Projections — 7/23/2014

Wow, Marvel has been on a roll with shake ups for their titles. Thor is to be replaced by a woman. Captain America will be replaced by Falcon. Iron Man is rumored to be replaced by Tony Stark being more of a jerk and the title will be called Superior Iron Man. As I stated last week I am all for strong female leads. I am also for characters of every race to be heroes. What I am not a fan of is change for the shake of change. Years ago (ago being a lot of years ago) the New Titans title had a shake up in their title called Titans Hunt. Great storyline. Really changed their status quo. But after it was done the changes weren’t really explored. The changes were replaced with more changes. It became a series where every issue was a change just for the sake of change. After a great sales boom it was cancelled years later. Marvel seems okay with this as long as they get their short term sales boost.
Thor being replaced with a woman who was rescued by the original Thor and then takes up his name doesn’t sound to me like something women will be drawn into reading. Captain America’s sidekick Falcon stepping into his white partner’s role doesn’t sound like something that is going to make african americans line up to read Captain America. And Iron Man we will have to wait and see what goes down.
Right now with creator’s holding back new characters from the big two it may be quite awhile before we see truly good new characters. Why would writers not introduce the next generation of heroes to the next generation of readers? Because the writers will make more money owning new characters themselves for possible movie and other media deals. Past new comic companies were created for that purpose such as Gorilla Comics.
Marvel’s Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man are easily some of their biggest characters but haven’t been lighting up the sales charts. Thor has had some well received storylines but Captain America and Iron Man have had some real let us say less than well received storylines. Seriously do Marvel editor’s not have the power to stop a writer from introducing Dr Mindbubble in this day in age? In Iron Man it has been revealed that the Mandrian’s rings have personalities, can talk, and can pick their next person to wear them. Hmm, did someone like DC’s War of Light a little to much? The storylines hurt Captain America and Iron Man sales. The writers failed to come up with good storylines. The characters aren’t at fault. Iron Man has had three hit movies. Captain America has had two.
The market is over flowing with various titles. The readership has not grown this year but new titles keep being thrown at the current readership hoping something will stick even though new titles get hyped by the company putting them out after the first issue the marketing and hype goes to the next new title. Practically forgetting the last new title that was so hyped before it.
Do I want to see more female leads? Yes, I think the upcoming title Storm would have been a better comic to hype on the View. Storm has been in various movies. The general public knows who she is. And people wouldn’t be confused or freak that Thor is being replaced by a woman. Though that is exactly why Marvel did it. For the shock value.
The Falcon I would like to see him get his own title. He was featured in the latest Captain America movie. Again he would be a character the average movie goer would know.
With there being a new Avengers movie next year and with Marvel’s current line of thinking that their comic characters have to match those of the movies I do not see these changes as being anything more than short term.
Meaning what I object to with the all the changes to Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man is to me it seems a desperate grab for attention. A quick buck instead of telling good stories. Not a well thought out natural extension of storytelling. Seriously all three of the characters have sudden changes at once? What are the odds of that? Their sales are not that good which is again very sad because of their movie tie ins. Millions have seen movies with the characters but don’t want to read their comics? The average movie goer doesn’t even know there are monthly comics available to read based on what they just watched. Marvel never wants to advertise their own product outside venues that current comic readers use. They do not want to advertise into the mainstream.
Captain America’s current series has the average comic fan staying away from it. It’s re launch pushed people away from the series.
Same thing with Iron Man. People picked up various Iron Man issues wanting to enjoy it then stopped after their one issue buy of the series.
Thor outsells Captain America and Iron Man here at the store. But so far the announced change to Thor has the average reader saying “seriously?” No one has called or asked to have the upcoming new Thor series added to their pull box.
What I am trying to say is Marvel made the changes to get the shock value. To get people talking about Thor and Captain America again. A shortcut to get sales instead of solid books that people want to check out.
I want Marvel to put out a good Thor stories. A good Captain America series. A good Iron Man series. Captain America was already replaced by Bucky recently. Another replacement is too soon. Put out a good Falcon series if you want more diversity. A good series with a strong female lead will get people interested. In short Marvel if you want to put out a title featuring a female or a character of diversity make it a good one.
Marvel if you want new readers to follow your books come up with new characters for this generation. Yes, the population is more diverse and it should be time to make a new hero that a younger generation can enjoy reading and relate to. Find a creative team that is willing to do just that. Be the leader of the comic industry. Do something truly different. Be the “house of ideas” again.
