tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15742539.post117276288052737796..comments2024-03-28T03:10:19.013-07:00Comments on Fraggmented: An Open Letter To Marvel ComicsJohn Seaveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530526320973807452noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15742539.post-9306094103420402922007-03-09T03:56:00.000-08:002007-03-09T03:56:00.000-08:00I agree wholeheartedly, and I agree that you shoul...I agree wholeheartedly, and I agree that you should send this in written form to Marvel if you haven't already.<BR/><BR/>As Tyson said, this trend actually started long ago. I saw its origins in the first massive "event" storylines like Secret Wars and Crisis on Infinite Earthes. But things totally went downhill in the 90's. It has reached a point to where writers have substituted pacing, good storylines, and quality writing with cheap shock tactics, deaths, and "events". Marvel has largely forgotten how to weave an interesting story. Ed Brubaker and Dan Slott are among the only writers at Marvel who I consider exceptions.<BR/><BR/>I don't believe it's any coincidence that comic book sales started sliding downhill about the time the quality went into the crapper in the 90's. I used to buy over $150 a month worth of comic books but with the constant price hikes, cheap gimmicks, shock tactics, and generally bad writing and art, I realized one day that I didn't enjoy much of anything I was reading any more.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately neither Marvel nor DC seem to realize that the directions they are taking comics into are going to provide short-lived sales spikes now, but destroy the medium in the long term.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15742539.post-1172807719335793102007-03-01T19:55:00.000-08:002007-03-01T19:55:00.000-08:00Well written!However, this is not a new developmen...Well written!<BR/><BR/>However, this is not a new development - you could have written a nearly identical letter ten years ago. There's nothing in the main Marvel Universe that I follow anymore, but ten years ago they were the only comics I'd read.<BR/><BR/>I used to be a Spider-Man fan, but the only Marvel books I buy anymore are Ultimate Spider-Man (in TPB) and Spider-Girl, because they both feel closer to the original Marvel vibe than <I>anything</I> they're doing in the main Marvel Universe. (Yeah, they're both cheesy at times - but that's part of the fun! The "storytelling engines" for both of those are closer to the original Spidey than what is now in place in the main Marvel Universe.)<BR/><BR/>It's worth pointing out that "grim and gritty" can be cool, but Marvel usually does it very poorly.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I hope you actually sent your letter to Marvel, and didn't just post it on your blog. They really need to hear this.Tysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03471097574427732454noreply@blogger.com