| Posted: 11 Dec 2009 12:59 |
|
|
Registered User
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 322
Join Date: Jun 2007
|
|
I just went to PREVIEWS page for shipping updates (http://previewsworld.com/public/default.asp?t=2&m=1&c=6&s=451 ) and guess what, #6 has been bumped from Jan.6 2010 to Jan. 27 2010. I hope Bryan Hitch NEVER gets assigned as permanent artist for Cap. We'd see the book coming out as a quartly (4 times a year) like they did with some comics back in the 1940's.
|
| Posted: 11 Dec 2009 19:56 |
|
|
|
Registered User
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 788
Join Date: Sep 2008
|
The funny thing is, CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS in the 1940s started as a monthly, which was unusual.
If a book is WAY late like Kevin Smith on that Black Cat/Spider-man title a few years back (a few years late) or delayed because the artist is off doing their movie stuff (Chris Weston on THE TWELVE), I tend to get annoyed. But if it is a couple months late with a top notch artist, I rather wait than get a fill-in artist. I'll wait for quality. There's just too many other things in life to get one's ire worked up about. Years later, I'll still enjoy the art in a nice collection on my book shelf and not even think about the delays. It's like getting sick on vacation. I'll remember the fun memories years later and not the cold I got.
That said, it seems like other titles can't wait and are coming out with sneak peaks and teases about the results of REBORN. Marvel Editorial should know that Hitch can be slow and should allow enough lead time. And Marvel is only shooting themselves in the foot by denying themselves the revenue of a Cap book that month.
__________________
|
| Posted: 11 Dec 2009 23:10 |
|
|
Administrator
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 1989
Join Date: Jul 2006
|
I think they should hire good artists that get the work done on time or that have time to do it. There's a million starving artists out there just dying to work for Marvel, but instead they wait for one guy probably too busy to get anything done.
__________________
|
| Posted: 12 Dec 2009 01:58 |
|
|
|
Registered User
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 788
Join Date: Sep 2008
|
Do any of you read NOVA or GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY? Those are two of Marvel's BEST books right now do to the writing talents of Abnett and Lanning. But the Guardians artist has been a revolving door and Nova has had a similar pattern but they seem to have settled on this one Italian artist who is mediocre as best. But the strength of those books is the writing and yet these books are not top sellers. They are on time. Even books like AGENTS OF ATLAS were tag-teaming with two artists and sometimes coming out with two issues a month.
And yet, get an Alex Ross, Adam Hughes, or Bryan Hitch and the book is something special and sells more. The higher caliber art comes at a price in that many times it takes longer than a month to produce. About the only top tier guy that can do monthly sequentials is Alan Davis. Everyone else needs more lead time or is only on covers.
Yup, there are a million starving artists! But, if you are Marvel, would you rather pull in the revenue on 18,000 books with an unknown starving artist or 180,000 on a Marvel Civil War event with a top artist that might be late?
Also, today's comic fan is expecting a little something more, especially for $3.99. Herb Trimpe, Vince Colletta, and Al Milgrom could hit their deadlines back in their day but their simple style just won't sell now. Ask today's fans if they rather have a mediocre, but on time, Captain America with Gruenwald and Ron Lim or maybe something a few weeks late with Millar and Hitch and most will want the later.
__________________
|
| Posted: 12 Dec 2009 02:18 |
|
|
|
Registered User
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 247
Join Date: Jan 2008
|
I have a subscription to Marvel and have not had a single issue delivered in MONTHS! I am waiting for an email about my subscription. My comic store carries a very very limited supply so if I get tied with things, I could miss an issue. So I do rely on my subscription.
Estsanatlehi
|
| Posted: 12 Dec 2009 02:37 |
|
|
Registered User
|
Posts: 860
Join Date: Sep 2007
|
Estsanatlehi-
If you recieved issue #601 (Gene Colan issue), then you haven't missed a thing.
