Brevoort (briefly) on AF

[Phil]

http://brevoortformspring.tumblr.com/post/51146079251/any-chance-for-superhero-groups-outside-of-the-us-to


Any chance for superhero groups outside of the US to get more recognition? Alpha Flight is rad and I will always, always have a super soft spot for the Marvel UK heroes. Motormouth! Union Jack! Captain Britain! I would love to see a new ongoing Alpha Flight and Excalibur book, preferably ones that stick around for longer than a year. =P I think branching out beyond the US would be really cool and help paint a broader picture of the Marvel Universe, like what's being done with Guardians and Nova.


The problem we’ve always had in doing this is the problem that you touch on when you say “ones that stick around for longer than a year”—and that is that there seems to be only limited interest in those characters and those books, not enough to make them successful longer term.

And note; that's his personal blog rather than an official Marvel statement.

[EccentricSage]

The original AF and Excalibur were around for a long time. I don't know what Brevoort is talking about.

Maybe they should try, you know, giving the books a fair shot? Try letting them be their own thing instead of forcing the same formula that keeps failing? The last AF maxi had some good moments, but it sounded to me like editorial interfered more than helped. You want to suddenly give an old character a completely unrecognizable personality? Go for it! But first, conspiracy! Intrigue! Guns! Event tie in! No, you can not have Madison Jeffries so he can actually do awesome stuff again, he's more than busy talking to his coffee maker in the x-verse! Oh, and don't bother resolving the issue with Heather, that ongoing we announced is suddenly canceled. Hope you weren't expecting to deal with that later!

I don't even really care if they bring back Excalibur. I never liked Captain Britain, I have no clue what has become of Meggan, and Nightcrawler is dead. Wolfsbain needs time to just raise her kid, and I doubt they'd write any happy stories about that in today's Marvel. Mora is also dead. Pete what was his name... Wisdom?... is alive last I heard, and is only enjoyable when playing off likable characters, otherwise he's insufferable. I don't know. If you build a cast of all new characters, though, may as well at least make it a spin off rather than an 'in name only' book. Those don't go over well with the fanbase.

[Phil]

The original AF and Excalibur were around for a long time. I don't know what Brevoort is talking about.
Recent years and reboots, of which both series' have had 3.


Maybe they should try, you know, giving the books a fair shot?
They have though, at least 3 times and each time sales get worse.


Try letting them be their own thing instead of forcing the same formula that keeps failing?
See, this is the issue; you're saying do something new and different (which each subsequent Vol of AF has been), yet other fans are saying go back to the old Byrne formula. How can Marvel win?


but it sounded to me like editorial interfered more than helped. You want to suddenly give an old character a completely unrecognizable personality? Go for it!
How so? Which character do you mean?


Event tie in!
FVL has gone on record saying that he & Greg chose to make it a tie-in.


No, you can not have Madison Jeffries so he can actually do awesome stuff again, he's more than busy talking to his coffee maker in the x-verse!
That's a fair point.


Oh, and don't bother resolving the issue with Heather, that ongoing we announced is suddenly canceled. Hope you weren't expecting to deal with that later!
Cancelled (or re-reduced) due to lack of sales due to fans lack of interest. And let's face it, the world hasn't really given a damn about Heather since.


I don't even really care if they bring back Excalibur.
As there are most likely Excalibur fans who don't care about AF or Madison Jeffries or Wildchild...


Wolfsbain needs time to just raise her kid, and I doubt they'd write any happy stories about that in today's Marvel.
You might want to avoid reading the latest X-Factor arc...


If you build a cast of all new characters, though, may as well at least make it a spin off rather than an 'in name only' book. Those don't go over well with the fanbase.
Which goes against your 'letting them be their own thing' comment, surely?

[Mokole]

Well, to disagree: She-Hulk sold horribly and has had what, 4 reboots, 5? Spider-Girl got 3 reboots, 4 if you expand out of the original version, and a longer run on often very low sales, especially relative to the market. THey got chances because those in power with Marvel backed them up, and gave them a lot of time and chances to succeed even if fans, especially with She-Hulk, turned a blind eye. To whit: You can't even get She-Hulk graphic novels through the library system here (But AF and EXcalibur, sure).

[Phil]

Yet the She-Hulk reboots (as many as AF has had so there's no bias) still sold better than Vol's 3&4...

[Flightpath07]

http://brevoortformspring.tumblr.com/post/51146079251/any-chance-for-superhero-groups-outside-of-the-us-to



And note; that's his personal blog rather than an official Marvel statement.

