I finished WIZARD #179 (the "biggest issue ever", which is still not funny), and here're some highlights:
- My favorite quote of the issue is from Ed Doderer from QUICKHITS, of his criticism of WIZARD, especially their few-months-old policy of rating the TPB's that come out (of stories that are a few months old): "Don't tell us after the fact that the story stunk when YOU helped hype it!" Amen, brotha.
As for why WIZARD is "barely critical" about monthly issues anymore, the reason seems explainable. Their magazine was created as a means of delivering comic book news to their audiences, as well as price guides and so forth. The Internet has made them all but obsolete, despite the fact that WIZARD holds an effective monopoly on the "comic book market magazine" market. So, they need the comic companies, especially the Big Two, to without scoops, exclusives, and interviews that'd normally show up on the Internet in places like Newsrama, Comics Continuum, Toonzone, et al if WIZARD were allowed to die outright like the 8-Track, and allow those scoops to WIZARD so they're not always embarrassed by making a big stink publishing stories that are days-weeks old. I'm sure if WIZARD were more vocal about whatever Marvel or DC were doing, they'd get the boot of exclusives and then they'd be on the brink of being obsolete, sort of like TV GUIDE. You don't bite the hand that feeds you. WIZARD'd never admit that, claiming that "being negative hurts sales", but that's my theory.
- The first article in their NEWS section is talk about the new Thor ongoing, whose creative team is still a mystery. They pitch 10 creative teams they'd like on Thor, which, of course, range from "obvious fan picks" to "anyone with a name". Joe Q also explains that this year they "felt something passionate" about Thor, and that they want to "make him more mainstream while adhering to his mythology", which is a typical oxymoron statement that means nothing. "I want to move into the future while remaining true to the past" is pretty much the token statement of any new creative team on any new book in all of recorded history. The results of course vary. Joe Q cites THE ETERNALS as an example of what he means, but with all due respect, not everyone is Neil Gaiman.
- They confirm that Lobo will make his return in 52 tracking after Adam Strange, Starfire, and Animal-Man in space (since they have an intergalactic bounty on their heads), something I wondered about a few months ago. Considering we've had a break from Lobo for a few years, I don't mind a return so long as its good.
- WIZARD lists 5 failed "relaunches" from the 90's and early '00's as examples of lessons that Marvel and DC need to heed as they seemingly seek to relaunch damn near every title eventually. "Ironically", 4 out of these 5 failures are from Marvel. They are:
1). FORCEWORKS (1994-1996): Lesson? "Subtraction doesn't always add up, especially with odd numbers"
2). THE PUNISHER (1998), the original MK incarnation that reinvented him as an undead demon-slayer, which Ennis wrote out in a page. Lesson? "Sometimes a 180 turn takes you in the wrong direction."
3). FATE (1994-1996), the "reinvented" Fate from DC is their lone entry here. Lesson? "Making a concept darker will sometimes turn off the lights for good." Apparently DC learned that, by making Dr. Light a crazed rapist.
4). THUNDERBOLTS (2003), the final 5 issues of the first volume that basically made it into a ripoff of "FIGHT CLUB". Lesson? "You can't jam a round peg into a square hole (or something to that effect)." Marvel learned by "jamming" the New Warriors into the reality TV gimmick, an action that resulted in a crappy mini but made them perfect sacrificial lambs for CW.
5). SPIDER-MAN: CHAPTER ONE (1998-199), John Byrne's universally lambasted "reinvention" of Spider-Man's history. Lesson? "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Marvel has failed to learn this, of course, by making Spider-Man's origins keyed into mystical totems, declaring that Gwen slept with Norman, and finally by doing everything possible to make Spider-Man a generic superhero, from armor to unmaskings to living in the Avengers/Stark Tower and being a flunkie for the government. Boring, boring, boring. I could pick out a dozen superheroes who basically do that.
- Alan Moore preaches his disgust for the "mainstream" comic companies in an interview where he attempts to peddle "pornography as art".
- DC attempts to get over criticisms of "the future in comics is fluid, so seeing alternate futures gets pointless" (such as from BrianWilly) by claiming that ONE of the alternate futures from JLA #0 "will actually happen in the near future". I didn't see what the big deal was about all of them. And Batman's death? Yeah, right. Next, Wolverine and Spider-Man will die too, and Marvel's new major franchise will be IMPOSSIBLE MAN.
- Probably my favorite article was one regarding secret identities in comics in the wake of CW #3. They note how while DC seems to be redefining the concept of masked heroes (with tect from Meltzer's IDENTITY CRISIS being shown as proof, where Green Arrow explains their importance to Flash), while Marvel seems to be stepping away from them. Joe Q and Bendis claim they're "very important", while citing stories of stripping them in DAREDEVIL and ASM. I see them as "very important" for inserting what I call "instant drama" into a title by removing it, sort of like a death. The only writer in the article who claims not to like it under most circumstances is Charlie Huston, writer of MOON KNIGHT and ULTIMATES 2 ANNUAL #2 (which takes place after ULTIMATES 2 but will ship sooner, because Hitch is a slow bastard). He feels it'll be hot for a few years for specific stories and then run its course. Sounds insightful to me, as hardly any major Marvel decision for a franchise lasts 2 years. Heck, everything Morrison did for his top selling NEW X-MEN was undone within a year, save for the Frost/Cyclops romance. Plus, DC'S THE FLASH is a clear example of a hero outing himself, it being a big honking deal, and then something cheesy done to "remask" him when the storyline ran its course, as it always does.
- an article that mentions how WAR JOURNAL writer Matt Fraction would have Punisher attack/kill numerous big name supervillians is about the stupidest piece of Punisher fanboyism I have ever read, even making PUNISHER KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE look like some sort of post-WATCHMEN genuis.
- WIZARD seems to consider the DEADPOOL/MORBUIS arcs of USM "the worst ever". I guess they fell asleep during CARNAGE and JUMP THE SHARK.
I don't care for this direction either. He's obviously going against the grain, but that can backfire.
