Saga
Comics A.M. | DC Comics confirms loss of pulp hero licenses
First Wave #1
Publishing | Pulp heroes The Spirit, Doc Savage and The Avenger disappeared from the DC Comics lineup more than a year ago, with Co-Publisher Dan DiDio now confirming on his Facebook page that the company’s rights to the characters have lapsed. Brian Azzarello paired the vintage characters with Batman, Black Canary, the Blackhawks and other current DC heroes in his First Wave miniseries, which launched in 2010. Heidi MacDonald adds, “we’ve heard that at WB it was pointed out that DC paying good money to license old characters didn’t make much sense when they had their own catalog of little-used characters to exploit.” [Blog@Newsarama]
Digital comics | As noted here Monday, comiXology was No. 3 on the list of top-grossing iPad apps of 2012, and in the press release announcing this, the comiXology folks dropped another number on us: They have served more than 2 billion pages since their launch three years ago. [comiXology]
What Are You Reading? with Joshua Williamson
Hello and welcome to another edition of What Are You Reading?, where each week we talk about comics and other stuff we’ve been checking out lately. Today we welcome special guest Joshua Williamson, writer of Masks and Mobsters, Captain Midnight (which has been running in Dark Horse Presents), Uncharted, Voodoo and much more.
To see what Joshua and the Robot 6 crew have been reading, click below …
Image changes course on second printings: ‘We listen to you’
Following a brusque announcement earlier this week that Image Comic would no longer offer second printings of “known over-performers,” Publisher Eric Stephenson has issued an open letter to retailers admitting to “a rash decision made somewhat in haste and a little bit out of frustration.”
The initial statement, written by Image’s PR and marketing coordinator Jennifer de Guzman, expressed exasperation with store owners under-ordering Saga #7, which marked the return from hiatus of the hit series by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples, and stated in no certain terms that neither that issue nor Issue 8 would be reprinted. “We have decided to cease second printings of single issues of titles that are known over-performers in hopes that it will help initial sales find their proper level,” de Guzman wrote. “That’s marketing-speak for ‘You know this sells, so you’d better make sure you order enough!’”
The tone of the newsletter, and the potential impact of the policy, raised eyebrows among store owners and readers alike, and sparked interesting, and spirited online discussion. But just two days later, Image has changed course. “Believe it or not, we listen to you,” Stephenson wrote. The company now will reprint Saga #7, and offer it at “a massive discount” to retailers.
Image Comics ends second printings of ‘known over-performers’
Saga #8
Image Comics has announced it will end second printings of titles “that are known over-performers in hopes that it will help initial sales find their proper level,” cautioning retailers in this week’s newsletter to “believe in the titles that sell and believe in your ability to sell them. There might not be a second chance.”
“This isn’t meant as a punishment or some weird scheme to drive up prices of single issues on eBay,” wrote Jennifer de Guzman, Image’s PR and marketing coordinator. “The weeks of delay in waiting for the second printing cost you sales. Knowing you can count on reprintings has encouraged caution when none is called for, and that hurts you as much as it does us.”
The announcement accompanied news that Saga #7, the acclaimed space opera by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, had sold out at the distributor level, despite overprinting of the issue. “Should we have told you specifically “Order a lot of this one”?” de Guzman wrote. “Well, did we really need to?”
“This is Saga we’re talking about. Issue #7 was its return after a brief hiatus that had fans of the epic by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples as restless as cats in heat and following on the heels of the release of a trade paperback that is moving like wildfire (it’s is still on the New York Times Bestseller list). And its FOC [final order cutoff] came just two weeks after I quite single-mindedly harangued you about order numbers decreasing with each issue of even our most popular titles, using math. (Math, people!)”
