Over on Comicon.com/Splash, CrossGen head Mark Alessi did a nice job of getting himself some ink and challenging the corporate thinking that’s dictated some of Marvel’s greatest faults as a publisher, which is a good thing. He talked about how the industry needs to be saved, which is also a good thing. I was with him all the way up to this:
“Alessi ended with hints of big announcements in the coming month.
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Those comments, to me, in seeming context with a previous paragraph about Diamond stuck me as a possible distribution deal or company. He did go on about the 5% market share and being moved to the front of the Previews catalog, and how the “Big 4” would have to approve this move. Just my thoughts on the matter
jeff
Agree totally, Peter. You cannot win this sort of thing by playing the game whose rules others have created. The only way to “win” is not to play at all.
You know, when I read that article last night, I found myself wondering how ‘destroying’ D.C., Marvel, Dark Horse & Image would save the comics industry… Oh, well.
Actually, on a slightly different note, I noticed that Image is the only one of the ‘Big Four’ (I’m still adjusting to having a ‘Big Four’ instead of a ‘Big Two’… Over here, only the most devoted comics fans have even heard of Dark Horse or Image) that you don’t write anything for, Peter. Is there a specific reason for that, or is it just the way the cards have happened to fall?
Paul-
For Dark Horse, Peter continues to write “Spyboy” now in more of a miniseries format that works better for everyones schedule. Most of who he works for and when is the way the cards happen to fall or what else he is doing at the time.
FYI: The new issue of Soulsearcher and Company is out this week.
Kathleen O. David
Nobody’s noticed that Dreamwave beat Dark Horse in the most recent market share rankings (with four to five per cent each). It’s either a “big three” or, as Diamond listed it, a “big five”.
As soon as Marc Alessi runs out of money (which he seems to be spending at an alarming rate with very little result), Crossgen will fall flat on its face I fear.
Nobody’s noticed that Dreamwave beat Dark Horse in the most recent market share rankings (with four to five per cent each). It’s either a “big three” or, as Diamond listed it, a “big five”.
As soon as Marc Alessi runs out of money (which he seems to be spending at an alarming rate with very little result), Crossgen will fall flat on its face I fear.
“Most of who he works for and when is the way the cards happen to fall or what else he is doing at the time.”
Well, I hope those cards don’t fall Crossgen’s way, Kathleen, unless it’s a creator-owned property for Code 6.
I think Crossgen is making gigantic strides in the industry and I admire their ambition, but I just can’t get into their core books. I don’t know if it’s because the genres they publish aren’t appealing to me, or if it’s because the books seem to be mostly aimed at 12-year olds, or if it’s because I hate the sigils, but they just aren’t my thing.
As far as Alessi’s comments go, I think he’s just blowing smoke. Joe Quesada and Bill Jemas are always putting down DC and Crossgen, and it seems like Alessi is just ready to fight back. I take it all with a grain of salt.
– Markisan
I’m shocked at all this, just absolutely SHOCKED at what Alessi said.
Dark Horse and Image are “BIG”?
I’m tellin’ ya, I had no idea.
Seriously, though, while I’m TRYING to get into “Ruse,” I have to wonder why Crossgen doesn’t have Peter, Frank Miller, John Ostrander, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore or Judd Winnick working for them.
Oh, yeah, Crossgen’s demands exclusivity for many, if not most (or is it all?) of their creators. Shame.
They demand, not only exclusicity, but relocation to Florida to work on their core books. Which is certainly their right but it does limit the amount of people interested in working for them, even exclusively.
It doesn’t take too much conjecture to suggest that perhaps the reason Alessi’s looking to bring in non-core books is because his own line isn’t growing like he likes to say it is. His books aren’t going to reach 5% on their own … so he’ll just bring in more books until he reaches the level he wants.
The rumored distribution deal with Chaos! furthers this theory.
I agree that Alessi is just blowing smoke, trying to stir the pot a little.
But I don’t think I’d want to get into a PR pìššìņg contest with the likes of Marvel or DC.