Um?

Phil, as a Marvel employee, he ALWAYS represents Marvel when he speaks.

[Phil]

I totally disagree on that.
It may reflect on Marvel but it doesn't represent them.
It's not an official press release or statement; his views are his own, done in his own un-paid time in an unofficial capacity.

[Flightpath07]

In my job, you can be (and people have been) fired over comments made on your own private FaceBook accounts, as well as over things you do in your own home. Many companies now monitor employees FaceBook accounts. The reason? If you are known to be part of a company or business, what you do or say reflects on that company or business. Which is what you said. But I see little difference between "reflecting" and "representing". When you sign on with an employer, you become an Ambassador for them, and you become known as such to their patrons, so how patrons think of you can heavily affect how they think of the business you work for. Note that I never actually said that his views are anything but his own, only that they are SEEN as others that way; and should be (and, I am sure, are) seen that way, as well, by his employer.

Think of it this way; what percentage of the people that visit his blog (or read it, or sign up and join it) are there because they know him from Marvel Comics? (If you're not guessing at least 95%, you're not doing it right)

[Mokole]

Having worked in the media there is no doubt: what you say on your own time is always taken by the bosses as you speaking for the company, always. I know guys in publishing who've said things on social websites about the product that the bosses didn't like, and they got in trouble, one got fired. You work for them, so if Brevoort is talking about a Marvel property on his own time he darn well knows he's selling the product and pushing his bosses' line. If they disagree they'd let us know. I can even cite reporters in news media who got in trouble for saying things, on their own time, unpaid, that the bosses thought went against their personal wishes, one got fired (in Canada, no less).

It's the main reason you only hear the truth after a guy quits or switches companies. Then they'll tell you how things REALLY happened and what the bosses really wanted. Think Kolins and Seagle, for two.

[Phil]

In my job, you can be (and people have been) fired over comments made on your own private FaceBook accounts, as well as over things you do in your own home.
Exactly.

He can't legally be fired for anything that represents Marvel because that means Marvel have instructed him to say it.


When you sign on with an employer, you become an Ambassador for them, and you become known as such to their patrons, so how patrons think of you can heavily affect how they think of the business you work for.
By that logic if your boss is a racist or a homophobe then you are too?

By that logic every post you've ever made here represents your company and every political conversation you've ever had out of work does too.


Note that I never actually said that his views are anything but his own, only that they are SEEN as others that way
Then surely the blame lies with the people SEEing it that way?


and should be (and, I am sure, are) seen that way, as well, by his employer.
Only if it affects the business.


Think of it this way; what percentage of the people that visit his blog (or read it, or sign up and join it) are there because they know him from Marvel Comics? (If you're not guessing at least 95%, you're not doing it right)
But Marvel can turn round and say it was unsanctioned and,as you've pointed out, sack him for it implying that it has no relevance or legal baring.

[Phil]

Having worked in the media there is no doubt
Unless you're claiming to have worked for every single company ever founded there is always doubt.


what you say on your own time is always taken by the bosses as you speaking for the company, always.
There are court cases that say otherwise.


I know guys in publishing who've said things on social websites about the product that the bosses didn't like, and they got in trouble, one got fired.
Because the views were reflecting on them rather than representing them; if it were the latter they'd have no grounds for dismissal.


I can even cite reporters in news media who got in trouble for saying things, on their own time, unpaid, that the bosses thought went against their personal wishes, one got fired (in Canada, no less).
Exactly; see previous.
If anything Brevoort said here brought Marvel into disrepute he'd be sacked. Ergo; reflection not representation.

[Flightpath07]

Just let me point this out:


The problem we’ve always had in doing this

It may be his own personal opinion, BUT by saying "We've" he is now saying that he is speaking for everybody at his workplace.

[Phil]

Everybody, yes.
The company, no.

That just means he's being arrogant and presumptuous in speaking on people's behalf when he has no right to.
Still his opinion. Not fact, not canon.

[Flightpath07]

Phil, we'll agree to disagree on this point, and leave it at that.

I don't know if you are a scholar, but you argue like a gentleman!

[Phil]

http://brevoortformspring.tumblr.com/post/52298526583/hey-tom-i-want-to-say-bravo-on-the-nightcrawler


Any hope of a Northstar solo?



No plans for a Northstar series at the moment, but who knows down the line?

[cmdrkoenig67]

I think the last Alpha Flight series would have/could have been really great...I'm more than disappointed that Marvel didn't let it go longer and let it build some momentum...Sigh.