Noting that orders for Saga #8 dropped 4 percent from those for Issue 7, de Guzman continued, “It’s not empty boasting to say that Saga is the best new series of 2012 — it’s borne out by review after review, recommendation after recommendation, and when we see sales go down on an issue, we know that there is a problem, and it isn’t with the book itself. ”
Saga #8 arrives next week. Read the full statement below:
NPR names best graphic novels ‘that flew under the radar in 2012′
Amid all of the best-of-the-year lists, National Public Radio’s comics go-to guy Glen Weldon takes a different approach, focusing on “outstanding works that haven’t gotten the column inches they deserve” — in short, the graphic novels and collections that might’ve slipped beneath the mainstream radar. Of course, half of his selections have already made best-of lists this year:
• The Crackle of the Frost, by Lorenzo Mattotti and Jorge Zentner (Fantagraphics)
• Little White Duck: A Childhood in China, by Andres Vera Martinez and Na Liu (Graphic Universe)
• Drama, by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastic/Graphix)
• Gloriana, by Kevin Huizenga (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Saga, Vol. 1, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
• Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: Blood, by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang (DC Comics)
You can read what Weldon has to say about each off the books on the NPR website.
Quote of the Day | ‘The Year of Image Comics’
“Between the New 52, Before Watchmen, and Marvel Now!, 2012 has been an exhilarating year for mainstream comics, but none of these events have been as thrilling as the creative renaissance at Image Comics. High-profile launches from Jonathan Hickman, Ed Brubaker, and Brandon Graham have given readers riveting stories unlike anything at Marvel or DC, and these titles have expanded the publisher’s brand to satisfy a more diverse audience. No new book has done that as well as Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ Saga, a science-fiction fantasy/war romance that’s part Shakespeare, part Star Wars, and all awesome. [...] Across Image’s line, there’s a confidence in the storytelling that stems from total creative freedom. With no editorial interference, these creators are able to create the exact type of books they want to see, from the story contents to the production quality. That complete control breeds fearlessness, and these writers and artists are putting out stories that fully exhibit their imaginations. They’re paving new ground for the future of the industry. There’s no reason for comic books to be so strongly defined by superheroes, and Image has taken huge strides to build a library of titles that offers as broad a selection of genres as prose, film, or television.”
– The A.V. Club critic Oliver Sava, in his review of Saga #7 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
Food or Comics? | Fantastic Fork
Welcome to Food or Comics?, where every week we talk about what comics we’d buy at our local comic shop based on certain spending limits — $15 and $30 — as well as what we’d get if we had extra money or a gift card to spend on a splurge item. I’m filling in this week for Michael May, who is off in Florida spending his splurge money on mouse ears and giant turkey legs.
Check out Diamond’s release list or ComicList, and tell us what you’re getting in our comments field.
Chris Arrant
Saga #7
If I had $15, I’d start of the week with Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples’ Saga #7 (Image, $2.99). Saga has become a real bright spot in comics for me being sci-fi without being “sci-fi,” being romance without being “romance,” and being great at being great. It gives me the same excitement the way Bone, Strangers In Paradise and A Distant Soil did back in the early 90s. Next up would be Punk Rock Jesus #5 (DC/Vertigo, $2.99) by Sean Murphy. Murphy’s really exceeded my expectations here, creating a nuanced and elaborate world that has great art as a bonus. You can really tell Murphy’s been thinking about this story for awhile now. After that I’d get Invincible #97 (Image, $2.99), to finally get the truth behind the new Invincible, Zandale. I’ve been enticed by what’s been teased so far, and I hope the inevitable return of Mark Grayson doesn’t prevent me from seeing more of Zandale in the future. Last up with my $15 budget would be my call for the best superhero book on the stands today, Wolverine & The X-Men #20 (Marvel, $3.99). I feel like the title isn’t getting the attention it deserves with Marvel NOW! upon us, but Jason Aaron and Nick Bradshaw are absolutely delivering it here.
