The Sunday Stroll for January 4th, 2008

January 4, 2009 by Gary Rodrigue
Filed under Columns

The Sunday Stroll for January 4th, 2008
by Gary Rodrigue, Editor-In-Chief

Many people use the new year to take the time to look back to the past year, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. They use this time to reflect on the changes they would like to make in their lives and resolve to follow through on those changes. Personally, I don’t like resolutions which is probably why I never make any. My reason for this attitude is the same as it was last year and the year before: you don’t need to wait until the new year to start making your life better. I may not make resolutions for myself but I did make a few resolutions for various comic book publishers.

1. Comic publishers will resolve to write less stories for trades. They will create more story arcs that can be told in one or two issues. The 80’s offered some of the best comic book stories that I can remember. Sure, the stories were not as complex as today’s comics but they offered entertaining tales that were contained in one or two issues. Today’s publishers can learn a thing or two by taking a look at the past. Just don’t look back to the 90’s.

2. Comic publishers will resolve to provide less hype and more substance to their stories. They will quit telling us why we should like the comic book but instead the publishers will provide us with a comic book that we like because the story was just that damn good.

3. Comic publishers will resolve to keep a standard 22 page comic priced at $2.99. Just because you have big name talent does not make your comic book worth an extra dollar. Big name talent does not always translate to a good story.

4. Comic publishers will resolve to give death a true meaning. They will no longer kill off characters for the sake of shock value or to sell a few extra books. Death will have true meaning in comic books.

5. Comic publishers will resolve to handle criticism in stride and not take things personally. There will be times when a comic book related website will say something negative about your business practices but this does not make us your enemy. Some of us really do call it as we see it and are not afraid to throw criticism out when it is deemed necessary. Not all comic book related websites fear the ramifications that may come from our honesty. As long as you do the right thing we are on your side, screw up and you will hear about it.

I predict the above resolutions will be broken within two months from now.

There has been a lot of flack thrown at 20th Century Fox lately for the handling of the rights to the Watchmen film. If you really think about it Warner Bros is more to blame for this fiasco than anyone else. It’s as basic as basic can be, Warner Bros infringed on an existing contract and have no plans on reaching a settlement with FOX when WB is clearly in the wrong. Listen, I’m not defending FOX in any way shape or form but if we want to see a Watchmen film then it is Warner Bros that we geeks need to start slinging the shit at.

Is something wrong with Devils Due Publishing? A recent scan of their website tells me that it has not been updated since the end of November. I realize that they have recently laid off several employees but that is no excuse to allow your online presence to slip. In an industry as competitive as the comic industry, your marketing efforts need to remain one of the most important functions of your business. Letting your website slip does not make good business sense. Listen, if you need someone to update your website give me a call, I might have a bit of knowledge on how to maintain a website and I do come cheap.

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How do you like that? A Sunday Stroll with only one stroll. Ok, next week I promise to stroll a bit more because I know how much you like to stroll. You will is mine!

I’m out!
Gary Rodrigue