Dana

[Phil]

http://brevoortformspring.tumblr.com/post/60447632833/hi-tom-now-that-puck-northstar-are-on-new-teams-any

Hi Tom, now that Puck & Northstar are on new teams, any chances of some other Alpha Flight members to join up with another team? I kinda miss Guardian, Snowbird and Marrina...
http://assets.tumblr.com/images/default_avatar/octahedron_closed_24.pngkennyhammer (http://kennyhammer.tumblr.com/)
It’s not out of the questions, but there aren’t any plans at the moment.

[rplass]

Obligatory:

3222

[Flightpath07]

rofl

[Legerd]

Well, at least he didn't break out the old chestnut about AF being "a tough nut to crack" which is a positive in my books. :)

[Phil]

http://brevoortformspring.tumblr.com/post/62807217678/do-you-think-we-might-see-the-master-of-the-world

Do you think we might see the Master of the World again? Might be nice to see him be a foe for the Avengers. Also, any chance the Plodex race might return?
http://brevoortformspring.tumblr.com/images/anonymous_avatar_24.gifAnonymous
No immediate plans, but it’s not out of the question.

[-K-M-]

Master is one of my favorite characters, I really would like that. He must copy and paste that answer to a lot of questions

[Phil]

Yeah, likewise, but unfortunately we're in the minority in the grand scheme of fans.

[-K-M-]

Yeah I won't hold my breath, though some Alphas are getting cameos I didn't expect like Lionel in Age of X, Pink Pearl...in a lot of comics, Windshear in Red She Hulk, a new BOX, etc. Stranger things have happened.

[Flightpath07]

Yeah I won't hold my breath, though some Alphas are getting cameos I didn't expect like Lionel in Age of X, Pink Pearl...in a lot of comics, Windshear in Red She Hulk, a new BOX, etc. Stranger things have happened.

The popularity of DC's new Justice League of Canada series could play a role in what Marvel does or does not do with its various Alpha characters (or Canadian characters)...potentially, anyway. (btw, not saying the new JLC will BE popular, merely suggesting that HOW, or HOW NOT, popular it is, could play a role).

[Phil]

Well, with all these (hundreds of) ALL-NEW Marvel NOW! teasers that are being announced at NYCC next weekend maybe we'll get some more AF cameos...

[Flightpath07]

Well, with all these (hundreds of) ALL-NEW Marvel NOW! teasers that are being announced at NYCC next weekend maybe we'll get some more AF cameos...

Say what?! Haven't heard anything about all that. Are you saying Marvel is planning on putting out a bunch of new comics?

[-K-M-]

Yeah it's Wave 2 of Marvel Now. Invaders and She Hulk have been announced as coming back.

[Mokole]

Whoop dee doo, more She Hulk[-X

[-K-M-]

Dan Slott's She-Hulk was really well done, but all of the series after were pretty sub-par. Won't pass judgement until it's out,

[Flightpath07]

Yeah it's Wave 2 of Marvel Now. Invaders and She Hulk have been announced as coming back.

Neither one inspires me to buy them. Wonder what else there might be.

[Le Messor]

Well, they have a new title called "Inspiration for FP to Buy Us", but I don't see it being any different.

[Flightpath07]

I'd pass on that one too. Too gimmicky. Besides, are there enough FPs in the world to ensure it would make it as an ongoing title?

~ "Learn to love me, Assemble the ways, Now, today, tomorrow and always, My only weakness is a list of crime, My only weakness is... well, never mind, never mind, Oh, shoplifters of the world, Unite and take over, Shoplifters of the world, Hand it over, Hand it over, Hand it over" - The Smiths ~

[Chris]

I will buy the first issue of this new She-Hulk series to see if it's any good. I read Jeff Parker's Red She-Hulk and dropped it after six issues. Just could not get interested in Betty Ross and was hoping Parker would write a solo Machine Man series instead.

[EccentricSage]

Recent years and reboots, of which both series' have had 3.


They have though, at least 3 times and each time sales get worse.

Because with each poorly handled or in name only reboot, the team looses fans and becomes more of a joke in the minds of the rest of the market. I thought the last one had potential but I didn't understand some of their decisions. Making it this over the top fascist mind control machine thing because clearly fascism caused by greed and by fear it's self would have been too subtle, not letting the book have Madison even though he could have been used to great effect, and could have had some pretty interesting dynamics with the others after the **** he's done and things he's been through... The Heather Hudson problem being left hanging. And the world was saved by the dumb luck of Master creeping on Heather's kid at just the right moment in the last few pages instead of being saved by AF? What. The. ****. Kind of makes AF trying to fight the Master rather pointless. It was such a poorly plotted anti-climatic ending, unless you count nobody being able to save the capital from being largely destroyed as the climax... which doesn't make AF look very competent, does it?



