One quick, big, happy note to the board...

[Dan Slott]

Hi!

So? One of the cats is out of the bag, huh? Neat, right?

Well, as you can see from posts here-- in Newsarama-- and a soon-to-be released column in WIZARD, my new upcoming project is
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE!

First off, big thanks to Joe, Tom, Bendis and all the guys at Marvel that have been hyping/supporting this thing from the get go!

It's gonna be pretty darn cool! And so far all the art-- from the mega-talented Stefano Caselli!!!-- and covers from Wizard Top 10 star Jim Cheung!!!-- look amazing! I am really stoked for this thing!!! (Am I using too many exclamation points? Who cares?!!! I'm beyond pumped!!!!!!!!)

To answer some of your questions:
Yep. It's 6 issues to start. That was something of Tom and my design. During the last Marvel retreat Joe Q was pushing for it to be an ongoing title (as well as Bendis, Brubaker, and others)... And it was Tom and I that were putting on the brakes and saying: "Whoa! Let's see if people like the thing first!"

So... The ball's firmly in YOUR court on that one! :)

(That said though, I'm already a couple issues into this and am already bursting with ideas for the next 6 to 12 issues! Grrr! But that's always the case. You start getting into the characters heads-- setting up all the pieces-- and BAM!!! one idea after another. All these stories you really want to get in there and tell! Ah well. One step at a time!)

Starting with next month's solicits, more info will come to light and (hopefully) you'll see where we're going-- and all the possibilities and potential this thing has!

Okay... There. That's my rambling, early Saturday morning post.

This whole past week has been insane! Lots of cool things on the SHE-HULK front, THE INITIATIVE front, a future Marvel endeavor, and even on the BIG MAX front. And then there's MORE big Marvel stuff/functions/editorial stuff to do NEXT week in the city! All good!

The bad? I'm really going to have to take a break from the boards for awhile! Too much (cool) stuff to do! And the holidays of course!

So, if I don't get to "talk" to you again until the New Year...

Have a very happy, joyful, and safe Holiday Season!
Have a wonderful New Year!
Be good!
And see you all in '07!!!

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanzaa!
And a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

ttyl
Dan

[Dingo]

I'm going to be hyping it instore so I hope it is killer Dan!

I know you need to take a break from the board so this is a hypothetical question/ conversation piece, but why on earth did you push for it to be a mini?

That was half the problem with The Thing (people believing it was a mini).

Surely all that will do is encourage people to wait for the trade?
I am not trying to be negative, but surely all this will acomplish is to save face if it fails. Be positive Dan! It is going to ROCK! :rock:

[tom daylight]

I don't think anyone thought Thing was a mini.

My concern is actually more along the lines of the Thing - there will be four Avengers books in April: New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, Illuminati (I presume) and now this. I am somewhat concerned that as the Thing did of its Fantastic Four family (despite it being a clearly distinct sort of book), this book will fall by the wayside. I hope that is not the case, as I've been stoked for this ever since it was announced (I even called it as being Dan's project when the title was leaked in Marvel Previews - see Tom Brevoort's board at X-Fan!). Anyway even if it bombs (I'm hoping it doesn't) I will be happy anyway if we get two doses of Slott script in a month (which I'm really missing right now!!)

[TomBelandTSSTG]

Very cool news, Dan! Congrats!

[Crimson]

If theres going to be more Big Max I hope its a publisher I can get hold of in the UK... you're such a tease Slott. You offer me super-monkeys and I don't get super-monkeys!

So The Initiative launches in April? Cool, I'll be preordering it next month for sure!


I don't think anyone thought Thing was a mini.


There were alot of people who thought it was a mini. I can't remember who it was, but some news site reported it was a mini and some people never found out different until it was over.

[tom daylight]

Well, I never even heard it. I always saw it reported as an ongoing.

[beta-ray]

Congrats on the exposure Mr. Slott! I am very much looking forward to this title. Make it in time for my birthday okay? :cool:

Can't wait to see and hear more...

[Dave S.]

I think the problem with Thing was that people just didn't care enough about Ben Grimm to see him in a solo title. He's a guy on a team, that has always been a team. A lot of Avengers were soloists first, so they work outside of a team. But the FF is a team. No FF could carry a solo title, sadly. I thought Thing was great myself, but the general public just wasn't interested.

