Comments on: How To Do FCBD Books Right…? No, Seriously, I’m Asking

By: Rick Jones, really

Rick Jones, really — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:44:49 +0000

Great article, Graeme. Especially love the questioning of your readers. Here’s the thing, though. Having a story that “means” something really does only appeal to the committed fanbase, not the people FCBD is trying to reach. I know the companies, mostly Marvel and DC, want to promote their ongoing universal sagas, but doing it with a story that “matters,” but might be inaccessible to people without perennially renewed visas to these various universes isn’t doing them any good.

I think the best solution would be to create a good done-in-one story that focuses on one character, but allows interaction with numerous others. This allows them to check in with various storylines ongoing in the universes, gives a sense of the wide range of stories and characters, makes moving in to that universe seem attractive and also gives readers a good story.

That’s not too much to ask, right?

By: Ben Lipman

Ben Lipman — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 02:49:42 +0000

Marvel also did a pretty good ASM issue last year to set up/tease Spider-Island (whilst also taking on the Gibbon!)
It was probably less essential than DC’s Blackest Night or War Of The Supermen FCBD issues, but it was more substantial, and in my opinion, much better.

By: Randy

Randy — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:58:54 +0000

“I remember when Brand New Day first launched that Marvel gave away copies of the first Amazing Spider-Man issue in that run.”

You remember incorrectly because that didn’t happen. People didn’t even know Swing Shift was post-OMD because One More Day hadn’t even happened yet.

By: Jorell

Jorell — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:18:55 +0000

I think DC’s approach to FCBD this year is a good one, but if their publishing line as a whole is seen as inaccessible or otherwise unappealing, it’s not going to matter outside of their normal fanbase. Personally I think it would be better if DC actually gave away comics from their line, instead of just creative specific ones for the event. Let people get a free look at Superman #11 or whatever. I remember when Brand New Day first launched that Marvel gave away copies of the first Amazing Spider-Man issue in that run. I thought that was pretty cool.

By: Randy

Randy — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:07:28 +0000

Is Graeme McMillan a lobotomized ape or a retarded clown? Won’t someone think of the children and put him out of our misery?

By: Fuzzby

Fuzzby — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:23:33 +0000

do you get paid by the question mark????????????

h??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Fin d another damn way to structure a headline you pathetic excuse for an infestated blogger!!!!!!!

By: Terence

Terence — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:56:19 +0000

Yeah, but where does one get FCBD comics in the UK?

By: Thomas Zahler

Thomas Zahler — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:36:22 +0000

I did “Love and Capes” as part of FCBD for four years. I always did an original story and made those issues of the regular run of the book that fell around FCBD as the free book. (So, issues #4, 7, 10, 13 were free.)

What I did do was make a retail version of the book available with a slightly different cover, and the free price removed, usually the month after in Previews so the comic shops could order those based on the response they had to the free version.

I think that the FCBD issues should be a complete story and as much like a “normal” comic as possible. They could definitely lead into a large promotion or event or whatever, but I don’t think you should get something that feels like part one, or an incomplete story.

Diamond could make this a little easier if they added a program to FCBD where you could make those retail versions available without worrying about minimum orders, and possibly streamlining the process for orders of those books with a separate quick order sheet.

I think you want to avoid thinks like the Legion issue a few years ago where people said “Hey, I just paid for this a couple months ago! Now, it’s free?” By giving regular readers a way to purchase copies of the book that they may miss on FCBD, it makes it easier to make them a regular part of the line. And, the retail versions would most likely have a lower print run (mine did) and that would make them rarer than the FCBD issues. If you’re worried about hoarders grabbing an issue, that is.

Obviously, this was easier for my book, which at the time was quarterly. But there should be a way to make a May book fold into a July event and let people get their paid copies by June so that they’re ready for it.

By: davesnothereman

davesnothereman — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:22:29 +0000

three posts, four question marks. you’re doing it on purpose, admit it.