The "Captain America" comic book has been put on hold until after "Reborn" is done. (Or until MOST of "REBORN" is done, LOL!)
I too am a subscriber, and haven't received anything.
Even if you went to a comic shop, no new Cap comics have come in...yet. (Except Reborn, and Theater or War issues).
|
| Posted: 12 Dec 2009 02:51 |
|
|
|
Registered User
|
Posts: 860
Join Date: Sep 2007
|
I gotta agree with Atomic99 on his opinion of a quality artist.
I hate the wait, but I'll do it if it's for the sake of it being done right.
As a month to month, issue to issue reader you REALLY feel the wait though. 
However if you are a TPB reader, then you get the story all at once in the end with quality writing & art to boot.
Of course I hate that they are always late.
Marvel should be on the ball about this by now.
This is one of the biggest stories of the year!
C'mon guys! 
But yeah, I guess I would wait a little longer to have Hitch do it then some ham & egger everyday Joe.
Waiting sucks, but in the end....it should all be worth it.
|
| Posted: 12 Dec 2009 06:44 |
|
|
|
Registered User
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 788
Join Date: Sep 2008
|
A good example is The Adventures of Captain America. They had a fill-in artist of lesser quality do that last issue or two when Kevin MaGuire could not finish it. I thought that really lessened the series.
But it should be on editorial. They know Hitch can be slow (although he did well on Fantastic Four). They should have allowed enough time.
Is this Hitch's first time working with Brubaker? They might have realized, with Hitch's big cinematic panels and as slow as Bru's story can get, that they realized they couldn't fit it all into 5 issues. In an ideal world, they'd have it all in the can before soliciting but Marvel and DC are such comic machines that I'm sure the PR push had to kick in at a certain point, whether they are finished or not.
It is tough making all the trains run on time and in sync with the rest of the comic universe. But they should be better. More and more, we're getting away from the monthly comic and more conditioned for the trade.
__________________
|
| Posted: 12 Dec 2009 11:51 Last Edited By: PS Schmucker |
|
|
|
Registered User
|
Posts: 860
Join Date: Sep 2007
|
Anyone read the Infinity Gauntlet from back around 1991 by Jim Starlin & George Perez?
It starred like the entire Marvel Universe against Thanos, it was big at the time.
Well it was a 6 issue series, and for what ever reason Perez was replaced by Ron Lim to finish off the last 2 issues 5-6.
I got nothing against Ron Lim, I think he's alright.
Let's just say though... it was noticable when George Perez was replaced.
Ron Lim is a decent artist, but George Perez is legendary and at his best when doing a large roster of heroes in one book.
I guess the "feel" of the story wasn't exactly the same for me.
It shouldn't have mattered I guess because the writer did a great job, but yeah I still noticed a downgrade when the artist was changed on the last 2 issues.
|
| Posted: 12 Dec 2009 13:20 |
|
|
|
Registered User
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 757
Join Date: Aug 2006
|
Yeah, I read Infinity Gauntlet. DC offered Perez oodles of money for some event series they were doing that Perez couldn't pass up, and Ron Lim was called in to replace him.
IG was Perez's and Jim Starlin's return to Marvel comics and their plan to ressurrect Adam Warlock and Thanos. Apparently the fans loved Lim's work and IG continued as Infinity War and Infinity Crusade. I should've stopped buying that series after Gauntlet.
|
| Posted: 12 Dec 2009 18:00 |
|
|
|
Administrator
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 1989
Join Date: Jul 2006
|
|
Quote:
I hate the wait, but I'll do it if it's for the sake of it being done right. True, but I have seen some amazing things from artists on the web that suggests to me there are a lot of artists out there that could be famous and bring in the sales if given a chance. Artists that dont' have so much on their plate.
That's the American dream. Some unknown works hard all his life hones his skill and one day gets his shot at glory. That kind of thing is what makes America great.
