Chitchat on the general state of comics today

[direstraits]

This thread is continued from Gaiman's Marvel 1602 thread.

I haven’t tried that one. Vertigo, yes?
I was liking Milligan’s “The Human Target” (not hot on the art though), but that ended. “100 Bullets” is pretty good.

I really don’t read much of them nowadays, and when I do it’s kind of against my better judgment. Maybe a ‘guilty pleasure’ of hating some of the stuff (apparently in the Ultimate FF the two universes will meet, which is stupid and too DC-like) on top of a desire that years and years ago I tried to pursue illustration as a career.

I may have over-sold it as I usually get verbally hammered when I slag Ult Spider-Man. Although I do like what he’s doing with Daredevil. His run ends in a month or so.
Powers I tried when then switch to the new Marvel imprint. And I agree, I’m not too wowed. It’s a bit too much. His new “House of M” (this summer’s ‘big mini-series’) I see is just yet another alternate universe thing, which is tiresome and partially what makes me dislike so many DC titles.
So, Daredevil and Alias I like/d. Now to ‘sell out’ and get more readers, as Alias was on the “marvel max” (basically Marvel’s Vertigo), for adults, he re-started it as The Pulse and is even using Bagley (of Ult Spider-Man – whom I cant stand), so basically it’s just Ultimate Alias now.
Bendis’ Avengers run is ok, but all in all I think the guy just has too much power now. He *is* Marvel, pretty much. Years ago a solid writer would write one title for years on end. Now one seems to not be a writer if one is not juggling 5 different titles. I think eventually this system will capsize the market.
j

Thanks jay - and now if I have any questions on the state of comics today, I know who to look for.

Why would you get hammered when you slag Ult Spiderman? And hey, Bagley is not bad! I used to get New Warriors (from Marvel) circa 90/91 and he was the artist then, and I thought he's pretty good. Don't know how he draws now, though.

I also have a trade paperback on Alias, and I also didn't like it. It's not the first collection, so maybe having missed some intro stuff I may have not given the title a proper chance.

I have 100 Bullets too, and I thought it was interesting, but all the ghetto talk can get a little tiring after a while.

The Invisibles (yes, it's from Vertigo) is a strange creature. It's bloody confusing, it has time-travelling, magic, spiritualism, demons, espionage, grand conspiracy and aliens all thrown in in a heady mix. I don't know why I keep buying them, but I do. It's fun.

ds

 

[jay]

This thread is continued from Gaiman's Marvel 1602 thread.

Funny that, over the weekend I was thinking of re-routing our conversation to a general themed thread that continues and has some shelf-life…

Why would you get hammered when you slag Ult Spiderman?

Mmmmm, see any of my comments and the reaction they bring when I question anyone beyond puberty for taking part in the Hairy Potter craze…

And hey, Bagley is not bad!

Sure. Just my opinion. I can’t stand him. While of course the critique that ‘all woman shouldn’t look the same’ isn’t really a great one (see, say, Jack Kirby) if Bagley’s work were in black and white it would be near-impossible to differentiate between Mary Jane, Gwen and the elderly Aunt May. And every other girl he draws. Hell, even Parker and Harry Osborn looks the same.
His anatomy is pretty bad and overall he just rubs me the wrong way.
And his ‘re-imagining’ of past characters is pretty uninspired, methinks.

New Warriors?!! You’re dating yourself!
I didn’t read any of the New Universe (I think that was New Universe, no?) stuff, but did buy the things Bill Sienkiewicz (my all time top fave) did the covers for.

I also have a trade paperback on Alias, and I also didn't like it. It's not the first collection, so maybe having missed some intro stuff I may have not given the title a proper chance.

I thought Bendis did a pretty good job of a ‘behind the scenes’ Marvel universe. Different characters waltzing in and out in a less than “Marvel Team-Up” fashion. It seemed a bit like NY would be if all this were real. It got a bit tiring at the end, and now in The Pulse it’s played out –or non-existent-, but I did enjoy it in the middle of the run.

