From: lsmith@deci.cs.umn.edu (Lance "Squiddie" Smith)
Subject: Re: Marvel copies DC... again
Organization: Hellblazing Squids of the Poor
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 03:34:52 GMT

In <3JAN199315081369@udel.edu> jdelisle@udel.edu (J. G. Delisle) writes:

>	Why is it every time DC does something, Marvel tries to imitate it?
>Next summer's DC annuals will be introducing new heroes and villains. So will
>the Marvel annuals. DC has success with the Hellblazer title. Marvel will be
>starting Hellstorm in February (it's about demons and magic in the Marvel
>universe. Very orginal.)

Is Hellblazer a success? I mean it's a good book, but I wouldn't really call
it a big success. A quick look at the top selling books for October (that's
what I have handy) shows Hellblazer not making the top 100 titles. Meanwhile,
Morbius was 29th, Nightstalkers was 32nd and Darkhold was 38th. 

Now these are for early issues of the Marvel titles (4,2 and 2 respectively)
but Hellblazer isn't the runaway best seller that we might hope it is. 
Sandman, which I consider the best book from a big publisher, usually hovers
around 75 in the list. The mature titles just don't make up a big portion
of the really successful books. We comic book snobs are definitely in the
minority. 

My guess is that the folx at Marvel will do much better with Hellstorm than
Hellblazer does currently. Why? Other than the big sales they'll get out of
the first couple issues (#1 will be on parchment with red lettering. Cool.)
it will also be written at a lower level with plenty of horned demons and
she devils in tight clothing. This will appeal to the heavy metal, teenage 
Satan worshipers who Pat Robertson is always talking about. No doubt they 
will steal from their parents to buy several copies of every issue and bags 
to put them in.

>	And, DC is launching its Vertigo line of mature titles. So as not to
>be left out, Marvel's Epic line is releasing the "Heavy Hitters" titles, 
>apparently to try and capture more of the market, using big names (TM) like
>Joe Kubert, Ron Lim, Gerard Jones, Howard Chaykin, etc.

I sorta look on this as A GOOD THING [tm]. Can we have enough of better 
quality comics? I'm no Fan of Olde Merry Marvel, but if competition moves
them to get more mature titles, then I don't care who they're copying. It 
might all turn out to be utter dross. It might be that Marvel ends up putting 
out 10 crap titles for every one that's worth reading. But I may want to read
that one title.

>	Of course, Marvel isn't cancelling any titles to make room for the
>new ones. Somebody said they'd have over 150 titles per month by summer '93.
>If that's the case, I'm starting to dread 1994 already.

The main argument against the increase in titles by Marvel is that it will
push the independents (cue Peter_A_David's "Independent from what?" quip.)
from the shelves. I don't think I believe this anymore. The independent 
titles seems to be holding on. There's a big enough market for everyone
at the moment. I would prefer to see Marvel give their money to needy, 
talented artists and writers. However, if they want to fling it at people
to write even more X-Books, it's really no skin off my oversized nose. 

-----------------------------
  Lance "Cr2O3.2H2O" Smith  | "Good grief! He's dead! He must have cracked his 
    (lsmith@cs.umn.edu)     |  shell when you pulled that football away. Maybe
  Idea shamelessly stolen,  |  we can get your brother to bury him in the 
   then slightly modified.  |  pumpkin patch with the others."    _Peanuts_