New Guardian Art, Joe Q. Comments on Omega.

[Corvus]

Uh, I don't think this is posted yet. Click thumbnail for embiggening.

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/9274/omega003graybz3.th.jpg (http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?image=omega003graybz3.jpg)



NRAMA: Finally, one more question from us before we turn the remainder of the Q&A over to our readers so we can catch up for last edition - a number of our readers in fact asked about the decision to make what was not only announced, but promoted as an going series – Omega Flight – into a five issue limited series.

One of our readers was on the ball enough to find this quote from Mike Oeming in an interview he did with us right after the then ongoing series was announced…

“Marvel wants to give this the big push, they aren’t just bringing back Flight for the hell of it, and this isn’t a mini-series or some series they are tossing to the wall to see if it sticks. Marvel wants Flight to be a player in the Marvel Universe, which is why we felt the best way to do that was to start fresh. The name does a lot for that. Its done out of love and hope for the new book, not disrespect for the old. It is in many ways, ‘Alpha Flights’ last chance for the foreseeable future.”

As you can see, at the time, Oeming emphasized as a positive that this wouldn’t be a mini or a test-run to see if enough readers are there for the first arc.

So can you talk about the decision to change plans, for not only Omega Flight, but we think you often referred to Dan Slott’s secret new project as an ongoing, which has been revealed as Avengers: The Initiative, another limited series?

JQ: Mmmm, I don’t remember ever referring to The Initiative as an ongoing. I could be wrong, but I honestly don’t remember. I do know that internally I had wanted it ongoing but the vote didn’t go my way.

As for Omega Flight, we discussed this internally and we all feel that we’ve had some success in the past going slower with certain projects, launching them as limited series and then coming out with an ongoing. We feel that this is a better tact to take with OF. We’ve been hearing from a lot of passionate Alpha/Omega Flight fans who are disappointed in this decision, and I completely respect that and apologize for the change, but this is also their opportunity to show up in legion and show us that this is a title to be reckoned with.

Yes, I realize there’s a petition out there, cool! Now, let’s take that petition to the streets and have all those people show up at comic shops scooping the book up. That will tell us more in the long run than any online chatter or petition. No disrespect, we just have to deal with the reality of publishing versus the perception of what is happening outside our doors. And hey, look, it worked for Spider-Girl. All those cards and e-mails added up to sales in the end.


Edit:
New Joe Friday's. (http://www.newsarama.com/NewJoeFridays/NewJoeFridays32.html)

Warning, contains spoilers for other titles.

[Canucklehead]

Ouuuu, I like that Guardian pic. Very cool.

[Ottawa Renegade]

Ouuuu, I like that Guardian pic. Very cool.

Man, that's so awesome...our Guardian looks like quite the angry soul nowadays. Mac would certainly have cause, if Heather's dead (or maybe he thinks he still is, because I'm sure he has to be losing track by now...). Not sure about the other candidates.

[Canucklehead]

He's always smokin' these days. Do you think that's Kolins artistic decision or did the Collective incident do something to him?

[Snowsquatch]

I've always felt that the Guardian suit needed to be seen as "lethal." All these new pics are helping that along. What a cool pic.

[Legerd]

WOW! :shock: That is a fantastic pic of Guardian. If this kind of artwork doesn't get OF a regular series nothing will. I wonder, will we see this as a cover?

[Canucklehead]

WOW! :shock: That is a fantastic pic of Guardian. If this kind of artwork doesn't get OF a regular series nothing will. I wonder, will we see this as a cover?

Good call. There seems to be enough space at the top for a logo. Didn't Kolins say they wanted him to redo some of the covers in this new smudged style? Perhaps the cover for the Guardian reveal in ish 2 or 3.

Edit: I think I just my new avatar 8)

[Mokole]

Hmmm, who do you think that looks like, Hudson or Walter? I can't see it being anyone else, but of course... it's so easy for me to be wrong, again :)

It'll be Hudson or Walter, IMHO. 8)

Edit: Notice the tear? Hudson, methinks again

[-K-M-]

I didn't notice the tear, but yeah it definetly could be Mac. I just don't see how or why Walter would don the suit when he already has his own powers.

