Hi everyone I’m Jim Trabold. Welcome back for another edition of the Handbook.
Hey Daron how’s it going?
Well other than thinking yesterday was Tuesday all day for some reason and completely forgetting about this bad boy”¦so other than that things are fine.
Going good here too, although I was knocked offline Sunday while I was doing this up. I’m saving a question or two for next week because of this. Sorry if I didn’t get someone’s email just wait till next column. Thanks guys.
Let’s start this up.
John emails
Howdy Jim,
You guys do a great job answering obscure questions concerning all things super-hero’s but I have a business question for you. How much does it cost to produce a comic book? Secondly, what would the difference in cost be between a high profile book like ‘House of M’ and a “lesser” book such as ‘New Warriors’?
I believe most titles production prices depend on the artist and writer used and the like as well as how many pages.
For instance something like House of M you have Brian Bendis as the writer who makes a good amount of money for each page he writes. (I don’t know how much Brian makes but I’m betting he gets a lot.)
Then you have your artist Olivier Coipel isn’t a big big name in the lines of a Romita Jr. or Frank Cho but he gets the same type of deal. He makes a certain amount of money for each page.
Then you have how much you spend for adds and the like. Although most are print adds in your own books so that won’t hurt you in the end too much.
The comics ship directly from the printers, which cost money.
Once the comics are printed, they are put into the hands of Diamond Comics Distributors.
So in total they need: how many pages the comic will have, what kind of paper, inks and bindings will be required for the comic, how many ads they have, how many copies of the comic will be printed, how much (if anything) they are going to spend advertising the comic, and, all the necessary wages for the creative, editorial, design and production staff.
Hope that answers your question. Even though there isn’t a finite number.
Thanks.
Let me see if I can explain that a bit clearer. First off Jim made one mistake, you don’t pay for adds in the comics. People who buy adds pay for them in the comics not the other way around. So in that regard adds are moneys saved. Anyway, there are two main costs in “printing” comics. They are art and production. As Jim pointed out art is a changing variable for each comic based on how much all parties involved are getting paid i.e. writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer and so on. The production costs are a bit more set. These costs are based on what type of paper is used, the cover stock and so forth. The variables here are mostly based on how many copies of each individual comic being published. The cost here goes up or down depending on how many copies you’re printing and how many pages are being printed for each comic. In most cases the end cost is actually less when more is printed.
I hope that helps if you have any other questions about this let me know.
Jon emails
Jim and Daron,
Love the column and have enjoyed it greatly for the past year that I have read it. I have a question/comment that I would really appreciate your views on (or anyone you know for that matter).
In regards to the Twelve storyline and the events that followed, it was my understanding that there were a few stories called the Ages of the Apocalypse and then the merged being of Cyclops and Apocalypse (“Cyclopalypse”) disappeared until the search for Cyclops storyline where the Jean removed the two entities and Cable killed Apocalypse. Is this correct?
Yep that is corect
If so, my question is why didn’t marvel try to make this “Cyclopalypse” character into a viable villain for the XMEN? One would think that the combination of one of the XMEN’s greatest foe and their greatest field leader would pose all sorts of problems for the team and lead to many good stories.
I guess the question I’m getting at is why did Marvel just let the character drift and then bring Cyclops back so soon?
Well in Ages of Apocalypse, Cyclopapalypse was the main villain and Cyclops was trying to fight him. In essence I think the problem why he didn’t go after the X-Men was because Cyclops wouldn’t let him. Cyclops was still in partial control. But they could’ve done more with him if the writers at the time had thought about it. It’s not hard to come up with a good story to use him once more before Search for Cyclops. Although the writers where getting bored of Apocalypse (plus most of the known X-Villains) at the time it doesn’t mean the readers where. So in essence you can blame the writers and editor of the titles at the time.
Sorry about the length but I am curious. Have a great week.
Not a problem lengthwise. I’ve had longer questions and you explained it well.
Colin emails
There’s one more I’ll mention at the end, but firstly the ones Tony could take down (even if they were all combined):
“Even if they were all combined.” A more laughable statement I have never seen. Cyclops and Archangel could take out Shellhead together, let alone the rest of these heavy hitters. Cyke distracts Tony with many optic blasts, while Warren gets up to Mach 2 and rips the armour open with his razor-sharp wings. Done.
Rogue – she’s not invulnerable anymore.
