Comic News

TC_Hazard · Jan 17, 2012

Prince Charon said:

DC and Marvel never post their sales. It's a thing. That's why people generally use Diamond estimates.

Interesting side-note: The lowest point on that chart was actually number 19 of the top 300 issues sold that month by Diamond estimates.

goldenarms · Jan 17, 2012

TC_Hazard said:

Probably still pissed with the whole Gwen Stacy/Norman Osborn fiasco that he didn't want to be part of, plus how Joe Q screwed him with OMD and denying him a chance to erase that bit of lore from Spidey's history.

Which makes one ask: Would it have been better for Marvel to have grown balls and purposely erase the last 30 years of Spidey material (which would also fundamentally change some things around the whole universe) instead of pulling a fanfic writer's number and stick to canon, only changing the marital status, while everything remains the exact same?

LightningHunter · Feb 1, 2012

<a href='http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36724' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>DC announce Watchmen Prequels.</a>

Yeah. It's actually true. :blink:

...admittedly, some of the creative teams sound pretty good, particularly Rorschach.

Ordo · Feb 2, 2012

An interview on 'Dawn of The Jedi'

JP: With all that is out there about the Star Wars universe and the Jedi, it would seem like a daunting task to lay the complete groundwork for this influential galaxy. What was the first task that you gave yourselves?

JO: This is a time of myth and legend. An epic era. Only a few facts are established about it. WeÆre working with what is already known and then building on that. For example, a given was the date when philosophers, warriors, scientists, and so on gathered on the planet Tython in the Deep Core to explore the Force. The question we raised was how did they get there, since hyperspace travel was very limited in that era and the planet Tython itself is in the Deep Core where hyperspace travel is difficult in any age. We created the Tho Yors û great pyramidal space ships that can travel through hyperspace around the galaxy; the Tho Yors gather Force-sensitive sentients from around the galaxy and bring them to Tython. These Travelers would become the JeÆdaii, the forerunners to both the Jedi and the Sith. In our version, the JeÆdaii on Tython create a great lost civilization, such as Atlantis is for us here on Earth. We knew how many planets were in the Tython system but none had been named or developed, so we did that as well. ItÆs been a lot of work but I think the excitement the fans will have will be a great payoff. WeÆre also making it accessible so that those who only know the films can come along for the ride. I mean, this is the start of the Jedi Order; what Star Wars fan wouldnÆt? be interested in it?

JD: Being given the task of figuring out what came before was daunting, but fun. One of the first things we needed to address was the state of the Star Wars galaxy at this time.? We needed to know who the predominant movers and shakers of that era were and how involved they were in the galaxy at large.? The next thing we had to do was to figure out how to get these early Force users to Tython, so we invented mysterious ships called Tho Yor ù essentially floating city temples ù that would transport them to Tython in the deep core of the galaxy.? For the first Force sensitives to hear the initial call to travel on these ships, it was the beginning of a spiritual journey into the unknown.? A good start for the Jedi ù who were called JeÆdaii at this time.

JP: Can you tell us the basis/basics of the story youÆll be scripting?

JO: Sure. After a prologue that sets the stage, we jump ahead. The JeÆdaii have been on Tython for 10,000 years as the story proper begins. Descendants of the Travelers who are not? Force sensitive have expanded out into the solar system, colonizing the planets and moons. The Tython system has been cut off from the rest of the galaxy, but that all changes when a savage group of Force-using aliens called the Rakata discover them. In particular, the arrival of one Rakatan slave named Xesh on Tython will set off a whole series of events that will lead to the Force Wars which in turn lead to the true founding of the Jedi. The scope will be epic but weÆll focus on it through the personal.

JP: And in terms of the artwork, what influences did you take in when creating Tython and the characters surrounding that world?

