Daily Comics Digression #38: New Start, Same As the Old Start

Daily Comics Digression #38: New Start, Same As the Old Start

Marvel has had a few shakeups recently. The former editor-in-chief was dropped like a hot potato. In addition, even this week it seems that there is a growing list of editors and creators who are suddenly leaving for greener pastures now that there's been a change of senior leadership.

Will these changes lead to anything substantial, or is it just rearranging deck chair on a sinking ship? Obviously, time will tell, but I'm not holding my breath. Marvel is doing another relaunch, and they've just shuffled some of their controversial writers around to different titles. Not only that, but no one seems to have addressed some of the larger problems in the industry itself like distribution and marketing. All of the real money seems focused on movies and merchandise.

As much as I love superheroes, I'm wondering if the only way to save them is for them to go away for awhile. It seems that with all of the mass media attention and success, quality control is nonexistent. There is no incentive for selling quality work and no consequences for bad product. Don't believe me? Look at how many Marvel books sell under twenty thousand to stores on a monthly basis.

No, what's needed is a culling, a massive market readjustment where superhero comics must earn their keep without relying upon enormous corporations bilking nostalgia.