#Comicsgate- I'm not sure I like anybody involved.

[motleycruesader]

<sup>So, Comics are in a sad state- based on my preference alone, at least.  Local shops here closed down or just turned into M:tG stores with a box of $1.00 comic books collecting dust under action figure boxes that are also collecting dust. 

Two of my favorite characters in different Universes are dead, replaced with really cringe-inducing Mary Sues.  IDW merged everything Hasbro into one Universe, and it's a colossal dumpster fire.  Marvel is... really, really bad.  Like, I'm not talking 'diversity'- I mean comics are blatant tracing of 3d models or photos, dialogue so bad I cringe until my vertebrae crack, and ham-fisted political commentary that is about as subtle as a clown farting into a tuba and almost as mature. 

To top it all off, the comic industry pros are... well, some of the outright shittiest people I've ever seen on Twitter.  Look, I get it, there's trolls out there.  But these people have lashed out at some folks for asking a pretty simple and polite question.  A sort of 'unwarranted rock star attitude', I'd say- especially considering the quality of their work (hey, if you email in your work for a company I don't really expect you to be 'top of the line' talent).  Hey, I know, it's easy to get a bad attitude when there's so many jackasses- but considering the state of comics right now, I'm having a hard time believing that all of these people on the internet suddenly up and started being trolls in 2014. 

And then there's the #comicsgate guys.  Well, look, I get it- there's a lot I understand when they speak about comics.  I actually sat and LISTENED to these guys.  I don't like everything they say.  A black, Lesbian, or orange-haired character is not 'SJW Agenda'.  FFS, you can't go from complaining that they changed characters you like to bitching about them creating new things.  Pick a side, dammit.  Also- Vox Day, a guy who's about as tastefully conservative as a Planned Parenthood Doctor named "Rusty Hanger", has apparently recently trademarked the name 'Comicsgate' to apply to his own comics company (which will flop miserably, like everything else this fucking idiot touches).  Also, I was saying "Please for the love of Spider-Woman's thick ass don't name it COMICSGATE", and people went and did that exact shit because Gamergate (AKA 'let's get pissed off about shit in gaming but get distracted by crazy bitch in hoop earrings instead of being pissed about the shit we SHOULD be getting pissed about'- yeah, mine was too long, and that's what your mom said). 

There's good voices and bad voices in the mix.  I don't like having to take a side.  I'm just making my voice heard the way it works- with my wallet.  Just kinda sad to see the comics shops I grew up in get shuttered because sales are down these days.  And don't feed me the 'but muh digital comix' shit either, I don't believe in a comic book you can't roll up and beat spiders with.

Anyway, what's you fuckers' thoughts?</sup>

[Deleted]

I can't say that I've paid much attention to the big 3 for a while. I think DC was the last one I lost interest in, but that was because Wildstorm became a DC imprint.

ATM it's been mostly Manga, Adam Warren stuff from Dark Horse, and Antarctic Press, because Fred Perry's Gold Digger. Beyond that, not a lot to say about comics these days. They're all beholden to their corporate masters, and storytelling is taking a back seat to what they each think will be the next big thing they can exploit for larger readership.

[motleycruesader]

Sept 5, 2018 19:04:19 GMT -5 @baroniveagh said:

I can't say that I've paid much attention to the big 3 for a while. I think DC was the last one I lost interest in, but that was because Wildstorm became a DC imprint.

ATM it's been mostly Manga, Adam Warren stuff from Dark Horse, and Antarctic Press, becasue Gold Digger. Beyond that, not a lot to say about comics these days. They're all beholden to their corporate masters, and storytelling is taking a back seat to what they each think will be the next big thing they can exploit for larger readership.

IDW killed Snake-Eyes. 

And replaced him with some chick that was a Cobra operative.  She wears his mask and uses his Code-Name.

Let that sink in.

[Whirl]

Sept 5, 2018 19:05:41 GMT -5 motleycruesader said:

Sept 5, 2018 19:04:19 GMT -5 @baroniveagh said:

I can't say that I've paid much attention to the big 3 for a while. I think DC was the last one I lost interest in, but that was because Wildstorm became a DC imprint.

ATM it's been mostly Manga, Adam Warren stuff from Dark Horse, and Antarctic Press, becasue Gold Digger. Beyond that, not a lot to say about comics these days. They're all beholden to their corporate masters, and storytelling is taking a back seat to what they each think will be the next big thing they can exploit for larger readership.

IDW killed Snake-Eyes. 

