Year: 2002

A few more fixes around and about the site. We direct your attention to the sidebar, where you will note the recent addition of Peter’s biography, a pointer to Spacecasestv.com (where spacecases.com moved after the domain got lost– don’t ask, please) and weblogs by Elayne Riggs (wife of Supergirl inker Robin– I know, I know, you all thought Robin was female and was going out with Joe Duffy) and your humble poster. (If you read my blog, I won’t feel the urge to interject over here. So much.

And, yes, now that the site is– no, won’t say anything lest the evil eye return– we’ll be back to posting more BIDs shortly.

A few more fixes around and about the site. We direct your attention to the sidebar, where you will note the recent addition of Peter’s biography, a pointer to Spacecasestv.com (where spacecases.com moved after the domain got lost– don’t ask, please) and weblogs by Elayne Riggs (wife of Supergirl inker Robin– I know, I know, you all thought Robin was female and was going out with Joe Duffy) and your humble poster. (If you read my blog, I won’t feel the urge to interject over here. So much.

And, yes, now that the site is– no, won’t say anything lest the evil eye return– we’ll be back to posting more BIDs shortly.

There was a period at the beginning there when there was a new editor on SUPERGIRL every other issue. When Mike McAvennie settled in, I kept expecting him to disappear within a month or so. Happily, I was wrong; unhappily, not forever.

I was extremely unhappy to learn of Mike’s departure from DC Comics yesterday. When I was first looking at Leonard Kirk’s pencils and saying, “Gee, I’m not sure,” Mike was the one saying, “Trust me, he’ll work out great,” and he was absolutely right. He was always watching out for the good of the book.

People are asking me what this bodes for SUPERGIRL. I couldn’t say. I am reasonably sure that sales are not what I’d hoped for with the new storyline and the “return of Kara.” I’m seeing lots of fans who state they never read the book or dropped it now saying they fully intend to start buying it with #75. Unfortunately my guess is that they haven’t bothered to tell their retailers, who in turn aren’t bothering to increase their orders. If every single retailer had increased his order by one copy–one–that’d be a rise of several thousand right there. Hasn’t happened so far. Funny that retailers and fans complain about the CAPTAIN MARVEL circus, with the air of publicity stunts and the multiple covers. But sales tripled. Tripled. SUPERGIRL was simply publicized with a much-asked-for storyline and terrific Ed Benes art. Emphasis on substance over style. Best guess? Haven’t even cracked the top 100 yet.

I’m asked what sort of message DC is sending by firing Mike McAvennie. Answer: Not a good one. Now here’s my question: What sort of message is being sent to DC when an editor launches a popular storyline with great art and the book still can’t get the time of day?

PAD

…and the reviews are beginning to come in for Captain Marvel. Peter is either too modest to link to the reviews, or he still fears the attempt will cause the website to explode again, so it falls to me. Look here and here. If you have any others, post them in the comments section and we’ll move them up front.

Meanwhile, some people are declaring victory. Forgive me for having my doubts…

UPDATE: More reviews here and here. Domo arigato, Markisan.

And anybody else who’s got a review and looking for some cheap link traffic, place their review in the comments section.

The signing went well at Jim Hanley’s Universe yesterday, I thought, although I was slightly saddened that Jim himself wasn’t actually there (Max Allan Collins, he turns out for. Me, no.) But it gave me the opportunity to meet and greet ChrisCross, Soto, Tom and Mark. I did get there late, though. Get this: Took me a little over an hour to drive in from Long Island, and then HALF AN HOUR to drive from the Queens Midtown Tunnel (35th and 2nd) to Hanley’s at 33rd between 5th and 6th…including a solid ten minutes to go 3/4 of a block on 33rd Street. I was going out of my mind.

It’s impossible to judge fairly how sales of CAPTAIN MARVEL were going since, naturally, the entire creative team was there. I will say, however, that according to store staff, sales of MARVILLE were going veeeeeery slowly. Funny thing is, the other two titles really have it pretty easy. Since I was the one going out there in the first place saying I thought the storyline in CM was so fabulous that everyone had to read it, I always figured I was the one with the most to lose if the writing wasn’t up to snuff. Expectations were high because of what I’d said, and because of my track record. Judging by comments on various boards, expectations were far less for the other two titles. It’s kind of like the Gore/Bush debates. Everyone expected so much of the intellectual, debate-savvy Gore, that all Bush had to do was show up sober, not bump into the furniture, and not attack a woman in the front row, and people would be impressed. Same thing here. My perception is that CM really has to be good to live up to what people expect. All MARVILLE and ULTIMATE has to do is not suck.

PAD

No, it’s not grooming tips (yeah, like I’d be the one to come up with those.) I forgot to mention that I’ll be appearing today at Jim Hanley’s Universe in Manhattan, 4 W. 33rd Street, from 4 to 7 PM for a “Captain Marvel” releated signing. Then let’s all clock with a stopwatch how long it takes signed copies of CM to show up on ebay.

Also, for those within range of Stony Brook University, I’ll be appearing on the radio show “Destinies” this Friday at 11:30 PM. “Destinies” airs on WUSB, 90.1 FM, Stony Brook, NY, and can be heard via RealAudio through links at the WUSB website. After September 24 or 25, the program will be rebroadcast online in rotation at Cosmic Landscapes.

PAD

UN weapons inspector Hans Blix. I love that name. I keep expecting he has two associates named “Sptzl” and “Glah.”

You know, that’s a thought. Send Sugar and Spike into Iraq as weapons inspectors. By the time they’re through, Saddam will be begging us to bomb him.

PAD