Is the problem that Resurxxion just too safe?

[Shinglepants]

Predictable, more so than safe?

The Jean and Iceman solo's are not safe bets when you consider how the Storm solo went. Christina Strain and her roster on Gen X are not safe choices either.

[Anduinel]

I understand why Marvel does what it does (it honestly doesn't make sense to charge less when it's established people will pay a certain price - if you look at DC, they're doing great with sales, but are only slightly better than Marvel in overall dollar market share). But there are two things I really hate about the system. First, they should discount the first book (as opposed to what they actually do, which is often charge more). I get that they can make a short term buck from collectors, but they should at least encourage people to try out books and see if they like them (sometimes they'll release a free preview issue online, like they did with Mosaic, though). The second thing I hate is how much preorders determine a book's success. Some books are basically cancelled before people even have a chance to read them. If they let books stay a little longer, they might actually allow for good word of mouth when they take a chance.

Frankly, I wish Marvel would rethink how they do their trades. They're better than DC (who managed not to have the biggest Rebirth titles collected in time for Christmas), but the wait-time is still long enough that even if people hear good things and want to check out the trade, they're likely to have forgotten it by the time the book is actually out.

[The_Walking_Cat]

Boring, yes. Safe? Nahh...

[Sardorim]

Gold is safe. Only risky one is Rachel and she is still somewhat popular. Rest are all name brands and well known even outside the comics.

[bubibartra]

I think that's fair - and, to bring this discussion full circle back to the original question, it's precisely why they tend to play it safe. But safe doesn't appeal to everyone, so they're releasing two "safe" books and one book that's out there.



I understand why Marvel does what it does (it honestly doesn't make sense to charge less when it's established people will pay a certain price - if you look at DC, they're doing great with sales, but are only slightly better than Marvel in overall dollar market share). But there are two things I really hate about the system. First, they should discount the first book (as opposed to what they actually do, which is often charge more). I get that they can make a short term buck from collectors, but they should at least encourage people to try out books and see if they like them (sometimes they'll release a free preview issue online, like they did with Mosaic, though). The second thing I hate is how much preorders determine a book's success. Some books are basically cancelled before people even have a chance to read them. If they let books stay a little longer, they might actually allow for good word of mouth when they take a chance.

You should consider that Marvel has 30% more titles in the market than DC, that is a much greater expense that Marvel solves with prices. More series to sell the same or less is more spent.

DC cleaned its d-list titles and allows you to adjust price, if you look at the 100-200 best-selling numbers every month you will see many Marvel titles, Alonso refuses to end up with series he knows he does not sell without more reason than to want boost series or characters that do not sell.

[bubibartra]

Gold is safe. Only risky one is Rachel and she is still somewhat popular. Rest are all name brands and well known even outside the comics.

also Extraordinary X-Men

As a team could fail with Storm, Colossus, Magic, Iceman, Nightcrawler, Old Logan. Teen Jean?

[donpricetag]

Going on what the owner of my local comic book shop says ,safe is what sells. Look at the X-line over the last 8-10 years. It's been status quo change after status quo change and it has decimated the line. The best majority of people don't want the things they like to change. Especially when there was no need for the changes and it shows in the sales.

Look at what happened when DC tried be different with DCYOU it damn near ruined New 52. Rebirth is New 52 but with overall fixes to the line that long term wanted.

Marvel and DC's primary audience is the long term collecter. So the majority of the titles should be safe and cater to long term fans like me. That's not to say they shouldn't trying new things but every book they publish shouldn't be new.

But that doesnt say "safe sells" it says "we didn't connect with the fans". The status quo changes were mostly to the detriment of the X-Men and the X-Men brand (bowing to the Avengers, and then to the Inhumans). Following AvX; One book revolved around Cyclops just kind of slowly loosing it, all the while not being written all that well under Bendis IMO (he doesn't convey emotion too well without shock-killing fan favorite or essential characters), and another book that revolved around O5, a group of displaced teens that should have went home no more than 2 arcs after they arrived. Then we had not one, but two lack luster internal crossovers in Battle of the Atom (more time travel) and then the Black Caldron, that nonsensically threw the GotG in, just because the same guy was writing all three books. The next "status quo" came with the same group of X-Men slightly rearranged and dealing with the next humbling blow to them in the form of Terrigen cloud and the Inhumans subrogation (oh yeah, supposed subrogation). Fast forward a year, they are still dealing with that and facing yet another status change, but still using the same characters minus a couple inexplicably, all the while sales arent really jumping. In essence, they've done nothing but throw the same ball of stuff at a wall and gone with what stuck.

