Originally Posted by
skyvolt2000
The thing is it still comes down to being a NAME-that can get your book attention in places where comics are ignored.
Both came with a built in audience but the one Marvel wanted was probably the one Coates had. Pretty much the same with all those writers (aside from Vita)-they all had fanbases not linked to comics.
Marvel might have thought he would grow into liking Panther and we know how that went....
And remember other than Miles-who was Coates competing with for black hero readership? Nobody thought Spawn was going to get a resurgence like he is having now.
Nobody expect Bitter Root, Seven Secrets, Blood Parish, Abbott, Excellence, Far Sector and Killadelphia to be that good.
John Ridley was the warm up with Next Batman and Other Side of Dc Universe. Redjack was the main course with Green Lantern and Panther.
And we STILL got Nubia, Shilo Norman, Green Lantern main book, Jace Fox, Abbott, a book about a black Mob doctor, Shadow Man and Milestone coming.
Excluding Ridley-Coates has a bigger name than them. Yet Black Panther is a mess.
Coates to his credit bought in sales. He just couldn't keep it up mainly due to STORY. There is a reason Miles Morales keeps getting multiple printings.