Marvel Universe

[anarky]

And, yet, that's what they're expecting new readers to do--get confused because Fury's a white guy. I did know a lot of people in '89 who got confused that the Joker was alive in the comics. But that was almost 25 years and tons of medium-to-medium adaptations across the board ago. By this point, anyone who still expects that seeing something in one medium means it has to be the same in another medium has been living in a cave. And, besides, white Fury has 60+ years of history. Even someone who can't simply roll with it should be easily able to find that he's always been white.

A lapsed reader isn't exactly the same. They're seeing an adaptation, coming back to something they knew, and finding it unfamiliar. Some will roll with it without question or look up why he's different. Others will assume that the entire title must've been rebooted to further jive with the movies (an even bigger danger in the wake of the Nu 52). And some will, like vyn said, see it as a marketing stunt.

Thing is, Marvel and DC both do such a shitty job at getting new and lapsed readers to pick up anything that they can't stand to lose anyone. A new reader may or may not stick with it. A lapsed reader more likely will if whatever chased him away isn't an issue.

Rollo, sadly, you're the most correct of all of us. There are no new readers. There should be, and any idiot who dropped out of kindergarten after failing it for the seventeenth time could come up with better strategies than either Marvel or DC could.

[Diabolical]

I guess we'll have to disagree on this issue.
I was 11 when Batman came out and started reading Batman comics. I wasn't confused between the two mediums. The only thing that confused me was a dead Robin named Jason and that confusion was rectified pretty quickly (pre-internet). And I was considered a new reader, having only read a handfull of comics previously, most of which were Star Wars.

On a related note...
Remember a handfull of years ago when they'd give out comics or toys during the first showing if a sci-fi/comic movie? Something like that should be done again for entire opening weekends to get people back into comics. Half the book is a catch up/synopsis and the other half is a new short story. Maybe have local comic shops sponsor the books ala FCBD to pick up a fraction of the cost which doubles as advertising and promotion.
Not a perfect solution, but it could be a start.

[anarky]

I didn't say I was confused. And I didn't say the people who were confused weren't idiots. But there were a lot of confused people. It wasn't just in comics; I had folks who knew I was a comic geek ask how the hell the Joker and Penguin were alive in TAS.

[RoIIo Tomassi]

I don't think the issue is whether "new readers" or old readers are idiots.
It's what Disney and Marvel ASSUME about new/lapsed/old readers and how to market to all of them. And all of that is decided by focus groups and test markets. Forgetting the most basic principle; tell intersting stories and the rest will take care of itself.

But one thing is clear, mega blockbuster movies DO NOT translate into droves of new readers. Most people have a nostalgic recollection of spinner racks in drugstores and 25 cent comics. Walking into a modern Comic Store and seeing $5 comics is NOT an incentive for them to come back. And charging $5 for a digital copy is so goddamn stupid I want to yank my teeth out.

At least they're making slight headway in that dept. by offering FREE DIGITAL copies when you buy the floppie. It's something at least.

[anarky]

It boggles my mind how much stake big corporations put into marketing research. Having done enough surveys, and being married to someone who gave surveys throughout her college career, it's all crap. You either say what you think they want to hear, or you get sick of their stupid questions ("If Wells Fargo was a person, and you were go on a date with them, which of the following movies would you watch?"--that's not a BS question, BTW) and throw out whatever answer.

Comic books (or movies, or anything else like that) shouldn't be made this way. The creators should focus on making a good story. A good story might not be a blockbuster, but it will sell itself through word of mouth. Eastman and Laird didn't do marketing research; they just made the comic they wanted to read. And now they're both richer than God.

[Diabolical]

But one thing is clear, mega blockbuster movies DO NOT translate into droves of new readers.

Which is why they need to do a promotional giveaway at theaters, possibly with a code for a free digital copy.
The first taste is always free.

[RoIIo Tomassi]

Of the four Comic Shops in the Quad Cities, only one ever takes the initiative when Comic Movies come out and try to do some kind of cross-promotion with the local Multiplex. They'll set up a table at the theatre with freebies (leftover FCBD books, issues of CSN, etc.). But nothing ever from the publishers themselves. I think Sony or Fox thinks "FU, were not spending money on a freebie comic that promotes Disney's shit" and Disney is thinking "FU, were not paying for a comic promotion that promotes Sony/Fox". So nobody wants to promote the films wiyh giveaways.
I mean, having a balls out kick ass commercial on the front of the film for the comics themselves seems like "Synergy Cross Promotion 101" doesn't it? But the closest you get is maybe 'visit marvel.com for more info' buried somewhere in the credits between the Gaffer and the 50,000 names of the people who did the CG grunt work. About 8 people see that. And those 8 are most likely geeks staying for the final post-credit sequence and probably already buy comics anyway.

[anarky]

With half the world using silly tablets, and comics on tablets, it looks like they could hype the hell out of that and match WWII circulation numbers if they wanted to.

[Diabolical]

I understand studios like Fox not wanting to pony up cash to promote comics, but it only makes sense for DC/WB and Marvel/Disney, as it could increase revenue.

[anarky]

It's sad that WB and Disney hate each other so much that we'll never see another Marvel/DC crossover (or, probably, reprints of earlier crossovers), nor will we ever see a Roger Rabbit sequel.

Of course, WB and Disney aren't properly using Marvel and DC; common sense would tell them to have tie-ins with existing movies and shows all over the fucking place.

[Diabolical]

It's sad that WB and Disney hate each other so much that we'll never see another Marvel/DC crossover (or, probably, reprints of earlier crossovers), nor will we ever see a Roger Rabbit sequel.

All of that does suck. I was thinking the other day how awesome it could be to have more Batman meets Punisher, Daredevil, Spider-Man or Iron Man.
Hell, do all 4 and make it a mini-series.

[anarky]

What would be fucking killer would be some sort of cross-universe threat that has to be fought by not only the Marvel and DC heroes, but various characters from other companies as well.

[anarky]

Should we start a "Questions on Marvel's Relaunch" thread?

http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/20 ... ow-begins/

Numbering is not a hindrance when everything is available in reprint (or, at least, online summaries). It lets you know what fucking order to read books in.

I still say the X-Men will return to the past and fuck the timestream. If they don't, the new series is a waste. I mean, fuck, if nothing else, Jean would know what the Phoenix is and avoid it.

[vynsane]

“I feel that it’s a much more humane approach for retailers and fans to tell them: ‘Look. In the months of October through February, every week you can go into a comic book store and find a few new jumping-on points for the Marvel Universe, a place you’re going to like visiting. Or revisiting,’” Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso said last week.

“Marvel NOW! starts with the creators,” he explained to Comic Book Resources, “so don’t expect writer shake-ups across the line by the fourth or fifth issue, or half the titles to get cancelled and replaced by a new #1. We aren’t throwing $#!# at a wall, seeing what falls off and then replacing it with more $#!#. [Laughs] We’re building books we expect to last.”

well, that obviously sums up the perception of Nu52 at marvel... and also kind of my perception of it.

[RoIIo Tomassi]

All this renumbering crap doesn't attract new readers. And I think I've finally figured it out; it's not really aimed at readers. Even though Marvel goes through the motions and song and dance about it being a "jumping on point" for new readers.
What it's really aimed at is Comic Shop owners. Because, like chimps, they'll order higher numbers of a #1 issue.

Marvel and DC should just dispense with the ongoing ruse and make every issue they put out a "Oneshot" with a giant fucking #1 on the cover.

I'll bet they announce Amazing Spidey 700 is the final issue of that series also.