An Open Letter to the Creative Team of Invincible Iron Man (Final Draft?)

[The IronJedi]

The deed is done. Now to wait... @IMK- MHEROES@MARVEL.COM

[brohara]

It is a great idea and I think some more fans should do the same personally. 

Agreed. Been thinking about doing this myself.

[The IronJedi]

... i am kinda inspired to write one as well, altho, a bit shorter but still covering a key point or 2. 

It is a great idea and I think some more fans should do the same personally.

Agreed. Been thinking about doing this myself.

Quit sitting and DO IT! 

[IronManKyle]

The deed is done. Now to wait... @IMK- MHEROES@MARVEL.COM

thanks Iron Jedi, that did save a few moments, heh. 
and by the way, when I commented mine would be shorter, that wasn't a slight on yours, -which I think is great as is- but that mine would have to be done via phone b/c of laptop issues, therefore not as long as i'd prefer.
 Just thought I'd clarify after seeing my comment again, which could mistakenly come off as a snide remark.

[The IronJedi]

Just thought I'd clarify after seeing my comment again, which could mistakenly come off as a snide remark.

It's all good. No clarification or apology needed- didn't see it as snide.

[Roger A Ott II]

Just thought I'd clarify after seeing my comment again, which could mistakenly come off as a snide remark.

It's all good. No clarification or apology needed- didn't see it as snide.

Well, I did!  Have at thee! 

[Metal Head]

I'm late to the party here, but I wanted to comment on the great writing! IJ, this was a very well-written letter, giving great (and intelligent) criticism, while also offering compliments where they need to be. Unfortunately, like Millar and Bendis, Fraction is now the go-to writer, so we're probably stuck with him.

I quit reading during World's Most Wanted, and that was August 2009. 22 months. That says a lot, huh? Sheesh, even Fred Van Lente's Iron Man aimed at kids was better and truer to the character!

Slightly off-topic... my old film Skye Falling is 10 years old this year (plug, plug), and we wrote the script in 1998, during Kurt Busiek's run. One of the comments a character says in the movie is how the storyline isn't moving that well, the arc is just sitting there. Looking back on that run, it seems to me that's when these glacial-paced storytelling began. Ellis kicked it up with the rotten Extremis (great art, that's all). To this day, I can tell Michelinie is trying not to laugh and/or grimace in the Legacy of Doom comic, when he has Tony thinking about how great Extremis works. GIVE ME A BREAK! That took Tony out of the game as a technical genius.

I think Ultimate IM vs. Ultimate Hulk was fun for an issue, then we had the non-stop talking heads of the Ultimate Leader yapping on-and-on. You learn that with action-style movies, talking heads are a death sentence. Most of these guys should follow that rule.

Okay, rant off.

heath

[Chaos]

I predict a single word response from Marvel:

Eisner!

[IronManKyle]

Eisner!

The #1 and only defense for Mr. Matt at this point it seems.  -Also like how it's now of a running gag.   

[Roger A Ott II]

You learn that with action-style movies, talking heads are a death sentence. Most of these guys should follow that rule.

Considering so many of the writers these days write scripts like they're doing a movie, you'd think they would want to amp up the action aspects for that exact reason.  If these comic scripts were turned into movies, they'd be box office bombs.

One of the big differences here is, in movies the general audience has little tolerance for a bad movie.  A true stinker will fizzle out fast, and there's no sequel on the horizon.  In comics, you have hardcore fans who, despite hating a storyline, will bend over and say, "Thank you sir.  May I have another?"

[Brian]

I was watching a rerun of the Rocketeer (an under appreciated movie). There are several scenes with Terry O'Quinn playing Howard Hughes. Realizing that Tony Stark was based on Howard Hughes, I thought these scenes were fantastic for Marvel to watch and write Tony Stark.

Shield Agent: What will we tell Nick Fury?

