Comments on: Play along with marvel_b0y http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Sun, 8 Nov 2009 18:15:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Burnt out Henry http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1312663 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:29:11 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1312663 Yada yada yada. I liked Marvel_b0Y he really floated my boat. Then again so does kelp. Yada yada yada.

I liked Marvel_b0Y he really floated my boat.

Then again so does kelp.

]]> by: BradyDale http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1107284 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:41:25 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1107284 ON the question of spoilers: am I just weird in that I almost never care? I'm along for the ride... if I kind of know where the ride is going to end up I don't really care. I like how it feels. I can't tell you how many movies I've watched in which my friends had spoiled the ending in advance... I never cared. That wasn't the point. Oh well... I'm a weirdo. It does lead me to annoy people by accidentally telling them too much. On the other hand, I can't help but think we're just sort of taught along the way that spoiling the ending sucks and no one really stops to evaluate whether that is really true or not. ON the question of spoilers: am I just weird in that I almost never care? I’m along for the ride… if I kind of know where the ride is going to end up I don’t really care. I like how it feels.

I can’t tell you how many movies I’ve watched in which my friends had spoiled the ending in advance… I never cared. That wasn’t the point.

Oh well… I’m a weirdo. It does lead me to annoy people by accidentally telling them too much. On the other hand, I can’t help but think we’re just sort of taught along the way that spoiling the ending sucks and no one really stops to evaluate whether that is really true or not.

]]> by: Rockin' Rich http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1106441 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:54:59 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1106441 It's positively Cloverfieldian! It’s positively Cloverfieldian!

]]> by: Orson http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1100355 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 08:29:33 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1100355 Yeah, Fraction's rant made me think this is a bit of flummery from Marvel. How many people have gone begging in the streets because of Rich Johnston? JMS tipped off the ending to One More Day before it happened, how many people lost jobs over that? Marvel likes taking the piss. Maybe it moves books for them. Frankly, I'd just rather have good stories and wonderful art. Yeah, Fraction’s rant made me think this is a bit of flummery from Marvel.

How many people have gone begging in the streets because of Rich Johnston?

JMS tipped off the ending to One More Day before it happened, how many people lost jobs over that?

Marvel likes taking the piss. Maybe it moves books for them.

Frankly, I’d just rather have good stories and wonderful art.

]]> by: Chris Schweizer http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1099511 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 04:18:44 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1099511 I agree with Tom - I haven't picked up a mainstream book in years with the notable exception of Jeff Parker's all ages books, and it's precisely BECAUSE the plot shifts are the only thing anyone seems to be selling these days. I couldn't care less about whether or not Hawkeye dies - he'll come back in a few years. I don't care if Aquaman has mucular dystrophy. I don't care about ANY of these things - what I care about is a well-crafted story with good art - either one's missing, I don't buy it. I expect that Marvel knows what they're doing, focusing all their efforts on the next big crossover storyline - presumably if their sales figures were suffering enough they'd start trying to make good comics again. This being the case, this blog IS likely damaging to their sales, or potential sales, since shifts are what they're selling. I agree with Tom - I haven’t picked up a mainstream book in years with the notable exception of Jeff Parker’s all ages books, and it’s precisely BECAUSE the plot shifts are the only thing anyone seems to be selling these days. I couldn’t care less about whether or not Hawkeye dies - he’ll come back in a few years. I don’t care if Aquaman has mucular dystrophy. I don’t care about ANY of these things - what I care about is a well-crafted story with good art - either one’s missing, I don’t buy it.

I expect that Marvel knows what they’re doing, focusing all their efforts on the next big crossover storyline - presumably if their sales figures were suffering enough they’d start trying to make good comics again. This being the case, this blog IS likely damaging to their sales, or potential sales, since shifts are what they’re selling.

]]> by: Hypersonic http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1097699 Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:37:33 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1097699 And now the blog has been deleted...hmmmmm!! And now the blog has been deleted…hmmmmm!!

]]> by: James Van Hise http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1097394 Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:18:42 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1097394 What spoilers has this guy really posted? Minor stuff. If he was really out there to tell all he'd reveal major plot elements from SECRET INVASION as I understand the first 4 issues have already been written and turned in, but nothing from that of any consequence has leaked yet. What spoilers has this guy really posted? Minor stuff. If he was really out there to tell all he’d reveal major plot elements from SECRET INVASION as I understand the first 4 issues have already been written and turned in, but nothing from that of any consequence has leaked yet.

