love Ultimate Spidey not because it is free of 40 years of continuity. I love it because the magic is back. That has nothing to do with Peter's age. It's just a spark and feeling imparted onto every page by Bendis and Bagely.

I'm a retail employee, and at 3 bucks an issue, I'm being pushed yelling and screaming out of my comics collecting pastime. When I started comics were 25 cents a pop.

I'm sorry bu only so much blame can be layed on paper costs. Companies are to heavy. How many editors do you really need? In ancient times Marvel editors were writers coordinating with few of the artists. The books were on time, and comntinuity was actually a lot tighter.

Marketing experts and talent hunters? Build good books that you don't cancel before word of mouth gets around and the readers wil come. Someone buys a book because a freind said it was awesome. Fans get discouraged when they start a book and it's over before issue #8. Why bother. Haven't they learned the lessons from network TV yet? Talent hunting between companies is just stupid. Youcan't tel me with the lterally hundreds of submissions these companies get that there are no new people out there. Take time to coach and build. I've seen good storytellers out of work while Anime carp and guys who just cant' draw period get published because they knew someone.

I'll tell you what's scary:

If Jack Kirby was a young artist today trying to break into the field he wouldn't get hired.

Everyone just think long and hard on that.

[Briel]

Above I meant to type Marvel and DC on the pricing issue, not just DC. Sorry.

[AlgertMan]

this is my BIGGEST problem with comics right now, the fact that people just cant get off thier high-horse and get the job done

if someone cant keep to schedule, find someone who will