What is a reasonable amount of time to give a formerly-great (or at least good enough for you) book a chance to get back on track?
In my previous post on Booster Gold, one of the readers indicated that he had almost given up on the title before this month’s issue won him back over to the cause. As a huge fan of the first year of this book, as well as of Dan Jurgens and of the character, I wondered to myself how long it would take for me to consider dropping Booster Gold if it just wasn’t doing it for me—and found that I don’t have a solid answer.
I do know the answer for books that I like, but don’t love—six months, barring extenuating circumstances. By extenuating, I mean:
- A writer whose work I’ve never really liked UNTIL this book has it on track for a few issues and then it starts to go in the toilet. When this happens, all bets are off and I may leave at any time (example: Judd Winick on Green Arrow & Black Canary).
- Editorial or corporate changes that make me decide I no longer want to give them my money (example: the way Chuck Dixon was treated on Robin; after his final issue, I dropped that book like a gun at a cop convention).
- A major shift in the creative direction or concept of the book, including but not limited to massive retcons (example: Spider-Man in One More Day) or replacing the central character (I was one of those who dropped Green Lantern back when Kyle took over, yes…although all is forgiven now, as he’s a really great character).
- The presence of creators who I really like or respect, and who I honestly thing can turn the boat around.
I’m sure there are more and better reasons, and I’ll come back to these bullet points if I remember them before I’m done here. At any rate, your average book has six months—NOT, I should say, six issues, even if the book is nominally a monthly—to win me back into the fold before I give up on it and drop it from my list. This is a rule that I put into place during Strangers in Paradise, which I’ve been on record as saying is the single greatest accomplishment in American comics. The book waned for a few issues in the middle, and I was dead broke. In the back of my mind, I wanted nothing more than to have an excuse to save myself three bucks a month (yes, even back then, if I’m remembering right), but I had loved the characters, the concept and Terry Moore’s near-flawless execution for so long that I had to put failsafes in place. I decided on six months (and of course Moore won me back over, because Strangers in Paradise is amazing), and it seemed like a good guideline to hold onto. Some books, like the Jeph Loeb-era Superman titles or Frank Miller’s All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder, never recapture what it is that I liked or expected from the title. As often as not, though, the stable of talented creators that work in comics keep me interested.
Before the floor is opened up to responses, I want to ask (ha ha) that the art comix crowd, who usually respond to things like this with their opinion that periodical comics are doomed and that we’re all stupid/immature/whatever we are for reading superhero books, please refrain. Those comments are not relevant to the question at hand, which is aimed at those who read and enjoy the floppies. I’m a pretentious bastich myself, so there’s little doubt in my mind that I’ll offend the popcorn comics crowd, too, in time. Right now, though, I’m trying to talk to those folks. Yes, I know—most of the monthlies are about steroid cases who dress in tights and punch stuff. But the reality is, there are some very compelling narratives being told in those comics if you’ve got a receptive frame of mind.
That said, though: How long does it take you to decide a book you once liked, is no longer something you need to be buying every month/whenever it comes out? Does the economy play into your thought process at the moment? Are you more or less likely to drop something that’s in sales/cancellation trouble?
December 15th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
If I realize in the middle of a story arc that it is really not doing anything for me, then I will finish that story arc and decide if I want to keep reading. I may not come back to that book again until I hear great things, and even then I will probably return via trades.
December 15th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Now? It’s hard to say, but certainly less than a year. Depending on whether the book is improving or not, and how setup-happy it is.
Example: Flash: The Fastest Man Alive. While it didn’t work, it was still at least improving with each issue, so I held on. And when Guggenheim took over, it got pretty good, at least from a storytelling perspective, even though the characterization was off.
In the old days… well… to my shame, I held onto New Titans and then The Titans for a whole decade waiting for it to get better. Everything from “Titans Hunt” onward…
December 15th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Depends mostly on how long I’ve been getting it. It would take years of non-stop Batman/Detective suckiness to get me off either of those, I keep sticking with Powers even though it’s been iffy for a while, but like if Immortal Iron Fist doesn’t grab me again real soon I’ll be dropping that. I think I just get more invested in the characters the longer I’ve been picking something up.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Some series are title-dependant for me– things like the Legion, for example… for whatever reason, no matter how wretched the art/writing team is, I won’t ever drop it. I don’t know why. The Titans titles are hit or miss for me nowdays; I hadn’t planned on picking up Terror Titans at all until the announcement of Static’s appearance. (And McKeever’s been kinda fun on things so far. Not great– yet– but fun.)