[Ben]

I believe this is the cover for #3, that got Scott into his new style, is this so Scott?

Ben

[Canucklehead]

I didn't notice the tear, but yeah it definetly could be Mac. I just don't see how or why Walter would don the suit when he already has his own powers.

It's hard to say. If it's Mac he is either still recovering or must need some more motivation to wear the suit again, otherwise it wouldn't take til issue 3. Even so, if that's the case where's Walter in the promo art?

Walter seems down (and into the booze) in the scene we've seen, so that could explain the tear. If he was still Sasquatch, he wouldn't need to wear the suit. If he somehow lost the power, then he'd be perfect for the suit.

Don't they explain Walter's not tearing his clothing when transforming by the fact that his body and clothes trade places with the beast? If that's the case, the beast could trade place with the suit too.

I'm still stuck on that he may have played "the sport with the oval shaped ball" quote from Oeming. Guess we'll have to wait and see. 8)

[Legerd]

It's hard to say. If it's Mac he is either still recovering or must need some more motivation to wear the suit again, otherwise it wouldn't take til issue 3. Even so, if that's the case where's Walter in the promo art?

Walter seems down (and into the booze) in the scene we've seen, so that could explain the tear. If he was still Sasquatch, he wouldn't need to wear the suit. If he somehow lost the power, then he'd be perfect for the suit.

Don't they explain Walter's not tearing his clothing when transforming by the fact that his body and clothes trade places with the beast? If that's the case, the beast could trade place with the suit too.

I suggested in another thread that it could be Walt as Sasquatch wearing the Guardian uniform in memory of the team. The suit could be made of unstable molecules or as you said CH that it trades places when he transforms.


I'm still stuck on that he may have played "the sport with the oval shaped ball" quote from Oeming. Guess we'll have to wait and see. 8)

What was this quote in reference to and where is it from?

[Canucklehead]

I'm still stuck on that he may have played "the sport with the oval shaped ball" quote from Oeming. Guess we'll have to wait and see. 8)

What was this quote in reference to and where is it from?

Can't remember which interview but the interviewer asked Oeming about the guy in the Guardian suit. He asked "What he couldn't get a spot on a hockey team?" Oeming replied "Is that the sport with the oval shaped ball?"

It could be nothing but I took itas a hint. 8)

[SephirothsKiller]

I’d renew my pact with the devil to get Phil over here at Marvel.

I knew it!



P.S.
That Guardian pic is amazing. Fantastic. Fantastically amazing. I hope that the cover isn't coloured. In fact I hope it isn't even titled. Damn I love that picture. The tear kind of makes me think of Hudson, since the big thing out of AF #16 was that "dead people don't cry."

[varo]

that guardian pic is unreal. i know, i mean i KNOW that the omega series is going to sell well, it already has more hype then the previous 2 launches (although message boards weren't around back then so it is just a hunch) and believe it or not but the downgrade has not only created some outrage, but interest as well.
the only thing that will push me over the edge is if the mini sells well, marvel drags it's feet and when it does become a ongoing mike and scott already have moved on to other projects and can not be on the ongoing. the images from scott and interviews from mike have me so ready for this series.

[Le Messor]

the previous 2 launches (although message boards weren't around back then

Weren't you ON this message board back then?

I know nothing about Oeming's writing; at least, not enough to judge. But I love Kolins' art. I love the way he made the eye 'invisible' behind an opaque lens (always drawn before as transparent).

I don't know if this picture is meant to be literal; ie: do we believe that Guardian was actually swathed in flame and crying? Vis a vis: or does it represent, metaphorically, his--death?--the loss of his team? Concordantly!

- Le Messor
"I am the architect. I created The Matrix. And also several popular video games. I didn't create Frogger, but I came up with the name. Can you believe they wanted to call it 'Highway-Crossing Frog'? How lame is that?"

- The Matrix Reloaded, MTV version

[Obsidian3d]

Truly awesome image. The comments from Quesada not so awesome, but we can't do anything now other than buy the book and hope it's good.

[Guardian]

Dude that new pic is simply amazing! I saw this for the first time Saturday morning about 3:30 am my time and I had to nearly change my sheets! :shock: But that just simply rocks. I'm almost speechless. Just awsome Scott. Just awsome.