Also, I think one may read things a bit differently in trade-paperback format. With the monthlies there is the serial form (obviously) and less time put in and slight anticipation toward the next installment. The trades, while really helping sales, seems to kill this effect and now stories are even plotted to have at least a 6-issue arc so that it can be sold individually. Which could also be a factor that proves damaging.
Even when I receive two issues of a comic, as now a trend seems to have a few months a year with a bi-weekly shipping, I space them out and never take them on back-to-back.

I have 100 Bullets too, and I thought it was interesting, but all the ghetto talk can get a little tiring after a while.

Yeah, again, with the monthlies it’s not something that ticks me off. And with this title it’s one of the few I find visually appealing. I like the murkiness of Risso’s work.

I don't know why I keep buying them, but I do. It's fun.

ok, I’ll give it a flip-through my next trip to a city with a GOOD comic shop (now I get my stuff mailed in from the UK).
j

 

[direstraits]

Mmmmm, see any of my comments and the reaction they bring when I question anyone beyond puberty for taking part in the Hairy Potter craze…

Well, you are entitled to your opinion - nothing wrong with that. Just so you know - I'm one of those who aren't so young anymore (hah!) but like Harry Potter quite a bit. I'm close to the end of The Half Prince, and find it a very good read indeed. It is starting to get very violent...

No slagging is needed anywhere as far as I'm concerned, so that's not going to ruin a perfectly nice conversation.

I can’t stand him. While of course the critique that ‘all woman shouldn’t look the same’ isn’t really a great one (see, say, Jack Kirby) if Bagley’s work were in black and white it would be near-impossible to differentiate between Mary Jane, Gwen and the elderly Aunt May. And every other girl he draws. Hell, even Parker and Harry Osborn looks the same.

Laugh! Yeah, well, now that you mentioned it, I suppose he can't differentiate between characters very well. I only ever read his New Warriors, and not Spider-man, so the effect isn't very obvious to me, but I did flip through another of his work and thinking the exact same thing.

New Warriors?!! You’re dating yourself!
I didn’t read any of the New Universe (I think that was New Universe, no?) stuff, but did buy the things Bill Sienkiewicz (my all time top fave) did the covers for.

No, NW is not affiliated with New Universe, and those (if they are what I remember them to be) were older. I thought Bill was okay, but Art Adams (woohoo!), Byrne and (later) McFarlane, Jim Lee were pretty darn brilliant.

Even when I receive two issues of a comic, as now a trend seems to have a few months a year with a bi-weekly shipping, I space them out and never take them on back-to-back.

I agree with you here. The fact that you can immediately go on to the next issue in a trade paperback despite a cliff-hanger ending does diminish the effect somewhat.

However, having said that, I'm more than happy to get trades because I just hate waiting, spoiled effect or not. I will never be able to do what you'd do - that is to 'space them out'. I'd sooner make myself a good drink, do a raindance to instigate a rain pattering outside my window, and curl up with the whole freaking pile!

ok, I’ll give it a flip-through my next trip to a city with a GOOD comic shop (now I get my stuff mailed in from the UK).

I'm a huge fan of Kurt Busiek, and his Marvels is one of the best graphic novels I've read, period. Gorgeous art (Ross is brilliant) and a lovely story. If not read it, pick up Marvels, or Busiek's Astro City which is about the only superhero trade that I will pick up consistently.

ds

 

[jay]

I'm one of those who aren't so young anymore (hah!) but like Harry Potter quite a bit. I'm close to the end of The Half Prince, and find it a very good read indeed. It is starting to get very violent...

I just can’t see the appeal, but at least you branch out your reading some. Saramago is pretty interesting…

Laugh! Yeah, well, now that you mentioned it, I suppose he can't differentiate between characters very well. I only ever read his New Warriors, and not Spider-man, so the effect isn't very obvious to me, but I did flip through another of his work and thinking the exact same thing.