Colossus – Just about.
Beast – Check.
Iceman – Check. Stark would have BIG problems with Bobby. Another one that Iron Man would have to take out quick to survive against. Iceman could lower the temp of the armour down to 0-K, and then basically any ranged X-Man could shatter it.
Cyclops – Check.
Archangel – Check.
Nightcrawler – Check.
Kitty – if he was quick enough to stay out of her way so she couldn’t phase through his circuits. Which he should be.
Psylocke – Check. Where’s the telepath rule, here?
Gambit – Check (and I’m sure Daron would love to see it).
Havok – As long as he takes him down quick. Alex’s plasma would hurt the armour pretty rapidly.
A_Faceless_Name’s trick would work, but I don’t think Kurt and Kitty would even need Storm to distract Tony. Fight’s over in about a second and a half. When the first repulsor ray is shot, the two of them are already on Tony’s back, and the circuitry is out like a light.
I think Faceless name forgot Psylocke’s telepathy. As I have noted though it is prep time that’s the factor. Tony can outsmart people and create new armors just for certain fights if needed. If he knew he had to fight the X-Men and he had the time he can create armor to defeat them. No prep time and he’s beat.
I don’t even buy the prep time thing here. Unless he comes up with something to take the whole team out in one shot, I just don’t see him taking out a whole team of X’s if they come at him all at once.
Chase emails
Chiming in on the Iron Man/X-Men fight… Daron has it right. I mean, when we say X-Men, excluding telepaths, of course, that’s roughly a hundred superpowered characters.
In all seriousness, Tony is a lot like Batman in that aggrivating, God-knows-what-kind-of-goodie-he’ll-have-on-him-now thing…
I mean, seriously, the original Batman hit on that nicely when Batman busted out the jet scissors to cut those balloons…
To me, Iron Man is the real Marvel Batman. Daredevil is similar, but only Iron Man can win any situation with ridiculous ease if properly prepared.
You know just thinking about it. You are right. Tony and Bruce are way too similar and thy so fit the mold of being each others equal.
Money, intelligence, gadgets, they get all the ladies, and there’s other things like the idea of prep time for fights. You don’t think of him as Marvels Batman too much because of the flight and armor and the like but minus the vehicles he needs something to get around. These two are more equals then most of the characters named when you think of a Batman in Marvel.
Anyway…
I’m interested in the Ultimate line, and I wanted to know what the differences are between Ultimate Daredevil and the 616 Matt Murdoch. Mind you, I haven’t yet read anything Daredevil past his seventh or eigth Marvel Knights trade, so don’t go there if you can help it (basically, I just got to the reveal), I just can’t find any website telling me what Ultimate DD is like. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
As many of my readers can tell you I am not the biggest Ultimate fan. Hell I barely read Ultimate titles except Ultimates. But here is what I can tell you.
Daredevil remained essentially unchanged. He’s younger of course. He has been portrayed as a character who is less tortured and scarred than his mainstream counterpart. Plus like his Marvel Counterpart he brought in a more responsible and mature point of view to the other characters.
David emails
The question came up about Iron Man being affected by magnetism. It was shown LONG ago in West Coast Avengers during Byrne’s run, that Iron Man’s armor had been altered over the years to not be vulnerable to Magneto’s manipulation. If Mags can’t affect the armor, Polaris certainly can’t. It remains to be seen if Polaris could affect the iron in Stark’s blood stream.
Now here is a better question. Years ago in a Captain America annual, Magneto made the comment that he was pissed because he could not manipulate Cap’s shield because of its composition. Yet in a recent Marvel Teamup, magnetism is used to move the shield. What’s up with that? More bad writing from Marvel?
This is a continuity goof. The writer of Marvel Team-up did not know of the facts that Cap’s shield could not be affected by magnetism. I suspect if he did more research like all writers should or if the editors had someone paying attention to Continuity like they used to it would have been caught. Good catch by you as well.
Taken from last week the last 10 years of THOR
1995: Thor still alongside of the High Evolutionary and his New Gods starts the years dealing with his half brother Loki. He also meets his replacement Red Norvell again. Also while Loki is fighting Thor most of the time he even takes over the body of War Machine to fight him. Malekith also returns and uses the Thing to fight Thor. Thor has to battle the Midgard Serpent, Kurse, Nidhogg, and Forsung the Enchanter as well. After the battle he heads to Hel and faces Hela becoming her slave. Hulk is sent to free him. Thor finds out Thunderstrike died and heads to Asgard to talk to Odin who expelled him. He visits Eric’s grave and fights Absorbing Man. Worldengine begins and Asgard falls as Enchantress and the other gods come to Earth. Enchantress starts hanging out with Thor.
