dadaluholla

Well I almost forgot to start a new thread since our "winter" edition has technically come to a close. I barely find the time to read these days, and I'm not really buying much either. From the lack of discussion going on in the forum I'd say I'm not alone?

Giantrobo

Some days I check this forum and I think everyone has stopped reading comics.

I still buy but I'm waaay behind and I have stacks of unread stuff. I keep telling myself I'm going to download official "checklists" for stuff like Batman RIP and Final Crisis so I can go through my stacks and get back on track but I haven't done it yet.

fujishig

I've pretty much lost interest in most of the current age superhero titles, but that's not new. I just wish DC editorial would get it's head on straight, it seems like they have all these cool ideas, but execution and cohesiveness is lacking.

I thought I would drop JSA after Johns left, but I see that Ordway has helped co-write the last issue, and as I really really enjoyed his Power of Shazam! series, I'll stick around. What worries me is... wasn't he the artist that took over at the end of the last JSA run, with that throwaway story? And WTH happened to Mary Marvel? Did that happen in final crisis? At least it looks like they're reversing that.

I was close to dropping Teen Titans, but I actually liked the Kid Eternity issue, and they look to be finalizing on a team. I did hate how they made it seem like the formation of the Teen Titans with Superboy, Robin, Wondergirl, etc. helped turned them into a family, completely ignoring that they were already close in Young Justice. Oh well.

Now I'm close to dropping JLA. I like the Milestone Universe, but this made no sense, and I'm sure it'll continue in some miniseries I won't collect.

I did like the Darkest Night Omens and Origin stories... a cool little bonus, and a peek into the future of each title.

The great thing is that there are a lot of great series that I either haven't read at all, or haven't read in a while. Starman Omnibus has been a great re-read. I had time recently to re-read Morrison's Seven Soldiers of Victory,and they made a little more sense when read back-to-back, though the ending still doesn't make sense to me. Finally started picking up Walking Dead, though I assume I'll be in for a long drought after I pick up the fourth HC. Read the Agents of Atlas miniseries, which I didn't know was a few years old now. Going through 100 Bullets from the beginning, and debating whether to start the Invisibles or just wait until they inevitably re-release them. Also looking into getting the library edition Hellboy collections. Just ordered Sandman Absolute, my first Absolute (though I've read through Sandman before). The bad part about reading old stuff is that I have to really dig to find other people's opinions of issues I just read, and there's not really any active discussions that won't result in spoilers of stuff I haven't caught up on yet.

Patman

DC is doing me a big favor by ripping Superman out of 2 of his titles (I'll just buy the Superman-less issues in the $1 bins in 6 months from now), and this probably means I'm almost done with Supergirl as well as I was buying it mainly to follow the current New Krypton storyline, but I may stick around for the "Who is Superwoman" storyline to wrap up. The same with the 2 Batman books, I don't give a crap about the Battle for the Cowl crossover mess. I'm almost close to dropping Wonder Woman, even with Gail Simone writing the book, and it mainly because there is no good hook in the book with WW as the main character, she is still just not written in an interesting manner, no juicy character development banter in this title. JLA will be dropped when the new line-up shows up.

But that being said, I will pick up Flash, and may start picking up Green Lantern on a monthly basis (I tended to just pick them up in the $1 bins at the local comic conventions that occur on a quarterly basis). I'll try Adventure Comics (LSH) and see if I like it.

I'll probably drop Fantastic Four once Millar/Hitch are done with their run. The same for Hulk. Still getting Iron Man, not sure if I'll continue with Wolverine after the Old Man Logan storyline is done in a month or so. There might be another few Marvel titles I'll be cutting, but I'm picking up Agents of Atlas. I'll stick with Captain America for a while longer, and will check out the new Brubaker/Eptin Marvels project.

Terry Moore's Echo is probably on the chopping block for me, not enough story for the $3.50 cover price. Perhaps another $1 bin title I peruse later to catch-up.

Wow, I'm just plowing through my "pull" list in a negative light. Perhaps some of it is the economy, but I think it's mostly the enjoyment level is waning on many of these titles for me.

slop101

FWIW, I've dropped all $3.99 books that are under 24 pages of story/art.

FantasticVSDoom

Well for DC Im down to Green Latern and Green Latern Corps and will pick up the Flash when Johns starts... Marvel is Fantastic Four (will drop when Millar is done), Inv. Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Uncanny, and Iron Fist. Basically just a Johns, Brubaker (still can't get into Daredevil though), and Fraction fan, with Thor and Iron Fist just being fun titles.

Patman

That reminds me, I'm going to drop Angel since it's a $3.99 title (but it's always been, and I think it's time to take a stand, plus I figure I'll buy it for $1 later on if my interest in the title still exists for it later).

I'm not buying any of the regular $3.99 titles. Screw that noise.

slop101

Not to turn this into a Marvel pricing rant thread (too lazy to search ), but there was absolutely no reason for them to increase prices, as they just posted a 38% profit margin for 2008.

On sales of 124.4 million Marvel made a net profit of 47.3 million, giving them a 37.8 percent profit margin. This profit margin is much higher than anything you will see in other industries. 10% is considered very good in most industries. To give you an idea, "big oil's" profit margins are 9-13%.