And replaced him with some chick that was a Cobra operative.  She wears his mask and uses his Code-Name.

Let that sink in.

And in October, that will no longer be true.

Personally, I really enjoyed how IDW shook up the status quo. I know you Joe fans hate change, but there's a reason that specific franchise keeps getting cancelled.

Not that the current Hasbro Transformers team is much better with making everything MOAR GEEWUN.

[Deleted]

Sept 5, 2018 19:05:41 GMT -5 motleycruesader said:

IDW killed Snake-Eyes. 

And replaced him with some chick that was a Cobra operative.  She wears his mask and uses his Code-Name.

Let that sink in.

Ok, i'm assuming that IDW is a comics imprint (I seem to remember they did Pathfinder???), and that this has something to do with GI Joe, but having never been a fan of that in my life, I'm gonna look at you blankly and shrug.

[Whirl]

Sept 5, 2018 19:24:03 GMT -5 @baroniveagh said:

Sept 5, 2018 19:05:41 GMT -5 motleycruesader said:

IDW killed Snake-Eyes. 

And replaced him with some chick that was a Cobra operative.  She wears his mask and uses his Code-Name.

Let that sink in.

Ok, i'm assuming that IDW is a comics imprint (I seem to remember they did Pathfinder???), and that this has something to do with GI Joe, but having never been a fan of that in my life, I'm gonna look at you blankly and shrug.

Yeah, they have the Hasbro license(including Jem, which is surprisingly good) as well as the Disney license(which amuses me to no end since Disney OWNS A COMIC PUBLISHING COMPANY), but they also do Locke & Key, Star Trek, Ghostbusters, 30 Days of Night, Buffyverse, a bunch of other shows(CSI, Dr. Who, 24, A-team, etc.), Silent Hill, and they now do Sonic, too. They also print collections for a LOT of old comics(like the older Marvel Transformers) and newspaper comics(Blondie, Archie, Family Circus).

[motleycruesader]

Sept 5, 2018 19:19:01 GMT -5 Whirl said:

Sept 5, 2018 19:05:41 GMT -5 motleycruesader said:

IDW killed Snake-Eyes. 

And replaced him with some chick that was a Cobra operative.  She wears his mask and uses his Code-Name.

Let that sink in.

And in October, that will no longer be true.

Personally, I really enjoyed how IDW shook up the status quo. I know you Joe fans hate change, but there's a reason that specific franchise keeps getting cancelled.

Not that the current Hasbro Transformers team is much better with making everything MOAR GEEWUN.

Uh, not sure what's happening in October.  I quit paying attention to GI Joe comics when this happened:

AUBREY SITTERSON: "Hahaha, I love when changing things pisses off fanboys."
COMICSGATE: "Fuck you, we won't be buying your shit, commie!"
AUBREY SITTERSON: "LOL 9/11 fuck you"
ACTUAL FANS: "OK, fuck off, we're not promoting IDW shit any more on the websites."
AUBREY SITTERSON: "Comicsgate ruined my career."
AUBREY SITTERSON: "Also Comicsgate is irrelevant."
AUBREY SITTERSON: "But these people are ruining lives."

And yes, we Joe fans dislike having long-time fan favorite characters killed off in shit-tier story arcs.  Change is good- the original IDW series was great, and I loved Max Brooks' work.

[Whirl]

When Unicron ends in October, so does the current Hasbroverse. Full reboot in 2019.

[motleycruesader]

Sept 5, 2018 21:08:22 GMT -5 Whirl said:

When Unicron ends in October, so does the current Hasbroverse. Full reboot in 2019.

At one time, this would have given me joy.

...now I'm concerned at what kind of dumpster fire they'll crank out.  The Shared Universe idea isn't too bad, but I'd like it to be a bit more subtle for a while.

...Tarn was the shit, man.  I hope he comes back.

[Whirl]

Sept 5, 2018 21:23:07 GMT -5 motleycruesader said:

Sept 5, 2018 21:08:22 GMT -5 Whirl said:

When Unicron ends in October, so does the current Hasbroverse. Full reboot in 2019.

At one time, this would have given me joy.

...now I'm concerned at what kind of dumpster fire they'll crank out.  The Shared Universe idea isn't too bad, but I'd like it to be a bit more subtle for a while.

...Tarn was the shit, man.  I hope he comes back.

I kinda wish they'd explored Glitch and Skids' relationship before they both died.

