To Buy or Not to Buy, that is the Decision
Time for this comic book reader and fan to make a decision. One that I have been mulling over for a few months now… Do I continue giving money to a publisher for a comic book simply in the hopes that eventually they will wake up and start focusing more on delivering consistent high quality writing and art on the books? Of keeping a talented creative team on the title for more than a handful of issues? Or do I say enough is enough and drop one of my favorite characters?
First step in making the decision was taken when I stopped to pick up my books this week. Three books were left in my pull/hold while I consider this. As much as I love the Wolverine character, and alway will love the character himself, I have a hard time justifying giving money to Marvel for books that have been sub-par for quite awhile. If I keep buying the books, aren’t I saying… keep giving more of the same? There are so many quality books on the market now, especially from the independents, that why would I keep buying books that keep disappointing me?
It’s one thing for a book to disappoint for an issue, even for a short arc. But when it is month after month after month with very rare occurrences where a the writing and art meld together for a good issue. When a writer and/or artist is rotated through the title after only a handful of issues how can they hit their stride and eventually make their own mark on the character?
When I think of independents such as Jim Balent and Broadsword Comics who has written and illustrated 80 issues of his Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose or Robert Kirkman who has written and released, through Skybound Entertainment and Image Comics, 111 issues of The Walking Dead, it’s hard to understand the creative team roulette game that seem to be occurring at the big two. Keep in mind these are just two examples off the top of my head of current books that have long consistent runs.
I even ended up passing up on a book that I really would have loved to have picked up simply because I love Jim Lee’s art. But when I checked out Superman Unchained #1 what hit me was the price point, of $4.99, on what also felt like a gimmick filled book. What do I mean by gimmick filled? 
Starting with a heavier than usual cover stock with a high gloss finish, a vertical gatefold double-sided poster, that is part of the story and had to have a special treatment for being bound into the book to even launching this book with Jim Lee as the artist. Having just been burned on a Wolverine book that was launched with a higher profile artist only to rotate him off after a few issues, why would I have any more faith that DC and Jim Lee would continue investing his time (which is money) on doing the art for the full book when they could rotate off to less expensive artist after readers are hooked by a few issues. Now I may be being pessimistic, but my decision was based on the track record of the big two for rotating the creative teams. For fans, I hope I am wrong. But I just was not willing get hooked on a title that I felt would get me into the same situation that I currently feel I am in with Wolverine.
Please keep in mind that although I have referenced the Wolverine Titles and also Superman Unchained, I don’t feel the issue(s) are restricted to these titles. It is much more pervasive than this.
Well writing this does seem to point to a decision for me now, doesn’t it? When I can take my money and support independents why would I not spend it where I feel the quality is?
