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  1. #1
    Incredible Member strathcona's Avatar
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    Default What else should Marvel change?

    With Marvel's announcement that they are stopping major events for 18 months after Secret Empire, what else do you think they should change, in order to see their comics improve. My suggestions are more about improving the quality of the comics, IMO, and less about increasing sales. Because I really don't care how a book is selling, I just want to read good comics.

    1. Stop all events, not just major ones. No crossovers, nothing of the sort, for the 18 month period (my initial thought was 24 months, but 18 is better thanI ever thought we'd see). Let the writers just concentrate on telling their own stories, without getting caught up in status quo changing events and "blockbuster" stories.

    2. While we're stopping events, also stop all 0 issues, .1 (or .anything) issues or Prime, Alpha & Omega, or anything of the sort. Just keep things simple for the 18 month period. If they want to have an extra sized issue make it an Annual. And Annuals should be 1 per year, per book, and be reserved for either a big payoff to a storyline, or starting a new storyline. Annuals should also be by the main series creative team, or at least the regular writer, with a big name artist. Don't just use the book to dump a bunch of extra short stories out and charge us more. If there has to be a back up story, only one, no more.

    3. Keep the price consistent. I'd like to see a price decrease, but I know that is unlikely. No extra dollar for the first issue or last issue or extra sized issues (no extra sized issues). And certainly no more of the $10 issues that are typically stuffed with filler stories of no consequence. And no Deadpool crossover-all-in-one-issue comics either. That's just a cheat around rule #1.

    4. No character should have more than one book at a time, no team should have more than two. No character should be on more than one team at a time either (Teen Cyclops, really? No one is clamoring to see him. The only clamoring he inspires is for him, and the rest of the teen O5, to get out of the 616). Stop diluting the characters and concepts.

    5. Less editorial interference and more editors just doing their job. Stop having editors decide what the direction of the MU is supposed to be and then the writers write around that. Just let the writers tell the bet stories they can, and have the editors tell them when the story doesn't make sense, or the characters are being used wrong, and work with the writers to fix it. The editors should be experts on continuity and characterization, and let the writers know when their stories aren't making sense within the context of the MU, not dictate what the story should be.

    6. This is less of a problem than it used to be, but stop writing for the trade, and just write out decent stories no matter how long or short they might be, even if it's only one issue. Totally Awesome Hulk is a victim of stories being padded out right now. Tighten up the story telling so that the readers are getting more story for their dollar.

    7. Stop the renumbering/relaunching. I don't like the idea of going back to old numbering either. Just let the books continue, even when there is a new direction or creative team. Same way the did for over 4 decades. Stop trying for that relaunch sales boost (which inevitably sags back to where is was before the relaunch, or lower) and just let the comics speak for themselves. And this applies not just to direct relaunches like Amazing Spider-Man vol X to Amazing Spider-Man vol X+1, but also to things like New Avengers to U.S.Avengers. The direction of the book changes, not the title.

    That's all I can think of for now. Feel free to add your own or comment on mine.

  2. #2
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    Do do a book because a set of folks are crying for them.

    If someone is screaming for Fantastic Four-they better be the one trying at least the first arc of stories.

    Ignore any fan who attacks books that they don't read. For a book that has 8K in orders-there were more comments on Moon Girl than most of the books that outsold here.

    CONFESS that a book is a mini or at least a test run for a possible ongoing. No more of this fake ongoing for a mini.

    Stand behind who you HIRE-there is no excuse for the abuse Redjack, Chelsa Cain and others got for doing what they were hired for by folks who never touched their books. No way a person who is not reading Mosaic should tell Redjack (the creator) how his character is.

    The mess known as X-Men and Inhumans-that should NEVER happen.

    Do not do business with any store that called for firing of employees or constantly attacked Marvel books. While praising others who are doing the same thing-doing books no one asked for. You don't cry Mosaic is not selling or too many events and you KEEP ordering issues. Moon Girl is not the reason you are losing money-it's your products being available elsewhere at CHEAPER prices and Ebay & Amazon that is doing it.

    At least give a book a chance AFTER the trade comes out. How can you expect a book to sell or improve when you have stores that refuse to stock the book? Maybe that trade being sold elsewhere might help interest.

    Not everybody needs an ongoing. A $5 one shot of Prowler would have worked just as good as that 6 issue run.

  3. #3

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    the next time we see Susan Richards, she should be a biologist or an academician. I feel like this is the missing part of the equation; that is the First Family. they should all have a background in the sciences or exploration, in some way. Johnny's a gearhead. Reed's a super genius and explorer. Ben could have followed up his time in the military as a guide of some sort (piloting people to remote locations and/or providing protection). and Sue could have been a researcher. I think it's a small update that might make the Fantastic Four a little more engaging. the nuclear family just isn't as attractive as it used to be (plus the Incredibles did it better). I might also suggest making Franklin and Val twins (and ignoring the magical underpinnings of Val's birth).