Other times, it takes certain characters to keep me hanging on. Oliver Queen & Dinah Lance, for example. Within reason, anything with those two– ever since Dixon’s Cross Roads stories that led up to GA #0 back in 1994 (…holy hells, it’s been -that- long already?!?) or the forgotten yet still decent Byam/Von Eeden Black Canary mini and full series from that same era.
My one ‘guilty pleasure’ book every month that I just can’t drop, though, is Fred Perry’s “Gold Digger” from Antarctic Press. 100 issues of the color series, 50 issues of the B&W series, the assorted one-shots and crossovers… that creator has had his hands in each and every tale told of the Diggers family, even all chapters of all crossovers. Writer, penciller, sometimes even colorist and inker. The pop culture references alone for me, as a child of the 80′s, are absolutely priceless, and the story and art is virtually always above what’s being published by the Big Two or the Little Three (Image, Dark Horse, and IDW).
December 16th, 2008 at 12:27 am
After 45 years or 500 issues (whichever comes first) I’m dropping it. That’s a fair amount of time, I should think.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:44 am
Wow…
I give it 1 comic. Period.
If I hear it gets better down the line, I’ll go to a convention and get it cheaper or find it on ebay. I work hard for my money and a comic has to prove to me that it’s worth it.
December 16th, 2008 at 1:57 am
zram, I definitely respect that viewpoint, but how does that jive with things like fill-in stories? That’s what was driving people away from BG, and having a full-time creative team that clearly knows what they’re doing back on the book should probably inspire confidence. Would you have left altogether after a bad run by a fill-in team or just until the regular guys came back on?
December 16th, 2008 at 3:40 am
I just give it 3 to 6 issues depending on how much or little I care for the character/direction/art/etc.
December 16th, 2008 at 4:02 am
Well, most of my books seem to get canceled before I get the chance to drop them. I almost dropped the Midnighter solo during Keith Giffen’s run (because he just did NOT get the character), even though Midnighter is in my top 3 favorite superheroes, but then they announced it would end after 4 more issues, so I stuck it out.
I do have horrible completist tendencies that compel me to stay with a book until it gets canceled, especially if I’ve been reading it since #1
December 16th, 2008 at 4:35 am
Like a few other people, it really depends on the situation and I don’t have a set guideline like you do Russ. For newly launched titles, I’ll drop it after two issues if it really isn’t wowing me, but maybe after three if there’s some hope (writer has had a good resume before, preview for the third issue looks promising, interested in future solicits, etc).
Generally the same rule for ongoings, after two issues of non-enjoyment I’d boot it but usually I wait to finish a story arc first so it could actually end up being much longer but I don’t mind because I’m somewhat OCD, and finishing up the arc might change my mind anyways. For instance, I’m a little unsure about continuing to pull Secret Six and Captain Britain & MI:13 afte rtheir recent respective issues, but will continue to finish out their storylines which is only one more issue for CB but I think three or four more for Secert Six. I might make an exception for CB too because the next storyline looks promising.
December 16th, 2008 at 5:30 am
The only reason I have a set guideline is because I know I’d kick myself if I dumped a book after one or two bad issues, only to find out later that it was brilliant. I considered the “I’ll finish this arc” approach…and then things like “The Death of Captain America” happened and I realized that, for some writers, you give them an inch…!
(Not that I don’t LOVE Bru’s Cap, mind you–just that if he can do a twenty-issue arc, so can anyone else)
December 16th, 2008 at 6:40 am
Well, I’m fairly picky on what titles I start, so when I start a book with #1, I try to stick around for at least a year. (Did that with Shadowpact, then switched it out for Blue Beetle and never looked back.)