During the year as well he goes to Force Works Christmas party, He also helps the Avengers battle Ultraforce. Aron the Watcher uses Thos to fight the FF, He also is put under Morgan Le Fey’s power during Atlantis Rising. In Marvel vs. DC Thor defeats Captain Marvel in battle.
1996: We start the new year with the explanation what Price did to Asgard. Thor now without his godhood is with Enchantress romantically and rejoins the Avengers during First Sign helping them fight Zodiac. Thor gets part of his powers back and finds Odin. Thor fights Loki who with the use of a sword creates a mystical land. Thor defeats “Odin” and transports to destroyed Asgard. Freeing Doctor Strange, Thor fights out of Asgard past Ulik and his trolls. He searches for the other gods with Red Norvell and in the end meets Hela before going off to fight Onslaught. Ending the first series
Also during the year Thor helps the Avengers in Timeslide, as well as the fight against Kang. He and the Avengers also team with Spidey. He also fights the Leader alongside Hulk gaining his powers back.
1997: In the new Heroes Reborn world he rejoins the Avengers. While coming back to the main Earth he fights Doom and is almost left behind.
1998: Returning to the Marvel Universe Thor helps reunite the Avengers as they battle Mogan Le Fey and are turned into her slaves for time before Wanda helps win the battle. Joining the Avengers for some time again now he helps Cap and the others regain their lives and battle threats like Hydra before his own series returns with issue 1. Battling Destroyer alongside the Avengers Thor gets a new secret identity in Jake Olson. Thor then battles new foes like Sedna and the Dark Gods. Teaming up with Namor to defeat Sedna. Thor goes to see Hercules as they find Olympus taken apart to Also during the year him and the Avengers fight Squadron Supreme and the Champion. In Live Kree or Die they battle the Kree as well. He also meets Silver Surfer again. He helps battle Moses Magnum and then steps down. He also attends a parade in the Avengers honor then defeating Grim Reaper and his new Legion of the Unliving.
1999: We’ll start with his own title here again. Thor and Herc fight the Olympians who think Asgard attacked them. Thor and Spidey team up to fight Tokkots. He battles Replicus and then in Dark Wars Thor goes to help get Asgard back from the Dark Gods. Thor loses his hammer and then finds some friends in Asgard in the slave pins. He gets his hammer back and gathers allies to help in battle as they defeat the Dark Gods. Thor’s hammer is totally repaired as Marnot is revealed as one of Odin’s pet Ravens. Olsen becomes a wanted man for drugs. Iron Man helps Thor rebuild the rainbow bridge as well as fights Absorbing Man and Titania as Thor’s hammer becomes Enrakt the Enchanter and defeats Jake. The Warriors Three go to help Thor and the Enchanters attack Asgard and Odin. Thor gets his hammer back and goes to help take down the Enchanters. Unfortunately the Eighth Day story arc interrupts and Thor has to fight Juggernaut first. Then alongside Wanda he deal with Enrakt. Also during the year: Thor appears in Daredevil, helps the Avengers fight Lord Templar, alongside the Avengers helps Cable fight the Herald of Apocalypse, helps Cap again, helps fight the Thunderbolts, teams with Black Panther. Thor seems to be an Avenger again as he helps battle the Wrecking Crew as well as Doomsday Man and Ultron. He is also present during the death of Galactus. He also helps in Domination Factor to defeat Loki. Thos is heavily involved in the Eighth Day story arc as well.