  4. #4

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    oh and kindly flush everything that Bendis and Gillen did to Tony Stark. I'm actually in favor of taking risks with characters. go balls-out (I was in favor of Tony being related to Tessla). but I'm also in favor of the best story winning out. they didn't improve Tony. adding an alien or nameless SHIELD agents into his past is lame; when compared to Howard being his father.

  5. #5
    Uncanny Member Digifiend's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Watkins View Post
    the next time we see Susan Richards, she should be a biologist or an academician. I feel like this is the missing part of the equation; that is the First Family. they should all have a background in the sciences or exploration, in some way. Johnny's a gearhead. Reed's a super genius and explorer. Ben could have followed up his time in the military as a guide of some sort (piloting people to remote locations and/or providing protection). and Sue could have been a researcher. I think it's a small update that might make the Fantastic Four a little more engaging. the nuclear family just isn't as attractive as it used to be (plus the Incredibles did it better). I might also suggest making Franklin and Val twins (and ignoring the magical underpinnings of Val's birth).
    That kind of thing would be fine for an AU, but you can't change the existing characters in that way. What I would do is age the kids up a bit. They're 3 and 8 at present but Franklin's 1960s introduction and the ages of the Power Pack (he was once their fifth member and used to be roughly the same age as the younger two) mean he should be a teenager by now. And they've said Val is three since at least the first Civil War. Add five years to both of their ages.

    And I thought Ben's military history was retconned out? Both he and Reed were originally supposed to have been drafted. They don't do that any more. Once they became too young to have been in Vietnam, they made it so they were college buddies instead.

  6. #6
    Sector 2814 poroto678's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by strathcona View Post

    5. Less editorial interference and more editors just doing their job. Stop having editors decide what the direction of the MU is supposed to be and then the writers write around that. Just let the writers tell the bet stories they can, and have the editors tell them when the story doesn't make sense, or the characters are being used wrong, and work with the writers to fix it. The editors should be experts on continuity and characterization, and let the writers know when their stories aren't making sense within the context of the MU, not dictate what the story should be.
    I feel this summarizes all. Let writers do their jobs. No forced crossovers, no forced tie-ins, NO FORCED RELAUNCHES (I mean seriously, how many -completely unnecessary- #1 issues has Jason Aaron done on Thor?), no editorial mandates. Let them do their jobs, although with some guidance (like Geoff Johns is doing over at DC) so they don't **** it up TOO badly. I'm not against crossovers (i liked the 'Sitting on a tree' one quite a bit) but they have to feel natural (unlike that Black Vortex fiasco, for example).

    Stop introducing new characters/teams that don't add much (like Silk, a new Red Hulk or ridiculous teams with the word 'Avengers' on the title). It leads to reader fatigue, confusion and makes readers distrust stuff Marvel publishes.

    Basically, Quality over Quantity.
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  7. #7

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    make Pym more like the movie version (but a lot younger). him being the S.H.I.E.L.D version of Q sets him apart from Reed and Stark. he can be as paranoid (makes sense for a hyper intelligent person working among spies) and control freakish, as you like. but eliminate the bipolar illness. he's not a good representative of the condition (that virtual reality program made him seem incredibly arrogant, imo), Moon Knight's got it covered, and it sets him up for future unpleasantness. no hitting Jan; for the love of god! he'd also be someone who could naturally step into Reed's role (should the latter be off planet or something). but he would not be much of a team player.

    I wouldn't change too much about Jan. but I'd establish upfront that her airheaded socialite persona is an act. she'd really be a thrill seeker with a detail-oriented mind naturally adept at detective work. she'd be a quick study as Pym trains her in self-defense and spywork.

    eliminate Maria or eliminate the romantic relationship between Jan and Hank. but, if Maria is essential, have her be co-creator of the Ant-Man & Wasp identities (maybe being responsible for the science that becomes the cybernetic helmet). to insert some more political intrigue into Pym's origin, make her a double agent for an enemy of the U.S (maybe even an earlier incarnation of A.I.M); who inadvertently falls in love with Hank. but they never actually become an item; allowing more room for Janet.