JD: At first I immersed myself in looking at images of our world and what both nature and man has created throughout history.? John and I had talked about various aspects we would like to see on Tython ù and we had images of the world as it appears later in the Star Wars galaxy.? One thing we considered was that this was so far back in history that the entire world could have changed ù and considering that Tython was eventually devastated by the Force Wars ù it probably had changed a lot.? My initial impression of Tython was that it should be both a breathtakingly beautiful and savage world.? There are places on it that are peaceful and pleasant, like the Arts Temple ù and other places where the JeÆdaii have harnessed the core power of the world to create a temple they call æThe ForgeÆ where weapons and machines are made.? Another temple, all durasteel and glass, straddles a chasm and plumbs its depths with a beam, searching for answers to why those who enter it go mad.? I built a lot of the temple structures in 3-D programs so I could have turnarounds of them to view from all angles. Developing the characters for Dawn of the Jedi was interesting.? When we were developing characters for ôStar Wars Legacyö and ôRepublicö there were already established characters who had come before to play off of, but with ôDawnö there were none.? But as we ôdiscoveredö the Tython system, creating worlds and places, the characters evolved and a look for their costumes and weapons also evolved.

JP: Yoda and Obi Won did it well, but describe, now that youÆre delving into its founding a bit, what the Force is û and specifically, if your definition has changed from when you were first introduced to it.

JO: Thing is, I donÆt think you can do better than how Obi-Wan and Yoda described it in the movies. ThatÆs bedrock. My understanding of the light side and the dark side of the Force has changed over the years. As I see it, those working on the light side work with the Force, channeling it, open and sensitive to what it tells them. They serve it. Those on the dark side try to impose their will on the Force, to make it do their will, to make it serve them. The JeÆdaii believe in a balance between the light and the dark side and so attempt to use both. Problem is, a balance is hard to maintain and the dark side is so very seductive.

JD:? For me, Jedi and Sith are well defined into good and evil, light and dark, those who serve the Force and those who bend the Force to their will.? Our question was ù was the Force always so polarized into two schools of thought?? How did those who became the Jedi view the Force before the Force Wars happened?? At this time the JeÆdaii believe in a balanced Force that is inclusive of all aspects of the Force ù from light to dark.? This interpretation allows them to explore all aspects of the Force as well and we will see some JeÆdaii manipulating the Force through what is later considered to be Sith alchemy to create new life forms.

zeebee1 · Feb 3, 2012

Why can't they acknowledge that the light side has the seduction of redemption? I can't imagine that being full of anger is all that pleasant.

Lord Raine · Feb 3, 2012

Yes. That's the entire point.

Ordo · Feb 3, 2012

Lord Raine said:

Hmm, I'm thinking they mean that people's understanding of the force wasn't always polarized into two schools of thought.

A Curious Stranger · Feb 12, 2012

Holy shit, comics are doing worse than I thought.

<a href='http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36900' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>This is... disturbing.</a>

I posted this on another forum, and I'll copy-paste here.

I'll try and sum it up as best I can.

The numbers come from retail bookstores using BookScan. Sellers are: B. Dalton / Barnes and Noble, Borders / Waldenbooks, Tower Music and Books, Musicland, Deseret Book Company (Mormon bookstores), Follett Stores (University bookstores), Hastings, Costco, K-Mart, and Target. BookScan also tracks online sales from Amazon.com, B&N.com, Borders.com, Buy.com, Fatbrain.com, and Powells.com. There are also independent retailers who are too small to be specified, but are still counted in the reports. It's about 70-75% of all retailers carrying comic books.

Biggest sellers aren't actually Marvel and DC stuff, but more independent series, with Walking Dead as a big exception. I guess it got a huge boost in sales due to the TV show. Manga and series like Maus, Dork Diaries, etc... are the big names here.

When talking about cash sales and not inventory sales for 2010, the first Marvel and DC title was Thor, coming in at 10th place. A few steps behind are the classics of Watchmen and V for Vendetta, still selling well. The most recently released title from DC on the list is the Return of Bruce Wayne at 17th place.

Manga is outselling comics, but the manga boom of the early millennium is subsiding. Sales are down on all fronts.

