I have a few things I'd like to rant about if people will entertain my thoughts...

1. Who is buying/reading/collecting comics besides me? What titles do you like right now?

2. The Slow Death and Immense Decay of Comics as we have come to know them...

3. I love comics as a creator and a reader and a collector. I hope something is done to promote the industry better and to make comics more accessible to the average Joe.

Hi,

Great post.  I agree with your take on the comic industry: peaked in the late 80s, early 90s and has been decreasing ever since...

1) - I'd recommend ANYTHING by Geoff Johns.  IMHO, the guy is one of the best writers out there.  He currently writes JSA, HAwkman, and The Flash for DC and his Avengers run at Marvel was great!  

The guy knows and loves the Silver age feel and tries to bring the Silver Age story-telling into the books (not always the characters, but the sense of story first, hype second).

2) Marvel did mess things up.  Thanks again McFarlane Spidey (the beginning of the end!)  


3) - I think that DC tries harder thatn Marvel to recruit new readers.  They have a whole line of Cartoon Network comics as well as the "Animated" style books for the Teen Titans, JLA, Superman, and Batman.

A few years back, I wouldn't have wanted my 6-yr old and 8-yr old nephews reading comics because the content was a bit too mature, but DC's line of JL Universe and Animated Batman adventures are great for kids (which are tomorrows comics generation).  My wife and I bought my nephews subscriptions to those "animated" style books and they love them!  There is hope out there.

Also, DC does a much better marketing tie-in with comics because of the cross breeding with the WB/AOL/Time-Warner.  They can use the WB cartoons and cartoon network to advertise their comics.  I have noticed that in WB stores, there are DC comics as well as mentions of big DC Comic stories in Time/Warner magazines like Entertainment Weekly.

I think they are improving in getting comics back out there into stores like B&N, Target, and other places.


Marvel, however, yeesh.  Ugh.  Marvel needs to focus more on hyping comics when movies are hot.  I can't believe that Spiderman the Movie made $400 million, but sales on the books only went up 2%?  Huh?  Why aren't the kids buying the books?

I really think Marvel needs to stop with the "Marvel Max" and "Marvel Knights" crap and start producing books that are appropriate for kids.  Kids need a book where Spider-man fights Electro and not discusses his marraige with MJ or other "adult" junk.  I wish Marvel would introduce a more "cartoony" line for kids.

Ultimates was a way to re-boot the Marvel universe for new readers, but eventually lead to the same crappy places: love-triangle with Cyke/Jean/Logan, etc.  They focus too much on character relationships for kids I think.

Back in my day, (uh oh, here it comes) Barry liked Iris, Hal liked Carol, Clark liked Lois, etc. Buth the girl always like the alter-ego.  That way you didn't have to deal with the whole Superman and Lois might get divorced crap.

Anyway, Just my $0.02,
Jeff
 

First, let me say I LOVE the Targets that have the new type of scanners lol

I scored the Figure w/Cup wave 1 Obi-Wan and Maul at the Stillwater / Oak Park Target here in MN today.  There were none on the shelves, but a quick check of the DPCI # 087-06-0937 on the handy new scanners and I saw they were in stock in the backroom!  

I found a helpful shelf-stocker gal and she had a case pulled from the back for me.  The case pack was 2x Obi-Wan and 2x Darth Maul (4 total per case).

Some thoughts:

- $10 is a little steep for what you get, but I love the packaging and the concept.  I love the look of the glasses, the little bio of the characters on them.  Once I saw them in person, I decided I had to have them.

- Obi-Wan has the PotJ Obi-Wan with an Ep1 Obi Saber.  Still has the little hole in his belt, but nothing to stick in it.

- Maul = pretty much the same figure as the Episode 1 version.  Slight coloration change on the face tatoo, but that may just be my sample.

- The back of the packaging still shows the "removable helmet" Hoth Pilot Luke figure.  I guess this is one time where the "Product and Colors may vary" disclaimer actually applies

-Overall:
A- for the cups.  Woulda been an A if they were glass, not plastic.
C+ for the figures.  While re-hashes, at least they are good versions of the characters.  PotF2 Obi-Wan woulda sucked (like Luke probably will).

Jeff

Hi Guys,

I just got an e-mail from New Force that said they are expecting both the Jabba's Palace wave AND the Yavin 4 wave cases in this week.

If you've got a pre-order in for these cases keep an eye out for your ship notice later this week...

Jeff

Let’s have the speculation end. Thanks to you know who for pointing this thread out.

Thanks for clearing that up.  I guess I was just mis-understood on the whole thing (after hearing so many net-rumors I didn't really know what to believe).  I feel a little better hearing the truth of the matter for once and for all.

CSW.com was a lot of fun and I was a bit saddened when it merged with scum.  The forums have never seemed quite the same after that...  gh.com is great though.  You have a crack team over there and gh.com and jd.com are my two preferred sites for "getting it on" in the world of SW toys!

Jeff

Inver Grove Heights, MN

Mostly we were a wrestling power-house while I was in High School, but lately we've improved in boys baseball, hockey, and girls hockey.

My little bro plays for the IGH travel team/JV right now.

Jeff

Stormtrooper is replacing Han Solo in the ROTJ assortment.

Ugh.

At first I was disappointed that the Stormtrooper wasn't included, but then I was relieved that Stormtrooper wasn't in there because if he were I'd want to Army Build him.

Now, he's in.  It's probably the world's greatest Stormie and he'll be limited to find and $10 a pop.

I'll still want as many as I can find though...

Jeff

Do note this all comes with a major heaping of sour grapes.  Being from Winnipeg where we averaged a meagre 12,500 fans per game (by the way that's butts in the seats, not tickets given away ) it's really annoying to tune into what should be a really good game in Carolina or LA and see 60%+ of the seats sitting empty on a Saturday night.  

It is kinda sad to think that 12,500 fans in Winnipeg wasn't enough to make money, but 6400 in Tampa is?  Huh?  The dollar isn't THAT strong.

Unless some serious negotiations start in June the only Hockey I'll have next fall will be the World Cup of Hockey matches... and College Hockey... and High School Hockey... hmmm.  Maybe it won't be so bad after all.

Jeff


ps
Better luck next year boys.  
Wild bright spots for 03-04=
Daigle's return to the NHL and Rolie's All-Star gig!