Maybe, but I doubt it, it’s the ‘fault’ of the inker.
But I reallllly doubt it.

No, NW is not affiliated with New Universe, and those (if they are what I remember them to be) were older.

ok. New Universe stuff was around mid-80s. (I think)

I thought Bill was okay, but Art Adams (woohoo!), Byrne and (later) McFarlane, Jim Lee were pretty darn brilliant.

Yes, I like Art Adams. I recently pulled out the old Longshot series, which I believe was his first comic work.
Byrne was hit or miss. The X-Men stuff inked by Austin is nice although Clarmont’s writing is a *colossal* bore (it was ok as a kid). The FF stuff and She-Hulk were pretty good. Some good covers. I didn’t follow his Superman stuff.
Sadly he is a bit tainted, to me, by being a complete asshead, and still working and working badly. He just keeps churning out crap. Lots of crap.

Illustration is supposed to be a thing of evolution, but it seems that so many of the past greats have really diluted their talent. Byrne is sloppy; Paul Smith doesn’t even look like Paul Smith; Michael Golden, the same; Marshall Rogers looks like a bad copy of ‘classic’ Marshall Rogers…Howard Chaykin is the only name I can think of whose current work stands with his past. And Sienkiewicz. Frank Miller too, I guess.

Jim Lee never did anything for me, and he’s back to being The Big Guy now. His Batman run was ok, I didn’t buy the Superman (can’t stand the character) and now he’s teaming with mister Frank ‘I hate work for hire’ Miller for some Ultimate Batman (All Star Batman) which is getting huge praise when it looks like Lee has done not a damn thing new with Batman, aside from maybe the size of the bat on his chest.
Yet another prime example of this new use of the term “creator” being completely misused.

However, having said that, I'm more than happy to get trades because I just hate waiting, spoiled effect or not. I will never be able to do what you'd do - that is to 'space them out'.

I guess to me that’s just the way comics should be. If they went to a bi-yearly format I’d probably drop it all together. Or just be really far more selective. I guess when something only takes a few minutes to read and only costs a few bucks it’s easier justified in buying than a bigger format, longer time to dedicate thing. I _do_ keep some comics on my read list just out of curiosity.

I'm a huge fan of Kurt Busiek, and his Marvels is one of the best graphic novels I've read, period. Gorgeous art (Ross is brilliant) and a lovely story. If not read it, pick up Marvels, or 's Astro City which is about the only superhero trade that I will pick up consistently.

I know the name; I think I read some of his Avengers (with George Perez, another artist not up to his previous work).
I can’t read Marvels as I *absolutely* loathe Alex Ross. He’s talented, but I just can’t stand his stuff.
When I was a kid my best friend hated Rick Vetch’s artwork. He got physically ill reading the Epic mini-series The One. This is my reaction to Ross.
When Wizard kisses his arse every months I fire off emails telling them their lips are going to get sore.

Since you prefer the trade paperback format, have you ever flipped through Cerebus?
Easily the finest long-term run on a comic. Ever.
Just a damn shame Dave Sim ‘got religion’ and infected his story with it…
j

 

[direstraits]

I just can’t see the appeal, but at least you branch out your reading some. Saramago is pretty

Yeah, well, I do go around the forum because I read a good spread of stuff. I try to read anything that interests me, since I'm interested in so many things, though time is a factor.

I've finished HP6, and finished Saramago before that, so I'm going to go back to some much needed fantasy. Ray Bradbury, here I come...

Yes, I like Art Adams. I recently pulled out the old Longshot series, which I believe was his first comic work.
Byrne was hit or miss. The X-Men stuff inked by Austin is nice although Clarmont’s writing is a *colossal* bore (it was ok as a kid). The FF stuff and She-Hulk were pretty good. Some good covers. I didn’t follow his Superman stuff.

I just shifted into my new place, and have been spending my free time unpacking and building my library. Everytime I start to organize my books, mags and comics I tend to go 'Ah, this was brilliant!' and start to leaf through it. This is why I never seem to get any closer to fully unpacking.

