New publisher of SW comics?

I'm not 100% sure when DH's license expires, but if it's like DR's it should be sometime around the end of 2005. Would you like to see them keep the rights to publish SW comics, or would you like to see another company give it a try? If so, what company?

Personally, I'd like to see Devil's Due (GI Joe, Voltron) get the rights, as I think they would be able to do some interesting stories, and hopefully be able to get comics out on time. They are leaving Image comics in January for that exact reason - Image keeps delaying their stuff.

Any other thoughts? (though I can probably predict DL's choice )

 

im preaty happy with darkhorse,they could keep making them till the sun goes out,and i would still read them.

 

CrossGen is in bad shape right now with the layoffs and cancellations upcoming, but I don't think they will fold.
Acquiring the Star Wars license would really boost them. They already publish RAS DEmonWars comics and Masters of the Universe.

 

CrossGen does Masters of the Universe? I thought it was Image ...

 

I like Dark Horse. They've held onto it for a while, so it shouldn't go anywhere. They know what they are doing. (I think)

 

I hope not. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

5 - 7 years ago, I would agree, back when Rogue Squadron, Tales of the Jedi, Dark Empire II, Crimson Empire, etc. But now, it's all Infinities! The only non-Infinities comics are Republic & Empire, with a few one-shots thrown in every 4 months. While Republic & Jedi are quite good, Empire is hit & miss. Throw in the worst publishing schedule in the industry, and DH has really gone down hill in the last 2 years or so.

 

I would like Dark Horse to keep the license, providing one thing: After the Clone Wars are over, they drop both Ongoing series. Entirely. And go back to producing arcs of four to six comics. I can't stomach Empire. Republic isn't bad, but there's no need for it to be ongoing after the Clone Wars. They hadn't been telling one grand story; they'd been telling little story arcs that shared a few characters in common but involved largely separate stories. This is exactly the same thing that was going on when they put out mini-arcs; why not just return to that?

-Paul

 

I don't think anyone would be able to top the support that DH has (besides maybe Marvel..The circle is now complete)

DH has really supported SW in so many positive ways.. Nobody else would be able to even come close to assembling the team DH has to support the GFFA..

I don't know, Devil's Due started off strongly, but now I believe they are largely known for their graphics, as opposed to their stories..(GI Joe certainly has been flat lately..)

Sojourn and maybe Scion are strong over at Cross Gen, but everything else is one step away from the comics you used to make in 4th grade..

Image, meh.. does anything other than Liberty Meadows even sell?

If you want to kill off SW completely, send it over there..

I can promise that within 3 weeks there would be a Spawn/Darth Vader cross-over book...

 

I can't wait to see if Empire will continue past RotJ. For now I have no use for it. It would be a great vessel for all those stories of Pellaeons battles after darksaber, IMHO. Republic is great as far as I'm concerned, and I don't want to see it end. They still have limited series come out (crossbones, qui-gon&obiwan, etc). I say Dark Horse is doing a great job, they should keep the license.

 

5 - 7 years ago, I would agree, back when Rogue Squadron, Tales of the Jedi, Dark Empire II, Crimson Empire, etc. But now, it's all Infinities! The only non-Infinities comics are Republic & Empire, with a few one-shots thrown in every 4 months. While Republic & Jedi are quite good, Empire is hit & miss. Throw in the worst publishing schedule in the industry, and DH has really gone down hill in the last 2 years or so.

I couldn't have put it better myself. wild_karrde summed up my feelings perfectly on the mater.

 

I'm with DL on this. CGE might be in a little bit of a rough spot now, but I think that they will be able to pull something like this off.

Devil's Due I don't think is going to really be able to keep going IMO. They started off with some steam, but haven't gone far.

Just as long as neither Marvel or DC get it though. It's nothing against the companies, but their systems and focus wouldn't fit with what is needed for the SW franchise.

 

Marvel would first make two of Princess Leia/Amidala/Jaina Solo/insert female character here, then kill one off and tell us that the original is dead and the clone is alive, then they'd create a huge super-powerful bad guy, have everyone go into an alternate dimension, then kill everyone off and start over 'cause it'd be so confusing at that point and all the readers would leave so they'd have to file for Chapter 11 again. *rolls eyes*

Seriously, they did just about all of the above with X-Men (heck, all the X-titles), Spiderman, Fantastic Four . . . You name it, they did it.


Dana

 

their systems and focus wouldn't fit with what is needed for the SW franchise

Interesting observation..What about their focus wouldn't fit?

I know over at Marvel, Smokin' Joe Quesada is really pushing the creator driven stories..

I think the SW license would be perfect to bookend Marvel's revamped Epic line..

What about CrossGen indicates that they would be able to handle the license?

I mean, Way of the Rat is good for its genre, but I don't think it would do SW any justice...

EDIT: Dana, all that happened when Marvel was owned by New Line..It is hardly the same atmosphere now..