2000: Wanda, Thor and Odin team up to beat the Enchanters. Loki alongside Mephisto bring Jake Olsen back as Thanos shows up with Mangog at his side. Thor imprisons Loki in Olsen’s fake body and sends him to jail instead clearing Jake of charges as Thanos causes more trouble on Asgard taking most of Asgards relics. Firelord and Recorder join Thor as Thanos has Illumination Stone, the Map of All-Ending, and the Chalice of Ruins, as well as the Designate. Thor is given weapons to take down Thanos in the end. Back to Earth as Absorbing Man kidnaps Jane Foster to help his beloved Titania who’s dying of cancer. Thor helps by taking her to the hospital after another battle. Thor and the Warriors Three fight the Wrecking Crew. Hogun comes close to death afterwards.Interuption in our story for Maximum Security and a Beta Ray Bill fill in. Also during the year: Thor appears in Generation X, Fantastic Four, also helping the Avengers in Avengers Infinity as the Avenger Cosmic team fights Thanos. He also appears in Deadpool and Cap. Also in Maximum Security he helps deal with the threats of Ego.
2001: Back to Asgard as Thor, Beta Ray Bill and Warriors Three go help fight Malekith and the ice warrior Pentigaar as well as Kurse. Tarene the Desgiante joins the cast as Thor Girl helping fight Nullitor and Gladiator. Odin wakes and takes care of Trolls attacking Asgard and then taking Thor’s immortality. Karnilla and Loki team up with the Destroyer to kill Thor. Tarene is the one trapped in Destroyer’s body. Thor, Jake (with Tarene’s hammer) and Odin deal with the menace in the end. Thor is badly wounded and is saved by Odin as Beta Ray Bill, Kurse and Hercules are sent to deal with Surtur. Thor Girl saves Thor’s life as Odin uses their powers and sacrifices himself to kill Surtur. Taking Charge starts Odin is dead. The Designate has lost her divine powers and is trapped in the form of an Asgardian goddess. They grieve Odin but Thor don’t think he should rule. After a talk with Orikal he decides he has to take over for Odin. Also in other appearances: He helps Captain Marvel, the FF, Hulk, Spidey. Alongside the Avengers he helps take care of an army of Hulk’s. As well as getting involved in the Avenger Celestial Quest involving Thanos and Mantis. He also helps in the Infinity Abyss. He also helps the Avengers when Kang takes over the US. He also helps Cap again, Appears in Thunderbolts, Defenders, Spider-Man. He also helps the Avengers in the Avengers vs. JLA crossover. Also appears in Black Panther.
2002: We start the new year with Thor now taking over for Odin and having Odin power as he fights the Executioner and Hela, They mourn Odin once more, Thor also visits Zeus. In By Fire Born Thor Girl takes over for Thor on Earth and fights Grey Gargoyle as Thor starts creating a golden age in Asgard. Jake Olsen also becomes Thor and takes some of Thor’s strength to fight Gargoyle and Desak. Enchantress also show up and wants to be Thor’s queen. Thor after defeating his foes moves Asgard closer to Earth. Spidey shoes up as the US tries to Nuke Asgard. Thor also defeats the Dark Gods and Zarrko again in battle. Thor and the Asgardians try to help New York best they can during this time but the US still don’t trust them. In other titles: Thor still helps the Avengers in the Kang War and then he leaves them again. He also makes appearances in Cap and X-Treme X-Men.
2003: Thor kills a young mutant who keeps attacking Thor’s power plants, He also defeats Gardener. Standoff: It’s Thor vs. Iron Man vs. Cap. As Thor tries to deal with Slokovia as they kill people who worship him. We have a fill in issue set in the future with a homeless man take on Thor’s power to help others. Spiral: Thor tries to take Odin’s place on the Council Elite but fails. Thor’s followers on Earth start getting out of hand with their worship as well. It starts a war between the gods and Earth in the end. Even Jake fights Thor as Asgard crashes into Earth. The Reigning starts: Set Seventeen years after Asgard crashed into New York. Thor rules Earth as Wanda and Pietro as well as Jane Foster are on the run from the Asgardians. Loki and Enchantress work for Thor as well. Earth 2170: New Asgard Thor looking more like Odin and missing an eye and arm rules still as Thialfi is sent to the future to stop Thor. Magni (Thor’s son) is also against his father as well as Wanda’s daughter. Also during the year Thor appears in Captain Marvel again and Amazing Spider-Man
2004: The Reigning continues Thos no longer can hold Mjolnir as Mistress Kya shows Thialfi the darker side of Lord Thor’s utopia. Loki tries to deal with Magni and the rebels. Loki also kills Balder. Thialfi tries to deal with Thor but Enchantress stops him as the Fenris wolf kills him. Gods And Men starts: Thor lies in Odinsleep as Magni meets with Sif and they try to find a way to deal with Thor. Magni takes Thor’s hammer. Thor wakes as Sif and Magni go to Asgard and find Ulik who helps them. Desak attacks Thor and Magni defends him in the end. Tarene in Destroyers body attacks Desak and we find her out to be the Spirit of the Jewel as he merges with it. Jergens last Thor story comes as Thor and Magni save New Asgard by remerging the younger Thor with Jake again with memories of the future. Avengers Disassembled: Ragnarok: The last Thor story. Yep it’s the last story of the series and it begins here. No back in true reality Loki attacks Asgard and takes everyone out but Thor who goes to get the Avengers help. Also Thor Son of Asgard starts as we learn more of Thor’s past as well as the youthful versions of his allies the Warriors Three, Sif and Valkyrie among others. A nice 12 issue series with some nice stories of a young Thor.