So to review on "changes":
AvX
O5 and Revolutionary Cyclops (bunch of changes, new books)
Battle of the Atom (some discontinued books but about the same as above - some characters)
The Black Cauldron (slight roster changes)
The Terrigen Clouds (post SW; new titles, slight roster changes)
Ressurexion (slight roster changes, new titles)

The only constant here are the characters involved in the merry go round. If your LCB owner is saying X-Men sales are down because of change, I'd argue they are because of subpar writing and haphazard storytelling altogether. Some of the most boring, rinse and repeat arcs I've ever avoided since I started reading in 93'. This stuff only seems to work with younger readers who weren't around when the X-Men were more dynamic and less formulaic, which seems to be Marvel's approach with them. So I'd say they've been playing it safe for a long time now. But time will tell, maybe all this outrage and disappointment really is just for show and everyone here and around the internet will flock to the stores and clear the shelves as readily as they ever have.

[nnelg]

But that doesnt say "safe sells" it says "we didn't connect with the fans". The status quo changes were mostly to the detriment of the X-Men and the X-Men brand (bowing to the Avengers, and then to the Inhumans). Following AvX; One book revolved around Cyclops just kind of slowly loosing it, all the while not being written all that well under Bendis IMO (he doesn't convey emotion too well without shock-killing fan favorite or essential characters), and another book that revolved around O5, a group of displaced teens that should have went home no more than 2 arcs after they arrived. Then we had not one, but two lack luster internal crossovers in Battle of the Atom (more time travel) and then the Black Caldron, that nonsensically threw the GotG in, just because the same guy was writing all three books. The next "status quo" came with the same group of X-Men slightly rearranged and dealing with the next humbling blow to them in the form of Terrigen cloud and the Inhumans subrogation (oh yeah, supposed subrogation). Fast forward a year, they are still dealing with that and facing yet another status change, but still using the same characters minus a couple inexplicably, all the while sales arent really jumping. In essence, they've done nothing but throw the same ball of stuff at a wall and gone with what stuck.

So to review on "changes":
AvX
O5 and Revolutionary Cyclops (bunch of changes, new books)
Battle of the Atom (some discontinued books but about the same as above - some characters)
The Black Cauldron (slight roster changes)
The Terrigen Clouds (post SW; new titles, slight roster changes)
Ressurexion (slight roster changes, new titles)

The only constant here are the characters involved in the merry go round. If your LCB owner is saying X-Men sales are down because of change, I'd argue they are because of subpar writing and haphazard storytelling altogether. Some of the most boring, rinse and repeat arcs I've ever avoided since I started reading in 93'. This stuff only seems to work with younger readers who weren't around when the X-Men were more dynamic and less formulaic, which seems to be Marvel's approach with them. So I'd say they've been playing it safe for a long time now. But time will tell, maybe all this outrage and disappointment really is just for show and everyone here and around the internet will flock to the stores and clear the shelves as readily as they ever have.

This style of storytelling has been hurting all of Marvel comics not just the X-men and it started way before Bendis became a writer on X-men. I blame the editors.

[donpricetag]

This style of storytelling has been hurting all of Marvel comics not just the X-men and it started way before Bendis became a writer on X-men. I blame the editors.

Oh, I always blame the editors. My issue with the X-Men series started right around the time Marvel started making the X-Men more like the movies... So that was what? X2 when it really started to take shape? I'd say right after Xtreme X-Men wrapped up?

[Sardorim]

also Extraordinary X-Men

As a team could fail with Storm, Colossus, Magic, Iceman, Nightcrawler, Old Logan. Teen Jean?

Bad writing can't be saved no matter the roster.

[LocoSteve]

Here is an idea; how about you read the books before you make the claim that Ressurexion is playing it safe.

[xpyred]

blanchett :

Avengers, Inhumans because they have all rights to them

they don't have all rgihts to x-men

Aren't the rights just film wise? The comics don't suffer the rights problem don't they?

[somacula]

Bad writing can't be saved no matter the roster.

And good writing can make any roster work, hence the O5 by bunn

[Gray Lensman]

Here is an idea; how about you read the books before you make the claim that Ressurexion is playing it safe.

Reason? On the Internet? Concerning not just comics, but the X-Men? Surely you must have forgotten where you are - such suggestions have no place here, sir!

[tetragene]

at this rate the only title I would be willing to give a shot is X-Men Gold. Although Shadowcat being the leader & on a team with Colossus again doesn't make me particularly hopeful. The other titles? Pass. I hate the O5 as a "team" line-up and while I enjoyed Pak a lot on X-treme X-Men vol 2 -- outside of Domino I would not care to read about the cast of Weapon X. Land on art duties certainly doesn't help since I still remember the awfulness of his Utopia-era Uncanny porn tracing. I'm really hoping there are either more X-title announcements or other mutants will be appearing in MU titles.

The X-line is getting a "rebirth" but where is Rogue? Gambit? Dazzler? Emma? Havok? Polaris? Psylocke? Bishop? Magik? M? Adult Iceman & Archangel? But thank God we have Jeen, teen Iceman & OML appearing in more than 1 book & the likes of Lady Deathstrike, Sabretooth & the new millennium equivalent of the Morlocks on team books!