I read most books in TP, though, and I find it is much easier to decide not to get the next TP than not to get the next single issue–not just because I’d already have preordered the next few singles, but also because you usually have a completed story and a good idea of the creative team(s) for the entire next TP.
There are characters and creators that will keep me coming back despite my best instincts, though–I spent five bucks on Hulk Family for a Scorpion story that felt like it was spinning its wheels (probably not worth it) and I will almost certainly buy New Avengers #51 just because Magik is in a preview of a ‘Magic users of the Marvel U’ montage (anything with Illyana in it is worth it to me).
December 16th, 2008 at 9:32 am
I vary pretty wildly on my cancellation habits, but there are a couple truths:
-Generally: six issues. I stockpile my books due to my schedule sometimes for two to three months and read them in one sitting. Some books pile up longer. If I have six issues sitting in stock and it’s clear I haven’t missed out on anything, it’s gone. A few recent examples: Justice League and Robin.
-Post Geoff Johns is harsher: 2 issues. Hence the Booster situation. Typically after Geoff leaves, a book drifts along without direction or purpose.
-When a writer leaves a book at a point that feels “over” I exit. A logical and satisfying “jumping off” point. It’s continuation only risks damaging what was an excellent series. A few recent examples: Rucka’s last issue of Checkmate, Darwyn Cook’s last issue of The Spirit, Iron Man Director of SHIELD post Knaufs. Blue Beetle after defeating the Reach almost got the axe, but damnit, I love that character. The rule almost certainly applies if Brubaker left Captain America or Geoff left Green Lantern, for example.
-Some books I will continue forever. I have been collecting Superman and all his monthlies since 1994 and will continue to collect as long as they publish. Even if Neron comes to Earth and agrees to resurrect Pa Kent in exchange for his and Lois’ marriage.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:41 am
I’m a trades man, but back in the day, I had no hard or fast rules.
2-3 issues, in my experience, was usually adequate.
I used to try to give six issues, but I can count the number of times that I gave more than three and didn’t regret my decision on 2-3 fingers.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Russ-
Sorry, but my rule works even with fill ins. If I hear it gets good again, I will pick it up cheaper later through conventions or ebay. The only reason companies are okay with putting in crappy fill ins is because they know they’ll still get zombies to pay full price for it. Gotta vote with my wallet. My money and time are worth it.
December 16th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Cisco, you should jump back on Booster with last week’s issue. I’ve known Dan for years and talked to him at length about Booster–a book and character that I love–and can promise you that it’s anything BUT directionless.
December 16th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Russ, I was actually the guy you mentioned in your original post who was won back. My LCS gave me a copy of #15 by mistake (I cancelled after the Starro stuff, thinking Remender was the permanent writer).
I liked it so much, I re-upped my Booster subscription yesterday. I’m a huge Jurgens fan from back in the Superman days, and his first issue was a home run.
December 16th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Question: When you do drop a series do you look for another series to take its place? Or are you just happy to have the extra $3-4 in your pocket at the end of the month?
Filip Sablik
Publisher, Top Cow Productions
http://www.topcow.com
December 16th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Re: Filip’s question – I don’t immediately add another series to my pull list, but I might grab an issue off the rack to try it out if something looks interesting or there is a creator I like.
December 16th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Filip, I often have a number of things in the back of my mind that I would like to try but are financially non-starters for me. I don’t have a ton of disposable income for comics, and small press folks tend to send critics freebies so as often as not, no matter how many good things I hear about “The Darkness” or “Supergirl,” I won’t pick it up unless it’s dirt cheap at a con, or someone I really, really like is working on the book.
The economy isn’t hitting me hard, as I was already pretty broke (I live in New York City on a reporter’s pay, after all), so I don’t anticipate my practice changing…but lately that practice has been to take one of the books I have in the back of my head and try it. But it can’t just be okay, or even good. It’s gotte knock me on my ass, or next month I’ll just pocket the difference.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Filip: I budget for comics, but that includes trades. So the extra money gets turned into a trade every few months (and occasionally the trade leads to a monthly getting added down the line, but not very often).
December 17th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Thanks for the feedback, folks! All very interesting.
Filip Sablik
Publisher, Top Cow Productions
http://www.topcow.com