DC in 2011 sold 660,706 books with sales of $13,083,378. This is including all of their older works such as Watchmen and V for Vendetta as noted above. Still, Watchmen sold the lowest this year than normal with only 21K compared to 2010's 29k. Batman dominates in sheer number of comics sold due to how many running series there are for it.

Marvel actually comes in 8th place for Western sales. It looks like they've given up on actual comic sales to focus on Hollywood and merchandising. Odd considering the market share they are known to have.

Lord Raine · Feb 12, 2012

It's no surprise that manga was and still is kicking ass. DC and Marvel have been recycling the same characters and storylines for the past few decades. Manga is totally fresh, and the best series tend to be long and ongoing, prompting people to purchase new volumes as they get released like clockwork, as opposed to just dipping into various 'events' until they find one that isn't shitty.

Even the really, really badass manga characters would get boring after a few decades of nothing but recycling the plot and resetting the story. Guts is fucking awesome. But I don't need fifty different runs of Berserk. One really good run is enough, and that's exactly what I'm getting. People who are fans of manga are going to pick a handful of series that they like, and then follow them, buying each volume as they come out. It's no surprise to me that they're doing better. They should have more stable sales, especially over the long term.

da_fox2279 · Feb 13, 2012

Speaking of Manga, does anyone have a list of what companies are picking / did pick up the licences TokyoPop held? Like Ikki Tousen, et al?

I've been wondering...

~NGD OMEGA~ · Feb 18, 2012

So I was bopping around in this comic site linked in the DC Revamp thread, and I found this: <a href='http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/02/10/comic-doctor-who-star-trek-next-generation/' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/02/10/c...ext-generation/</a>

Wat.

Prince Charon · Feb 18, 2012

Well, IDW acquired the rights to both, so it was kind of inevitable. Since its IDW, it should be good.

goldenarms · Feb 18, 2012

~NGD OMEGA~ said:

So I was bopping around in this comic site linked in the DC Revamp thread, and I found this: <a href='http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/02/10/comic-doctor-who-star-trek-next-generation/' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/02/10/c...ext-generation/</a>

Wat.

Doctor Who vs. Q?

~NGD OMEGA~ · Feb 18, 2012

Nope, according to the followup article, it's Cybermen and Borg teamup. Which the Assimilate^2 seems to support.

Ordo · Jan 6, 2013

I am currently in the process of Acquiring the first "Dawn of the Jedi" comic volume so a review should be along in a bit. However while purchasing that online I discovered that Star Wars EU recently got a 'Spy' character (Bourne + Bond if the previews are to be believed) that works for the empire, named Jahan Cross.

<a href='http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-13/Star-Wars-secret-agent-comic-series/51880832/1' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Star Wars: Secret Agent</a>

I find it interesting that as I've grown older, some authors in the Star Wars EU (*CoughZahnCough*) have tried to make the Empire less cartoonishly evil.

goldenarms · Jan 6, 2013

Ordo said:

He looks like Jack Deth from the Trancers movies with a dash of James Bond.

I might have to check this out.

zeebee1 · Jan 7, 2013

Why is he holding a tiny blaster in two hands? Is he that weak?

Shaderic · Jan 10, 2013

zeebee1 said:

You ever shot a noisy cricket?

Ordo · Jan 10, 2013

zeebee1 said:

That's why.

shinzero01 · Jan 10, 2013

Oh. He's British.

Ordo · Jan 10, 2013

shinzero01 said:

His homeworld is Alderaan so yeah, close enough.

zeebee1 · Jan 13, 2013

She his is that weak.

Quick_5 · Feb 28, 2013

<a href='http://www.newsarama.com/comics/idw-teams-with-cartoon-network.html' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>So apperently WB is outsourcing Cartoon Network titles to IDW instead of using DC.</a> :evil2:

ragnarok1337 · Feb 28, 2013

Quick_5 said:

Samurai Jack comics? Hell yeah.

zeebee1 · Mar 1, 2013

Who cares? Old shows can be found elsewhere.

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