 

Both of the big names made themselves on the superhero genre, and while there is some branching out of both now, neither are really to the point of being able to do them really well (yes, Vertigo does deal with a selection of other genres, but also remember the focus for Vertigo). Marvel's Epic line could be promising, but the sheer fact is that nothing they have put out as yet really departs in style from what they've done previously, and recent news about some of the direction of Epic isn't all that promising in that regard.

I think that CrossGen has the right kind of production system that could benefit SW (hell, even any comic due to the in-house method), and has shown a flexibility of style. Someone said that there were few good CGE books, well I disagree to start with, but more than that, if the lisence moves, so will some writers. Lady Death is considered one of the best productions out of Code 6, and the writers only came to CG when Lady Death made the move.

 

Vertigo would be where I would want it.

 

read Negation now.

 

Well, it's been many years since I was familiar with all the comic publishing companies, so I can't really make an informed recommendation as to what would be a better company. However, I do buy the Dark Horse SW comics, and I will say that, on the whole I like 'em.

I'm probably in the minority here, but I like the 'Infinities' stuff that they do. I think the stories suffer when there is too much priority placed on continuity. And the Republic series is quite good, after having a slow start. Also, I prefer having ongoing series supplemented with the occaisional mini-series/one-shot, which is the direction DH is taking now.

My opinion is Dark Horse is doing a good job with the Star Wars license.

-ldh-

 

If you think Dark Horse has problems maintaining their schedule, giving the SW license to any of the independents would in all likelihood make it 5 times worse. Especially if they are companies newly branching off from Image.

I would trust DC and Marvel to keep them on schedule, but I doubt any company other than DH is willing to put up with all the work that is involved in maintaining EU continuity. That's why DH is doing so much Infinities stuff now.

 

Actually, regarding maintaining continuity, several people here have said Randy Stradley wants to do away with it altogether.

 

Yes, getting it away from Randy Stradley is one of my main intentions when wanting it going to another company. The man scares me with his lack of respect for established SW stories. If it wasn't for LFL keeping an eye on him, I think ALL of the SW comics coming out now would be "Infinities".

As for people worrying about crossovers with Spawn, etc, that is a non-issue as LFL would never allow it.

Aside from Devil's Due, CrossGen would definatly be my #2 choice, especially because that means Ron Marz would be able to write SW comics

 

I have no problem with Dark Horse; the Big Two comic publishers (Marvel/DC) don't have a great track record in recent years with licensed properties, and most of the independents (re: Crossgen, they just laid off several employees) are having trouble staying afloat.

The one company I think could possibly do the SW license justice aside from DH is Dreamwave, as they've been doing a respectable job with the Transformers license.

Edit: Vertigo is just a label for DC's mature comics (i.e., not for children). I doubt LFL would allow Star Wars to be published under a label that intentionally restricts one of their major target demographics.

 

George Perez's latest message to the fans give me a lot of hope for CrossGen.

Hello again.

As is the all too common practice of those who wish to speculate and comment on things they know little about, the cynics have decided to put their own spin on what I thought was a fairly straightforward post. My fault I guess.

I didn't clarify one important fact about my commitment to CrossGen, partly because it could have been considered a company matter that should not be placed in a public forum. I'm fairly certain that CG would prefer that I didn't explain further. However, since some cynics did question the appropriateness of my remarks considering the plight of other professionals, both CG company personnel and freelancers, I just want to make one final statement.

The insurance benefits and the retaining of my profit sharing deal (which of course is totally dependent on CG's ability to turn itself around in the coming years) is all that CrossGen will be paying me during 2004. I was offered a page rate (and only a page rate) to do the 2-part story I mentioned, but I turned it down and will accept no payment for anything I do for CG in the next year. In fact, I've not taken any payment in over a month by my own request. There are too many other creators who need to be taken care of during this restructuring, and I frankly don't want to be a drain on resources that can better be used elsewhere. I'm pretty well set after the success of JLA/AVENGERS and I want to be part of any positive steps to be taken to help those not as lucky as I've been.

So set your cynicism aside, naysayers. I would never consider putting myself on a higher platform than my fellow creators.

This is my small way of helping out CrossGen in particular and the comics industry in general as a thank you for all the blessings that have been heaped on me during the last three decades.

If my intentions aren't clear now, then I will just refrain from further comment since for some people there is no such thing as a sta (?)

 

Eh, I like what Darkhorse is doing pretty much. I really like Republic and Jedi, and SW Tales is good for a fun little jaunt thru SW. Sure, the mags are usually late but that never bothers me. The only things that bother me are Empire and Infinities. All Empire(Randy Stradly) has done is piss all over established continuity (it has contradicted the X-Wing Wizard 1/2 comic and Baron Fel's backstory) and purvey drek stories that didn't need to be told. And whats with the Infinities fetish? SW Tales used to be a bunch of good, impact stories with a funny little tale thrown in. Now its like all Infinites. Whats the point in buying it now? And then there are the Infinites comic series themselves. wild_karrde, Stradly does scare me as well. On the DH message boards he derided me for saying that stories shouldn't contradict one another.

 

Yeah, Randy has a tendancy for not really caring what the majority of fans want, and only doing what he wants. I miss Peet Janes and, dare I say it, Dave Land