:goes to cry in the corner, because he's so happy:

[Guardian]

WOW! :shock: That is a fantastic pic of Guardian. If this kind of artwork doesn't get OF a regular series nothing will. I wonder, will we see this as a cover?

Good call. There seems to be enough space at the top for a logo. Didn't Kolins say they wanted him to redo some of the covers in this new smudged style? Perhaps the cover for the Guardian reveal in ish 2 or 3.

Edit: I think I just my new avatar 8)

Dude, sweet new avatar! 8) And that would be a sweet cover.

[Guardian]

I’d renew my pact with the devil to get Phil over here at Marvel.

I knew it!



P.S.
That Guardian pic is amazing. Fantastic. Fantastically amazing. I hope that the cover isn't coloured. In fact I hope it isn't even titled. Damn I love that picture. The tear kind of makes me think of Hudson, since the big thing out of AF #16 was that "dead people don't cry."

That would be an awsome cover if it wasn't colored. But I'm greedy and I want a black/white and colored cover of that. Variant covers anyone?Though I generally don't like variant covers.

Excellent point about the "dead people don't cry" comments. I was in that camp. I just about give my left arm if that is Mac. :) Besides, he'd be so pissed that no one would be able to stop him!

[varo]

the previous 2 launches (although message boards weren't around back then

Weren't you ON this message board back then?

I know nothing about Oeming's writing; at least, not enough to judge. But I love Kolins' art. I love the way he made the eye 'invisible' behind an opaque lens (always drawn before as transparent).

I don't know if this picture is meant to be literal; ie: do we believe that Guardian was actually swathed in flame and crying? Vis a vis: or does it represent, metaphorically, his--death?--the loss of his team? Concordantly!

- Le Messor
"I am the architect. I created The Matrix. And also several popular video games. I didn't create Frogger, but I came up with the name. Can you believe they wanted to call it 'Highway-Crossing Frog'? How lame is that?"

- The Matrix Reloaded, MTV version



lol. ya, i meant more towards series 2, i think we only had the email list going back then.

[Ben]

it's true, when v.2 came out we had a mailing list, and by the end of it, it was 120 people, it was then that I handed it over to Phil. I took some time off and came back with this beast

Ben

[kozzi24]

Dead people don't cry, but when they're dying they might, and when they're dying in the show, their last tear might freeze on their face.

We see Sasquatch fighting the wrecking crew in OF #1. The Wrecking Crew has magical origins...something in the fight could cause Sasquatch to lose his magically-vased powers.

[Captain Primate]

that guardian pic is unreal. i know, i mean i KNOW that the omega series is going to sell well, it already has more hype then the previous 2 launches (although message boards weren't around back then so it is just a hunch) and believe it or not but the downgrade has not only created some outrage, but interest as well.
the only thing that will push me over the edge is if the mini sells well, marvel drags it's feet and when it does become a ongoing mike and scott already have moved on to other projects and can not be on the ongoing. the images from scott and interviews from mike have me so ready for this series.

Its going to sell well within the core fanbase. However, that will not make a difference in the long run. ITs only going to sell really well (and be converted into an ongoing) if other (non-fanboy) readers buy it. So, hyping the mini within the community is *not* the way to go. We need to get the word out to others. Post on general, non-alpha/omega sites/forums/blogs, talk your local comic shops into brining in more than their average number of copies. This is what I've done. I've contacted all of the comic shops in my area and asked them to order double of what they normally would. I've promised that I would buy up anything that didn't sell. Since I know most of them pretty well, and I'm financially good for it (hey, I'm a university professor, not a cash strapped teenager), they've agreed. I'm going to do that for the entire mini. For me, its a small price to pay to get Omega upgraded into an ongoing.