He’s like the Ross Perot of comics. I’ve got money…”blah…blah..blah.”
“You can lead a comic fan to water but you can’t make him eat peanut butter…”
I miss the good ol’ days when the only thing we knew about the machinations going on behind-the-scenes of any comic were through ‘Bullpen’ or “johnny D.C.” type pages. With the advent of the ‘net, it seems all the big news comes from the marketing schemes of the dull, uncreative and aggressive business men who seem to hold all the strings. I miss living under the impression that the comic book was a labour of love and was ultimately governed by the creative end of the company…not the bean-counting hype machine (call me naive – but that was part of the charm comics had for me). Business has always been ugly and messy, and since the early 90’s can’t help but notice some of the dirt on the pages of most comics.
To Mr. Jemas and every other comic executive who can’t distinguish between the company and their own ego, leave the creative thinking to the creative folk. You didn’t end up in business because of your great artistic vision.
Or maybe I should just stop reading messageboards altogether and live happily ever after, safe and secure under a thick comfy blanket of delusion.
Good luck on Captain Marvel #1, Mr. David!
Uhm, Kathleen…either you misread, or are being coy…Paul noted that Image is the only one of the “Big 4” Peter doesn’t work for. Longtime PAD fans know the historical reasons (Which I guess will be showing up here in the BID archives in the not too distant future)….I do wonder if those still stand, or if these days it’s just a no real interest type of thing.
I can’t be the only one totally unimpressed by CrossGen, can I? I’ve looked at a number of their books and they’re bad. Even Ruse was marred by nonsensical and ham handed attempts to tie it into the CrossGen cliche.
I can’t believe people are so high on this company and it’s books. It’s sad when some rich outsider can come in and claim to save the industry.
I really hope George Perez doesn’t get hurt when Alessi’s house of cards falls down(the foundation is rotten, it can’t work, I don’t care how good his business plan is supposed to be, the BOOKS ARE NOT GOOD). He’s a great, he deserves better than that.
Now I am not a big reader of comics anymore. I pick up about 4 titles a month (well- I don’t think Green Arrow counts as a monthly) but as of a couple of months ago, I am reading just about every crossgen book thanks to their copendia books. From the looks I’ve had of what they have put in there, there books range the same range of the Marvel or DC books- Excellent and excitting (Ruse) to borning and forced (The First).
Here the thing- if Crossgen hadn’t thought outside the box, I would have never have looked at one of their books (even if it was drawn by George Perez)
No- not everything they do is great, but you cannt say that about any company. But they are thinking outside the box and doing some excitting stuff. I do agree with Peter in the regart that there efforts should be in continuing to reach out to the non-causal fan and not getting into a pìššìņg contest with Marvel and DC.
Bu then again, maybe the pìššìņg contest is working for them, because I have heard of them and I have never heard of Dreamwave, who several of you mentioned beat Dark Horse this month.
I have been collecting comics, mainly Marvel, for over 20 years. From the point of a reader (I am not very familiar with what is and has been going on behind the scenes) there are certainly still good exceptions of the rule like PAD`s Captain Marvel but the vast majority of what is offered nowadays by them simply doesn`t interest me. I am buying a small fraction of what I used to buy in the past.
I used to love the X-Men. I have them all from Giant Size #1 onwards but I am *this* close now to give up my subscriptions. The quality of the writing became terribly erratic. The same applies to the artwork. Especially when I order one of the now numerous X-mini series (this is getting silly, by the way!), they often have wonderful covers but the artwork inside leaves a lot to be desired.
I also think, for a comic company to survive it needs variety. I have the feeling Marvel is resting on its old, well known titles but does little to insert fresh ideas into this concept. PAD`s Captain Marvel is an exception of the rule. But too often I started buying new Marvel titles which were cancelled soon or quite soon. This doesn`t encourage readers to try them.