Anyways, I like the idea of it being a mini. I prefer Dan's minis to his on-goings. I just hope he's writing it as a mini, and not just an opening story arc for what will become an on-going. GLA and Living Hell were great stories. But part of what made them great was that they ended. A GLA on-going would get tiresome. (Coming from a guy who owns every single GLA appearance).

I'd love for Dan to just write a never-ending amount of minis, switching from one title to the next. Because while I like his on-goings, his minis really show his talent.

[tom daylight]

I think actually the biggest problem with Thing was that Ben being rich is boring!

[Edward J. Cunningham]

I think the problem with Thing was that people just didn't care enough about Ben Grimm to see him in a solo title. He's a guy on a team, that has always been a team. A lot of Avengers were soloists first, so they work outside of a team. But the FF is a team. No FF could carry a solo title, sadly. I thought Thing was great myself, but the general public just wasn't interested.

*ahem* Marvel Two-In-One was for all intents an purposes a Thing series with a continuing series of guest stars---and it lasted for over 100 issues.

[Dingo]

Anyways, I like the idea of it being a mini. I prefer Dan's minis to his on-goings. I just hope he's writing it as a mini, and not just an opening story arc for what will become an on-going. GLA and Living Hell were great stories. But part of what made them great was that they ended. A GLA on-going would get tiresome. (Coming from a guy who owns every single GLA appearance).



That is all good and well, but it probably doesn't apply so much here. Since it has been outright said that if it sells well it will be an ongoing, then this is probably concieved as an ongoing rather than a mini.

GLA Misassembles and SM/HT were always going to be minis. This was not, and probably won't have an 'ending' at the end of issue 6.

[tom daylight]

*ahem* Marvel Two-In-One was for all intents an purposes a Thing series with a continuing series of guest stars---and it lasted for over 100 issues.

I don't think the Thing is as popular as he used to be. And of course, there was always another hero given equal billing on the cover. Also I understand there was a Thing ongoing shortly after Two-In-One ended, and that didn't last long either.

[Dingo]

I don't think the Thing is as popular as he used to be. And of course, there was always another hero given equal billing on the cover. Also I understand there was a Thing ongoing shortly after Two-In-One ended, and that didn't last long either.

It lasted 36 issues.
That is not bad.

And I wouldn't call it equal billing. The Thing was always the headliner, and all the plots were about him.

[Miss Kitty Fantastico]

Cool stuff. I've always been more into solo titles than team books, but I've always wanted to be into both - the team books just never got me. Except GLA, which I adore, and which (even ignoring the lovely black comedy) is the only team I've ever read in which there weren't characters I didn't give a toss about, which is why I tend to avoid them. This just could be my wish come true.

Had a glance at Newsarama - that series of 'Gauntlet' sketches, that'd be the one future-Southpaw mentioned as her inspiration to be a hero? And now we see the costume, he's the same guy as was standing around watching that Watcher die in the Recokining War glimpse (except he had a mask by then).

I think the miniseries launch could be a good thing - as people have noted, there's going to be a few Avengers books around, but this being a mini, plus bearing the 'Initiative' name that's been mentioned prominently in Civil War, makes me think a lot of people who might not want to commit to an ongoing title (or another ongoing title) may pick it up, because it'll only be a few issues, and it's obviously tied to the CW aftermath in a big way. And once they've read a few issues of the Danvengers, my bet is they'll want more.

[Dingo]

My take on the new title so far...

PROS
Dan is writing it- this almost goes without saying.
The hype- it has had a terrific build up so far.
Spins out of Civil War- this has to be a sales boon.
The hearsay- there seem to be some big names saying it is a great concept.

CONS
Not a big name artist- he seems ok, but he is not a superstar. Doesn't even seem to be an up-and-coming superstar.
A mini- I just don't see the point of this. How many people would argue with the editor in chief and say, "no, this should be a mini"?
Avengers over exposure- What is this, the fourth or fifth Avengers ongoing? Same thing happened to The Thing.
The wait- I hope this doesn't take any of the sheen off the hype.
The characters-There are no first stringers, but that is not such a huge deal lately (Moon Knight and Ms Marvel are doing very well), and not such a huge deal for Dan who has a great track record with second stringers (GLA, She-Hulk) and a poor record with first stringers (The Thing, Spider-man/Human Torch).

