News Summary from FanExpo Canada

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 12:08 pm

Marko Djurdjevic speaks out against Marvel on FF Team Spirit panel (BTW, his contract is up, and he has quit from Marvel):
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=34103
full recording of panel can be heard here. I listened & it does not sound that bad. I think this was blown out of proportion in the reporting of it.
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=34140
Places to listen:
17:15
39:13
43:00
-and-
45:00 Hickman talks about why he prefers to use Image for his creator owned stuff instead of Icon (though he has been offered a slot at Icon).

Brian Wood returns to Marvel following the announcement of the conclusion of his Vertigo title "DMZ" and the cancellation of "Northlanders." Hints that he'll be doing a Wolverine series.
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=34128

JSA returns (on Earth 2) by James Robinson & Nicola Scott:
http://ifanboy.com/articles/fanexpo11-d ... ola-scott/

Alpha Flight now an on-going series:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=34112

Next 2 Crossgen re-dos: Route 666 + Kiss Kiss Bang Bang:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=34122
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=34121

Gilgabob · Post by **Gilgabob** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 12:58 pm

I rarely go to conventions and never to a panel. Are rants like Marco's common? If I went to a panel featuring a book that I am a fan of and had to listen to one of the creators (bleep) about the publisher the whole time I'd be a little disappointed.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:55 pm

Gilgabob wrote:I rarely go to conventions and never to a panel. Are rants like Marco's common? If I went to a panel featuring a book that I am a fan of and had to listen to one of the creators (bleep) about the publisher the whole time I'd be a little disappointed.

I think the rant thing has been blown out of proportion by the comics press.
I've been listening to the recording of the panel, and there are a few statements (that don't sound particularly rant-y), mostly him expressing how he's not a big fan of JMS. I edited the original post, now that I listed to the panel, because what has been described online as a "rant" sounds in reality to be far from it.

To answer your specific question, you have people saying things every now and again that are not edited via the marketing dept. but I've never really heard a true panel-long rant. In reality, this was not that either.

J. Farrell · Post by **J. Farrell** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:59 pm

The Crossgen books both sound promising...and not like rehashes. Kind of the opposite, really, for better or worse.

By completely changing the subject of, for example, Route 666, they go away from what ostensibly made the series popular with its fans in the first place, but they also avoid rehashing the same plot points, making it a fresh read for old readers. I wish the original series was finished, but that boat has sailed. The premise of this mini sounds strong enough to give it a try.

Unlike Route 666, I never read the old Kiss Kiss Bang Bang but I'll probably try that too, at some point. I'm a fan of a lot of what Milligan does, and I like a good spy book once in a while.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:15 pm

J. Farrell wrote:The Crossgen books both sound promising...and not like rehashes. Kind of the opposite, really, for better or worse.

My bad. I should have said "re-do" instead of rehash. Edited original post.

J. Farrell wrote: By completely changing the subject of, for example, Route 666, they go away from what ostensibly made the series popular with its fans in the first place, but they also avoid rehashing the same plot points, making it a fresh read for old readers. I wish the original series was finished, but that boat has sailed. The premise of this mini sounds strong enough to give it a try.

Unlike Route 666, I never read the old Kiss Kiss Bang Bang but I'll probably try that too, at some point. I'm a fan of a lot of what Milligan does, and I like a good spy book once in a while.

Marvel (except for Ruse) seems to toss out the Crossgen stuff, keep the title and do something different in their re-dos.

I'm on record as not being a fan of that. If I want something different, I'll go read a creator-owned book, not drop another few $ into Marvel's coffers.

If you're seeking to blow another few bucks on trying out some new & different concepts, my personal opinion is you're better off doing that someplace other than Marvel by trying out an indie book with a cool concept.

But that's my own personal opinion & personal preference.

J. Farrell · Post by **J. Farrell** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:58 pm

BobBretall wrote:
If you're seeking to blow another few bucks on trying out some new & different concepts, my personal opinion is you're better off doing that someplace other than Marvel by trying out an indie book with a cool concept.

I'm almost entirely an Indie reader. Not really by choice: I'm simply not interested in the vast majority of what Marvel (especially) and DC publish. I probably bought around 800 comics in 2010, and I doubt more than a few dozen of them were Marvel. DC fared better because I'm a fan of several Vertigo titles.

I really just want to read the best and most interesting stories I can, and if Marvel is going to try some much needed (IMO) diversification and publish some of those stories, I'm not going to rule them out because of the logo on the cover.

abysslord · Post by **abysslord** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 10:14 pm

BobBretall wrote: Marvel (except for Ruse) seems to toss out the Crossgen stuff, keep the title and do something different in their re-dos.

I'm on record as not being a fan of that. If I want something different, I'll go read a creator-owned book, not drop another few $ into Marvel's coffers.

I agree with you 100%. Why would they even spend money buying rights to these stories if they're only using the title? The title which will only mean something to readers of the previous incarnation which is at least a little different [Ruse wasn't changed much at all], if not completely different [Sigil seems to be very different, never read first volume]... therefore confusing and possibly pissing off those previous readers.

I read a few issues of the previous Route 666 and loved it, but I don't think I want to read a Marvel version of it.

neenjah · Post by **neenjah** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:27 am

Gilgabob wrote:I rarely go to conventions and never to a panel. Are rants like Marco's common? If I went to a panel featuring a book that I am a fan of and had to listen to one of the creators (bleep) about the publisher the whole time I'd be a little disappointed.

I love going to conventions, and try to hit panels as often as I can. The local con here in Memphis goes a bit overboard on panels and programming. Would like to see a bit more time between them and combine a few topics here and there. Even Gail Simone said, "Wow, you guys really like your panels here, don't you..?!"

I really can't think of a panel where after I thought the creators were jerks. Have had a few run ins on the con floor that didn't go as nicely as I would have liked. I can really only think of maybe 2-3 times I was a bit disappointed in meeting someone, and I think they were suffering from con-lag. It happens.

Artist Alley is usually a great place to get some face time with creators you like, and you never know who you'll run into at the hotel bar, sit next to at dinner, or rummage through long boxes next to.

If you get a chance to go to the Phoenix Comic Con I highly recommend it. Not too big, not too small- just right! Also a good comics community of retailers, fans, and creators.