2005: Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man return to Asgard, only to find the city destroyed and it’s citizens dead. They fight Loki, Loki, Hyrm, Fenris, and Ulik and find many a few Asgardians dead. Thor sends his friends home and deals with this alone. Thor finds others dead as well as he battles the many threats to Asgard. Beta Ray Bill is left in charge while Thor goes to Hildstalf, to gain knowledge. He learns that the orphaned boy is really the Odinpower, that left him because he wasn’t ready for it. Thor then sacrifices both of his eyes at the Well of Mimir to gain the true knowledge of Ragnarok. And to learn more, he must first die.Thor sacrifices himself then moves beyond death and enters the realm of Those Who Sit Above In Shadow, and finally discovers their true nature. He returns to Hildstalft, and from there to Asgard. With his knowledge of the Runes combined with the Odinpower that is once more his, Thor easily defeats Mangog, and Loki’s Trolls. He then takes Loki’s head and states that he will bring about the true Ragnarok Thor goes to Surtur, and in exchange for him reforging Mjolnir, he will blaze a trail for Surtur and his army to raze Asgard to the ground and give the Asgardians a final, glorious battle. To prevent the cycle from starting over again, Thor goes to the Three Norns and destroys the Loom of the Fates, thus cutting off Those Who Sit Above In Shadow, possibly destroying them. This also destroys Yggdrasil and ends all the lives of those who dwell in Asgard and all the other Nine Worlds, except Midgard. Thor then says that he will rest, for a while at least. Also appearing in during the year: Loki limited series. Him vs. Loki. Last Hero Standing taking part in the future in a battle vs. Loki with many other heroes of MC-2. A re-intro of the Avengers origins in Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as well.
So there you go 10 years of Thor. (note the current limited series is out as well with Thor: Blood Oath.
House of M
This week: Uncanny X-Men #465
The Braddock Manor inhabitants (Brian Braddock, Meggan, Pete Wisdom, Courtney Ross, Linda MacQuillan) come under attack by Omega Sentinel Karima Shapandar and her Sentinels.
The Sentinels are destroyed by Brian, Linda (who remembers she’s a Captain Britain Corps member), and fellow Justicer Bull (another Captain Britain Corps member) They are there to help Brian.
Karima kills Courtney Ross while trying to kill Brian
Elsewhere Nocturne uses her powers to take over Banshee defeating low Marauders Callisto, T-Rex, and Caliban.
Rachel takes out Blob easily
Juggernaut attempts to “plug the hole” with Blob unsuccessfully.
Meggan in the end sacrifices herself to deal with the rift in time and they mourn for her as Captain Britain, Rachel, Betsy, Juggs and Nocturne return to 616 reality.
Alright Daron we’re rolling along really well here but that’s it for this week. What did you think of the column?
Good stuff as always, though I’m curious what others have to say about the whole Iron Man/X-Men thing.
Good to know. I won’t mind more questions of course myself.
Care to sign off partner?
Later Y’all!
Very good sign off.
My turn:
Notes:
1. 1. Marvel.comquestion of the week: Which of these Classic Marvel Crossovers is your favorite? (listed: Secret Wars, Mutant Massacre, Contest of Champions, Infinity Gauntlet, Onslaught) My main complaint is they show AOA trade and don’t list it.
2. Superherohype poll: If you could have a super power, what would it be?
That’s all from me. More House of M next week plus more Questions and answers. Keep those emails coming. Reporting from my Corner of the Marvel Universe I’m Jim Trabold. Have a great week and see you at the comic shop.
