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[QUOTE=charliehustle415;5538029]I wish that the big two try doing "seasons" with their books.
Guarantee 12 issues per year ([B]NOT[/B] including event tie-ins), so they can tell their complete stories and if they don't sell do not continue the series.
Because then at least the writer's vision can be told and they don't have to be blind sided with a cancelation.
It would also guarantee work for the artists and writers and reader's won't feel cheated 8 issues in and the story doesn't have a satisfactory finale.[/QUOTE]
That would only work (well) if they removed crossovers and events from these seasons. And had an idea of what the market could and should support as far as the number of titles.
That said, from everything I have heard any other writer talk about, that is more or less how it works anyway; Marvel usually tells writers they have 6-12 issues. Obviously each case may have different factors, such as being tied in to a big crossover before the book event got moving, getting delayed constantly, and having to hit another crossover. But that's Marvel.
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[QUOTE=cranger;5538038]That would only work (well) if they removed crossovers and events from these seasons. And had an idea of what the market could and should support as far as the number of titles.
That said, from everything I have heard any other writer talk about, that is more or less how it works anyway; Marvel usually tells writers they have 6-12 issues. Obviously each case may have different factors, such as being tied in to a big crossover before the book event got moving, getting delayed constantly, and having to hit another crossover. But that's Marvel.[/QUOTE]
I think they can have tie in issues that are outside of the 12 issue season, which would be pretty cool because if you don't care about it, it won't ruin the flow of the original story.
There are some series that to get canceled at issue 5 or 8 or with X-Factor 10; if a writer was given a solid 12 issues then we wouldn't constantly have to worry about sales.
Instead we would talk about, "hey did X-Factor get picked up for another season?"
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[QUOTE=From The Shadows;5537974]I wonder why, though, it got cancelled... if it was a surprise obviously it wasn't doing [I]that [/I]horribly. Right?[/QUOTE]
It wasn't a surprise. people having been talking about ad sales for a long time. If there was a site to bet I owuld get good money on it.
The book was written like 3 months ago, so cancelation was decided many months ago. Just because we know now doesn't mean it was a late decision or a surprise
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[QUOTE=Zero Hunter;5537555]If sales were up there is no way Marvel would not be bragging about. The fact they are dead quite says sales are either the same or worse than they were before this relaunch started. If I had to guess I would say they are worse.[/QUOTE]
Why would Marvel brag about high comic sales? Even if the comics were selling out each and every issue, it'd still be small bucks compared to what they make off toys/tv/movies.
I like the idea of "seasons".
Each year. 12 issues guaranteed with any events considered separate tie-in books.
Also, I like the annuals too. Maybe the annual can be reserved for a past writer of that series?
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Marvel always liked to brag about sales and make fun of DC comics, it is just a fun rivalry like rivalry teams on sports
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[QUOTE=Rang10;5538420]Marvel always liked to brag about sales and make fun of DC comics, it is just a fun rivalry like rivalry teams on sports[/QUOTE]
Ok that makes sense.
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Readers are realizing that all side books are unnecessary to understand Hickman's main story.
Only the hardcore X-men fans still catch up on everything.
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There should be a rule in this thread that anyone purporting to know the health of a particular series with certainty should include the evidence/numbers.
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[QUOTE=charliehustle415;5538029]I wish that the big two try doing "seasons" with their books.
Guarantee 12 issues per year ([B]NOT[/B] including event tie-ins), so they can tell their complete stories and if they don't sell do not continue the series.
Because then at least the writer's vision can be told and they don't have to be blind sided with a cancelation.
It would also guarantee work for the artists and writers and reader's won't feel cheated 8 issues in and the story doesn't have a satisfactory finale.[/QUOTE]
Well you can do that...
Or you do what Valiant has done- DO a book for x number of issues and end it. Then start again way later-see Shadowman.
Or Image do x number of issues and take a break like Bitter Root and Farmhands has done. In Farmhands's case the writer has a set ending for that series and is half way there.
Just don't pull a Nick Spencer-looking at you Morning Glories.
Or Titan Comics- River of London does a 6 part mini that stands alone and then another one. The 10th series starts in July. 5 years with soon to be 60 issues.
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[QUOTE=Adam;5538990]There should be a rule in this thread that anyone purporting to know the health of a particular series with certainty should include the evidence/numbers.[/QUOTE]
To be fair-you can only go by what you see in your stores.
If I went by my stores- I could make a class room set of X-Men and Batman books for a class of 20. And not miss an issue.