Anyone else see these items differently or can think of any other pros/cons?

[tom daylight]

It lasted 36 issues.
That is not bad.

Not AS long though :)

but I stand corrected.


And I wouldn't call it equal billing. The Thing was always the headliner, and all the plots were about him.

That's not equal billing though - equal billing means his name was as big as the other guy's on the cover. (Save, of course, that one issue where he was teamed with Ben Grimm. :))

[tom daylight]

CONS

A mini- I just don't see the point of this. How many people would argue with the editor in chief and say, "no, this should be a mini"?


Just Dan and Larry David :)


Avengers over exposure- What is this, the fourth or fifth Avengers ongoing? Same thing happened to The Thing.

Of course now that someone else is saying it I would advise that having "Avengers" on the cover will definitely help it sell, so I'd stick that in the pro section! I'm still cautious though, especially since Young Avengers should eventually come back, although I guess this title could alternate with it perhaps.


The wait- I hope this doesn't take any of the sheen off the hype.

The trend I've seen is that this sort of book, intended from the outset to be a heavy hitter, benefits from a long wait (see New Avengers, JLA/Avengers, Young Avengers... all of which, coincidentally, are Avengers titles!!), whereas the smaller, less recognisable books seriously suffer from it.


The characters-There are no first stringers, but that is not such a huge deal lately (Moon Knight and Ms Marvel are doing very well), and not such a huge deal for Dan who has a great track record with second stringers (GLA, She-Hulk) and a poor record with first stringers (The Thing, Spider-man/Human Torch).

That's only cus nobody bothered reading the Spidey book... everyone who did, loved it.

[beta-ray]

I think actually the biggest problem with Thing was that Ben being rich is boring!

I didn't find it boring. To be honest, I was hoping for a status change for his millions (like most comic fans I don't like change :blah: ), but as it was it was fun while it lasted.

[beta-ray]

My take on the new title so far...

CONS
Not a big name artist- he seems ok, but he is not a superstar. Doesn't even seem to be an up-and-coming superstar.

Maybe so... but he was trusted to draw the Civil War Young Avengers/Runaways mini. It was pretty high profile (spin off crom Civil War and with two beloved but not super-famous groups)...


A mini- I just don't see the point of this. How many people would argue with the editor in chief and say, "no, this should be a mini"?

*shrug* Maybe it's something that one has to prove is worthy of more (though I predict I will think so).


Avengers over exposure- What is this, the fourth or fifth Avengers ongoing? Same thing happened to The Thing.

Concurrently? This would be a third title. If you mean ever... I don't think that's a fair comparison.

Before Avengers in this last year, the X titles were tops. How many of those were there? How many Superman and Batman titles?


The wait- I hope this doesn't take any of the sheen off the hype.

Only you can say for yourself about that.


The characters-There are no first stringers, but that is not such a huge deal lately (Moon Knight and Ms Marvel are doing very well), and not such a huge deal for Dan who has a great track record with second stringers (GLA, She-Hulk) and a poor record with first stringers (The Thing, Spider-man/Human Torch).

I have confidence that Mr. Slott can make these characters compelling.


Anyone else see these items differently or can think of any other pros/cons?

I really need to know more about what the series will be about, how it will look etc. Right now, I am happy with any hype I can get. :)

[tom daylight]

Concurrently? This would be a third title. If you mean ever... I don't think that's a fair comparison.


It depends on whether you count books like Avengers: Illuminati, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Marvel Adventures: Avengers, or Avengers Next.

Still, it is wholly unfair to single out Dan's title as one too many. Bendis has got three to himself, for crying out loud.

[Dingo]

Of course now that someone else is saying it I would advise that having "Avengers" on the cover will definitely help it sell, so I'd stick that in the pro section! I'm still cautious though, especially since Young Avengers should eventually come back, although I guess this title could alternate with it perhaps.

I honestly did think about putting it in the pro section, but I remember what happened to the Thing too well. I guess with people only recently shelling out more cash for Mighty Avengers I think they may not want to do the same for the Initiative. But it could go either way.



That's only cus nobody bothered reading the Spidey book... everyone who did, loved it.
Yeah, it was great.