]]> by: Scott Koblish http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1096709 Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:17:41 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1096709 Makes for interesting reading, regardless of whether it's real or not. Personally, I love the word "hoax." Such a pretty word. Say it 3 times fast. At least people care about spoilers for certain events- there are some comics spoiling the ending would be met with a resounding "eh" Makes for interesting reading, regardless of whether it’s real or not. Personally, I love the word “hoax.” Such a pretty word. Say it 3 times fast.
At least people care about spoilers for certain events- there are some comics spoiling the ending would be met with a resounding “eh”

]]> by: bad wolf http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1096610 Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:03:52 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1096610 The comments about editors treating spoilers as TOP SECRET, then going to a convention panel and spilling their guts, seem well-timed. Did the authors of '52' know Didio was spilling their ending in his editorial from a month or two earlier? Probably not. Editors are fine with spoilers. As long as they're the ones getting the attention. The comments about editors treating spoilers as TOP SECRET, then going to a convention panel and spilling their guts, seem well-timed. Did the authors of ‘52′ know Didio was spilling their ending in his editorial from a month or two earlier? Probably not.

Editors are fine with spoilers. As long as they’re the ones getting the attention.

]]> by: Tag http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1094693 Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:10:06 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1094693 According to the newest post on his LJ, marvel_b0y is Steve Wacker. I don't know if that's meant in jest, but if not, and this isn't a Marvel viral stunt, I'll be curious how this shakes out. According to the newest post on his LJ, marvel_b0y is Steve Wacker. I don’t know if that’s meant in jest, but if not, and this isn’t a Marvel viral stunt, I’ll be curious how this shakes out.

]]> by: Kirk Boxleitner, a.k.a. K-Box http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1092440 Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:08:38 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1092440 "So if the story is good, and the art is good, then the spoiler is only going to help." Considering the questionable quality of a LOT of best-selling comics, that's a pretty big "IF" right there. “So if the story is good, and the art is good, then the spoiler is only going to help.”

Considering the questionable quality of a LOT of best-selling comics, that’s a pretty big “IF” right there.

]]> by: The Beat http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1092327 Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:16:46 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1092327 I'm inclined to agree that this is a plant of some kind and the element that pushed me over was Fraction's outraged response. "Felicia cost people jobs?" How, by repeating what everyone in the industry was talking about at every bar in the city? I don't think pissing in everyone's wheaties is nice or right, but there are various levels of confidentiality. Anything that's bar gossip is not confidential. I’m inclined to agree that this is a plant of some kind and the element that pushed me over was Fraction’s outraged response.

“Felicia cost people jobs?” How, by repeating what everyone in the industry was talking about at every bar in the city? I don’t think pissing in everyone’s wheaties is nice or right, but there are various levels of confidentiality. Anything that’s bar gossip is not confidential.

]]> by: Bill http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1092250 Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:41:11 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/03/21/play-along-with-marvel_b0y/#comment-1092250 Just because I know how One Hundred Years of Solitude ends doesn't stop me from reading it every year. While I can appreciate a certain business mindedness of the whole thing, the idea of there being spoilers and some other kind of what-have you in comics, or any kind of literature, isn't really an issue. Literature, in which I include comics, will always carry an inherent skewing towards quality, and comics get the added book of being an established collectible. Spoilers of a big reveal done well mean more people will buy the book. Iits a comic book, the bread and butter of ravenous collecting, and the big, well executed moments will always be desired. People want the item, the prize, not just to know what happens next, but because dammit to hell we need to have the best collections (and my graphic novel and trade collection is so much better than yours it is not even funny)! So if the story is good, and the art is good, then the spoiler is only going to help. And if it sucks, well then people are going to read it in the comic shop anyway, see that it sucks, and put it back, so they might as well be doing that online. Just because I know how One Hundred Years of Solitude ends doesn’t stop me from reading it every year.

While I can appreciate a certain business mindedness of the whole thing, the idea of there being spoilers and some other kind of what-have you in comics, or any kind of literature, isn’t really an issue. Literature, in which I include comics, will always carry an inherent skewing towards quality, and comics get the added book of being an established collectible. Spoilers of a big reveal done well mean more people will buy the book. Iits a comic book, the bread and butter of ravenous collecting, and the big, well executed moments will always be desired.

People want the item, the prize, not just to know what happens next, but because dammit to hell we need to have the best collections (and my graphic novel and trade collection is so much better than yours it is not even funny)!

So if the story is good, and the art is good, then the spoiler is only going to help.

And if it sucks, well then people are going to read it in the comic shop anyway, see that it sucks, and put it back, so they might as well be doing that online.

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