See, this is the issue; you're saying do something new and different (which each subsequent Vol of AF has been), yet other fans are saying go back to the old Byrne formula. How can Marvel win?

I don't think I said 'do something new and different'. I said just let AF be AF. Lets have a character driven story. Lets have a couple interesting sub-plots intermingled with an over arching plot that keeps things from becoming aimless. I just want a good read with decent art. (art was good last go *thumbs up*) I really think they're over thinking this thing instead of just looking for a good story and letting the interest in the characters/team come from that.



How so? Which character do you mean?

Marina. God damn was she annoying and just out of no where. I'd rather her have not been in the book at all than just there because she was a member of an early line up. If the writer doesn't like Marina he just shouldn't bother with her instead of completely changing what she's all about. I never got a hold of all the issues (some of them. Haven't looked at them since I read them, tbh), can you tell me what she even contributed to the team aside from cheesy 'too edgy 4 u' snark?



FVL has gone on record saying that he & Greg chose to make it a tie-in.

ok, But in that case I don't see why resorting to the lame mind controlled minions schtick was necessary. Blech.



Cancelled (or re-reduced) due to lack of sales due to fans lack of interest. And let's face it, the world hasn't really given a damn about Heather since.

That doesn't really excuse how terrible the last issue was, or leaving that hanging. Because, you know, AF's collective continuity isn't confounding enough. If writers didn't want to touch the book before they sure as hell aren't going to want to deal with Heather being missing, a murderer, and still brainwashed years after that book ended. Or they'll just ignore it if they do, which will prompt us to take issue with the way the title is being handled, and in turn offer less support. A vicious cycle that could and should be avoided by editorial staff if you ask me.



As there are most likely Excalibur fans who don't care about AF or Madison Jeffries or Wildchild...

Well that comes off rather pissy. I wasn't saying that they SHOULDN'T relaunch Excalibur, nor did I say that I didn't care about any of the characters attached to it's history. I wasn't being dismissive, I was saying all the characters relevant to my interest are ether dead or otherwise occupied so I am indifferent towards what they do with the name Excalibur or the character Captain Britain. So... what was your point?



You might want to avoid reading the latest X-Factor arc...

Still haven't gotten back to reading after hitting a missing issue in the Marvel 'Unlimited' database. Unlimited, my ass. -_- $50 for a year, but so far I keep running into incomplete collections when I want to get caught up on anything. I have really bad luck with my choice in Marvel titles or something.



Which goes against your 'letting them be their own thing' comment, surely?

How? 'Them' meaning at least some of the characters who've been known as AF. 'Alpha Flight' is at the very least a very specific concept, which I liked. And there are characters who are still identified as AF in promos even without a title, if recent memory serves me? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but call any other flower a rose and I'll call you confused. :p By 'be their own thing' I mean let AF be AF. The Flight program and it's history is pretty neat, as are the characters old and new that are conveniently shuffled in and out through the tiered flights. Northstar too busy with X-Men stuff or the whole being married thing? Some lower tier character gets a promotion! This also creates a lot of interesting opportunity for work-place rivalry and politics that you wouldn't see in other team books. This was a JOB, a career, or even a desperate only option for some special cases. That is more real and relateable than all this 'we fight for (insert noble cause here)' bs that doesn't really put food on the table in the real world. The social dynamics are so different from other team books when you have heroes competing with each other for top tier, being bitter about being passed over or fearful of being 'let go', etc. That was what really made AF it's own thing, IMO. I always wish they went into that aspect more actually.

[Le Messor]

Because with each poorly handled or in name only reboot, the team looses fans and becomes more of a joke in the minds of the rest of the market. I thought the last one had potential but I didn't understand some of their decisions. Making it this over the top fascist mind control machine thing because clearly fascism caused by greed and by fear it's self would have been too subtle, not letting the book have Madison even though he could have been used to great effect, and could have had some pretty interesting dynamics with the others after the **** he's done and things he's been through... The Heather Hudson problem being left hanging. And the world was saved by the dumb luck of Master creeping on Heather's kid at just the right moment in the last few pages instead of being saved by AF? What. The. ****. Kind of makes AF trying to fight the Master rather pointless. It was such a poorly plotted anti-climatic ending, unless you count nobody being able to save the capital from being largely destroyed as the climax... which doesn't make AF look very competent, does it?

