Dynamite GOLD KEY relaunch - Turok, Magnus, Solar and Dr Spektor

[md62]

Discuss the Gold Key titles: Magnus/Solar/Turok/Dr Spektor...

[Bslythegamerguy]

As many already know, I'm digging Turok quite a bit and find Magnus riveting, but I worry about Solar moving forward. While I would welcome a female Solar title, I feel people who read this book will probably dislike that direction simply because the story didn't happen when it was published under Valiant so many years back (they just can't let go), causing it to lose sales. But so far I'm enjoying the entire line. The huge drop in orders so soon is partially alarming, though. Advertisement and promotional work is needed on this line to keep it fresh and exciting for potential new readers.

[md62]

March sales figures for Gold Key titles:

Turok #2...11,296. Down from 30,722 for #1.

Magnus #1...27,497.

Sales of Dark Horse Gold Key (2010-11):

Solar #1 - 22,630. #2 - 13,715. #3 - 10,115. #4 - 8677. #5 - 7778. #6 - 7046. #7 - 6833. #8 - 6229.
Magnus #1 - 17,729. #2 - 11,168. #3 - 8890. #4 - 7795.
Turok #1 - 12,607. #2 - 8,015. #3 - 6821. #4 - 6257.
Samson #1 - 7814. #2 - 4914. #3 - 4359. #4 - ?

[Michael24]

I'm only following Magnus, and so far I really, really like it. A lot. I love the tone, that it doesn't take itself too seriously and still has room for a sense of fun and humor. I've laughed out loud a few times while reading it. It's off to a great start.

[alton]

March sales figures for Gold Key titles:

Turok #2...11,296. Down from 30,722 for #1.

Magnus #1...27,497.

Sales of Dark Horse Gold Key (2010-11):

Solar #1 - 22,630. #2 - 13,715. #3 - 10,115. #4 - 8677. #5 - 7778. #6 - 7046. #7 - 6833. #8 - 6229.
Magnus #1 - 17,729. #2 - 11,168. #3 - 8890. #4 - 7795.
Turok #1 - 12,607. #2 - 8,015. #3 - 6821. #4 - 6257.
Samson #1 - 7814. #2 - 4914. #3 - 4359. #4 - ?

So your point is we will see the same or similar dropoff with DynaKey?

[md62]

So your point is we will see the same or similar dropoff with DynaKey?

No point. I just copied & pasted the sales #'s from the old forums. I think it will be interesting to compare...

[Don C]

Finally got around to reading Magnus#1 today. Very cool, mildly confusing stuff. I like that, when a book kind of goes off in a totally different direction from what you're expecting.

[alton]

No point. I just copied & pasted the sales #'s from the old forums. I think it will be interesting to compare...

I find it interesting too. Thanks for doing it.

[Don C]

So your point is we will see the same or similar dropoff with DynaKey?

I don't know. Dark Horse really hurt themselves with late shipping books. People lose interest in titles when they only come out three or four times a year.

[Diamond]

I don't know. Dark Horse really hurt themselves with late shipping books. People lose interest in titles when they only come out three or four times a year.

Which is kinda sad. I prefer getting a good book even if it comes three or four times a year than a rushed book every month. I mean, look at the X-Men comics produced during 2004-2006. Today, the most popular comic of that era is Astonishing X-Men despite its irregular schedule.

[alton]

I don't know. Dark Horse really hurt themselves with late shipping books. People lose interest in titles when they only come out three or four times a year.

I really think DH/Shooter overestimated the appeal of these books from the start.I personally love the characters but they may have seen their day. At the time I was carrying a larger pull list that had other indies on it that shipped late and didn't really notice DH's schedule. I see your point that scheduling was another nail in the coffin though. Maybe DynaKey can pull it off.

[Javasaurus]

tried the first two issues of Turok, but the character just doesn't grab me. ...............

A while back I picked up the first trade for the series and felt the same way after reading it. I just couldn't bring myself to care enough about any of the characters to bother picking up further issues. Turok is the very first character that I fell in love with as a kid and I've enjoyed the various incarnations that have been done over the years (such as that by Valiant and Acclaim) – but Dynamite's series was a disappointment.