Anyway, I was doing this exact same thing when I found a copy of X-Men by Art Adams. He is *really* good. I'll peek at the issue number and report back.

During my comics days my reading was very predictable - strictly Marvel, some DC and only went out of the Big Two after Image came along. Then I started looking at Valiant's stuff too, though I did think that that's way too overhyped.

Illustration is supposed to be a thing of evolution, but it seems that so many of the past greats have really diluted their talent. Byrne is sloppy; Paul Smith doesn’t even look like Paul Smith; Michael Golden, the same; Marshall Rogers looks like a bad copy of ‘classic’ Marshall Rogers…Howard Chaykin is the only name I can think of whose current work stands with his past. And Sienkiewicz. Frank Miller too, I guess.

I can't say I know all of who you mentioned here. I will say that Frank Miller's Sin City work is pretty darn cool, but his art in Dark Knight (the first one) was just okay. I'd think that his work has to be appreciated like wine - my first exposure to Miller was his original Sin City while I was 12, and I thought the book has damaged my fragile little mind. Reading it many many years later told me I was too young to appreciate his work then.

I can’t read Marvels as I *absolutely* loathe Alex Ross. He’s talented, but I just can’t stand his stuff.

Personally, when I first saw Ross, I also hated him. He put so much 'human'-ness to his superheroes until you can see the creases in their costumes, and paints a superhero more like you and I would look like if we went around in tights. This 'realism' in his painting seemed to take out the 'super' out of the superheroes for me.

But the longer I stared at his work, the more convinced I was of a couple of things:
1. Only a supreme artist can draw the way he does.
2. I started to appreciate the amount of work and time he puts into each composition, and my admiration simply grew and grew.

Marvels was my first work from Ross, and I was very wary of getting it because of my initial dislike for his art. But many good things have been said, so I took the plunge. Wow. It's like you get an Alex Ross cover in every panel of every page. Great art and great story. One of the best I've ever read, and I've read quite a few.

Since you prefer the trade paperback format, have you ever flipped through Cerebus?
Easily the finest long-term run on a comic. Ever.

Hmm... I must admit I'm pretty vary of anything that's not coloured! But yeah, I've seen those telephone books, but I've never read it. I think if given the choice, I'd pick up Maus first, then Cerebus.

What about Bone?

ds

 

[jay]

though time is a factor.

I agree. Which is why I think wasting it on pap like Potter is, literally, criminal (pun intended).

I just shifted into my new place, and have been spending my free time unpacking and building my library.

My slight tragedy is that the stuff I had as a kid I do _not_ have anymore. So some of the ‘classic’ or well-liked stuff I’ve had to again-acquire, and needless to say *not* at cover price.
Damn shame since some of those runs fetch a fair penny on the market…

Anyway, I was doing this exact same thing when I found a copy of X-Men by Art Adams. He is *really* good. I'll peek at the issue number and report back.

Yes, and as far as I know I should have added him to my list of ‘still as good as he was’. But I haven’t seen much from him of late. Last year (maybe 2 years ago) he did some Superman covers.

During my comics days my reading was very predictable - strictly Marvel, some DC and only went out of the Big Two after Image came along. Then I started looking at Valiant's stuff too, though I did think that that's way too overhyped.

I too have been and remain 99% Marvel. DC has a bunch of *really* lame characters (Martian Manhunter, anyone?) and has far too many “science fiction” elements for me to be even mildly entertained.
I never got into the newer presses as it was just showboating (a splash page per every other page; big boob’d wimen) and very little to do with story-telling.

I can't say I know all of who you mentioned here.

Byrne I’m sure you know. Paul Smith had a long run on Uncanny X-Men shortly after Romita jr. Marshall Rogers had some classic Batman issues and did some amazing work in Doctor Strange, Mister Miracle, among others. Michael Golden, oddly enough, those same resume titles (as Rogers), plus the Mirconaughts and The Nam, among others. Howard Chaykin is best known for American Flagg.

