Rosemann Details the "Guardians of the Galaxy" Comic Book Origin

[agrich]

Marvel is sometimes reluctant to say books are cancelled -- why risk damaging sales of issues yet to come out? -- but sales were low on both Nova and Guardians and few rational people expected them to return after Thanos Imperative. That series enabled them to finish those storyline in a dramatic and largely entertaining way. Death is never the end anyway, especially in cosmic titles, so all those characters could always return, and most have.

Then Annihilators series, I don't know what the goal was there. Those things sucked.

[Wellman]

Great interview! I adored the Kiffen/DNA cosmic era: in fact, Annihilation and War of Kings are two of my favorite stories. Just fantastic work there.

If we're talking suggestions for the movie sequel, I'd say add Mantis as a fulltime member and give us more Cosmo. Maybe Adam Warlock, too, but he could be tricky to implement.

As for the current Guardians book, is it just me or is Angela and her developing friendship with Gamora the best part of the entire series?

Its not just you, it feels like the only part of the series that has actually funny dialogue and feels like Bendis put effort into it. He is still seemingly trying to find the right tone for Drax, has no idea how to use Groot to his full potential, the less said about his Rocket the better and his Peter Quill tries to be a Han Solo type rogue hero with a heart of gold but is sort bland and at times annoying.

Compared to his Ultimate Spider-man runs or his current X-Men contributions or even his Moon Knight, his GotG feels more or less like he had a plan/wanted the book and more like it was an assignment and he is doing enough to get by while costing on his own and the properties rising popularity.

[THANOSRULES]

Marvel is sometimes reluctant to say books are cancelled -- why risk damaging sales of issues yet to come out? -- but sales were low on both Nova and Guardians and few rational people expected them to return after Thanos Imperative. That series enabled them to finish those storyline in a dramatic and largely entertaining way. Death is never the end anyway, especially in cosmic titles, so all those characters could always return, and most have.

Then Annihilators series, I don't know what the goal was there. Those things sucked.

I've heard from some people that Marvel had plans for Nova and GOTG way before Thanos Imperative. The movie stuff was under production months before it was announced, Rosemann talks about some of that here and the secrecy involved. Alonso had talked about his plan to put big guns on GOTG and Nova to attract readers. Those guys at Cosmic book news claim to have sources saying the Loeb Nova project was well underway months before TI...its never been confirmed. Rosemann's clear in the other interview though, that they were "asked to shut it down"..and thus delivered the different accounts between Bendis and Rosemann . The two differences in stories alone are enough to follow the smoke to some fire, but there is even more shady stuff as well.

Personally, I think the new Nova and GOTG series were meant to come out a bit sooner than they actually did...a lot of stuff was just put off and delayed during that time (and continues to be). So I do think Marvel had them in the pipe a bit sooner than most realize. I don't really agree with you on marvel saying books are not canceled was not indicative of weird "goings on"...sometimes they do a studder step with a cancellation announcement, but this was several months stretched out. I think Quesada or Alonso even said the books may come back depending on TI's sales...but I'm not positive on that. it was a bit more aloof than the typical slow announcement of a cancelled book that doesn't appear in the proper solicits.

I have another theory that some of DnA's fall in quality was the result of justified frustration. Frustration that some of the stuff they were doing was getting undone or not carrying any weight "Big marvel" stuff ,in things like Secret Invasion, and also frustration with that Annihilators series and maybe how they were treated. I think the Annihilators was an editorial mandated thing, and that showed in the quality, but who knows. This is all just my speculation though I have little evidence of its veracity so take it for what its worth. It was very odd they broke up as partners and that Marvel didn't have them working more in that end stretch. Even when asked about it the break up...very vague answers DnA gave.

[agrich]

I've heard from some people that Marvel had plans for Nova and GOTG way before Thanos Imperative. The movie stuff was under production months before it was announced, Rosemann talks about some of that here and the secrecy involved. Alonso had talked about his plan to put big guns on GOTG and Nova to attract readers. Those guys at Cosmic book news claim to have sources saying the Loeb Nova project was well underway months before TI...its never been confirmed. Rosemann's clear in the other interview though, that they were "asked to shut it down"..and thus delivered the different accounts between Bendis and Rosemann . The two differences in stories alone are enough to follow the smoke to some fire, but there is even more shady stuff as well.

All of this may very well be true. And? DnA's Nova and Guardians books, at the time of cancellation, were not selling well. If they were selling 30,000 copies a month when they ended, it would be easier for me to agree that it was somehow unjust. Instead, those books were in the 20,000 to 21,000 sales range, which is when Marvel typically, regularly cancels titles. Of course Marvel wanted to attract more readers, of course they wanted to have top-selling books to lead into movie projects. I have no interest in Loeb's Nova and am not a great fan of Bendis' Guardians title, but those things were easy decisions to make once the existing books had slipped in sales.

I think Quesada or Alonso even said the books may come back depending on TI's sales...but I'm not positive on that. it was a bit more aloof than the typical slow announcement of a cancelled book that doesn't appear in the proper solicits.

Again, I can absolutely understand Marvel saying whatever they could to pump up sales for the final issues of series and Thanos Imperative. Who knows, maybe sales of Thanos Imperative helped greenlight the ensuing Annihilators series, in which DnA could have told any cosmic stories they wanted. Unfortunately they told sucky ones with boring powerhouse characters and a child Magus.

I have another theory that some of DnA's fall in quality was the result of justified frustration. Frustration that some of the stuff they were doing was getting undone or not carrying any weight

I was frustrated that instead of focusing their efforts and artists on two relatively new cosmic titles, Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy, they instead spun it out into War of Kings and various miniseries and then yet ANOTHER crossover event, Realm of Kings. I absolutely think doing that (and saddling Guardians in particular with sub-par art) hurt those books and factored into the drop in sales.

It was very odd they broke up as partners and that Marvel didn't have them working more in that end stretch. Even when asked about it the break up...very vague answers DnA gave.

From everything I've seen and read their breakup was for personal reasons. Their answers were and should have been vague most likely because it is none of our business.