Month: January 2003

Just out of curiosity, I went over earlier columns to see what policies about Marvel I might have gone to Joe about. It was kind of interesting, actually.

1) The dumping of the CCA. I publicly commended them.

2) Marvel’s Silent Month. While fans howled and dissed it, I was the first creator to publicly support it.

3) The announcement that Captain Marvel was in danger of cancellation. News to me, although it was discussed with fans (who suggested the price hike). Announced publicly, so I responded in kind. The result? The launching of two other books, one of which is doing pretty okay, and Captain Marvel has garnered a near 50% increase overall in sales. Joe said specifically that if I’m unhappy with something and can’t change it, I should leave. But I was unhappy with something and *did* get it changed, with Joe and Bill’s eventual enthusiastic help.

4) No reorder/No return policy. Said publicly I didn’t agree with it, but that was well over a year ago. More recently, have commented that it’s been working very well for Marvel. Began a retailer poll in direct response to Marvel brass attacking Heidi Macdonald, and in doing so, stated repeatedly that it was merely an attempt to see whose perception of retailer beliefs was more accurate.

5) Starting billjemas.com. Direct response to his attack on me in “Marville,” depicting me as an unemployed alcoholic. A closed door discussion would have helped that…how?

I’m missing something somewhere.

PAD

Why in the *world* is every critic and his brother whomping on “Treasure Planet?” Why are people acting like it’s the biggest snorer since “Black Cauldron?”

I took Ariel to see the one local showing of it available since it tanked at the box office, expecting to be bored out of mind. Not at all. Sumptuous to look at, enjoyable character designs, enthusiastic voice acting (Emma Thompson is a standout), and–as always–a story that spends most of its time trying to stay the hëll out of Long John Silver’s way since he dominates it as always (he’s a cyborg this time around.)

Is it the greatest animated film to come down the Disney pike in years? Lord, no. But the story’s pretty much there, and hey, people actually die along the way, so there’s serious stakes here. And for old time Legion of Superhero fans, there’s a morphing blob from the planet Proteus. God knows it’s better than “Atlantis” and, at the very least, it doesn’t remotely deserve the critical drubbing it’s received. At the most, it’s a fun way to past ninety minutes with your kid.

PAD

…and next to the term “Pyrrhic Victory,” you’ll see a picture of “Captain Marvel.”

The book appears to have a lock on winning the “U-Decide.” Except on his website, Joe Q. has effectively promised I’ll be fired if I ever write a negative word about Marvel ever again. Because it means I’m not on his team.

Me, I didn’t know Marvel still had a team. I know, because I used to play on it. Softball. I pitched. Sometimes I was catcher if my knees held up. And Volleyball. There used to be glorious volleyball games.

And we’d play against other publishers, including DC. And everyone got along. Because there were always public disagreements, jibes, challenges between companies at conventions, etc., but in the end, everyone understood: It’s comics, for God’s sake.

Those were great days.

I miss those days. Days of a sense of community.

Days of teams.

Ah well.

I don’t do well with threats.

PAD