The Outhouse - The Greatest Comic Book Forum

[mrorangesoda]

This comic only got made because they figured a way to get "Punisher" on the cover.

A story about a 'mercenary who gets blown up real good, and has to come back stitched together as a Frankenstein' would not sell nearly half the copies a "Punisher" comic would. It would be a better comic, but sales levels would doom it to early cancellation.

"This story about a guy fighting a criminal that's a clown would sell crap except they slapped 'Batman' on the cover"
This argument can be made about nearly every single comic put out by the big two.

[SuperginraiX]

I never picked this up because I hate the Punisher and forgot it was this week's pick. If it's still in stock tomorrow, I'll get it and do it as late as I usually do.

I did get Locke and Key so I'll get to that one eventually, too.

[Punchy]

I don't get that argument. If this is, indeed, only supposed to be an arc or two it wouldn't be a problem.

Hell, Marvel put out a 10 part maxi called Omega The Unknown about a mute superhero and some teenaged kid with indie lookin' art last year, and I dunno how well it sold, but it sold well enough to finish and get a nice lookin' HC to boot. And it didn't have any big names in the book to help the sales. It was a reboot of some mid-70's character who 2 people knew or cared about.

Now, if Frankencastle is supposed to last longer than that, I can see that argument, yeah.

Omega The Unknown was by an acclaimed Novelist and a popular Indie Artist, so there was an audience there, just not Marvel's traditional one. I'd like to see them do more stuff like it.

[thefourthman]

Omega The Unknown was by an acclaimed Novelist and a popular Indie Artist, so there was an audience there, just not Marvel's traditional one. I'd like to see them do more stuff like it.

and Omega Unknown sold for crap. It has been much more successful as a collected edition which is something marvel was banking on from the get go.

and again it was an established character.

[Punchy]

and Omega Unknown sold for crap. It has been much more successful as a collected edition which is something marvel was banking on from the get go.

and again it was an established character.

I bought the single issues, I think I was the only one.

I'd hardly say that Omega was established, he'd had what, a 10 issue series and 2 appearances in Defenders.

[thefourthman]

I bought the single issues, I think I was the only one.

I'd hardly say that Omega was established, he'd had what, a 10 issue series and 2 appearances in Defenders.

by established, I merely meant he was an existing property, that's it.

[Victorian Squid]

I was a big Omega fan in the '70s, I loved how spooky it was (also Ruby Tuesday is kind of creepy all by herself). Plus, he lived with Patsy Walker in Hell's Kitchen IIRC, that's pretty established in Marvel continuity.

I tried 2 issues of the new Omega, but it didn't make me want to continue plus I hated the cover font so much.

[Punchy]

I was a big Omega fan in the '70s, I loved how spooky it was (also Ruby Tuesday is kind of creepy all by herself). Plus, he lived with Patsy Walker in Hell's Kitchen IIRC, that's pretty established in Marvel continuity.

I tried 2 issues of the new Omega, but it didn't make me want to continue plus I hated the cover font so much.

Is Ruby Tuesday that woman with the Pink Ball for a head?

[Victorian Squid]

Is Ruby Tuesday that woman with the Pink Ball for a head?

Yeah, she was totally creepy in those Defenders issues.

It's possible, though, having been roughly the same age as the James Michael Starling character and having been adopted by insane people and living in the ghetto, the story just clicked with me at that age.

I'll probably give the collected Lethem version a try one of these days.

[Victorian Squid]

PS Oh yeah, and also having had stigmata. I forgot about that part.

[Old Man]

"This story about a guy fighting a criminal that's a clown would sell crap except they slapped 'Batman' on the cover"
This argument can be made about nearly every single comic put out by the big two.

You are sooooo cute when you roll your eyes.

[Chris]

by established, I merely meant he was an existing property, that's it.

That's not much of a selling point when the average comic buyer doesn't know who he is, or even that it's a reboot of an old character..

[Chris]

I'll probably give the collected Lethem version a try one of these days.

You should. It was very good.

[thefourthman]

That's not much of a selling point when the average comic buyer doesn't know who he is, or even that it's a reboot of an old character..

doesn't matter, when the writer comes to Marvel with a reboot it is infinitely easier in their eyes than a total launch. There is a fanbase already in place, no matter how small and it becomes part of their marketing to get those fans excited and talking about it. When it is also paired with a writer who has a cultish like following, it is win win in their exec's eyes.

Punisher as reanimated monster hunter is infinitely easier and cheaper to market than Brand new character X reanimated monster hunter. Also, all publicity is good, even adverse reactions like your own draw attention to the book and will turn the heads of folks who might have ignored it otherwise. Is it really as bad as reviewer x claims? I have to find out for myself. Sure not everyone will react that way, but lots will... it's how Battlefield Earth made money.

[Chris]

doesn't matter, when the writer comes to Marvel with a reboot it is infinitely easier in their eyes than a total launch. There is a fanbase already in place, no matter how small and it becomes part of their marketing to get those fans excited and talking about it. When it is also paired with a writer who has a cultish like following, it is win win in their exec's eyes.

Punisher as reanimated monster hunter is infinitely easier and cheaper to market than Brand new character X reanimated monster hunter. Also, all publicity is good, even adverse reactions like your own draw attention to the book and will turn the heads of folks who might have ignored it otherwise. Is it really as bad as reviewer x claims? I have to find out for myself. Sure not everyone will react that way, but lots will... it's how Battlefield Earth made money.

Everyone seems to have just glossed over my point earlier about the fact that Marvel already HAS a reanimated dead character that would fit this much better.. Deathlok!