Miracleman (Marvel)

I blame low sales. Marvel went in expecting to be #1 every month and they overpriced the crap out of it causing it to tank.

I'm conflicted about how much this is affecting things. I know that Gaiman SAID it was because of rights issues, but there's no way that this isn't affecting it at least a little bit.

On one hand the sales are really, really bad and the high price point no doubt plays part in that. On the other hand I think they are in this for the long haul and have long term plans for the character that not only allows for this (republishing despite low sales) but requires it (the republishing).

If the book was selling then I think they'd be a lot quicker on the draw with clearing up any legal issues.

I like to imagine meetings at Marvel with Joe Q. trying to figure out why the book isn't selling.
 
I like to imagine meetings at Marvel with Joe Q. trying to figure out why the book isn't selling.

"No one cares about the fluff that's raising the price and only want the actual story?"
"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! WE PAID SO MUCH MONEY FOR THIS! HOW CAN THEY NOT CARE?!"
 
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It's weird, because the sales are low likely due directly to the higher price and it just being reprints of material fans have already read (though the recoloring is fantastic and does improve on the existing art to an amazing degree, especially Totleben's complex approach).

And it's even weirder that the new material that will finally continue the story and likely draw larger sales as a result isn't motivating that some.

Course it's all supposition anyway. I can see the anticipation and expected larger sales of the new material motivating legal claims to ownership/partial ownership, which those legal troubles Gaiman is talking about most likely arose from.

And it's obvious Marvel does have long term plans in terms of printing new material beyond just the currently stunted Silver Age arc and the Dark Age stuff, and I think that was always the focus in terms of profits for them. For once, Marvel may have been playing the long game... course I'm probably giving them too much credit in that regard.
 
It's weird, because the sales are low likely due directly to the higher price and it just being reprints of material fans have already read (though the recoloring is fantastic and does improve on the existing art to an amazing degree, especially Totleben's complex approach).

And it's even weirder that the new material that will finally continue the story and likely draw larger sales as a result isn't motivating that some.

Course it's all supposition anyway. I can see the anticipation and expected larger sales of the new material motivating legal claims to ownership/partial ownership, which those legal troubles Gaiman is talking about most likely arose from.

And it's obvious Marvel does have long term plans in terms of printing new material beyond just the currently stunted Silver Age arc and the Dark Age stuff, and I think that was always the focus in terms of profits for them. For once, Marvel may have been playing the long game... course I'm probably giving them too much credit in that regard.

I would sort of expect that if people aren't buying the reprints, the would just go ahead with new stories and publish the two simultaneously.
 
I would sort of expect that if people aren't buying the reprints, the would just go ahead with new stories and publish the two simultaneously.

No one ever accused Marvel of being logical. ;)

That said, it's likely the new material that's presenting the legal hurdles, since it was originally contracted by Epic Comics, but unreleased. I don't know enough about copyright ownership laws to say for sure, but I can see that being the case. Hence why they started with the reprints, and why the reprints have (hopefully) temporarily stopped as they approach the printing of the new material.
 
Re: Marvel to Publish Marvelman!

They can't think anyone would buy those old stories. They're awful.

I bought those old stories.

To be fair, I bought them at liquidation prices but still. I'm a flaming, filthy hypocrite.

Also, on an unrelated note, I'm pretty sad that DiB didn't live to see this continue and finish.
 
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