As much as Jose and I like to sometimes make fun of Marvel Zombies and the like, the vast majority of Comic Book Fans are not stupid. Not even close.
To begin with, they read (and whether your English Teacher wants to admit it or not, reading comics is still reading.) And Comic Fans consume material at a voracious pace. I remember the days (when I wasn’t so busy) where I could plow through 10 regular length Trades or Hardcovers… And also take the time to enjoy the art.
Did you know DISLIKING Uncanny X-Men should be an offense punishable by death?
Per the Zombies: Taste and preferences are like a lot of emotions and decisions– they are acquired and refined through time and by living life. So today’s Marvel Zombie isn’t necessarily tomorrow’s blind groupie. Eventually we all form opinions and realize when we’re being fed a line of bullshit or being pandered to.
That’s exactly what’s happening in the Jimmy Kimmel Live! video I posted today. Most of it (at least to me) wasn’t that funny– and it is most unfunny when it attempts to pander to Geeks. In truth, I only posted it because of Bryan Cranston’s bit and because I think everyone should get the opportunity to hear Samuel L. Jackson scream “Jenga!” once in their lives. If other people like it for other reasons– that’s just a bonus.
But BS and pandering aside, a true comic fan is one who will love the medium forever… Even if they become detached from it. They’ll remember their favorite stories– and even wince lovingly at some of the not-so-great comics they once defended with their last breaths… And they will always admire and respect comics.
Since taste and opinions are acquired attributes, a person has every right to change their mind about the books they love… Which is how today’s Marvel and DC acolytes become tomorrow’s Moebius lovers. It’s a natural progression and only becomes a little absurd if someone doesn’t allow themselves to grow and broaden their horizons.
Sometimes I feel like giving the Zombies a break. (After all, at least they’re still reading the damn things.) Then I’ll see an immature rant on Twitter or wake up to an absurd email wishing our deaths because we dared publish a Zero Star review for Uncanny X-Men #1 and I’ll think, “Fuck ’em!” The Zombies may not agree with us, may think IMJ is anathema to the hobby… But sooner or later, 98% of them will wake up and realize we were right all along. Quality always trumps flash and shoddy promotion.
As with all things, it doesn’t matter who wins the battle… It matters who wins the war.
Adventures into the Unknown Vol 3 HC
Animal Man Vol 4 Born To Be Wild
Avatar The Last Airbender The Promise HC Library Edition
Avengers By Brian Michael Bendis Vol 5
Avengers Vs Thanos
Avenging Spider-Man The Good The Green And The Ugly
Babble – Looks very interesting…
Batman Deathblow The Deluxe Edition HC
Casebook of Bryant & May Vol 1 Soho Devil HC – Looks cool…
Death of Superman (New Edition)
Dungeons And Dragons Classics Vol 4
Extreme Finale HC (New Print) – Expensive!
Fables Vol 6 Deluxe Edition HC – Recommended
Ghost Omnibus Vol 4
GI Joe The IDW Collection Vol 1 HC – IDW BS of the Week!
Goon Vol 12 Them That Raised Us Lament – Recommended
Harvey Horrors Coll Works Witches Tales Vol 2 HC
HelmetGirls The Art Of Camilla d’Errico Vol 2 HC
Judge Anderson Psi Files Vol 3
Jeff Smith Little Mouse Gets Ready
Mermin Vol 1 Out Of Water HC
Moomin Builds A House
Moomin Falls In Love
MMW Atlas Era Jungle Adventure Vol 3 HC
On The Ropes HC
Oz Wonderland Chronicles Prelude
Punisher By Greg Rucka Vol 3 – Recommended
Resident Alien Vol 1 Welcome To Earth
Roy Thomas Presents Phantom Lady Vol 1 HC
Roy Thomas Presents The Heap Vol 2 HC – Only because I can’t find Vol 1!
Smurfs Vol 14 Baby Smurf HC
Smurfs Vol 14 Baby Smurf SC
Sonic The Hedgehog Archives Vol 20
Super Dinosaur Vol 3
Tales From Beyond Science HC
Tales From Beyond Science SC
Teen Titans By Geoff Johns Omnibus Vol 1 HC
Uncanny X-Men The Complete Collection By Fraction Vol 1 – Own the Trades…
Voodoo Vol 2 The Killer In Me
Wolverine And The X-Men By Jason Aaron Vol 2 – Own the Hardcover
X-Factor Vol 18 Breaking Points
Ayako – Own the Hardcover. Manga Pick of the Week!
Betrayal Knows My Name Vol 5
Btooom! Vol 1
Dance In The Vampire Bund Omnibus Vol 2
Lizzie Newton Victorian Mysteries Vol 2
Misfortune of Kyon & Koizumi
Nabari No Ou Vol 13
Neon Genesis Evangelion Comic Tribute
Pandora Hearts Vol 14
Triage X Vol 2
Umineko When They Cry Vol 2 Legend of the Golden Witch
Until Death Do Us Part Vol 3
Wallflower Vol 30
Last week, I mentioned I’d bring up some other company’s BS 
sooner or later… But I didn’t know it would be this soon.
Again, this is not a commentary on the actual GI Joe The IDW Collection Volume 1 Hardcover itself– I don’t own the book.