Because of my disappointment with Marvel, I actually started looking around if there is something out there that gives me what I want. I became a big fan of Crossgen`s Sojourn series. I absolutely love the artwork. It has an ongoing story with characters that keep me interested and I actually care about. I am seriously considering to try other series in future. At least concerning this reader, Crossgen made a difference and inserted some fresh air into comic publishing.
I don`t want Marvel to fail. I want it to get better which is in the interest of all sides. But I can`t help to wonder why one Marvel movie after another is produced nowadays. Are they that desperate for money that movie rights have to subsidize the production of new comics?
Marvel can`t survive forever on old stories. Also Pocket Books` Star Trek declined when they were unable and unwilling to grow and change. And look at what happened in recent years! Who rests starts to rust. Hopefully Marvel will learn that lesson, also from Crossgen, before it is too late.
Scavenger wrote: ‘Paul noted that Image is the only one of the “Big 4” Peter doesn’t work for. Longtime PAD fans know the historical reasons (Which I guess will be showing up here in the BID archives in the not too distant future)…’
Hey! I’m a long time PAD fan, and I don’t know the historical reasons! I’ve been following Peter’s work since P.P.T.S. Spider-Man, so surely that qualifies me as a long time fan… I guess the reason I’m unaware of these reasons you allude to, Scavenger, is that although I’ve avidly devoured all of Peter’s comics work, I’ve never read ‘But I Digress’ until the archives started appearing on this very website. Like Weatherhead, I’ve never been that interested in what went on behind the scenes of my favourite comic books. I’m also not sure if I prefer having the inside information in these days of Internet fandom; it does take away a certain something. (It is, however, increasingly addictive… hence my presence here today.)
But Peter has written an Image title or two — the Gen13/Spidey crossover and (I think) the Hulk/Pitt xover. We just shouldn’t expect him to be writing anything that Toad or Erik control, I’m guessing.
I was there when he said that. I do think that article played up a lot of the harsh things he said, and Alessi did get a bit carried away with it after a bit. But if you’d heard the other things he’d said, I think you would agree that he’s really a stand-up guy with strong ideals. This is a man who loves comics who also happens to have good business sense (well, at least as far as I could see). I didn’t agree with everything he said, but even the things I didn’t agree with made sense to an extent. And I think, once you get past his rantings, he really doesn’t want to see the other comics go away, he just wants to make sure the industry doesn’t dry up, and wants to make it more accessible. Heh, unforturnatley for us, Tart is a monthly publication, so my article on the conference wont go up till next month. I’ll try to include his “friendlier” statements ^_~ … In any case, I hadn’t really paid much attention to CrossGen before now, but Alessi piqued my interest that weekend. Thankfully I work at a bookstore, and can read the trades for free ^_~, since I’m not exactly budgeteed to start reading any new titles. I’m not gonna stop reading Ultimate Spider-Man just to start readin them, mind, even after Jemas made himself look like a twelve-year-old on Newsarama (a shame, really– I’d like to join Tart’s fans in the boycott, but I can’t help it– a good book is a good book, regardles of the politics of it’s corporate distributer).
Ok, ramble over…
What Mark Alessi runs out of money?
Do you want me to start quoting Citizen Kane here?
Alessi is going to grow the company buy buying comic books. I can’t see it not working. And then the Diamond contracts will collide. And there are people at higher up DC who have a problem with CrossGen far more than people at Marvel – and DC have the premier contract with Diamond.
I’m certainly hoping that CrossGen will grow to being very successful, but they should take their steps carefully too. Who knows, maybe in another decade, they’ll a pretty successful, if not entirely, company. 😉
Crossgen was a good idea at first. The books [besides Sigil] were decent and it was fine. I’ve stopped reading them because now, they lack punch. Could it be caused by the overwhelming amount of titles they “spun-off”? Probably.
I know i swore one thing when CrossGen hired Mr.Dixon. I swore that if Mr.Alessi hired my favorite writer i would quit reading comics totally. I’m pretty sure i’ll be reading comics for long, right Mr.David ?
I know Mr.Alessi cause i used to work for the comic shop were he and the staff buy/bought their mechandise.
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