Why aren’t praised creators of the 80s and 90s on big books for the big two?

I’m not talking about those who choose not to work on big books anymore or have essentially left the industry, but those who are still very much in the game. Why should Fabian Nicieza be relegated to stuff like the Black Panther Lexus book and the Northop Grumman/Marvel book that was later cancelled? Why isn’t DC giving Marc Wolfman anything bigger than the Raven and Cyborg solos? Why hasn’t Marvel given Chris Claremont any work apart from that bit in the Wedding Special? What happened to Roger Stern, Don McGregor, J. M. DeMatteis, George Perez, Kevin Maguire, Louise and Walt Simonson, Karl Kesel, Alan Davis, David Michelinie, Bob Layton etc? Surely they couldn’t have all decided en masse to stop accepting big projects from the big two.

Feel free to correct me if any of the people I listed have chosen to stop working in comics or the big two, retired, is in a bigger position, has been at work for the big two, choose to work on smaller titles, or anything else that is due to their own volition. I wouldn’t want to mischaracterize anybody’s circumstances. Just curious as to why so many of the most talented comic creators aren’t on big titles and many mediocre nontalents are.

Walt Simonson is doing his own creator-owned stuff (Ragnarok) with IDW lately and seems to prefer to work at his own pace rather than deal with monthly deadlines at this point in his career, doing what he wants not what he has to do to pay the bills. Alan Davis just did a 128 page Thanos OGN with Jim Starlin for Marvel that was times to come out with the release of Infinity War so that would qualify as a big project for the big 2 as well. Maguire is doing part of the Bendis relaunch Man of Steel mini, a pretty high profile project. George Perez has been fighting health issues and has failing eyesight making it hard ofr him to do art on a deadline for a big 2 project.

But the simple answer is tastes change, especially in entertainment media. How many big name music artists from the 70s and 80s are still headliners and producing chart topping music? How many directors/screenwriters etc. from that era are still producing big projects on television or for movies for the big studios? Audiences change, tastes change, times change, and sometimes older voices don't resonate with newer audiences. Some do, and they keep getting work, others don't and fade away to make room for a new generation of creative voices. Some choose not to take part in the grind or have told all the stories they want to tell with "big" properties and want to focus on smaller stories or characters. Some no longer have networking ins with the new generation of editorial. There's no one answer and you would have to look at each individual creator's situation to find out the answer for them.

-M

I do not know, but I wonder about a few things:
[LIST][*]As established Big Names, do they demand too much money?[*]Are their ideas wrong for the time?[*]Has age diminished their performance? (Perez was sporting an eye patch not long ago)[*]Did any of them make mortal enemies that turned out to be Important Personages?[/LIST]

Good to hear about those few, but I wouldn’t say tastes changing is really responsible for shutting them out give the reception of the newer generation of creators at large and dwindling comic sales. I’ve found that it’s not a generational thing with audiences either. Younger comic fans still gravitate towards stories of the past over the abundance of terrible stories we get now.

[QUOTE=DrNewGod;3694194]Are their ideas wrong for the time?[/QUOTE]

What do you mean by that?

[QUOTE=KurtW95;3694197]Good to hear about those few, but I wouldn’t say tastes changing is really responsible for shutting them out give the reception of the newer generation of creators at large and dwindling comic sales. I’ve found that it’s not a generational thing with audiences either. Younger comic fans still gravitate towards stories of the past over the abundance of terrible stories we get now.



What do you mean by that?[/QUOTE]

I don't want to speak to any specific creator Germaine to the question, because I'm interested in others' answers, rather than my own. Instead, I'll speak to a different example.

For almost all of the 1960s, it seemed Jack Kirby could do no wrong. After that (allowing for the possibility that he lacked the right co-author), what excited him seemed to excite only him (and a small audience with specific tastes; [I]The Eternals[/I] is a particular example).

So, has the preferred creative direction of some of the 80s-90's superstars fallen out of step with today's audience?

The 21st Century came with a cinematic widescreen style that some of the older writers weren't as adept at, so that's one reason many aren't in the biz any more.

Another factor is that they have different options. Regular comics work comes with a lot of headaches (meeting deadlines, adjusting to events, social media scrutiny) so if JM DeMatteis is offered a Hellblazer straight to DVD animated film, it makes sense for him to take it.

Jim Starlin and Alan Davis,so these are two praised creators that did comic books recently.
And props for all the stories that Gerry Conway wrote not so long ago for Marvel(Spiral storyline in Amazing Spider-Man and the last Carnage ongoing comic book)
But by the other hand there are writers like Roger Stern that i wish would write way more new comic books,he wrote a great story arc in Amazing Spider-Man back in 2010 and wrote a point one story as well.But other than that i am still waiting to know about more comic books writen by Roger Stern.
So i guess the answer vary depending of the creator we are talking about,but is disapointing to not read new comics by say Roger Stern,Chris Clameront and J.M.DeMatteis when Reading the last comics they wrote i am of the opinion that the stories are as good (If not even better) that the current comics books writen by another generation of writers.

I think it's a variety of things.

Some creators decide that they just want to move on.

Some of their styles don't fit with modern storytelling.

Some audience members can't relate to older creators.

Some creators find better opportunities outside of comics.

Some creators feel they've gotten burned by the comics industry so they leave.

They cost too much and their political opinions are ungood.

Also, the Indy scene is booming more than ever these days, so some long-established writers are in a better position to do their own projects, without having to completely forfeit the IPs to Marvel and DC.

[QUOTE=Duskman;3694522]their political opinions are ungood.[/QUOTE]

Um... what’s that supposed to mean?

[QUOTE=KurtW95;3694554]Um... what’s that supposed to mean?[/QUOTE]

It means your political leanings can sometimes negatively impact your ability to get work within certain companies.

[QUOTE=Duskman;3694555]It means your political leanings can sometimes negatively impact your ability to get work within certain companies.[/QUOTE]

But should that be an issue?

[QUOTE=KurtW95;3694560]But should that be an issue?[/QUOTE]

No, but just because it shouldn't, that doesn't mean it isn't.

[QUOTE=Duskman;3694566]No, but just because it shouldn't, that doesn't mean it isn't.[/QUOTE]

I don’t see why politics would be an issue with any of the people I listed though.

I don't think the big 2 is interested in big sales these days. Consistent creative teams were key to their success but they just don't do that anymore. It's like the Storm book. Every other issue a different artist stuff like that negatively effects sales.