Marvel to offer variant cover and discounts for ripped up DC Flashpoint comics.

[samurainoir]

The one or two/three issue story lines are understandable when comics were a periodical and disposable medium, however the audience seems to have shifted to trade paperback collections and graphic novels... With practically the entire library of DC and Marvel material finding it's way back into print. I think Marvel has done fine with their recap page knowing that much more future generations are likely to read them in collected format than periodical.

As for the multiple costumes... Just a quick look around Toys R Us tells you how hungry the action figure market is for variant versions of popular characters like Spiderman, Iron Man and Wolverine. I think the thinking is that it's better if they are story driven in the comics rather than complete random from the toy manufacturers. I'm sure that old dinosaur "synergy" and "cross horizontal integration" are bandied about along with "toyetic" at those meetings.

[samurainoir]

And notice how prototypes for Flashpoint action figures appeared even before any comics have hit the stands?

[ctc]

>the audience seems to have shifted to trade paperback collections and graphic novels

Well.... the PUBLISHERS have. I think some of the fans have yet to come on board.... and I think part of the problem is that a GN.... which can stay in print forever.... adds an air of permanence to the stories; but the stories for the last decade have been based in impermanence. That is; the constant reboots. (Which makes the GNs look kinda silly, when the whole universe gets retooled every year.)

They've got the idea for dealing with the new market (GNs can be reprinted in book form, downloads, whatever) but the stories are still assembled the old way. Sort of. I'm kinda curious as to how they'll reconcile things. Will they keep doing the reboots, or go the Japan/Europe route and start writing the books as extended chapters from a continuing story? Maybe drop continuity altogether?

>Just a quick look around Toys R Us tells you how hungry the action figure market is for variant versions of popular characters

*sigh* Yeah. We're creeping up on "arctic tec-camoflage radar Batman" again.

Don C.

[BlackKnight]

I keep hearing really good things about flashpoint. I wanted to ignore it, but might have to check it out in trade.

I'm pretty Much Caught Up in Flash Point myself ....
I am currently getting

Flashpoint
Booster Gold
Emperor Aquaman
Green Lantern Abin Sur
Deathstroke Curse of the Ravager
& WonderWoman and the Fighting Furies


... Aquaman & WonderWoman are at War ..., with Mankind & Earth Basically stuck in the Middle .... It's Awesome. I too Told myself that I wouldn't get involved ... but after I read the 1st one, I was hooked.

This Elseworlds Tale so to speak ..., is so much better than The re-vamp crap coming..., but is probably how it gets there to begin with. Grifter just showed up in Flash Point # 3.