m1b@rayssd.UUCP (03/13/85)
In the March 22 issue of CBG, two articles appear stating that
DC and Marvel are both cancelling titles. DC will be cancelling
'Atari Force' with #20. DC's decision comes as a sursprise to me. In
nearly all of their titles with the June cover date, a list of Amazing
Heroes top ten titles appears. Atari Force is #6 or #7. (Actually,
that fact is the surprise!)
Marvel is definitely canning 'The New Defenders' with #152 or
#153 and 'The Thing', 'Dazzler', 'Rom', 'Power Man/Iron Fist',
'Micronauts', and 'Captain America' are rumored for cancellation.
The article further states that any cancelled title will be "replaced
with new series or new concepts of the existing characters."
From Marvel's recent track record, this can be seen as a scam.
I suspect Marvel cancelled 'Marvel Team Up' and started 'Web of Spider-Man'
for the sole purpose a creating a new first issue. The proliferation of
'Limited Series' and 'Mini' and 'Maxi Series' (and 'Mega Series') can be
attributed to the fact that first issues are usually hot items. Marvel,
in particular, seems to rely on speculation to make an even larger profit.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Joe Barone, {allegra, decvax!brunix, linus, ccice5}!rayssd!m1b
Raytheon Co, Submarine Signal Div., Portsmouth, RI 02781tim@cmu-cs-k.ARPA (Tim Maroney) (03/15/85)
I agree with Joe Barone's analysis of Marvel's probable motive for cancelling series and starting new ones with the same characters: that they are trying to stimulate sales by generating more low-numbered issues. I was sort of surprised he didn't include another tidbit from the same CBG message. Apparently Marvel in 1986 will get a "new universe". Hey, original idea, guys. -=- Tim Maroney, Carnegie-Mellon University, Networking ARPA: Tim.Maroney@CMU-CS-K uucp: seismo!cmu-cs-k!tim CompuServe: 74176,1360 audio: shout "Hey, Tim!"
broehl@wateng.UUCP (Bernie Roehl) (03/18/85)
> Apparently, Marvel in 1986 will get a 'new universe'
Be interesting if the old "DC does it first, Marvel does it better" adage
will apply.
(So far, more seems to be be happening in 'Crisis' than happened
in the whole 'Secret Wars' series; maybe Secret Wars II will be Marvel's
version of 'Crisis').
--
-Bernie Roehl (University of Waterloo)
...decvax!watmath!wateng!broehl