This Means My “Captain Nightmerica” Pitch Must Have Gone Through!
Okay, I don’t really have a book where Captain America’s ghost fights for freedom(or do I?), but I noticed that my partner-in-grime Leonard Kirk put up some panels featuring Cap in our upcoming Marvel Adventures Avengers arc. I especially love the panel where Cap lectures Spider-Man, everyone is well in character there.
Really, I don’t want to be preachy here, but if you’re one of those readers outraged at the big media stunts and going on a tirade about characters being desecrated, etc.- the ONLY thing that will make Marvel or DC listen to you is to vote with your purchases. Here’s where Leonard starts on our Avengers book, with the Giant-Girl origin issue, heroes as you claim you want them. The Adventures books sell way more in chain stores than they do in the Direct Market, so if there’s a surge in sales from comics shops, it will be noticeable and read as a buying trend. There, tough guy, I’m drawing the chalk line on the sidewalk, step over it. Or do you not have enough money because you spent it on the heavily promoted book you want to complain about? This obviously isn’t directed to many of my regular readers here- I know many of you buy multiple copies and give them away. But every week I hear people complain “I missed it, my store only ordered two copies,” and wonder- why don’t you tell them to reserve you one? Especially the all MODOC issue, it’s not like that was kept a big secret. I’m thinking people are paying lip service, but it’s not what they really want, to paraphrase Warren Ellis.
Anyway, over at Mike Wieringo’s blog, he’s just put up a nice Captain piece, and in the comments says something I echo. When he comes back, maybe leave the little headwings behind.
Posted March 9th, 2007 in Comics
Comments:14
Comments
Comment from David Oakes
Time: March 9, 2007, 1:02 pm
This from the man who wanted to remove the chest plate from Human Robot. *Remove the chestplate!!!* You have exactly zero Pulp in your soul, Parker. All props to your l33t Silver Age skills and madcap antics. But you just can’t appreciate the divine details of all those “fiddly bits” (to quote Harry Lampert). What’s next, putting Superman’s underwear inside his tights?
Comment from RAB
Time: March 9, 2007, 2:17 pm
Just to play devil’s advocate here: there are times when you’ll hear about something cool that seems to promise everything you’d want in a hunk of entertainment — this is not specific to comics, it could just as easily be an upcoming film or a new television show — and then you remember all the times you’ve been let down before. You commit to following the ongoing story of a tv show or a comic series and it gets cancelled without a resolution. You believe all the hype about how this movie is going to get it right at last, and then it turns out to be a hack job. And you think, do I really want to open my heart to something new and risk that heartbreak all over again?
(Huh, I didn’t realize this was going to turn into a comment on my love life. Sigh!)
For what it’s worth, I follow writers rather than series or events, so your name will get my dollars and I never even see those big event-driven whatsits. But then, I’m also one of the dozen or so people who would rather read Jack Staff than any Infinite Civil Crisis Countdowns…
Comment from Tim O’Shea
Time: March 9, 2007, 8:18 pm
Every time a cash register rings, a Captain America angel gets his wings. I just hope he doesn’t come back as smurf Cap, like happended to Warren Worthington years ago. (Sure it was a cool Simonson design, but still Angel was a member of the Blue Man Group before it was cool…)
Comment from Parker
Time: March 9, 2007, 11:00 pm
Everyone should read Jack Staff! And yeah, I wasn’t crazy about the Blue Angel- and here, twenty years later it just now occurs to me that Walt was probably doing that to reference the famed Navy flying unit.
Oakes, clearly my Blacklist function isn’t working! Seriously, I would probably use the wings in an emblem combined with the A on a black circle on his head. Maybe I’ll draw that up.
Comment from Brian M.
Time: March 10, 2007, 6:49 am
For me, the whole hero registration story line was done first and better in Powers, so I never had a lot of interest in Civil War and steered clear of it.
As for the “death” of Captain America, first, death has become a joke in comics and I have no doubt that Cap will be back. Second, Cap, as you point out is alive and well both in Marvel Adventures in a “comics are fun” incarnation and in the Ultimates where “late” has a whole different meaning.
Comment from Chris Sims
Time: March 10, 2007, 8:34 am
There really, really should’ve been a press release and nationwide media coverage of the All-MODOC issue.
“I head Captain America’s been turned into a giant-headed killing machine! Do you guys have that issue?!”
Comment from Parker
Time: March 10, 2007, 10:47 am
Yeah, where was the media then!
Comment from Tim O’Shea
Time: March 10, 2007, 3:28 pm
I just realized. How hard would it be for the guy who brought back Bucky to bring back Cap? Eh? And hey, Parker-if you can customize the Agents of Atlas for Marvel Adventures, how hard would it be to work in a kid-safe Winter Soldier? As for Blue Angel, wow how could I’ve missed the military reference (or could it be a reference to the 1930 Marlene Dietrich film? (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020697/)
I love Jack Staff. It’s hit or miss publishing schedule must drive Image more crazy than it does me. Did anyone dig the Union Jack mini that just wrapped up?
Comment from carla
Time: March 10, 2007, 10:26 pm
Thank you SO MUCH for writing the best Avengers book on the stands. I have done my best to press the Marvel Adventures in to the hands of unhappy customers at work and with recent events as they are, I hope to step up to the challenge.
Comment from Parker
Time: March 11, 2007, 3:20 am
Your kickback check is on the way, Carla! Thanks.
Comment from Eric
Time: March 11, 2007, 10:27 am
But what do we do if we already didn’t buy Civil War or any of the other Marvel bloat, and are already buying Marvel Adventures? How can we express our displeasure then?
By buying TWO copies of Marvel Adventures, or at least talking other people into subscribing. I’m with Carla. I’ve already gotten one new person to try Marvel Adventures in the post-CW, post-Dead Cap post-Marvel sucking period. And that person is all set for Spidey/FF too.
Maybe we should start a campaign of some sort.
Comment from manale
Time: March 23, 2007, 10:45 am
“Leave the headwings behind??”
You fashionista MONSTER!
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Time: April 4, 2007, 9:04 am
[...] easy and fun, done-in-one stories with the Marvel Adventures line, written by the always catchy Jeff Parker. There really is a comic out there for everyone. Posted by Carla Hewitt in News & Views [ [...]
Comment from Brett
Time: March 9, 2007, 10:39 am
Without the headwings he just wouldn’t be as aerodynamic somehow. ‘I would have stopped the Red Skull in time if only my head had more effective side air control, now America is doomed!’