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Post by Nutcase65 on Jun 8, 2007 8:41:46 GMT -5
I know we all talk about them on a one-by-one basis, but has anyone else noticed how completely over-run we are with all these blasted mini-series?
CW, WWh, Silent War(yawn), Onslaught reborn, Iron Man hypervolocity, Annihilitions continually spawning progeny, Silver Surfer requiem, illuminati,... and the list goes on.
I know there is a lot of negativity about the company and I try not to fall into it, but it is hard not to see all of this as just an attempt to grab more money (reference the thread on Marvel's sales) which as a buisiness is not a bad thing, unless your product turns into a mouldy pile of crap. As has happened with many of the mini-series. (Silent WAr springs readily to mind)
I find myself wishing they would just dedicate the amount of effort to maintaining their existing product lines that they are currently putting into to churning out all of the bird-cage lining that is coming out right now.
but what do I know.
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Post by Doctor Doom on Jun 8, 2007 8:49:06 GMT -5
But, ignoring the crossovers, think for a minute.
-Silent War has generally gotten positive acclaim and is actually following up on a very POTENTIALLY interesting topic which NEEDED to be followed up on.
-Omega Flight is a tester for an ongoing with a very dedicated fanbase.
-Requiem is a movie tie-in but also a beautiful mini which has been in the pipeline for some time.
-Annihilation is again appealing to a very select core of fans.
Remember, there are many fans who love characters- like the Annihilation ones, like Silent War- who cannot possibly sustqain an ongoing. A mini-series is all they can hope for. I'd be absolutely over the moon to get another Doom miniseries for example.
If they were all Spidey and Wolverine you'd have a point but Isay let 'em come out. They don't make much money and they only appeal to their core fans anyway, so just because they don't appeal to YOU doesn't mean they should stop making 'em.
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Post by von Bek on Jun 8, 2007 9:37:57 GMT -5
The minis are important to test the waters for less known characters (and groups). Or to resolve plot points that haven´t got enough space in the main series.
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Post by dlw66 on Jun 8, 2007 10:30:27 GMT -5
Do you feel that fans will not shell out the $12-15 bucks for a tpb? I guess part of the marketing strategy is that by releasing these series issue by issue, if a reader buys the first and/or second issue and then drops the series, at least the company has made $3-6 off him/her.
It would seem easier if, given for example all of the minis that led into Infinite Crisis, if they were just released as tpbs in the first place.
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Post by redstatecap on Jun 8, 2007 10:36:33 GMT -5
I think we should distinguish minis that serve a positive purpose as test-runs, from the crossover minis like CW, HoM, WWH, etc.
I think there is a place for minis about lesser-known characters -- Union Jack, for example.
On the other hand, I think Marvel is falling back into a 1990s mentality of writing "from crossover to crossover," and I don't think that's positive. They might be cashing in now, but they're going to wear the fans in a year or two. HoM stretched out to CW. Civil Ward stretched and bloated beyone belief until it extended almost to WWH. The strategy is obviously to get fans to buy books they wouldn't buy to keep up with the crossover, and to do this on a continuing basis. I think they're headed for trouble, but hey.
RSC
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Post by Doctor Doom on Jun 8, 2007 12:00:40 GMT -5
Have to point this out again. April 2005- November 2005: House of M (8 consecutive months) 5 month gap until crossover. Last 2 months: Crossover "Road to", 6 issues May 2006- February 2007- Civil War (10 consecutive months) 3 Month Gap Last Month: Crossover "Road to", 2 issues May 2007- October 2007- World War Hulk. (5 consecutive months) PRESUMABLY a rouglhy 6 month gap until 2008 event. Compare to DC: August 2004- December 2004: Identity Crisis 11 Month Gap BUT this is DOMINATED by "Road To" tie-ins with many, many, many tie-ins including at least 28 issues worth of direct "Road to" labelled series. December 2005- May 2006: Infinite Crisis May 2006- May 2007: 52 May 2007- May 2008: Countdown May 2008-  (Presumably November 2008) Final Crisis Basing their world on crossover to crossover? Marvel aren't the ones who are running what will turn out to be at least THREE YEARS NON STOP of crossovers, 2 years of worth will be 4 issues per month. Now if you don't want to consider 52 an event or even countdown then fine but even so, if marvel are moving from crossover to crossover more than DC then which company is the one literally counting down the weeks until the next one and tying everything into it? |
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Post by Nutcase65 on Jun 8, 2007 18:30:44 GMT -5