I will say that Frank Miller's Sin City work is pretty darn cool, but his art in Dark Knight (the first one) was just okay.

Yes, Sin City is monumental, visually. Getting a bit lame, most especially since he took it to Hollywood. Dark Knight one is also top-notch and then he sullied that with the sequel.

While the person and the artist _shouldn’t_ have an affect on each other, they tend to. And Miller is *such* an asshead in interview, *continually* bashing “work for hire” and generating product to sell to Hollywood, and this is something he *constantly* returns to, it just makes me sick.
A newly released books collection some conversations between the late, great Will Eisner and Miller. And FM just comes across as *such* a wanker. There he was (now is), basically being left the mantle of being comics’ big spokesperson, and he’s just a little prat. Shameful.

This 'realism' in his painting seemed to take out the 'super' out of the superheroes for me.

I agree. I think that’s the killer of it. Same with the Hollywood versions. When I saw the images of Spider-Man (the movie) my first reaction was, “Spider-man doesn’t have a neck!”
And the Hollywood version of the Thing (Fantastic Four) looks simply like the Hollywood version of Howard the Duck, plucked, de-billed and spit-roasted to a crispy state.
And Hollywood Batman always looks lame.

1. Only a supreme artist can draw the way he does.
2. I started to appreciate the amount of work and time he puts into each composition, and my admiration simply grew and grew.

As I said, I don’t say he’s not a good artist, per se. Renoir is undoubtedly a great painter, he just does nothing for me personally.
Ross relies heavily on photography and light-boarding, making the work sterile.
Which is much why I prefer a Bill Sienkiewcz, who hands-down is a better technician in every way than a Ross, and who actually puts some feeling and emotion into the work. Ross, to me, looks like he’s just painting the attendees of some comic book convention of steroids. It’s all a bit too homo-erotic.

Hmm... I must admit I'm pretty vary of anything that's not coloured!

Ah. I prefer b&w.

I think if given the choice, I'd pick up Maus first, then Cerebus.

Maus is entirely over-rated. If the damn thing was thematically about Jews no one would know this book. Ironically, some of Will Eisner’s work having to do with Judaism, all of it being far better illustrated and written, is widely ignored.
File it under Orwellian Weirdness, for if _Animal Farm_, a highly political story, were told using people (instead of farm animals) it would be out of print.

What about Bone?

A non-event to me. You'd be far better off just buying the old Walt Kelly Pogo strips.

 

[direstraits]

I agree. Which is why I think wasting it on pap like Potter is, literally, criminal (pun intended).

Hmm... I'd expect there'd be plenty of people who could say the same about reading comics and graphics novels...

My slight tragedy is that the stuff I had as a kid I do _not_ have anymore. So some of the ‘classic’ or well-liked stuff I’ve had to again-acquire, and needless to say *not* at cover price.
Damn shame since some of those runs fetch a fair penny on the market…

Well, I still have most of the stuff I got before, and frankly, I think we'd have problems finding buyers. I'm have a very sexy Todd McFarlane Spider-Man #1 with silver ink cover, and who wants it? Nobody. But me.

If you want it, PM me - I'm sure we can come to mutually agreeable transaction. The last I checked Wizard priced it at around USD50.

I never got into the newer presses as it was just showboating (a splash page per every other page; big boob’d wimen) and very little to do with story-telling.

Hmm, that sounds a little weird coming from you - Marvel being the epitome of comics for the masses. Alternatives have plenty to offer (including crap), and some are actually good too.

As I said, I don’t say he’s not a good artist, per se. Renoir is undoubtedly a great painter, he just does nothing for me personally.

[Sound of plenty of art afficionados screaming in pain]
Well, for me, you can say that I've *grown* to appreciate the sort of work that Ross produces. And it gives me so much pleasure.