They were also one of the 3 stocks that "Blew the Market Away". "To put things in perspective, the average profit margin for corporate America over last 25 years was approximately 8.3%, 200 basis points less than today's average."

Which pretty much means that there was no need for them to try and raise profits from a cost angle, just a desire soak the customers as much as possible.

Fuckers.

fujishig

Not that I want to defend Marvel, but that wasn't the comics division, right? That included Marvel Studios, because of Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk movies. I doubt their comics division is posting that large of a profit margin.

slop101

No, I was talking about the publishing, which is their comics

If you look at the chart in the yahoo article, you'll see 3 sections: "film production" (movies like Iron Man), "licensing" (action figures, underwear, etc.) and "publishing" (comics, trades).

fujishig

Ah, I see... still, if we're talking pure numbers, it's down from 2007, a 42.6 profit margin. As I collect Marvel in trades, I have no idea what the big event was in 2007... was that Civil War?

slop101

I think it was the 2nd half of CW and the 1st half of WWHulk.

ytrez

The comics line probably lost money. The article states: "The revenue and net income growth principally reflects the contribution from Marvel Studios which released its first two feature films, Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk..."

Is Marvel's pricing different than DC's? If not, I don't begrudge them a thing. Good for them. If they can pull off 38% profits in this economy, and you enjoy Marvel's comics, then this assures that they'll continue to release their products. In an environment where businesses are folding left and right I'm happy that a publisher is doing well.

ivelostr2

I've stopped with monthlies all together too, I have been picking up the occasional clearance book at my LCBS, but since i have realized how cheap the trades can be had online, that has killed my drive to buy monthlies...I ended up getting the Batman RIP deluxe edition HC for 16.50 from Amazon, I dont need to buy sleeves or backing boards or long boxes to put it in, and if I hate it, I would atleast be able to get $10 out of it on ebay. Often i wait until the storyline was done to read them, so why not just pickup the trade? so for $16.50 I had the hardback trade on my bookshelf instead of having 8 floppies ($24) with 8 boards and sleeves ($1.60 if bought individually at time of purchase) in a box that would end up buried in storage with the rest of my books.

davidh777

I really enjoyed this:

Showcase Presents Brave and the Bold Vol. 3


I used to subscribe as a kid. I knew I liked the Aparo art, but I'd forgotten how funky some of the stories were, like Batman meeting Kamandi, and to me Mr. Miracle was just another costumed hero, not part of the New Gods universe.

fujishig

The kid-you would probably love the currently-running Batman The Brave and the Bold cartoon. There are DC characters just thrown in there with little to no introduction. Each episode also starts off with a five minute, self-contained mini-episode, usually the conclusion of an adventure we never really get to see the rest of, but featuring different guest stars. Not only Kamandi, but Jonah Hex, Deadman, Bronze Tiger, Blue Beetle (all three), Plastic Man, Elongated Man, Green Arrow (pre beard) and Speedy, the Demon, Guy Gardner, the Green Lantern Corp, Owlman from the alternate universe Crime Syndicate, Red Tornado, Aquaman, the Asian Atom, etc... maybe not exactly like their comic book counterparts, but close enough.

Bronkster

I had planned on picking up Avengers - Reunion (or THE Reunion? meh) but saw the $3.99 price and passed on it. It's difficult for me to not grab things like that, but 1) there's just been too many mini-series that really don't need to be, and 2) the economy is suck (raise your hand if you didn't see that one coming). If/when regular titles I collect make that price jump, it will most likely end my collecting current issues. Just think of the money I'll save towards Action #1! w00t

davidh777

Yeah, I've been reading the B&B TV thread and salivating but have never gotten around to programming the DVR.

fujishig

Still going through the trades I got at the beginning of the month...

I have to say, Avengers: the Initiative has been a pleasant surprise to me. The 3rd volume, happening during the Skrull Invasion, focuses on Triathalon/3-D Man and the skrull Kill Krew, and it was the most enjoyable out of the Avengers titles I picked up. Art is decent, and I think I just love having tons of superheroes, and focusing on a few at a time. I'm not sure how the book will change with the changes to the Initiative, but we'll see.

rider555

I am picking up Jack Shit....$2.99 is bad enough but $3.99?!!!WTF?!

Marvel :badmonkey:

rider555

I am picking up Jack Shit....$2.99 is bad enough but $3.99?!!!WTF?!

Marvel

ivelostr2

I read Batman Rip last week...I actually thought it was a mess, I guess there had to have been stuff going on parallel to the story in NIghtwing and Robin that would have helped, but overall...meh.
I just started the Bendis Daredevil Omnibus, a few books in, I really like it. The artwork is crazy though, it seems to be taking forever to read because I an trying to absorb the stuff going on in the side panels and all the weirdness, really like it though...

davidh777

And a large part of this thread is people dropping stuff because of the price

fujishig

I know participation in this thread is pretty low... but did anyone collect DC's Trinity as it was coming out? The first trade is up for solicitation and I'm wondering whether to pick it up. I liked 52 (enough to actually pick it up weekly instead of waiting) but Countdown fell flat for me.

Boondock Saint

I am collecting it, yeah. Although I've only read up until issue 16. I like it so far. It's no 52 but it's better than Countdown.