FABLES: LEGENDS IN EXILE TPB

Where else does this attitude extend? Take trade paperbacks. Marvel have taken to collecting books almost before they're finished. Anything, everything, slap it on the schedule, see if it bites, if it doesn't pull it off, change the order, reduce the pages, whatever it takes to get the damn things on the shelves. DC still haven't finished collecting Hitman, Transmetropolitan or Authority. They're slower, believing the market needs to pause between initial serialisation and eventual collection. Give the retailers time to sell the originals before the collections, give readers reason to buy the originals by postponing the eventual collection. Buy now, or wait two years.

Marvel have the momentum, DC don't. And there have been unexpected side-effects. Traditional wisdom has it that collecting recent books in trade paperbacks damages the 'market value' of the books it collects. That only if, say, Sandman trades weren't available, the books would go for so much more. Maybe that used to be true, but it seems that there are certain people who are made aware of a comic by the trade paperback, and then have to go back and get the original issues. In some cases the trade seems to be making the original books collectible by implying that they must be desirable if they're worthy of a trade paperback.

It used to be the case that people described themselves as Marvel or DC customers. Crossing over was limited, it was like a Catholic girl been seen out with a Protestant boy on the streets of Belfast. Tongues wagged and you might lose a kneecap. Events like Watchmen, Dark Knight and Man Of Steel helped blur that, as did the almighty power of X-Men, but it took the breakaway Image Comics to smash the 'zombie' system and allow people to see that, actually, they could buy comics from another publisher, and no they wouldn't be condemned for ever more. The channel was crossed, the tunnels had been dug, suddenly there was a lot more to play for, and lose. And when the market came crashing down, it was all up for grabs.

TRANSFORMERS: GENERATION ONE VOLUME 1 TPB

But now, the companies are defining themselves distinctly in the marketplace. You go to Marvel for this, DC for that, let Avatar, Image, Dreamwave's Transformers, CrossGen, Fantagraphics, Dark Horse feed on what's left behind. CrossGen, expert now at finding a totally distinct audience may well rise up to challenge Marvel and DC, but it will be ignored. After all, why would New Marvel Zombies or Old DC Devotees want to look elsewhere? And so the Cold War Of Comics begins anew. Not necessarily a bad thing, it will generate some interesting comics no doubt. But it can be frustrating for creators, retailers and readers alike.

Rich Johnston writes the comics internet gossip column Lying In The Gutters and is currently working on a new comic book for publication.

Pages: 1 | 2

The Waiting For Tommy Archive

WFT Edition on October 13, 2004 WFT Edition on July 30, 2004 WFT Edition on June 23, 2004 WFT Edition on June 16, 2004 WFT Edition on June 9, 2004 WFT Edition on May 26, 2004 WFT Edition on May 5, 2004 WFT Edition on April 6, 2004 WFT Edition on March 31, 2004 WFT Edition on March 17, 2004 WFT Edition on March 10, 2004 WFT Edition on March 3, 2004 WFT Edition on February 25, 2004 WFT Edition on February 19, 2004 WFT Edition on February 12, 2004 WFT Edition on February 5, 2004 WFT Edition on January 28, 2004 WFT Edition on January 21, 2004 WFT Edition on January 14, 2004 WFT Edition on December 31, 2003 WFT Edition on December 24, 2003 WFT Edition on December 17, 2003 WFT Edition on December 10, 2003 WFT Edition on December 3, 2003 WFT Edition on November 26, 2003 WFT Edition on November 19, 2003 WFT Edition on November 12, 2003 WFT Edition on November 5, 2003 WFT Edition on October 30, 2003 WFT Edition on October 23, 2003 WFT Edition on October 16, 2003 WFT Edition on September 17, 2003 WFT Edition on September 3, 2003 WFT Edition on August 27, 2003 WFT Edition on August 20, 2003 WFT Edition on August 13, 2003 WFT Edition on August 6, 2003 WFT Edition on July 31, 2003 WFT Edition on July 24, 2003 WFT Edition on July 17, 2003 WFT Edition on July 10, 2003 WFT Edition on July 2, 2003 WFT Edition on June 25, 2003 WFT Edition on June 18, 2003 WFT Edition on June 11, 2003 WFT Edition on June 4, 2003 WFT Edition on May 28, 2003 WFT Edition on May 21, 2003 WFT Edition on May 14, 2003 WFT Edition on May 7, 2003 WFT Edition on April 30, 2003 WFT Edition on April 23, 2003 WFT Edition on April 9, 2003 WFT Edition on April 3, 2003 WFT Edition on March 26, 2003 WFT Edition on March 19, 2003 WFT Edition on March 12, 2003 WFT Edition on March 5, 2003 WFT Edition on February 26, 2003 WFT Edition on February 19, 2003 WFT Edition on February 12, 2003 WFT Edition on February 5, 2003 WFT Edition on January 29, 2003 WFT Edition on January 22, 2003 WFT Edition on January 15, 2003 WFT Edition on January 8, 2003 WFT Edition on January 1, 2003 WFT Edition on December 25, 2002 WFT Edition on December 17, 2002 WFT Edition on December 11, 2002 WFT Edition on December 4, 2002 WFT Edition on November 20, 2002 WFT Edition on November 13, 2002 WFT Edition on November 6, 2002 WFT Edition on October 30, 2002 WFT Edition on October 23, 2002 WFT Edition on October 16, 2002 WFT Edition on October 9, 2002 WFT Edition on October 2, 2002 WFT Edition on September 25 , 2002 WFT Edition on September 18 , 2002 WFT Edition on September 11 , 2002 WFT Edition on August 30, 2002 WFT Edition on August 23, 2002 WFT Edition on August 17, 2002

OTHER NEWS
ON THIS DATE 5 YEARS AGO...