File it under Orwellian Weirdness, for if _Animal Farm_, a highly political story, were told using people (instead of farm animals) it would be out of print.

I've been thinking about what you said about Animal Farm, and I suppose I'd agree to point. The whole idea of AF, after all, is a caricature of the times, and if it wasn't told with animals, then there will not have been a story at all (coz it would just be an opinion piece).

If it wasn't for the fact that I don't have an internet connection anymore, I'd have said more about Busiek and his work. I will be back...

ds

 

[direstraits]

I was kidding about the Spider-Man, btw.

ds

 

[jay]

Hmm... I'd expect there'd be plenty of people who could say the same about reading comics and graphics novels...

I’m willing to debate with them.
I think some graphic readers will have far more of an argument than “I love it!!” and/or “everyone else is doing it!!”

Well, I still have most of the stuff I got before, and frankly, I think we'd have problems finding buyers.

I agree. I don’t like this whole, “what’s this worth” system. It’s only “worth” what someone else will pay for it. A price guide may claim, like you say for one of the many different covers printed for McFarlane’s Spider-Man, 50 bucks, but if all you can sell it if is 5: then it’s “worth” 5 bucks.

And I think this “slabbing” thing has killed the collecting markets (this is also done for sports cards).

Hmm, that sounds a little weird coming from you - Marvel being the epitome of comics for the masses.

True. But the idea of a Marvelwhich has some history, and a ‘we’re breaking *away* from Marvel to do something *different* only - to then do a Marvel but even worse’ theory seems pretty pathetic.
And that’s not just for their quality, as they also fell right into the whole “work for hire” system, which was one of the *MAIN* reasons to break from the Big Two.
McFarlane has had several lawsuits and still owes several “creators” lots of money and is continually hesitant to reprint certain issues because he fears potential litigation.
Not great business thinking.

Alternatives have plenty to offer (including crap), and some are actually good too.

No doubt. As I’ve cited, Cerebus, a 300 issue self-published comic, to me, is one of _the_ monumental achievements in the entire history of the field.

Well, for me, you can say that I've *grown* to appreciate the sort of work that Ross produces. And it gives me so much pleasure.

More power to him. That’s what art is all about. I can’t stand him, you like him and we both can wax a bit about why we have our beliefs.
Much better than the typical, “he sucks”, “I love it” ping-pong.

I've been thinking about what you said about Animal Farm, and I suppose I'd agree to point. The whole idea of AF, after all, is a caricature of the times, and if it wasn't told with animals, then there will not have been a story at all (coz it would just be an opinion piece).

Yes. I made a joke yesterday in the ‘what should be required reading’ thread, directed at a few that “hated” _Lord of the Flies_ and jested that if it was a bunch of elf-things trapped on a abandoned planet would they like it any better.
Which is one of my whole problems with “fantasy/science fiction” – no doubt some of the stories are interesting, but my imagination isn’t so little that I can’t alter “reality” a bit and picture these ongoings within life as we know it. I don’t need little fuzzy footed midgets to make me thinking, “ahhhh, a whole different world – I’m safe now”. Or whatever. .

If it wasn't for the fact that I don't have an internet connection anymore, I'd have said more about Busiek and his work. I will be back...

Gottcha. Good luck with the connection.

I was kidding about the Spider-Man, btw.

Damn, and I was preparing to ship a 3 day old, soaked in the sun bean burrito to you. By verrrrrry slow delivery.

j

 

[jay]

ds,
I just got the ol’ monthly shipment of books, of which always contains the annoying mag Wizard. This month’s (last month’s?) has an Alex Ross cover and some interview stuff with him inside. I’m done with the issue and I’d be happy to pass it on to you, if you’d like. The whole issue or just the Ross pages, whichever you’d like.

