Modern Marvel and the longtime reader

This time last year I was reading about ten books a month. Three of them were DC titles. Two of the DC’s books I was reading and enjoying had their writers quit due to issues with editorial in the middle of long running story arcs. As a result I dropped those books and the remaining title although that creative team was still intact. The reason being given the issues DC already had with the other writers I did not have the confidence in them to retain the remaining writer and actually give me the customer an ending to story that I had already purchased the first 14 or so parts of at that point. As a result I am no longer reading any DC titles because I do not like how they treat readers or their staff. It became clear that the decisions of powers that be over at DC were the most important element to them in their business.

Right now I am only reading two comics from Marvel, down from 8-10 per month last year. The books I had been reading either got canceled, the quality dipped or they came out so late I lost track of them and just fell off. Of the two remaining books I am reading, All New X-Factor is getting canceled and Magneto given the nature of the lead character will have a short shelf life regardless of sales. I do want to say however that I have no intentions of dropping Magneto, I think that would be unfair given the high quality and consistency of the work done by both Cullen Bunn and Walta on the title. However when that title reaches its inevitable conclusion I am thinking of quitting comics all together at least from the big two.

I do not have an interest in these super hero movies. I have not since the first X-Men film which despite inspired casting on nearly all fronts the movie simply did not compare to the source material. Despite inspired casting yet again with Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch history has thought me these movies just do not live up the richness of the books because they can’t. The medium of film can only give a snapshot of these character’s overall history and complexity. Discarding either one of these in the comics to retain brand synergy with the movies, which are a just a very profitable flash in the pain doesn’t encourage me to either go to the movie or buy more comics. I do not see how adding further complications onto the Maximoff twins who are Marvel’s equivalent to Donna Troy and Power girl when it comes to convoluted origins make either more accessible for whatever new readers this movie might create anyway.

At this stage of my life, I have been reading comics for about 20 years. I am no longer the 7/8 year old new reader I was, which is your target demographic but I have more disposable income now than I have ever had. I could be buying 20 books a month and as it stands I am only buying 2. I will hopefully have children in the next couple of years too and I hoped to pass my love of comics onto the next generation as I found it of such a benefit to me particularly when I was a child. Reading comics really helped me with my early issues with literacy as I am sure it did for many others. The early learning material they give children to read is extremely dull. My lack of interest in said material held me back in school. This changed when I came across the X-Men. Finally something interested me enough to get me reading. My Da noticed this and got me a subscription to the two core X-Men titles in the local newsagent. When the new issues of Uncanny X-Men or X-Men would come out he would get me to read the books myself, prompting me when necessary and providing explanations to certain words. By the time I was ten after reading X-Men for nearly three years I had a much better vocabulary than the vast majority of my peers, thank you Hank McCoy! The books also appealed to me as a gay person because I knew I was different at a young age and I related to the characters and concept of the X-Books before the word homosexuality was even known to me. Basically like most people still reading these books the characters are important to me and so is the company.

It would be unfair of me to say that the way the big two do business now is necessarily better or worse than it was when I was a child. I do not know that. Like most children I was oblivious to either Marvel or DC’s company practices back then but I am not anymore, neither are most of your readers. With the internet and social media the readers are better educated on the comic book industry than we have ever been to your benefit and your peril.

If something happens in a book that we feel is misogynistic, racist, homophobic etc it cannot be brushed under the carpet anymore. We can go online and see we aren’t alone. Luckily nowadays we don’t find ourselves in the same position that Carol Strickland did in 1980, a lone voice reacting to the rape of Carol Danvers. There can be power within the mob to cause change however I think most readers are more reasonable than the industry thinks we are and can recongise genuine mistakes. For example, in Uncanny Avengers after the regrettable phrasing of Havok’s speech I could appreciate that Rick Remender meant to make a very positive statement through Havok and the wording was off to put it lightly but he’s human. Identity politics is a loaded topic. I could even forgive his initial outburst on twitter because I am sure some, not all comments directed as him came from the reasonable majority. What really irked me during this incident though was the fact that while Marvel heard the feedback from the audience they didn’t listen to it. The M-Word resulted in the some of the most worthwhile articles and thought provoking commentary on identity politics that I have read with regards to the medium of comics in years. People who were very educated on this topic were interacting with your work and instead of using these responses as a valuable resource Marvel went into PR overdrive. The issues brought up in the comic were “minimized” by yourself and Remender. Both of you merely apologized that people misinterpreted the speech as offensive. A stark in contrast to what actually happened in story where the Scarlet Witch admonished the reader through a “debate” with Rogue for not understanding what Havok actually said all the while comparing her own people the Rroma to a religion(they aren’t!).

If a writer expresses offensive opinions in private we can see that too on their Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia etc and we know not to support them. Look at what happened with Orson Scott Card and Superman. Likewise most of us can recognize which rumours are clearly false such as Marvel cancelling the entire X-Men line because you do not have the movie rights and which ones that are clearly true such as the motivation behind the new Scarlet Witch/Quicksilver retcon. Insulting the intelligence of your audience by denying this fact doesn’t equate more sales. This week alone the retcon in Axis cost you at least one sale. I was planning to give the Uncanny X-Men annual a shot, the acquisition of Sorrentino piqued my interest enough to give Bendis’ X-Men another go but this slimey corporate retcon put me off buying even this unrelated title.

I think it is great that you put yourself in this position, Tom and take feedback but as I have previously worked as a customer service representative I know there can get to a point where you are unable to recognize the genuine people from the nutjobs. Do not dismiss long standing reader’s comments on their dissatisfaction with new Marvel. It is not just about getting new readers, it is also about retaining the ones you have. As the core readership is now older, we are no longer reliant on “pocket money”. Most of us, I would assume have jobs. We aren’t surplus to requirements you need us too as well as the new readers and the movie goers. We can handle more sophiscated storytelling and buying more titles than we used to but we cannot handle stories penned by your board of directors some of which have probably never even read a comic book. This week a choice that your company made cost you at least one sale and made one long standing reader less comfortable about giving out more money to your company and buying existing titles and upcoming ones which had garnered my interest such as Squirrel Girl, Spider Gwen and ironically Uncanny Avengers Volume 2. I hope that the change in Axis was just misdirection and I hope that it is not just a sign of how the tide is flowing at Marvel.

At the end of the day I am not condemning you or Marvel. I don’t even think you made the call on Axis #7. I also recognize that comics are entertainment and that if I am not entertained that I can vote with my cash. I have always done so and I will continue to do so. Just remember we are watching and we will not necessarily always be here.

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