One of the few T.V. shows I watch sometimes is NCIS. I like the characters. It isn’t rocket science. It doesn’t advertise every other month that an upcoming episode will change everything! Or that one of the main cast members dies! Yes, it has changed over the years and a main cast member has died. It’s the simple formula of who killed the victim of the week? Take the Marvel way of doing comics and apply it to the show and every member of the cast would have been killed, replaced, and brought back for the twelfth time and they would be working for the Russian government and would fight one another more than the bad guys along with doing worse things than the bad guys they are suppose to be against do.
Ant Man thanks to his upcoming movie will be getting more focus in the Marvel Universe.
Angela will be getting her own ongoing series. Can’t we just let the 90s be?
As I have stated before there is just to many titles and not enough talent for all of them.
Marvel’s Tom Brevoort has taken to tumblrbetting people that Marvel will not reverse the changes made to Thor, Captain American, and Iron Man by the time the next Avengers movie comes out. He is betting $100. Now does that mean maybe one of the character changes will still be around or all three of them? I will gladly take on that bet of $100 if he is saying all three will stay the same by the time the second Avengers comes out.
Speaking of the Age of Ultron movie lots of customers are disappointed that Henry Pym will have nothing to do with Ultron since he created Ultron in the comics. Will it be a hit? Easily. But will it be another X Men III Last stand movie? Makes tons of money but leaves most of the comic fandom feeling let down.
Whew, it is all Marvel, Marvel, and more Marvel so far.
So let us make it about Rodman Comics.
August 2nd lots of things going on. The private showing for Guardians of the Galaxy is on!
A Con in Your Store is going on that day also. Don’t want to travel for miles? Wait in long lines? Get tickets to see if you can buy something. Neither do I. Thus the reason I don’t go to conventions for Heroclixs. August 2nd is your chance to win the Batman Vampire Heroclix. It will be a first for the store or any store for that matter. And Wizkids will not let the stores know everything they will be getting till a few days before August. So things may need to change for the Con in Your Store program depending on what is sent and how many show up and who. Basically I will change things up if need be that day. It’s that easy. If you own the store you can make the rules. Can’t handle that? Then don’t show. Or buy the business for a million and do whatever you want. Basically I hope the regulars who play heroclixs here can make it even though some have already let me know they will be out of town that weekend. Hopefully any new people that show will be people who play for fun. It will be a fun event. Not a prize sharking opportunity. Our very first month of War of Light went great and I hope to repeat that.
Due to the fact that the State Fair is also in August and summer will almost be over a lot of people will be busy. So I have decided to have multiple chances to win Con in Your Store heroclixs through out August. As stated by Wizkids the rules for prize support do not cover or have anything to do with the Con in Your Store program. Meaning a store may sell what they receive through the Con in Your Store program or do whatever they want.
There will be three chances to win Con In Your store material in August thanks to Rodman Comics. So those that wanted to make it but couldn’t on August 2nd will have at least two more chances. War of Light will still happen in August. And the new Guardians of the Galaxy based on the Marvel Comics characters are also due out that month. Unless of course Wizkids delays it. There are five Saturdays in the month of August so it will be a busy heroclix month here. Wizkids will make it all that much more interesting I am sure.
Go to the website and check out the heroclix schedule if interested.
A.J. was nice enough to help me this Sunday get some of the huge back issue stock we have organized. There are still a lot more to get into the back issues bins. Restocked on mostly Action Comics, Batman, Robin, Superior Foes of Spiderman, West Coast Avengers (I just had someone in earlier in the week purchasing West Cost Avengers comics and promised her we would have more on hand),Wonder Woman, X Men, and more.
I hope come next weekend on Sunday to get more back issue stock in the bins. There may be another “Organization Party” if you are interested let me know.
We have a lot of single Magic cards in stock now. Unless you have original dual lands or something truly worth something worth trading we are done trading for cards for awhile. A full set of 2015 is currently in the binder. Or was as of this weekend.
M15 is selling very well.
The new D&D box set is in stock. There will also be D&D dice masters out come December.
We have more AVX Dicemasters in stock and will be receiving the prize kit for that. If interested in playing let me know. Right now there are currently not enough starters in player’s hand due to demand being far more than the supply is.
Wow Oct 4th is getting closer. The Anniversary of the store. Still trying to get everything finalized before announcing anything.
Popular movie star the Rock has strongly hinted that he will be involved in an upcoming Shazam movie. I hope he is Black Adam. I think he would be very good for the role.
And of course a plug for our Facebook page. Feel free to “like” us.
Much more important of course. Always feel free to stop in and buy your favorite collectibles from Rodman Comics!