    Make Scott Lang younger (20s). establish him as a low level criminal anti-authority gifted work-for-hire technologist; catering to the criminal underworld (the craigslist version of the Ghost). have Pym use him for his expendability; prior to Scott using the Ant-Man suit for his own purposes. Cassie still exists. but, of course, the mother is younger and has hid her from Scott. She'd still be Scott's motivation to be a better person. but he'd be a lot less reformed and involved in her life (early on). he and Pym would have a contentious but symbiotic relationship. Pym would freely still toggle between all of his identities. Scott would only appear as Ant-Man and be very reluctant to mingle with the Avengers and much of the superhero community; feeling more comfortable around the criminal element.

    to that end, the Young Avengers exist but are their own thing; set in the not too distant future. if they wind up in the present, it's because of Kang's machinations (substitute them for the Next Avengers). for the sake of Stature fans, she would (despite her youth) be very street smart; enough to locate the Young Avengers and join them on their adventures (think of Molly's role within The Runaways). she'd definitely grow into her own superhero identity. and Scott would (maybe misguidedly) teach her everything he knows; in a Big Daddy/Hit-Girl kind of setup.

  8. #8
    Mighty Member nnelg's Avatar
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    I posted one about price on another thread.

    Plan stories out past at least two years. Titles have seemed in the past like there wasn't long a long term plan. .DCs titles seem planned out. Get the work in the can early like the old days. The titles were more consistent back in the day. When the most of the work is done then release the titles.


    Stop relaunching and renumbering titles. The old system worked from the 60s-10s. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Jumping on points are stupid because every issue is a jumping on point. Put a little box on some of the pages that says blank happened in issue number. If I could understand it at the age of 8 then teenagers and adults can now.



    Publish titles with the marquee/flagship/most popular characters. Before anyone complains about this they should publish the legacy characters also. Just at a cheaper price point. There should also be titles aimed at everyone interested in comics.


    One of the biggest. Every story has to fit neatly into continuity. It doesn't matter what they say now. Every story should fit the characters with proper characterization. Editors are supposed to be the keepers of continuity. If the creative team wants swap a mantle the way they do it should make since with the character( Captain America) from the start of the story. If it doesn't make since(Thor) then the editor is supposed to have the creative team re-write it until it makes since. This would is where planning stories out years comes into play.


    Work out a deal with grocery stores again. Having a product only in specialty stores hasn't helped the comic industry. There should be a line that is extremely cheap. They can be digests or regular issues with characters from the movies. 1-2 dollars cheap. We want as many parents to be willing to pay the price per issue. Advertise more. There should be as many Marvel ads on youtube as Latuda. It seems like that one is on there all the time.


    One title per creative team. Creative teams of solo titles does all character development for that character. One team per character. One solo per character. If Wolverine is selling 70-80k a month don't split the fanbase with 4 solos. Even though I bought them. No more than two teams named the same thing and only the proven sellers.
    If a title is selling 30-50k don't split the fanbase with multiple titles. Fantastic 4 is the title I am talking about.



    Bring back Fantastic 4 and Alpha Flight and Excalibur

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Digifiend View Post
    That kind of thing would be fine for an AU, but you can't change the existing characters in that way. What I would do is age the kids up a bit. They're 3 and 8 at present but Franklin's 1960s introduction and the ages of the Power Pack (he was once their fifth member and used to be roughly the same age as the younger two) mean he should be a teenager by now. And they've said Val is three since at least the first Civil War. Add five years to both of their ages.
    the FF don't currently exist. Reed and the Future Foundation are still sorting things out. they can be whatever they want them to be.

    Quote Originally Posted by Digifiend View Post
    And I thought Ben's military history was retconned out? Both he and Reed were originally supposed to have been drafted. They don't do that any more. Once they became too young to have been in Vietnam, they made it so they were college buddies instead.
    maybe. but I'm saying that it makes sense to bring it back, for Ben. it's an easy way to explain his skill at piloting. there's always a war to fight; not that he necessarily needed to fight one.

  10. #10
    insulin4all CaptCleghorn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Digifiend View Post
    That kind of thing would be fine for an AU, but you can't change the existing characters in that way. What I would do is age the kids up a bit. They're 3 and 8 at present but Franklin's 1960s introduction and the ages of the Power Pack (he was once their fifth member and used to be roughly the same age as the younger two) mean he should be a teenager by now. And they've said Val is three since at least the first Civil War. Add five years to both of their ages.

    And I thought Ben's military history was retconned out? Both he and Reed were originally supposed to have been drafted. They don't do that any more. Once they became too young to have been in Vietnam, they made it so they were college buddies instead.
    I'm not a fan of Sue as a scientist. I do think she's an extremely intelligent woman, but the aspect of her raising Johnny and sacrificing that part of her life to raise her brother is an important part of her history to me. Now, that's not to say that Sue couldn't have gotten a degree or potentially even a doctorate during her early FF days. I'd be behind that retcon, But making Sue ANOTHER scientist? Sorry, I'm not there. There are other areas she could get into. A psych or a counseling field could work. Sue's brilliant. The fact that Reed's not bored by her tells me that. It's the combination of her brains and caring (and looks, too OK?) that Reed admires.