But, ignoring the crossovers, think for a minute. -Silent War has generally gotten positive acclaim and is actually following up on a very POTENTIALLY interesting topic which NEEDED to be followed up on. - -Annihilation is again appealing to a very select core of fans. [\quote] this is one of those places where I wouldn't mind seeing you site a source Doomsie. Where is Silent War getting acclaim? SW is one of the most all-around poorly constructed offerings I've seen in a while. Right up there with the end of Avengers Vol 1. On the SW thread I don't see a lot of activity and NO praise. Several times movies, books whatever receive acclaim but not from the usual fanbase. As for Annihilation even you, one of the more pro-Marvel posters didn't give it a rousing hurrah. I think it's a lot like what DLW says at least they can get their fingers into our pockets for a few extra dollars, but I would gladly give those dollars for better quality in other areas. I'm not saying they're all bad either, there are just sooooo many and coming one right after the other. |
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Post by Doctor Doom on Jun 9, 2007 5:52:32 GMT -5
Yeah but Nutty no-one forces you to get em all. There are (God knows why  ) hardcore Inhuman fans out there who want all the Inhuman they can get. Why should they NOT get the advancement of their favourite characters just because some people think there are too many mini-series? Same thing with fans of the Kree, the Skrull, Surfer etc. Why not? And I've seen a few isolated sites give SIlent War high, or at least middling reviews. It seems to have some good fan support as well judging by CBR. |
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Post by Nutcase65 on Jun 9, 2007 8:07:52 GMT -5
nope, nobody forces us to get them all. You are right.
But the continual focus they put toward shurning them out, constantly, takes away from the regular productions.
Look at it like this. If you have the misfortune to have a subscription, chances are you will have several times during the year where releases are delayed. Why? Keeping up with the minis. Just look at Cap.
I'm just saying if they concentrated as hard on the regular product line as they do on mini's the product would be better.
If you like all the minis then it's great for you. It still just seems like a marketing ploy that has the potential to damage them in the long run.
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Post by Doctor Doom on Jun 9, 2007 8:21:41 GMT -5
I disagree that it damages the main series. Especially when you consider- think of the minis you named. How many ongoings does David Hine write? Does Jeph Loeb write any outside Wolverine? JMS is only writing one title which is ongoing right now.
Do you really think there is signfiicent harm being done to their ongoings because they also write miniseries? Especially with JMS' Spidey being at one of it's peaks right now?
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Post by Nutcase65 on Jun 9, 2007 8:35:44 GMT -5
But think about what would happen if they took the payroll that they dedicate to the mini-series and dedicated it to ongoings,...
and you don't think it hurts the ongoing series when it takes sometimes 2 to 3 months to get from issue to issue? That's the point of a subscription, to get your monthly books monthly. not every other month and surelt not when the company is good and ready.
monthly, when they dont, that hurts their image. They can say it's so they can release quality stories or whatever all they want but it is really because so much effort is going into running the minis.
Another thing about all the minis is this.
Used to be minis and crossovers were a rarity. When one was on the way you really looked forward to it. It was going to mean something and add to the Marvel Universe.
Now they happen all the time. There hasn't been a point in a few years where some 'huge event' wasn't going on. By having them so often, they lose their power because 'familiarity breeds contempt'. I love chocolate chip cookies, but if that's all I eat for a month, my health will suffer and I won't like them as much at the end of the month. If Marvel keeps churning out' huge event' stories with no break to build up anticipation their product will suffer and the readers will get tired of them, or at least be un-impressed.
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Post by The Night Phantom on Jun 10, 2007 10:03:01 GMT -5
this is one of those places where I wouldn't mind seeing you site a source Doomsie. Where is Silent War getting acclaim? might be too strong a word in this case, but in one of your own threads I said some nice things about Silent War. |
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Post by Nutcase65 on Jun 10, 2007 17:36:15 GMT -5
yes,.. and I still love you anyway,... I figure even the Phantom can have moments of weakness  |
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Post by Alchemist-X on Jun 11, 2007 17:33:42 GMT -5
as far as crossovers go, Marvel isn't as big a drain as DC, i mean DC has over 100 straight weeks of continuous crossover.
The good thing about crossovers today is that they feel so much more contained to the book your reading and the main crossover mini. No more geting issues of titles you don't read just to see how an issue of Spider-man ends.
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(Presumably November 2008) Final Crisis
) hardcore Inhuman fans out there who want all the Inhuman they can get. Why should they NOT get the advancement of their favourite characters just because some people think there are too many mini-series? Same thing with fans of the Kree, the Skrull, Surfer etc. Why not? 
