Hey folks, Harry here. Good ol Bill Jemas has decided to join up with the GrayHaven squad and AICN's Comics column to serve your whims. I suppose he's decided to finally listen to the top man in comics Our Buddy and Yours, Andrew!!! Well that should definitely help MARVEL on the way to becoming the Merry Marching Society that they could be. However, if you have a question that just squeals out to be shouted at some big Marvel Big Shot.... Well, "DON'T ASK" is where to Ask it. At the bottom there's the handy dunking sign where you can sling your shot up at the Big Shot from Marvel! That's right, ask trick questions that he can't answer. Make them Marvel folks scratch their noggins and strain a brain cell or two to pontificate about whatever it is you're asking about. Got a beef, hit Jemas with it. Got a vegetable, hit Jemas with it. Got Tofu? What the hell is your problem? Well, without further ado, here's Marvel Big Shot, BILL JEMAS...
DON’T ASK…
By Bill Jemas
Scott Lamb (bigcytynow@aol.com): What were you thinking putting Frank Quietly on the "New" (New...114 issues in and all of a sudden it's "New"?????) X-Men". Far more of my customers dislike his art style than like it and only continue to get it because they always have gotten it.
Well, honestly, I was thinking that Frank is a spectacular talent, and that the books would be breathtakingly beautiful -- and I was right.
...But on reflection, I should add that, I realize that running a comic shop is a time-consuming and demanding job, and I want to thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to give me your feedback on the New X-Men. With respect to the name new X-Men, the idea came from Mr. Grant Morrison, who felt that the new creative direction for the project could be signaled to customers with an "new" logo treatment for the book. He even designed the logo – which I found to be very appealing.
Frank (frank@licomics.com): I think that Marvel should do a new "WHO'S WHO" type project (MARVEL UNIVERSE HANDBOOK A-to-Z) to prove the editors at Marvel still have a handle on the Marvel universe continuity and that it is still explainable to new readers entering the hobby. It is sorely needed. Your thoughts?
Well, honestly, new readers entering the hobby don’t really want an explanation of Marvel universe continuity. What they want is a 22-page funny book they can enjoy without any reference materials. So Frank, just be frank. You want a handbook, because you are a long-time fan and you want a &%$* handbook.
…But on reflection, I should add that a Marvel Universe Handbook is a great idea and our newly hired Managing Editor, David Bogart is hard at work on the project even as we speak. We should be able to get an encyclopedia done this year and a far more complete handbook next year.
Kelly Dowd (reddskul@cadvision.com): Why there is a huge price difference in the First Look Program for Canadians? It is 6.00 US for retailers in the states and 14.50 US for Canadians. Why so much?
So, things are not perfect.
But you should know that neither Marvel nor Diamond should be making any money from the first look books. We just pass shipping costs along to the retailer. I assume that the price difference is attributable to shipping, but I will confirm that with Diamond.
William Satterwhite (wsatterwhite@hotmail.com): When the February release date for Cage #1 was first announced, it was also stated that this release date was set to coincide with Black History Month. Do you honestly think a book described by it's own editor as being comparable to a blaxploitation film with "cussing and big booties, guns and drugs and all the rest.", is a proper tribute to Black History Month or that publishing such a comic is even appropriate given the already sorry representation of African-Americans in your comics?
Well, honestly, you are taking Axel’s BS (and yourself) way way way too seriously.
But, on reflection, Marvel does have a project coming next year, from an all-black creative team which treats a key topic in Black American History with the respect and seriousness that it deserves.
Rob (keybooks@aol.com): It seems to me that there has been a major decline in NEW comics fans over the past 15 or so years. Given that this decline is at least in part due to the Internet and its vast ever-growing content, much of which is specifically targeted towards the under-twenty crowd, it appears that comics in general are on a steady decline. With the internet and its content to attract and hold the attention (if only through the shear amount of information that can be accessed on the web) of this generation's youngsters, what can the comics industry do to draw the attention of and create NEW comics fans?
Well, one thing I could do is stop wasting time on psuedo intellectual questions and go hump some books to Toys R. Us.
…But, I should note that is no evidence the decline in comics readership has anything at all to do with the growth of Internet content and activity. In fact the books that Marvel promotes on Marvel.com (through dotcomics) have become our best selling, fastest growing titles among young readers.
Sid Smith (sidscards@planetkc.com): Marvel seems to be drifting back into the "Anything we print will sell" and " Make it & they will buy it" mode. New titles abound and most are weak and won't last past the first few issues. They seem to be reaching into the garbage bin to pull new ideas for new series. This poor marketing approach put them into bankruptcy a few years ago and everyone had hope their reorganization had taught them a thing or two about how to market to their customer base the books the READERS want. Have they NOT learned from their past mistakes? Seems they are just out for the short-term profit and not the long run as many including myself had hoped.
You need to get out more.
…But, I should say that we are doing our very best to make the best books we can, and many fans have shown their appreciation by buying more Marvel comics. We have reversed a five-year downward cycle and have had a great year thanks, in part, to loyal fans like you who have stuck with us through the hard times.
Joe Windich (JW@hytec.co.uk): 1. If you are going to continue having advertisements in the back of your trade paperbacks, isn't it fair then to lower their price, as one of the key selling points of an expensive trade is an ad-free read?
Well, the ads are all at the back of the trades, so you do get an "ad free read." Now, if you would just chill out and let me have a complaint-free day.
…But, I should add that the ad revenue does help keep prices low, in fact, most of the ad money gets collected for the first month the book is on sale, an Marvel regularly gives that money back to retailers and consumers in the form of a first-month price cut ($2-4) off of wholesale on new books.
Sophia Martin (heagebabe12017@aol.com): In the spirit of the New Year, can you say something nice about DC Comics?
I found that they made dandy kindling for the ‘ol Yule log.
…But I should add that DC carried the comic industry torch when Marvel was all burned out. Without those dedicated people, many more stores would have gone under and hundreds of comic pro’s would have lost their jobs.
Stephanie Chan (warpcomics@hotmail.com): Marvel had made a commitment to make core Trade Paperbacks and Graphic Novels more accessible. So why is it so difficult to restock books like Essential X-Men Volume 1, Essential Wolverine Volume 2, or even Maximum Carnage? The worst part of not being able to restock an Essential Volume 1 is that it becomes a whole lot harder to sell Volumes 2 and up.
Well, this is me and my staff failing the IQ test again. We screwed this up. Just today, we went back to press on all of the Essentials and will print 20,000 units of all of the X-Men and Spider-Man units.
…But, well this is me and my staff failing the IQ test again. We screwed this up. Just today, we went back to press on all of the Essentials and will print 20,000 units of all of the X-Men and Spider-Man units.
* Joe Quesada would like to remind readers that the opinions stated by Mr.Jemas do not necessarily reflect those of the staff of Marvel Comics.
* Retailers would like to remind readers that the no over print rule is still a bad policy and will go back to holding their breaths now
* Fans would like to remind everyone that Marvel ran 8 out of the top 10 comics for all of 2001
* Bill Jemas would like to remind Andrew Goletz that the Clone Saga was over 7 years ago and 'No, he isn't coming back. Ever'
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR BILL JEMAS?
IF SO, SEND IT TO GrayHaven00@AOL.COM AND BILL WILL ANSWER IT IN A FUTURE COLUMN.