Tony Stark: Tell him the dream is over. Tell him Tony Stark says so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8FFtHGqwoA

[IMJ]

Considering so many of the writers these days write scripts like they're doing a movie, you'd think they would want to amp up the action aspects for that exact reason.  If these comic scripts were turned into movies, they'd be box office bombs.

One of the big differences here is, in movies the general audience has little tolerance for a bad movie.  A true stinker will fizzle out fast, and there's no sequel on the horizon.  In comics, you have hardcore fans who, despite hating a storyline, will bend over and say, "Thank you sir.  May I have another?"

Roger, while I get your point, the answer to the behavior is more complex than your interpretation frames it as.

For most reasonable people, comics are cheap enough to continue reading them even amidst a crappy run because of the mental algebra associated with the opportunity costs, as well as the rewarding reinforcement of both culture and pattern from buying.  For example, the reinforcing escapism of going to the comic store, or the excitement of receiving a monthly order, and the relative cheap price of the commodity (because although we all hate paying $3.99 for a comic book, it's clearly not beyond the salable price yet) outweighs the opportunity cost of dropping a book that you've compiled a collection of across years.  And even while complaining about a crappy writer, people are getting a social benefit of conversation.

What it boils down to is that the "if you don't like it, then don't read it" argument is a simplistic interpretation that negates other elements of the hobby that make this monster a "culture".  The culture tends to support cherished characters and maintain that you've been around for longer than any writer on a series, and so maybe they should go rather than you.

And you know what? The behavior is both academically okay and reasonable I think.

A better solution is the sort of win-win situation that I employ, picking up my books after an order is placed, so that I'm a ghost reader that doesn't increase sales. I'm buying what would've been ordered anyway, or I order at a steeply discounted rate from DCBS (but even there, I'm down to maybe 6 comics a month).  I'm just saying that your frustration at people's behaviors for buying a book that they complain about is warranted at the Economics 100 level, but not so much at the Economics 620 level.

[Roger A Ott II]

In most cases, I would probably agree, but here we're talking about a writer who's been on the book for over 3 years now, with no indication of going away.

You can polish it all you want, but a turd is still a turd.  If more people who were dissatisfied with the book would grow a set, stand up and leave the book (even for a few months), we'd get a new writer.  Like you (and me) they could buy the issues up from backstock later.  Instead, they're just fostering a perpetual loop that shows little chance of stopping.  I can almost guarantee that if sales dropped significantly for more than a month or three, there'd be a writer change so fast it'd make everyone's head spin.

[IMJ]

In most cases, I would probably agree, but here we're talking about a writer who's been on the book for over 3 years now, with no indication of going away.

Ironic how this has worked out too, considering a big point I spent a lot of time making to guys like Brevoort on the forums and at cons was that Iron Man could grow as a character if they'd quit the revolving writer door and let someone develop the character for a good long run. Then we get Mr. Fraction's interpretation. For 3 years.

[IronManKyle]

Ironic how this has worked out too, considering a big point I spent a lot of time making to guys like Brevoort on the forums and at cons was that Iron Man could grow as a character if they'd quit the revolving writer door and let someone develop the character for a good long run. Then we get Mr. Fraction's interpretation. For 3 years.

-So, it's all IMJ's fault huh?!   
Anyways, Both him and Rog are right, We just have to not support the main series and show Marvel (what Iron Jedi has done already, and I will too this week) that the writing of these characters is not at all a good interruption of them -Tony begging Doc Ock?! Thats a kick below the belt- Sure we miss out on some issues right off the bat, but they are easily picked up in a few months time. I just recently got 502 and 503 just last week. I still get my comics and continue my almost complete run, AND they don't for new sales when the book first comes out.
-And yea, it is funny, in another post I said it is good to actually have a team stick around for 40 issues now, but... it just had to be them huh? haha.   Hopefully more letters like IJ's will help Marvel make a decision.. but it seems like an up-hill battle at the present time.