If I had $30, I’d double back and double up on Brian Wood with Conan The Barbarian #10 (Dark Horse, $3.50) and The Massive #6 (Dark Horse, $3.50). The Massive has survived the monumental loss of artist Kristian Donaldson, forging on in Wood’s story of one ship trying to survive in an ecological destitute Earth. Over at Conan The Barbarian, Declan Shalvey looks to be bringing the goods and showing he’s more than a Marvel superhero artist. After that I’d get the second series debut of Where Is Jake Ellis? (Image, $3.50) by Nathan Edmondson and Tonci Zonjic. This is a mighty pairing, and seeing them peel back the layers on Jake Ellis has been fun.
Amazon names best comics and graphic novels of 2012
Getting a jump on the holiday shopping season, the editors of Amazon.com have released their choices for the best books of the year in categories ranging from Romance and Literature & Fiction to History and Science Fiction & Fantasy. Of course, what were most interested in is Comics & Graphic Novels:
1. Building Stories, by Chris Ware (Pantheon)
2. Darth Vader and Son, by Jeffrey Brown (Chronicle Books)
3. Saga, Vol. 1, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
4. The Hive, by Charles Burns (Pantheon)
5. Prophet, Vol. 1: Remission, by Brandon Graham, Farel Dalrymple, Giannis Milonogiannis and Simon Roy (Image Comics)
6. The Underwater Welder, by Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf Productions)
7. Swamp Thing, Vol. 1: Raise Them Bones, by by Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette (DC Comics)
8. Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: Blood, by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang (DC Comics)
9. Creepy Presents Richard Corben, by Richard Corben and various authors (Dark Horse)
10. Avengers: The Children’s Crusade, by Allan Heinberg, Olivier Coipel, Jim Cheung and Alan Davis (Marvel)
What Are You Reading? with Brady Sullivan
Happy Veterans Day and welcome to What Are You Reading?, our weekly look at the comics, books and other things we’ve been perusing of late. Today our special guest is Brady Sullivan, the writer of Death Springs, a free weekly webcomic with artist JC Grande (Image’s Johnny Monster). He also has several print projects currently out or hitting the shelves soon, including the recently released action/satire Revolution Aisle 9.
To see what Brady and the Robot 6 crew have been reading, click below …
Amazon resumes sales of Saga trade paperback
Amazon.com has resumed selling the first volume of Saga, the acclaimed sci-fi/fantasy epic by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, but has yet to indicate why the trade paperback was placed “under review” last week. While one report indicated there may have been problems with copies being warped by heat, neither Vaughan nor publisher Image Comics were given an explanation by the online retail giant.
“I’ve always loved Amazon, but maybe this incident should serve as a reminder that the best place to buy graphic novels is still your friendly neighborhood local comics store,” Vaughan said in a statement. “Saga exists only because retailers gave it so much support, and they were kind enough to order a metric ass-load of our trades, so they should still have copies on their shelves when you swing by on Wednesday. But if they’ve already sold out, Image still has a few extras stashed down in Kirkman’s basement, and good retailers can order you up a fresh one immediately. And if you’re still on the fence about picking up our filthy sci-fi/fantasy epic, you can always read our double-sized first issue in its entirety for FREE right here. Then we return monthly with Chapter Seven in two short weeks!”
Debuting in March, Saga follows two soldiers from opposite sides of an intergalactic war who fall in love and risk everything for their newborn daughter, in the process becoming fugitives on the run from their own governments.
Amazon halts sales of Saga trade paperback
Amazon.com has stopped selling Saga, Vol. 1, only days after its release, labeling the collection of the critically acclaimed sci-fi/fantasy series by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples as “under review.” An Image Comics representative told Comic Book Resources the online retail giant hasn’t explained why the book was pulled.
The generic “Item Under Review” label on the retailer’s Saga listing states “it is not currently offered by Amazon.com because customers have told us there may be something wrong with our inventory of the item, the way we are shipping it, or the way it’s described here.” According to the Outhousers, there’s been at least one report of an Amazon-shipped copy of the trade paperback being “‘extremely wavy’ due to heat warping.”