Y'know, pre-Tarn. Because even with knowing it's Glitch, "that one time they both worked with Optimus to steal the Matrix" doesn't really build enough for Skids to trust him as Tarn in the prison.

Also, pretty sure the next Hasbroverse is going to be more slow burn and less Cybertronian-centric. IIRC, part of the toyline story reboot with War For Cybertron trilogy is a new drive for the closer working relationship between Hasbro and IDW, so I have a feeling the new TF part of the Hasbroverse will be early war/pre-Earth.

[motleycruesader]

Sept 5, 2018 21:54:33 GMT -5 Whirl said:

Sept 5, 2018 21:23:07 GMT -5 motleycruesader said:

At one time, this would have given me joy.

...now I'm concerned at what kind of dumpster fire they'll crank out.  The Shared Universe idea isn't too bad, but I'd like it to be a bit more subtle for a while.

...Tarn was the shit, man.  I hope he comes back.

I kinda wish they'd explored Glitch and Skids' relationship before they both died.

Y'know, pre-Tarn. Because even with knowing it's Glitch, "that one time they both worked with Optimus to steal the Matrix" doesn't really build enough for Skids to trust him as Tarn in the prison.

Also, pretty sure the next Hasbroverse is going to be more slow burn and less Cybertronian-centric. IIRC, part of the toyline story reboot with War For Cybertron trilogy is a new drive for the closer working relationship between Hasbro and IDW, so I have a feeling the new TF part of the Hasbroverse will be early war/pre-Earth.

That's good news.  I'd like to see the Joe thing actually be insane.  I was okay with the outlandish Dinosaurs and Zombies and Aliens and stuff as part of the Joes- after all, the 90's insanity is the part no one wanted to touch.  If talented hands got it, it could be a wild ride.

[carlo87]

I used to be a huge GI Joe fan, even tried my hand at some fan art. Then life got in the way.

Years later I picked up an issue, and it had a team of people I didn't recognize (not necessarily a bad thing) teaming up with a Decepticon (a bit WTF?, but okay) to take on a snow monster. Decepticon gets owned, but a new Mary-Sue GI Joe woman steps in and single handedly saves the day.

Overall, I thought the art was sloppy, story convoluted, character development a thin veil of its former self, and action scenes nonsensical.

This one issue is the whole reason I didn't start collecting again.

[Least censored on the planet!]

If you like comics, you need to understand that the series/character you like will change, and almost certainly at one point will change for the worst, as a direct result of the economical model of comics publishing that you don't protest about.
People reading mangas will certainly find change in the quality of the material when editor companies ask for stories to be expanded or reduced in size, but not to that extent. Amateurs of Franco-Belgian bande dessinée are almost free of this kind of stuff. But (US) comics have it the worst, because YOU FUCKING RELY ON COMPANY-OWNED CHARACTERS! Almost every bande dessinée series is going to be the work of ONE author. Whose vision can change over the course of the series, but never to the extent of having HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT SCENARISTS write a character.

In other word, if comics fan were interested in characters that aren't at least 30 fucking years old, if they took interest in more than the same tired old bullshit being repeated over and over in the same fucking 2 (hugely similar) settings, you'd get more quality.
Or maybe, if I look at the actual sales number, I'll realize that many of them already do and it's just that the one that don't make a lot of noise and pretend the other don't exist, not sure?
But yeah, fuck Marvel, fuck DC, fuck the very concept of company-owned character, but most of all fuck the fucking comicsgate despicable turds.

[Whirl]

Sept 27, 2018 22:50:15 GMT -5 carlo87 said:

I used to be a huge GI Joe fan, even tried my hand at some fan art. Then life got in the way.

Years later I picked up an issue, and it had a team of people I didn't recognize (not necessarily a bad thing) teaming up with a Decepticon (a bit WTF?, but okay) to take on a snow monster. Decepticon gets owned, but a new Mary-Sue GI Joe woman steps in and single handedly saves the day.

Overall, I thought the art was sloppy, story convoluted, character development a thin veil of its former self, and action scenes nonsensical.

This one issue is the whole reason I didn't start collecting again.

Sorry, but Skywarp as a Joe was amazing. Not as great as Kup and Action Man's bromance in Revolutionaries, but close. It's important to note that the Autobot/Decepticon war ended years before that happened and the line between factions had kind of disappeared by the time Megatron became an Autobot and started his redemption arc aboard the Lost Light.

I'm going to miss the way Barber mixed things up, especially since it looks like the reboot next year is gonna be '84 redux to the extreme.