It just isn't clear if there's growth
Published by Avi Green on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 3:09 AM.
Scripps-Howard News Service's Captain Comics once again waters down mainstream press coverage with the following fluff, that begins with this part:
The column gets pretty dreadful with the following though:
I think one of the fatal flaws of Civil War was that it confused superheroes, or law enforcers, with crooks; that's where it really lacked logic. Let's say that superheroes are similar in some ways to FBI officials. Isn't it necessary then that they have a secret ID? Why should they have to just give it up if it enabled the real criminals to track and target them? Marvel was really going out of their way to confuse privacy and security with civil rights.
And while the sugary article may not mention, I think that Civil War will certainly be looked upon someday in disgrace for the fact that it was just the starting point of Spidey's needless unmasking that led to the current fiasco of obliterating his marriage to Mary Jane Watson. Yep, if there's anything else that's led to the current problems, it's Civil War, and just like Joe Quesada was responsible for the current mess that is One More Day, he also had his part in CW as well.
And the article forgets to mention that for now, at least, Black Canary and Green Arrow didn't get married; it was all just part of a bait-and-switch tactic to draw people into reading a Justice League storyline, and a new series co-starring the 2 of them, which may or may not have gotten its start by killing off Connor Hawke. Not exactly my idea of how to make headlines.
Depending on how December's sales went (and how you measure it), 2007 may be the seventh consecutive year that the American comic-book industry enjoyed growth. If so, "another record year" is my pick for the biggest comics story of 2007.Gee, I dunno, is it? I've looked at only so many sales charts provided by ICV2 in Minnesota, and pamphlet-wise, hardly anything sells big. In paperback collections, I wouldn't be surprised if they sell more, but then why doesn't Capt. Comics make that clearer?
According to "Comics Buyer's Guide's" website (cbgxtra.com), sales at Diamond Comics Distributors Inc. -- the nation's largest, and just about only, direct-market comics distributor -- are estimated at $394.02 million through November, closing in on last year's $395.55 million. Overall, Diamond's sales have climbed every year since 2000, when they were in the $255-275 million range.
I caution that these numbers aren't comprehensive. Still, Diamond is the 800-pound gorilla, so what it sells is a pretty good indicator of how things are going.
The column gets pretty dreadful with the following though:
2. Reading Is Fundamental: I haven't mentioned the year's content, have I? Well, that's next, because 2007 was a pretty big year for the Very Big Story.Let's hope it's only for now, but, how dare the writer make it sound so...sensational. Ugh! Pure treacle.
Marvel's "Civil War" wrapped up in '07, a mammoth storyline where all of the publisher's superheroes clashed in a squabble over security vs. civil rights. This split has created a new, paranoid atmosphere for Spider-Man, X-Men, the Avengers, etc., which will contribute to 2008's big story, in which shape shifting aliens infiltrate and try to take over the earth. Meanwhile, the Jade Giant smashed just about everybody in a huge crossover called "World War Hulk," which will also have repercussions far into '08.
And then there's Captain America, dead at 66. For now.
I think one of the fatal flaws of Civil War was that it confused superheroes, or law enforcers, with crooks; that's where it really lacked logic. Let's say that superheroes are similar in some ways to FBI officials. Isn't it necessary then that they have a secret ID? Why should they have to just give it up if it enabled the real criminals to track and target them? Marvel was really going out of their way to confuse privacy and security with civil rights.
And while the sugary article may not mention, I think that Civil War will certainly be looked upon someday in disgrace for the fact that it was just the starting point of Spidey's needless unmasking that led to the current fiasco of obliterating his marriage to Mary Jane Watson. Yep, if there's anything else that's led to the current problems, it's Civil War, and just like Joe Quesada was responsible for the current mess that is One More Day, he also had his part in CW as well.
At DC, the amazing "52" -- a year-long weekly comic book -- gave way to the far less amazing "Countdown" -- another year-long weekly comic book -- which isn't making any headlines. But Justice Leaguers Green Arrow and Black Canary did, by getting hitched.Umm, earth to Capt. Comics! Countdown is making headlines - you just provided them! Seriously though, if it isn't, it's just as well. It's just too bad if 52 had to get any, because really, when you look at it closer, one of the few purposes there seemed to be killing off Elongated Man in the end, but not before reducing him to a humorless shadow of himself. That's not how I want to see Ralph Dibny, and I'm at a loss to understand why others would. And let's not forget the offing of Vic Sage, the Question, either. What dreck.
And the article forgets to mention that for now, at least, Black Canary and Green Arrow didn't get married; it was all just part of a bait-and-switch tactic to draw people into reading a Justice League storyline, and a new series co-starring the 2 of them, which may or may not have gotten its start by killing off Connor Hawke. Not exactly my idea of how to make headlines.
Labels: dc comics, marvel comics, msm propaganda