    As for the kids, bring them back from Secret Wars 15 and 10 years old. Val at three should have been played like Stewie Griffin featuring brilliance interspaced with signs of her being in a toddler's body. We've had a few long periods with the FF (Fraction's year as well as the Eight Months Later skip). Val was probably 5 going into SW. Plus she's drawn as if she was 10 much of the time anyway.

  11. #11
    Extraordinary Member Crimz's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Watkins View Post
    the next time we see Susan Richards, she should be a biologist or an academician. I feel like this is the missing part of the equation; that is the First Family. they should all have a background in the sciences or exploration, in some way. Johnny's a gearhead. Reed's a super genius and explorer. Ben could have followed up his time in the military as a guide of some sort (piloting people to remote locations and/or providing protection). and Sue could have been a researcher. I think it's a small update that might make the Fantastic Four a little more engaging. the nuclear family just isn't as attractive as it used to be (plus the Incredibles did it better). I might also suggest making Franklin and Val twins (and ignoring the magical underpinnings of Val's birth).
    I agree with giving Sue a career for the team. I've said it many times before, I think a doctor/surgeon would be the best suited and it's missing role form the team. Wouldn't make her a scientist as that role will always be overshadowed by Reed. A doctor or surgeon is really competent role, that suits her character and doesn't go into "super genius" territory.

    Quote Originally Posted by Digifiend View Post
    That kind of thing would be fine for an AU, but you can't change the existing characters in that way. What I would do is age the kids up a bit. They're 3 and 8 at present but Franklin's 1960s introduction and the ages of the Power Pack (he was once their fifth member and used to be roughly the same age as the younger two) mean he should be a teenager by now. And they've said Val is three since at least the first Civil War. Add five years to both of their ages.

    And I thought Ben's military history was retconned out? Both he and Reed were originally supposed to have been drafted. They don't do that any more. Once they became too young to have been in Vietnam, they made it so they were college buddies instead.
    With them gone, it can be implemented that she is training in some way. Or it can even be a little plot point that she is studying medicine when she returns, it can touch on the anxiety and determination of adults returning to college. It doesn't have to be a retcon.
    Last edited by Crimz; 04-04-2017 at 08:02 PM.
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  12. #12
    Extraordinary Member Crimz's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CaptCleghorn View Post
    I'm not a fan of Sue as a scientist. I do think she's an extremely intelligent woman, but the aspect of her raising Johnny and sacrificing that part of her life to raise her brother is an important part of her history to me. Now, that's not to say that Sue couldn't have gotten a degree or potentially even a doctorate during her early FF days. I'd be behind that retcon, But making Sue ANOTHER scientist? Sorry, I'm not there. There are other areas she could get into. A psych or a counseling field could work. Sue's brilliant. The fact that Reed's not bored by her tells me that. It's the combination of her brains and caring (and looks, too OK?) that Reed admires.

    As for the kids, bring them back from Secret Wars 15 and 10 years old. Val at three should have been played like Stewie Griffin featuring brilliance interspaced with signs of her being in a toddler's body. We've had a few long periods with the FF (Fraction's year as well as the Eight Months Later skip). Val was probably 5 going into SW. Plus she's drawn as if she was 10 much of the time anyway.
    I agree on the scientist thing. I think the role of a doctor would avoid this. I also think that was part of the problem with the Ultimate universe. They should of not made her genius, as she would always be overshadowed by Reed.

    I agree with aging them, but I'd make Franklin 13 and Val 7. Those ages seem to really great for child characters in cartoons and other things.
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  13. #13
    Fantastic Member victor borkowski's Avatar
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    remember when stories and plotlines went on for years? that's storytelling. think how how long it took for the hints about Wanda and Pietros parentage took to role out, or the Hellfire club, it originally bugged the mansion years before the HC actually appeared. great stories take time to develop.

  14. #14
    Uncanny Member Digifiend's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Watkins View Post
    the FF don't currently exist. Reed and the Future Foundation are still sorting things out. they can be whatever they want them to be.
    They do exist. They're just not in Earth-616 right now. Your idea is impossible as a retcon. What you suggested required a reboot. Hence, like I said, it's only good for an AU.

  15. #15
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    Suggestions
    Four interconnected universes, 616, M2, Ultimate and 2099.

    616 for New Warriors type stuff, Avenger's backdrop but not much Avengers, and Fantastic 4.
    M2 for Parker Industries, The Parker Family, Young Avenger's-Children of the Avengers
    Ultimate for Hydra Captain America, Black Nick Fury, and the recent existential angst accociated with cosmic cube stuff.
    2099 - Time Traveling X-men, Multiversal Problems, Exiles, Gene Wars.
    The universes kind of know about each other and kind of interrelate.

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