They seem to be taking a different approach to Turok in Gold Key Alliance – but it may to too little, too late.

[Captain Craig]

Any word on if Gold Key Alliance will be Dynamite's last hurrah with the GK characters?

[fumetti]

March sales figures for Gold Key titles:

Turok #2...11,296. Down from 30,722 for #1.

Magnus #1...27,497.

Sales of Dark Horse Gold Key (2010-11):

Solar #1 - 22,630. #2 - 13,715. #3 - 10,115. #4 - 8677. #5 - 7778. #6 - 7046. #7 - 6833. #8 - 6229.
Magnus #1 - 17,729. #2 - 11,168. #3 - 8890. #4 - 7795.
Turok #1 - 12,607. #2 - 8,015. #3 - 6821. #4 - 6257.
Samson #1 - 7814. #2 - 4914. #3 - 4359. #4 - ?

I dropped Solar because the character was switched to a female. I don't buy these kinds of books just for the logo--I want the character.

I dropped Magnus because it wasn't very good. Didn't feel right. I think it had too many "tv" elements to it.

I dropped Dr. Spektor because it was nothing but a tv show. I hated every panel.


I disliked this launch so much that I have now officially abandoned any interest in any more Gold Key revivals. I guess Shooter's Valiant line was a fluke. I haven't enjoyed any of the efforts after he left the first time.

IMO, nobody seems to want to bring back the originals so much as exploit their looks/logos/name recognition. I've had enough of that.

I've already given these away. I don't want them taking up space in my house.

[Ed Love]

I dropped Solar because the character was switched to a female. I don't buy these kinds of books just for the logo--I want the character.

I dropped Magnus because it wasn't very good. Didn't feel right. I think it had too many "tv" elements to it.

(SNIP)

IMO, nobody seems to want to bring back the originals so much as exploit their looks/logos/name recognition. I've had enough of that.

You do recognize the contradiction in your statements? This is far closer to Shooter's Valiant version of Solar in spirit than his was to the actual original Gold Key take.

Otherwise I agree with you in spirit. I'd like to see a book that actually was the continued adventures of Dr. Solar, the Man of the Atom. Yet, I find the writing and art in these books to be strong and appropriate to the titles and amazingly consistent, no real strong artist on the first issue and a degradation in quality with each subsequent issue. Magnus especially is an amazingly complex book, there's some subtle stuff going on that I almost think that there is some depth to the robot culture/society that is there by accident: the sentient robots go out of their way to act MORE robotic, even when they are mimicking humans, it's following programming and orders and not out of expressing free will or choice and the society actually represses that mark of sentience to the point of actively destroying the robots who don't follow the orders and their programming ie the ones that are truly displaying they are sentient and not simply robots. The attitude so influences everything they do, that their "sins" are part of their programming and not of real desire, that you have to question how much of the political power struggle is real or just the individuals following along their programmed behavior. I'm not sure a total reboot of Magnus was needed to tell this story... it could have been a remote robot society that the Gold Key Magnus finds himself stranded in. Still, it takes a lot of tropes I generally dislike (such as the Jar Jar Binks robot with his annoying anachronistic racial based speech patterns) and turn it into a compelling read each month. I have to keep reminding myself these books come from Dynamite and not Dark Horse. Not following either Dr. Mirage or Spektor... I think the original versions of these were a bit unique and bot books shun that. I liked the first arc of Shadowman, but with the new writer and artist, it was taking it down a much darker path than I was interested in.

This is probably the best and most intriguing version of Solar since Shooter was kicked out of Valiant. He/She has all this power but is very prone to making human mistakes in interacting with people. The interpersonal conflicts of personality, points of view, and history of resentment and detachment is all well done. I don't want to like the book, I've yet to add it to my pull list, but I find myself compelled to buy it each month waiting for it to cross the line. I am especially glad to see the writer have new issues of "The Five Ghosts of Fabian Gray" coming out (don't know why Dynamite didn't get them to do Dr. Spektor as their style in Five Ghosts is perfectly suited for it).