__________________
|
| Posted: 12 Dec 2009 19:55 |
|
|
|
Registered User
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 788
Join Date: Sep 2008
|
Sure and I think the comics industry is very welcoming to new talents and voices to give them something fresh and new. But, what you aren't seeing with all these amazing artists on the web is if they can make their deadline. Many of them need to prove they can make those deadlines, work with a writer and editor, and do their sequentials in the trenches (i.e.-independent books) before Marvel and DC will take a chance on them. The Big Two look at the indy books as a training ground for the big show with them. They'll eventually give these guys a shot but with smaller assignments first. Not many jump from obscurity to event book.
__________________
|
| Posted: 23 Dec 2009 09:41 |
|
|
|
Registered User
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 788
Join Date: Sep 2008
|
The guys over at the SiDEBAR podcast (they interview comic book artists and illustrators) talked to Bryan Hitch recently and just posted their interview. The guys were nice enough to ask some questions from me (yes, I'm the Ralph guy mentioned!) and there is some REBORN talk.
One of the things mentioned half way through the show is that Hitch lost his Mom right before starting the series and that made him get a later start on the series than expected. As someone who also lost their Mom this year, I know how crippling it can be working through that grief. It really can keep you from getting any work done.
Sure, there are those artists that procrastinate. And it would be nice to have it all done before soliciting. But we sometimes forget they are human too with families & illnesses. I know recently that some fans were critical of the Kubert boys's lack of work at DC until it was revealed they were taking care of their dying mother before her passing. Just something to keep in mind, I guess, when we think about lateness.
Give it a listen:
http://cdn3.libsyn.com/sidebar/SiDEBAR_Ep_117.mp3?nvb=20091223072 ...
__________________
|
| Posted: 23 Dec 2009 11:56 |
|
|
|
Registered User
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 322
Join Date: Jun 2007
|
|
I'm really sorry to hear of the tragedy that came into Bryan Hitch's life with the loss of his mother. It's a tough thing for anyone to work through.The thing that still mystifies me though is that in an interview befor the series started, Ed Brubaker stated that by having Butch Guice on board as the inker he said that if necessary Guice could also be utilized as artist to pick up any slack so the series could still be released like clockwork. As bad as it may sound Marvel is still in the business of releasing books. But at the same time Hitch could have worked as much or as little as he wanted while still taking the time needed to mourn. I think it would be a nice thing if at the end of the series they make mention somewhere (maybe on the opening page) of what Bryan had to deal with.
|
| Posted: 23 Dec 2009 16:45 |
|
|
|
Registered User
Currently Offline
|
Posts: 788
Join Date: Sep 2008
|
The Kubert boys weren't public about their Mom either. Everyone is different and everyone grieves differently. As much as us fans like to know everything behind the scenes and maybe even with some fans feeling they even have a right to know, many people choose to deal with something like this as a very private matter. I know I tended to keep my Mom's battle and death to just the closest family and friends and didn't feel right airing it publicly while I've seen other friends that do and ask for public support and prayers.
But I hear you, JBB. It is a touchy thing but it really is up to the editors to then step in and find alternate ways to finish the work. Perhaps Hitch THOUGHT he could but then couldn't? I'm not sure how passive or aggressive the editors are with top talent?
I still think that Marvel and DC are such comic machines and some of these events are so time-sensitive that they still don't leave enough lead time. For instance, the solicits for the New Ultimates came out for March 2010 recently with Loeb and Frank Cho doing the work. But if you visit Cho's blog, he's still drawing the series and posting his sketches along with other work.
I also think many of these guys probably say "Yes" to too many jobs and can't handle all of the load (Jim Lee, perhaps?) because the thinking is if they say "No" too many times, editors stop calling and the work dries up. This happens to freelancers all the time since there is no regular hourly check every two weeks. It is very much a vagabond lifestyle of doing the work but looking ahead and worrying about the next job to pay the rent.
__________________
|
|
|