Today I’m upset with the publisher, IDW… And not for the usual reasons either. I don’t care about the price (although it is high) or the quality of the presentation (the book is over-sized and looks finely constructed.)
Nope. I’m bent out of shape over the lack of information surrounding the collection. When I was trying to decide whether to drop $49.99 on this hardcover, I looked at every website I could think of (for at least 30 minutes)– attempting to find out what was actually in the book. I even emailed Jose and asked if he knew the content or thought the hardcover was worth it. And here’s mostly what I found out:
It’s a new era with new challenges, and to face these challenges the United States military has forged a new group of the best of the best, G.I. JOE. Starting with G.I. JOE: ORIGINS read from the beginning the whole story of how G.I. JOE came to be and their realization of a shadowy group that keeps popping up wherever trouble is.
Okay. Not being that familiar with IDW’s GI Joe comics, I was trying to figure out if this book did, in fact, reprint their Origins series (which I already owned as Trades) or if it was reprinting the old Marvel comics. (Jose nixed that idea because he said IDW was collecting the Marvel stories as GI Joe Classics.)
But still, I didn’t know hardly anything… And what I did think I knew, I wasn’t sure about. It’s a real shame too, because I’ve plunked down some serious cash for all SEVEN (so far) IDW Transformers Hardcovers in the exact same format… So I would have been a natural to buy these too.
Except I’ve instituted a new rule: In this digital age, if a publisher can’t be bothered with making the simple details of what’s inside a FIFTY DOLLAR Hardcover readily available to potential customers… Then I can’t be bothered to buy it. Seems like a simple rule to live by.
I like simple rules.
I hired a rabid dog to write that review of Uncanny X-Men for me 😉
If only email came with home addresses, I’d ship that pup right over to this guy’s Mom’s basement.
And yes, I do realize every time I mention cranks… I give cranks-in-training just a little bit more courage to assault me/us one day.
If only the people who bought Uncanny X-Men switched to Multiple Warhead, the comics industry would be a hell of a lot better.
I would also like to completely undo the George W. Bush years and start allowing stem cell research so my friend wouldn’t end up in a wheelchair (among many other reasons.)
I mean, if we’re dreaming…
So somebody seriously wished death on you guys because of that review? Unbelievable.
And is that supposed to be Storm on the cover there? Cause the Storm that I used to read about was too much of a lady to pose like that. Not even for Forge.
I’m not reading the comic, but I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be Emma Frost.
I’m not reading Uncanny X-Men either but a larger version shows some sort of lame diamond-like facets on her skin… So I think it’s Emma too.
Morlock, I once saw a guy wish his Mom die because she– once again– forgot to put Honey Mustard on his ham sandwich. Immaturity like that usually comes back to haunt people sooner or later.
One of the problems with Bachalo as an artist, an this is something which goes back years and years, is that his female characters can tend to look very similar. Their lips and eyes and face shapes are usually drawn quite similarly so often its only hair colour that can tell them apart….and if they have similar hair colour….then you get really bloody confused!
So, about the GI Joe hardcover; has Amazon started selling it yet? Usually one of the reviewers will post the actual issues that are printed, if it isn’t already in the summary. Just a thought.
Good call, Morlock!!! 😀
Amazon did have lots more info: http://www.amazon.com/G-I-Joe-The-Collection-Vol/dp/1613775490/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361903563&sr=8-1&keywords=GI+Joe+The+IDW+Collection+Volume+1+Hardcover
I don’t know why I didn’t think to go there. I think after I hit all the usual suspects– then IDW’s own website– and didn’t get far I decided it was time to get on with my order. 😉
In any case, it IS reprinting books I already own. I’m not a big enough GI Joe fan to buy them twice, though… And I own at least 35 of the IDW GI Joe Trades. (I never read the Marvel series except for a few issues here and there.) I hadn’t collected any Transformers trades when the Deluxe Series started– so that’s why I went ahead and purchased that series in that format.
Speaking of Marvel I thought this debate was kinda interesting.
It’s also interesting that the one guy brings up the idea that Marvel is not very retailer friendly, which is something Jose used to bring up during the old podcasts.
How Dead is DC? Why did the ending of Death in the Family SUCK.?.I mean Rotworld is over..Whats left( of the momentum)? Wonder Woman and Batwoman cant carry the entire company..lol.. I would not be surprised if titles like Detective Comics go back to the old numbering or there will be another major relaunch
I think DC still has the trinity war thing coming up. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the titles went back to their old numbering either.
Give it time.
Perfect Timing..last week I received my G.I. Joe Special Mission Box Set…this collects the entire original/Marvel, special mission series in 4 trades(exactly the same btw as if you buy them individually) so there is only the the box set then…Djeez..they put the glue on the top instead of the inside which causes the “flap” to let go… GI JOE Special Mission Flap Box Set is a better name for this piece of shit…LMAO
How crazy! I feel for you. You’d think if all that’s special about the set is the box, they’d MAKE SURE to at least get the box right.
For what it’s worth, the Transformers hardcovers I own are very nice. (Don’t know off hand if they have sewn or glued bindings.) In any case, I haven’t had issues with their construction.
Considering the lack of quality of the package, I hope the Box didn’t cost you too much more.