Common sense should tell you to reduce how much you order. If you have one franchise's titles be in such a large number that they break you shelf or table-you need to rethink things. And YES I saw that happen.
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[QUOTE=skyvolt2000;5539030]Well you can do that...
Or you do what Valiant has done- DO a book for x number of issues and end it. Then start again way later-see Shadowman.
Or Image do x number of issues and take a break like Bitter Root and Farmhands has done. In Farmhands's case the writer has a set ending for that series and is half way there.
Just don't pull a Nick Spencer-looking at you Morning Glories.
Or Titan Comics- River of London does a 6 part mini that stands alone and then another one. The 10th series starts in July. 5 years with soon to be 60 issues.[/QUOTE]
Creator owned/independent stuff is different, and it is there for people who want that model. I'm not sure if emulating the sales methods of any publisher that represents a single digit market share is the way to go. Valiant has (had) it's fans, but they are just keeping the IPs warm hoping to get those movie deals done. Meanwhile, if you look at Boom, they are seemingly run by Marvel taught people because they are just pumping out books nonstop and using events, variants and spinoffs to squeeze more money out of readers. And they are often looked at as the publisher to watch.
[QUOTE=skyvolt2000;5539041]To be fair-you can only go by what you see in your stores.
If I went by my stores- I could make a class room set of X-Men and Batman books for a class of 20. And not miss an issue.
Common sense should tell you to reduce how much you order. If you have one franchise's titles be in such a large number that they break you shelf or table-you need to rethink things. And YES I saw that happen.[/QUOTE]
Obviously things differ from store to store, and yes we all see those 'special issues' that we know stores over ordered for the variants and such, but if Batman and X-Men have a surplus of issues each month, it is probably just the tip of the iceberg of what they are selling. Most of the sales go through the pull list system, and they sell through a lot of shelf copies and replace them from the back. Having a surplus of popular titles is actually good, because people will come in, and they will want to catch up on the popular title, and the whole point of the Direct Market was to have stock and back issues.
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[QUOTE=Mutant X;5538812]Readers are realizing that all side books are unnecessary to understand Hickman's main story.
Only the hardcore X-men fans still catch up on everything.[/QUOTE]
I think that many people wake up after Hickman getting out of flagship x-men and writing another book, many were questioning if he was still directing the line. Hope his next book get into Moira and other hoxpox plots
I question that every little concept needs a book. Excalibur premise was to be about ressurrection and it never made anything clear about the rest of protocols. X-corp seems very plot thin and hard to justify its existence on first issue.
[QUOTE=cranger;5539085]
Obviously things differ from store to store, and yes we all see those 'special issues' that we know stores over ordered for the variants and such, but if Batman and X-Men have a surplus of issues each month, it is probably just the tip of the iceberg of what they are selling. Most of the sales go through the pull list system, and they sell through a lot of shelf copies and replace them from the back. Having a surplus of popular titles is actually good, because people will come in, and they will want to catch up on the popular title, and the whole point of the Direct Market was to have stock and back issues.[/QUOTE]
stores need backissues for readers catch up or they can use colixology/order online or just go to other story. Stores often expect certain sell throught on first week
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[QUOTE=DragonPiece;5535335]Don’t know where else to put this, but it does sound like X-Factor was cancelled and Leah only just became aware as she was finishing the script for issue 9: [url]https://twitter.com/mymonsterischic/status/1392556818879090693?s=21[/url]
It does make me wonder if any other books in the line are in danger..[/QUOTE]
It's not great they're cancelling a book with such short notice to the writer. As a reader, I love long-form storytelling which is why I like to keep track of the sales of my favorite franchise in comics and always advocate for less titles, stronger concepts and longer-lasting books.
Obviously one could say there's no guarantee that if you had 5 books instead of 12 they'd all be healthy seller's... but I'd love for Marvel to give it an honest attempt someday.
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A writer is usually scripting a book at least three months in advance...it's usually longer. Leah's most likely already finished scripting ToM 02...due in September.
That is to say a book's cancellation is very rarely a surprise short notice announcement for the creatives involved.
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[QUOTE=charliehustle415;5538039]I think they can have tie in issues that are outside of the 12 issue season, which would be pretty cool because if you don't care about it, it won't ruin the flow of the original story.
There are some series that to get canceled at issue 5 or 8 or with X-Factor 10; if a writer was given a solid 12 issues then we wouldn't constantly have to worry about sales.
Instead we would talk about, "hey did X-Factor get picked up for another season?"[/QUOTE]
I think that's a great idea, but I get the sense that Marvel likes the flexibility to cancel at any time.