Mark Waid continues his interview with Robert Taylor and makes me feel the need for a public announcement when he says the following:
“Fun, fun, fun” being [The Brave and The Bold's] rap makes me worried. Sales were strong on the first issue, but the second issue drop-off was a little steeper than we’d predicted. And I honestly think that was because every reviewer said it was “fun.”
“Fun” automatically kills off a lot of your sales. Don’t get me wrong; the book’s still a success in the current market, and no one at DC has expressed anything but enthusiasm. We certainly seem to have a hit on our hands, George and I. I just hope that the “fun” label doesn’t hit us too hard. If so, it’s just another sign that current readers don’t want “fun” comics.
People? The Brave and The Bold? Not fun in the slightest. Really incredibly well-done superheroes that don’t rely on shock tactics but instead feels free to use more genres than just action and/or depression (Yes, I know that’s not a genre. Go with me here) to make its point, sure. But fun? No no no no no. Of course not.
Now go and buy it.
May 14th, 2007 at 9:20 am
A completely funless comic book? I’m in!
May 14th, 2007 at 9:43 am
“Fun” automatically kills off a lot of your sales.
I think this quote made me die a little bit inside…
May 14th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Does CBR have an editor?
From the interview: “RT: You should have Blue Beetle raped by his armor or something.”
(sigh)
May 14th, 2007 at 11:48 am
“Fun” automatically kills off a lot of your sales.
At the trial of what killed superhero comics, I’m going to point to that as Exhibit A.
Geez, where’s Bully when you need him?
May 14th, 2007 at 11:52 am
That interview was a bit disappointing. Maybe two questions about Supergirl and the LSH? Waid quits a book he championed for years, suddenly, and it’s explained away by Kitson’s exclusive? There’s got to be more to it than that.
Ah, fan interviews.
May 14th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Mark Waid’s one of my heroes and is almost always writing one of my favorite comics at any given time. B and B is the book of choice at the moment. It’s SO GOOD.
May 14th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Brave And The Bold is absolutely, positively not fun. Reading it is like watching an Ibsen play and listening to an Alanis Morissette song while wearing Mormon underwear. Totally stone cold serious.
And it’s awesomely cool. I’ve really enjoyed — er, [i]seriously contemplated[/i] every issue and found them to be an excellent reading experience. Completely worth the read, and anyone on the fence about it should check out the latest issue. You’ll be glad you did.
May 14th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Er, that first paragraph should have a smilie at the end of it like this:
May 14th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Sales dropped because it was fun? Not for me.
I didn’t pick up B&B #2 because of a not fun element: the skeevy Hal Jordan “she’s only seventeen” bit. I did read it in the store and put it back precisely for that reason. Not fun.