[-K-M-]

Its going to sell well within the core fanbase. However, that will not make a difference in the long run. ITs only going to sell really well (and be converted into an ongoing) if other (non-fanboy) readers buy it. So, hyping the mini within the community is *not* the way to go. We need to get the word out to others. Post on general, non-alpha/omega sites/forums/blogs, talk your local comic shops into brining in more than their average number of copies. This is what I've done. I've contacted all of the comic shops in my area and asked them to order double of what they normally would. I've promised that I would buy up anything that didn't sell. Since I know most of them pretty well, and I'm financially good for it (hey, I'm a university professor, not a cash strapped teenager), they've agreed. I'm going to do that for the entire mini. For me, its a small price to pay to get Omega upgraded into an ongoing.

Well said, and wish I could do that but I'm only a college student. Soon to be univeristy, ha!

[Obsidian3d]

Posting elsewhere and trying to get non-Alpha fans to pick up the book is a great way to go and I agree with it wholeheartedly. I don't agree with buying up all the copies that don't sell to help get an ongoing. At that point all that's being done is artificially inflating the percieved readership by Marvel. If people don't buy them, the readers aren't there...so it seems a waste of money.

[DelBubs]

It's a noble thing your doing Captain Primate, but what we need is for you not to have to buy any spares of OF. We really need to be promoting OF out on mainstream forums etc so that an ongoing does come about and quality becomes the reason it suceeds. That said, given the art we've seen by Scott and the Mikes work on Highlander and Red Sonja, I'm a damn site more optimistic about OF than I was about Lobdells proposed dynasty of Alpha books. Anyone remember 'Zed Flight' :roll: :wink: :oops:

[Canucklehead]

...I'm a damn site more optimistic about OF than I was about Lobdells proposed dynasty of Alpha books. Anyone remember 'Zed Flight' :roll: :wink: :oops:

Remember his other quote? "If they had kept me on the original series, Alpha Flight would be more popular then X-Men"

:lol: 8)

[-K-M-]

Zed Flight?

[Mokole]

Just in case people missed this, I'll post it here too (http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/003206730.cfm).

Hooray!

Nice to meet you, Captain Primate. A professor, what a collection of people we are, professor, teachers, coaches, techies....

[DelBubs]

Zed Flight?

Lobdells empty promises, a bit like vol #3, empty and devoid of entertainment.

http://forum.alphaflight.net/viewtopic.php?t=218&highlight=zed

http://forum.alphaflight.net/viewtopic.php?t=170&highlight=zed

[Captain Primate]

Just in case people missed this, I'll post it here too (http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/003206730.cfm).

Hooray!

Nice to meet you, Captain Primate. A professor, what a collection of people we are, professor, teachers, coaches, techies....

Its great that its being featured by Wizard - this is exactly the kind of place OF needs to be promoted.

Nice to meet you too! I'm lucky that as a professor, I can merge my love of comics with some of my research - its a good life!

[Captain Primate]

Posting elsewhere and trying to get non-Alpha fans to pick up the book is a great way to go and I agree with it wholeheartedly. I don't agree with buying up all the copies that don't sell to help get an ongoing. At that point all that's being done is artificially inflating the percieved readership by Marvel. If people don't buy them, the readers aren't there...so it seems a waste of money.

I totally disagree with you. First off, I'm not getting them to order in more copies so that I can snap them up, I'm asking them to order in copies so that there will be more on the shelf...and then more people will get a chance to buy them (which they might now have if the paltry 5 or so copies that are normally put on the shelf are bought up). If more copies are on teh shelf, more people will see the book. If more people see the book, more people will buy the book. If more people will buy the book, there is a greater chance of it having higher sales and then being turned into an ongoing. I've just agreed to buy anything that is left so that the comic stores don't take a hit. As for over inflating the perceived readership, I disagree with that as well. 5 issues is a very short run - so short that it is entirely possible that it will come and go without many people (outside of the community) noticing it. Even if the perceived readership is inflated, Marvel might convert OF into an ongoing. If its an ongoing, it'll have a far greater chance to mature as a series, and therefor attract more readers...which would then mean that it would continue.

[varo]

theres a few of us here that post at all the mainstream boards and try to get the buzz generated for the series. plus i am ordering 4 copies of all the issues as well as putting it on my pull list from midtowncomics.com.

it ain't as zealous as primates plan, but at least its something.

[MistressMerr]

I work in a small variety shop that sells comics, and I've been hyping Omega to all our Marvel-buying regulars. :)