An interesting read, as always. Thanks for making these every week.
If I may ask, I have a couple of questions. First: can we expect more What If projects supervised by Chip Zdarsky as it was announced back in the day? I got excited for that, as it seemed to open a revival of the line. But after Spider's Shadow we only got the Miles issues, which seem to be more classic and not a part of the rebranded line.
Second: after reading your thoughts on prequel stories (and your current views abut how to use continuity and bend it), I wanna ask your opinion about total reboots. When it is appropriate to do one? When do you feel it's okay to reboot?
Once again, thank you for this weekly thing you do. And thanks beforehand if you get around to answer these.
Old Me would have been shocked I would ever stop buying every DC and Marvel book (outside of barbarians, horror, romance, and war). If a book I read is crossing over with a book that I'm not, I won't even buy the parts in the other book.
BTW, I have to mention I loved Slap Leather and The Sensational Seven! To me, Rawhide Kid will always be that flamboyant cowpoke. It was also refreshing to me to have a gay character act like so many of my friends and peers rather than be butched up. A lot of comics I've tried to read featuring gay characters also has graphic sex which I think should be in porn instead so the lack of that was a treat too.
oh my god I love every jemas story I've ever heard, probably because I never experienced them firsthand. PLEASE keep them coming, unless it flares up your PTSD too much
Thanks for the response. As someone who used to commute from NJ to Brooklyn every day, I can absolutely sympathize with the appreciation of remote work. Other than one in-house meeting, I haven't travelled to an office in over two years, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
I met Bill Jemas post-Marvel, and wish I had a better, more salacious story. I don't. I think I bought a copy of that book used at one point.
Super insightful as always! A lot of stuff in this one.
I will say I wish Marvel still published a year in review book! (but not a $25 HC) So much goes on that I think it would be good for people, especially new readers. The interconnectedness of Marvel books was quite daunting to me as a new reader.
On the other hand, exploring the Marvel universe via Marvel Unlimited has lead me to ponder (and see what you think) - could the increase of digital use harm access to books in the future?
This line of thought stems from the fact that I went to check out Ann Nocenti’s run on Daredevil yesterday only to discover that Marvel Unlimited has multiple gaps in the first volume of Daredevil (e.g. issues 239-251 are absent from the app). It struck me as rather odd that the app would be missing so many issues in first series of such a large character. Thankfully for availability’s sake an epic collection of those books is coming out in October, but that also means those issues have only been available for reading if you owned them individually.
With less physical media in a world where a company could pick and choose what is shared online at any moment I worry that less books in the hands of readers could become a problem. Some books could quickly become inaccessible.
Just wanted to say that i love your website and newsletter. Please keep uo with them. My favorite part of the newsletter is when you explain any comics you worked on.
"I’ve not yet even seen THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER in an actual movie house, though I’ve watched two different cuts earlier as a part of my job."
What is the role of comics people in the Marvel movies since the Creative Committee was disbanded?
An interesting read, as always. Thanks for making these every week.
If I may ask, I have a couple of questions. First: can we expect more What If projects supervised by Chip Zdarsky as it was announced back in the day? I got excited for that, as it seemed to open a revival of the line. But after Spider's Shadow we only got the Miles issues, which seem to be more classic and not a part of the rebranded line.
Second: after reading your thoughts on prequel stories (and your current views abut how to use continuity and bend it), I wanna ask your opinion about total reboots. When it is appropriate to do one? When do you feel it's okay to reboot?
Once again, thank you for this weekly thing you do. And thanks beforehand if you get around to answer these.
Thanks for the answer! Here's a new question :-) you said the following:
"I firmly believe that current me and the me of, say, three decades ago would hate one another and the manner in which we approached the job."
Can you expand on that?
Old Me would have been shocked I would ever stop buying every DC and Marvel book (outside of barbarians, horror, romance, and war). If a book I read is crossing over with a book that I'm not, I won't even buy the parts in the other book.
BTW, I have to mention I loved Slap Leather and The Sensational Seven! To me, Rawhide Kid will always be that flamboyant cowpoke. It was also refreshing to me to have a gay character act like so many of my friends and peers rather than be butched up. A lot of comics I've tried to read featuring gay characters also has graphic sex which I think should be in porn instead so the lack of that was a treat too.
oh my god I love every jemas story I've ever heard, probably because I never experienced them firsthand. PLEASE keep them coming, unless it flares up your PTSD too much
Thanks for the response. As someone who used to commute from NJ to Brooklyn every day, I can absolutely sympathize with the appreciation of remote work. Other than one in-house meeting, I haven't travelled to an office in over two years, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
I met Bill Jemas post-Marvel, and wish I had a better, more salacious story. I don't. I think I bought a copy of that book used at one point.
Super insightful as always! A lot of stuff in this one.
I will say I wish Marvel still published a year in review book! (but not a $25 HC) So much goes on that I think it would be good for people, especially new readers. The interconnectedness of Marvel books was quite daunting to me as a new reader.
On the other hand, exploring the Marvel universe via Marvel Unlimited has lead me to ponder (and see what you think) - could the increase of digital use harm access to books in the future?
This line of thought stems from the fact that I went to check out Ann Nocenti’s run on Daredevil yesterday only to discover that Marvel Unlimited has multiple gaps in the first volume of Daredevil (e.g. issues 239-251 are absent from the app). It struck me as rather odd that the app would be missing so many issues in first series of such a large character. Thankfully for availability’s sake an epic collection of those books is coming out in October, but that also means those issues have only been available for reading if you owned them individually.
With less physical media in a world where a company could pick and choose what is shared online at any moment I worry that less books in the hands of readers could become a problem. Some books could quickly become inaccessible.
Just wanted to say that i love your website and newsletter. Please keep uo with them. My favorite part of the newsletter is when you explain any comics you worked on.