Thanks for posting that Stan Lee script page, because it brings up something that has always fascinated me, the old rule that periods were not allowed in comic books and everything had to end with an exclamation point! because periods didn't always show up in print. (I may be remembering it wrong, but I recall Elliot Maggin was billed as Elliot S! Maggin as an in-joke about how periods always got changed to exclamation points.) Different companies and writers moved away from it at different times -- Lee experimented with periods but then went through a weird phase where he just left every line unpunctuated. (Sort of like how comic strips like "Peanuts" would leave sentences unpunctuated rather than resort to a full stop.)
As he notes, using periods gives a "classier" feel than the exclamation point tradition, but comics had been written that way for so long that it may have looked weird to do it the other way, even after the printing issues were no longer a major concern. Some writers were still doing it well into the '90s like Tom DeFalco.
I also just wanted to say that I love when Marvel explores stories with characters from all sorts of different backgrounds, identities, orientations etc. People who disagree can sometimes be very loud so I wanted to throw that out there :-)
Anyway, my question is very broad! Interpret it however you’d like, ok enough preamble here it is: What do you think will be the future of comics?
Another great newsletter! Got me thinking on which creators have really managed to stay in the industry on a steady level (aside from superstars like Frank Miller) for a long time - Dan Jurgens comes to mind (who has like 3 books out in the latest previews), Peter David (who's recent Hulk and Spidey mins have sold very well), Jm Dematteis has Marvel work and a bunch of creator owned books out, Walt Simonson continues to be a powerhouse..those are the first that come to mind - anyone else fellow posters?
I also like to see classic creators manage to retire based on life decisions, royalties, occasional work and maybe hollywood money...Doug Moench comes to mind (between his Bat books always in print and the resurgence of interest in Moon Knight he has done well on reprints), as does Roy Thomas who has stated in interviews he is comfortable and only works when he wants.
The "U-Decide" newsletter was the first for me, but it wasn't that specifically — it was that you got a shout-out from Kieron Gillen in his newsletter, which I was already subscribing to.
I look forward to your newsletter every Monday morning (Australian time it is in my inbox early on a Monday AM) it is always a pleasure to read. I was of the same opinion as your on the new Andor series - but I have now watched the third episode and it certainly paid off for me. Certainly a different style of story telling to the previous Disney + Star Wars series but I’m now in for the long haul. Thanks again for all the effort that you go to each week.
Doesn't Magneto being returned to infancy and then returned to adulthood create the out for his age thing? It doesn't help explain why the High Evolutionary kept the twins on ice for decades before passing them off to the Maximoffs (or I guess lied to Magneto that he kept them on ice for decades so he could pass them off as Magda's children)
I missed out last week, but enjoyed catching up. The piece on Marville was very entertaining, and I loved your answer to JV’s question here. It certainly echoes other advice I’ve received from professionals.
Your preamble actually reminded me of a question I’ve always wondered about but have yet to ask -- how does an editor take a vacation or time off? As we all know, comic books are ever ongoing and in process. Is the work passed on to different editors with any complications forwarded to others? Or do you have to be “on call?”
Tom, I'm wondering who you'd point to as the definitive Marvel writer/artist of each decade from the 60's through the 10's. This doesn't necessarily mean the people who did the best or most work during each decade, though those would certainly be considerations, but the people who best defined or represented Marvel.
Thanks for posting that Stan Lee script page, because it brings up something that has always fascinated me, the old rule that periods were not allowed in comic books and everything had to end with an exclamation point! because periods didn't always show up in print. (I may be remembering it wrong, but I recall Elliot Maggin was billed as Elliot S! Maggin as an in-joke about how periods always got changed to exclamation points.) Different companies and writers moved away from it at different times -- Lee experimented with periods but then went through a weird phase where he just left every line unpunctuated. (Sort of like how comic strips like "Peanuts" would leave sentences unpunctuated rather than resort to a full stop.)
As he notes, using periods gives a "classier" feel than the exclamation point tradition, but comics had been written that way for so long that it may have looked weird to do it the other way, even after the printing issues were no longer a major concern. Some writers were still doing it well into the '90s like Tom DeFalco.
A pleasure to read as always!
I also just wanted to say that I love when Marvel explores stories with characters from all sorts of different backgrounds, identities, orientations etc. People who disagree can sometimes be very loud so I wanted to throw that out there :-)
Anyway, my question is very broad! Interpret it however you’d like, ok enough preamble here it is: What do you think will be the future of comics?
Thanks and see you next week!
Another great newsletter! Got me thinking on which creators have really managed to stay in the industry on a steady level (aside from superstars like Frank Miller) for a long time - Dan Jurgens comes to mind (who has like 3 books out in the latest previews), Peter David (who's recent Hulk and Spidey mins have sold very well), Jm Dematteis has Marvel work and a bunch of creator owned books out, Walt Simonson continues to be a powerhouse..those are the first that come to mind - anyone else fellow posters?
I also like to see classic creators manage to retire based on life decisions, royalties, occasional work and maybe hollywood money...Doug Moench comes to mind (between his Bat books always in print and the resurgence of interest in Moon Knight he has done well on reprints), as does Roy Thomas who has stated in interviews he is comfortable and only works when he wants.
The "U-Decide" newsletter was the first for me, but it wasn't that specifically — it was that you got a shout-out from Kieron Gillen in his newsletter, which I was already subscribing to.
I look forward to your newsletter every Monday morning (Australian time it is in my inbox early on a Monday AM) it is always a pleasure to read. I was of the same opinion as your on the new Andor series - but I have now watched the third episode and it certainly paid off for me. Certainly a different style of story telling to the previous Disney + Star Wars series but I’m now in for the long haul. Thanks again for all the effort that you go to each week.
Doesn't Magneto being returned to infancy and then returned to adulthood create the out for his age thing? It doesn't help explain why the High Evolutionary kept the twins on ice for decades before passing them off to the Maximoffs (or I guess lied to Magneto that he kept them on ice for decades so he could pass them off as Magda's children)
I missed out last week, but enjoyed catching up. The piece on Marville was very entertaining, and I loved your answer to JV’s question here. It certainly echoes other advice I’ve received from professionals.
Your preamble actually reminded me of a question I’ve always wondered about but have yet to ask -- how does an editor take a vacation or time off? As we all know, comic books are ever ongoing and in process. Is the work passed on to different editors with any complications forwarded to others? Or do you have to be “on call?”
Who is it that would need to be bribed to bring back thought balloons, and how much are we talking about it in USD?
Tom, I'm wondering who you'd point to as the definitive Marvel writer/artist of each decade from the 60's through the 10's. This doesn't necessarily mean the people who did the best or most work during each decade, though those would certainly be considerations, but the people who best defined or represented Marvel.
Love the newsletter!