From: krupski@ravel.udel.edu (James John Krupski)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc
Subject: Re: Quasar and the New Universe
Summary: Is this thread worth continuing?
Date: 17 Dec 92 02:23:18 GMT
Organization: University of Delaware

Actually, I'm getting tired of this.  PLEASE RESPOND BY E-MAIL.
In article <1992Dec16.234647.21254@udel.edu> mickey@pecan.cns.udel.edu (Mickey) writes:
>In article <BzDIJH.Kr0@news.udel.edu> krupski@ravel.udel.edu (James John Krupski) writes:
>>The New Universe was intended to be "the world outside your window".  Then
>>they introduce a few, a very few, science fiction concepts carefully, just the
>>ones they want.  The idea was to simulate how real people would react to
>>superhero situations.  The people of the DC Universe have seen superhero act-
>>-ion since WW II, and for the Marvel Universe, since 1963, approximately.  (No
>>flames here for inaccuracies please -- I'm making a general point that the 
>>general populaces are jaded to otherworldly things.)  Any intrusion of weird
>>people from the Marvel Universe is bound to destroy this mood.  
>
>Yea, but we all know this failed miserably.  So in order to try to make
>things more interesting and get readers back, they kicked in paranormal
>people everywhere going nuts and the Pitt stuff, etc.  So, while it may
>have started as "the universe outside your window," Marvel quickly realized
>people read comics *instead* of looking outside their windows.  (Marvel
>Executives: *OH*!  Boy, what the hell were we thinking?)

Well, as I understand it, Jim Shooter, the Editor-in-Chief at the time,
was pressuring the writers and artists to rush through the first year's 
worth of titles in order to be on time for Marvel's 25th anniversary.
Shooter bet his job that he could create his own comics universe, and make
it a success.  Shooter lost the bet, and therefore his job, because the
first twelve issues of all eight titles were very low quality (with the
exception of D.P.7), and had generally low sales.  
Then the editorship passed to Mark Gruenwald, John Byrne, and Howard Mackie.
They were given a chance to renew the New U's popularity.  The four
slowest-selling books were cancelled, and a new direction was decided on.
Naturally, they decided to escalate the conflict, create bigger problems
for humanity to deal with, and basically cause havoc and get attention.

But they DIDN'T do this by introducing mer-men, aliens, cosmic beings,
demons, or mutants!  They did it by introducing more scientifically-rational-
ized paranormals, and having the most powerful paranormal create the Pitt,
which would rationalize the creation of still more paranormal humans.

IMO they understood how ridiculous and useless a direct crossover with the
Marvel Universe would be, and they tried to escalate the conflict in a
sensible, logical way in order to protect the integrity of the New Universe,
as uninteresting and lame as some (like you) thought it was.
If you think it's hokey, then that's fine.  IMO mer-men, aliens, cosmic 
beings, demons and mutants are hokier, especially when they're all
in the same story. 
 
Sales rose, slowly.  D.P.7 attracted a very small, very loyal cult following.
Eventually it was decided that it was all more trouble than it was worth
and the remaining four titles were cancelled.  Less than six months later,
the first Batman movie was released, and comic shops everywhere began to
see non-comics readers drifting into their stores, curious as to what they
would find.  I've _heard_ that this was the beginning of the biggest, fastest
boom in comics history.
Now we see titles that have been cancelled since the 70's coming back.  
More popular characters than ever support multiple titles.  Maybe I'm
exaggerating the effects of the Bat movies, but the very public exposure
that the movies engendered had a big effect on sales.
Now I'm NOT saying that if the NU titles had hung on a little longer, they
would have survived.  Maybe, maybe not.  All I'm saying is that the
New Universe was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  They started out
rushed, acquired a very bad reputation, and everyone stayed away during
that interesting era when Gruenwald and Mackie had a free hand, and Ron
Lim was illustrating Fabian's ideas, and PAD wrote Justice.  

The New Universe titles impressed me by being interesting and consistent,
in a way that nothing which Image has produced so far has done for me.

>>	Of course I am in favor of good stories.  But do you really think
>>that meeting the X-Men is going to improve D.P.7?  I don't.
>
>I, for one, don't believe that's going to happen anytime soon and now
>that Quasar has the Star Brand, we're not going to see any more of the
>New Universe.
>
>Of course, I've been wrong before (especially when I endorse something
>that makes sense....)
>Mick

I hope they stay in limbo too, at least until grim'n'gritty is dead as disco.

Mick, in my last post, I asked that you follow up my e-mail, because I'm
leaving campus soon and I won't be around for awhile to read the Net.
(Jim taps foot patiently)
PLEASE RESPOND BY E-MAIL, I WON'T BE AROUND TO READ THE NET!
MICK! DO YOU COPY!  MIIIIiiiiiick... (crackle  sputter  statickate)