I really agree with all this, ES.

~ Le Messor
Customer: Look, there's no other way to say this, but I didn't come in here to be insulted.
Bernard: Well, I didn't ask for the job of insulting you. In another life, we could have been brothers. Running a small, quirky taveria in Sicily. Maybe we would have married the local twins instead of wasting each other's time here in this dump. But it was not to be. So hop it.

[Flightpath07]

I said just let AF be AF. Lets have a character driven story. Lets have a couple interesting sub-plots intermingled with an over arching plot that keeps things from becoming aimless. I just want a good read with decent art. (art was good last go *thumbs up*) I really think they're over thinking this thing instead of just looking for a good story and letting the interest in the characters/team come from that.

First, howdy Electric Sage, long time no read!

Second, ES, i agree with pretty much all of what you said.

Third, in specific regards to the quote just above...since when does Marvel let ANY of their books be character driven? Seems to me, they are all about slam-bang action and rehashing the same ol' same ol' characters in multiple books, not to mention the "lets do an arc that runs through almost every series we have, and that SURELY changes the Marvel universe forever...and then we'll do it again next year, and the year after that, and then maybe twice the year after that..." - I don't think EITHER of the Big Two companies trust the writers they hire; everything is written and dictated by a few guys at the top, and screw you if you don't agree with them. Both Marvel and DC are dinosaurs, and they are just waiting for the next Image (of the nineties - remember them?) or whomever to come along and scoop up all the best writers and let them play in a sandbox that they make all of their own...and after all, isn't that what writers are anyways, free spirits who just want to express themselves? The Big Two have it wrong, and have had for too many years, and it will eventually bite them in their collected arse, and i won't be crying one bit when it does!

[Jason Eberly]

I understand quite a bit where Phil is coming from in his comments.

A great example from Sage's post is how he loved the "job" aspect of AF. Them working for the government and all. To me, that is a tired concept. I much preferred the Byrne-era loose-affiliation team. You had a mix of those who believed in a cause/responsibility (Guardian, Shaman, Heather), those who mainly liked to adventure (Sasquatch, Puck), reluctant heroes/team players (Northstar, Snowbird), and Aurora, who can fit in the two latter categories. Theyy didn't have a HQ, they didn't have a "charter", they didn't have special privileges (other than what their reputation gave them). To me, that's where the greatest characterization was. Not when they were sitting around their Watchtower waiting for the call to action. When a problem came up, they were often scrambling to get together (if they even accomplished that).

Now, Marvel has tried the government run team aspect (Vol. 2), the "completely different" teams (Vol. 3, Omega Flight), and the version I like best (vol. 4). None of them lasted. I'm not judging the qualities of any of them, merely that Marvel has tried several different ways to "please the fans", and they didn't work in the time Marvel allotted to the titles (though I'm sure we all feel personally some of those weren't given enough time to take root).

So what is Marvel to do and who is Marvel supposed to please? Sage? Me? Bring in Grant Morrison (and all the Morrisonites he brings with him) and have a title that the only recognizable thing is the title "Alpha Flight" but sells really well?

Again, don't get me wrong. I would love to see a new Alpha Flight title (mini or ongoing). Of course, I'd also like to see an Avengers book that actually makes me recognize them as "The Avengers", not "The Legion of Avenging-Heroes of the Galaxy"...

...Whoops...got a bit off-track there.

As I was saying, I would love a new AF title as much as the next person, but I think the sales just aren't there right now. As I mentioned a few weeks past, I think AF needs some good PR around the Marvel Universe first. Some guest appearances where they contribute to a story beyond being punching bags, cannon fodder, or one-off characters.

Sadly, this is an era where if Marvel really wanted to push AF into being popular, they would just put them in a lot of books and constantly tell us how great they are over and over and over and over and over and somehow, mysteriously, people everywhere would jump on the bandwagon and claim how great they are and then "BAM!", we'd have half a dozen Alpha Flight-themed books.

....