Oh, and since you (and others?) are a trade [paperback] guy instead of the monthlies, and I believe you stated you enjoyed the Ultimates, the paperback of the first 6 issues of Ultimates 2 “Ultimates 2: Gods and Monsters” comes out the 31st of this month.
j

 

[direstraits]

I just got the ol’ monthly shipment of books, of which always contains the annoying mag Wizard. This month’s (last month’s?) has an Alex Ross cover and some interview stuff with him inside. I’m done with the issue and I’d be happy to pass it on to you, if you’d like. The whole issue or just the Ross pages, whichever you’d like.

jay, lovely gesture there. I'm quite a long way away from Switzerland, I'm afraid, and had I known you sooner I'd have asked you to drop by Geneva when I was there in Feb. Thanks anyway!

I’m willing to debate with them.
I think some graphic readers will have far more of an argument than “I love it!!” and/or “everyone else is doing it!!”

There was a time in the early 90s when comics was receiving a lot of airtime in the media, and the collection craze was at it's peak. There were plenty of people who jumped on the bandwagon hoping not only to force themselves to enjoy work that was quite frankly rubbish, but also as an investment vehicle. Significant issues were sold for quite a lot of money then.

In this case, it *was* a case of "I love it!" *and* "Everyone is doing it!"

I mean, looking back at my collection, I had Image/Valiant ultimate crossover called Deathmate, for goodnesssakes! It was *horrendous*! All my friends had it and none dared to admit it was a bloody waste of money.

The Big Two (although DC would be mainly to blame) for all the hysteria of 'significant' events that happened in comicsdom. Superman's death, new Batman (who eventually became Azrael), etc were all quite rubbish. And everyone jumped in head first.

I agree. I don’t like this whole, “what’s this worth” system. It’s only “worth” what someone else will pay for it. A price guide may claim, like you say for one of the many different covers printed for McFarlane’s Spider-Man, 50 bucks, but if all you can sell it if is 5: then it’s “worth” 5 bucks.

And I think this “slabbing” thing has killed the collecting markets (this is also done for sports cards).

What? You mean my comics are worthless now??? What am I going to do with my 20 issues of X-Men #1???

I've not really gone out to look for collectors who might be interested in looking at my stuff and offering some good money for it. But looking generally at the 'scene', more people now are really looking at collected issues/graphic novels than individual issues now. The place where I used to get my comics have now folded, and the only one that's still operating here isn't really doing well, apparently. They are surviving via sales of figurines or movie tie-in comics merchandise. Plus card games and RPGs.

McFarlane has had several lawsuits and still owes several “creators” lots of money and is continually hesitant to reprint certain issues because he fears potential litigation.
Not great business thinking.

Ah, Miracleman debacle with Gaiman?

Which is one of my whole problems with “fantasy/science fiction” – no doubt some of the stories are interesting, but my imagination isn’t so little that I can’t alter “reality” a bit and picture these ongoings within life as we know it. I don’t need little fuzzy footed midgets to make me thinking, “ahhhh, a whole different world – I’m safe now”. Or whatever. .

You're talking to a huge fantasy fan, brother (you are a guy, right?)... and here's my take. A little imagination is good for all the fiction you're reading, and a tilt in the perspective will give you all the 'fantasy/scifi' leanings you'd care to come up with. But that's only from one side (yours) and others may have a more interesting take in fantasy world.

I love fantasy not because I want more of the same 'midgets' in different settings, or I want to see current issues debated by long-eared bow-wielding elves hiding behind a veil of another time.

I find it refreshing to see new worlds and settings that I'm not familiar with, and the issues that they may face. Parallelism may be expected, but in a good story, that's not always the point.

And not all fantasy is about elves or dwarves or halflings!!!

Gottcha. Good luck with the connection.

Cheers!

Damn, and I was preparing to ship a 3 day old, soaked in the sun bean burrito to you. By verrrrrry slow delivery.

Lovely. Do I send you old curry to return the favour? Coz there's no way *one* smelly bean burrito will get you Spider-Man #1. You know that, right? At least 10 burritos, and don't bargain with me.

ds

p.s. I actually only have one issue of X-Men #1. Worth a lot. I hope.