As Image notes on its Twitter feed, Saga is still available through the Barnes & Noble website, and from direct-market stores. It can also be purchased from other sellers through Amazon.com.
Debuting in March, Saga follows two soldiers from opposite sides of an intergalactic war who fall in love and risk everything for their newborn daughter, in the process becoming fugitives on the run from their own governments.
We’ll update when we know more.
Quote of the Day | Brian K. Vaughan’s mom reviews Saga #1
From "Saga" #1, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
“My mother read the first issue, and her review was, ‘Well, I made it through the whole thing.’ My poor beleaguered Catholic mom would just like me to write nice stories for children, but she’s always very supportive.”
– Saga writer Brian K. Vaughan, responding to a question about the sensibility of the Image Comics space opera, which features humanoids with television sets for heads, a ghost girl with dangling intestines and a pleasure planet named Sextillion
Comics A.M. | Sweden’s Tintin debate continues; more on NYCC
Tintin in the Congo
Comics | Johan Palme talks to Nathan Hamelberg of The Betweenship Group about the continuing controversy over a Swedish library’s decision to re-shelve some Tintin comics because of racist caricatures and colonialist attitudes. The books were put back following an uproar, but the move has sparked a larger conversation, and it even has its own hashtag, #tintingate. [The Guardian]
Conventions | Heidi MacDonald and the Publishers Weekly team (including Robot 6 contributor Brigid Alverson) post a comprehensive report on New York Comic Con, including debuts, new-title announcements, and a quick look at logistics. [Publishers Weekly Comics World]
Conventions | Dave Smith looks at one of the most vexing problems of New York Comic Con: the lack of decent wireless access, a situation troubling exhibitors and media alike. [International Business Times]
Food or Comics? | Beurre manié or Building Stories
Welcome to Food or Comics?, where every week we talk about what comics we’d buy at our local comic shop based on certain spending limits — $15 and $30 — as well as what we’d get if we had extra money or a gift card to spend on a splurge item.
Check out Diamond’s release list or ComicList, and tell us what you’re getting in our comments field.
Building Stories
JK Parkin
If I had $15, I’d start with a couple of Marvel firsts, even though one of them isn’t technically a first issue: Uncanny Avengers #1 ($3.99) and Red She-Hulk #58 ($2.99). This is the first week of Marvel NOW, and they’re starting with books by creative teams I’m excited about. Next I’d get Stumptown V2 #2 ($3.99) and wind things up with the Halloween Eve one-shot. I actually supported the Kickstarter for the latter, so my copy is probably already on the way to my mailbox, but hypothetically let’s assume that it wasn’t. It’s by Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder, two creators whose work I’ve enjoyed in the past. So if it wasn’t coming to me in the mail, it would come home in a paper bag from the comic shop.
If I had $30, I’d add an outgoing Marvel title (Marvel THEN?), Fantastic Four #611, which features the end of Hickman’s run before he moves on to Avengers and Matt Fraction takes over the first family of Marveldom. Next I’d grab Green Lantern Corps #13 ($2.99) as I like the direction the GL books have been headed in lately, and Conan #9 ($3.50), the second half of Brian Wood’s collaboration with Vasilis Lolos. Finally, I’d grab Point of Impact #1 ($2.99), the new crime book by Jay Faerber and Koray Kuranel.
This is a splurge in price only; if I had $50, then Chris Ware’s Building Stories would definitely have been at the top of my buy list this week. It’s a big box of little comics, as Chris put it, and as luck would have it I really do have $50 in gift certificates that I got for my birthday to buy it with. Thanks Mom and Dad!
What Are You Reading?
Godzilla #1
Hello and welcome to What Are You Reading?, where each week we talk about what comics and other stuff have been on our reading piles. To see what the Robot 6 crew have been reading, click below.