Ummm.../endramblingpost

[Chris]

Marvel is releasing a New Warriors vol 5 in February. That should give us hope for an Alpha Flight vol 5 someday.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=48482

[EccentricSage]

Jason, but even so, what I liked about the Byrne era is that the main story line was about a bunch of people who got together because of the flight program, and the social dynamics it created. I'm not against having stuff where the team is independent of the government, rather, it's the fact that real world considerations are what brought these people together, and also what tore Gamma/Omega Flight apart, that made the final story so compelling. Alpha were all people who had a future even without the team. What was left of Gamma and Beta after the Alpha line up was established after dep.H cut funding were desperate and bitter people, some of who really needed help, some of which were just arrogant and angry, and some of whom didn't seem to have anywhere else to go. While Courtney used technology to enhance their emotional reactions to things in order to manipulate them into killing, these were their own feelings of rejection, hopelessness, and disenfranchisement that were exploited, and all done at the whim of a bitter ex-colleague who used to work with Mac and who feels Mac committed some intellectual theft. This was not just a munch of 'evil' villains picking a fight with a bunch of nice people who wanted to do good in the world. That was very real to me, very relevant to what goes on in the real world. That's the 'workplace dynamics' I'm talking about. Some of Byrne's stories would not have worked without that background as the foundation.

Personally, I think there's nothing more tired in cape comics than the do-gooders banning together with no concern for themselves just to be heroes, and then the boring host of evildoers that are created to bounce off them. THAT is tired and over-done, IMO.
It's the reason I never took interest in DC, for example, with their Batman and Superman types.

Personally, what I want from AF is pretty loosely defined. My only issue is with bad writing, 'in name only', loose ends never getting tied up, and executive decisions that by the end of the story arch make no sense what so ever. AF has been plagued with this, and I still think it's the reason why they have so little recognition or respect in the larger Marvel readership, and so few writers who want to put a hand in that hornet's nest.

I have an idea for more of an Omega Flight (some actual original members of Omega and Gamma involved as well as other AF villains) story that could spin off into a new AF title, myself, where the roots of these characters and AF would have an impact on how the characters develop, even though it would not be any sort of traditional team format starting out. It's something I'm playing with for my own enjoyment and practice as I don't think Marvel would buy it, nor do I think I'd be ready to do it while it's still in any way relevant to recent events in the 616 MU.

[Jason Eberly]

Bleh...I wrote another long rambling post in response to Sage's, but erased it when I realized I was basically saying,

"I pretty much agree with you"

to the whole thing.

[Flightpath07]

Marvel is releasing a New Warriors vol 5 in February. That should give us hope for an Alpha Flight vol 5 someday.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=48482

Wow! Are there EVER way too many Spider-Man books! Sheesh!

[Le Messor]

but erased it when I realized I was basically saying,

"I pretty much agree with you"

... but, can't we all just get along?


Wow! Are there EVER way too many Spider-Man books! Sheesh!

He has been a member of the New Warriors before.

ES - though I agree with a lot of your points, I do see Phil's side when he says "you're saying do something new and different (which each subsequent Vol of AF has been), yet other fans are saying go back to the old Byrne formula." - though it wasn't you who wanted 'something new and different', the point is still that Marvel is getting mixed messages from us, the fans. Some of us want one thing, others want another, and we can't agree. Sadly. :(
'cept you and Jason. And me, I agree with you two, too.

~ Le Messor
"Loose bits sink chips."

[Phil]

Yeah, when I say "You're saying..." I don't necessarily mean one person specifically, just fandom generally.

[Le Messor]

Stupid general fandom. I may salute because you have to salute the General, but sometimes I wanna go behind his back...

[Flightpath07]

Stupid general fandom. I may salute because you have to salute the General, but sometimes I wanna go behind his back...

"Good old General Hand Grenade
Ridin' in a motorcade
Sippin' on a lemonade
And waving at his fans"

[Phil]

http://brevoortformspring.tumblr.com/post/67057340858/hi-tom-i-completely-understand-that-this-is-probably#_=_

[Mokole]

Problem for Marvel is, those of us who 'wait and see' tend to buy after the fact, which hurts their sales as instead of enticing us to look, we wait and avoid buying.

[Phil]

I have no idea who the anonymous asker was... honest... :wink: :---)

http://brevoortformspring.tumblr.com/post/117852589408/hi-tom-youve-previously-commented-on-how-the

[Le Messor]

:D I totally believe you, Phil.

Interesting idea... anonymous... had there - but I'm inclined to agree with Brevoort on this one. 10 pages would be better for a solo book than team.

(Sasquatch, maybe?)

~ Le Messor
"All too often we are stuffing the heads of the young with the products of earlier innovations rather than teaching them to be innovative. We treat their minds as storehouses to be filled rather than as instruments to be used."
~ Robert Finch, Secretary of HEW, 1970