How long will Volume 4 last?

[Maverick_GL Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Maverick_GL]

It's cool to have comics that start at #1 (or #0), but it's also cool to have comics that have been around a while. How long do you think the current volume of Green Lantern will last?

[Guest Close Lundonj]

Good question, but really hard to tell how trends will continue.

Blackest Night should keep things interesting, and leading up to that story. Geoff Johns has plotted through #55, so that's a fairly safe bet if he stays.

After that, it will always depend on how much love DC puts into the series. It has been that way a while. When Kyle got some creative and editorial focus, he went on a hella run. Rebirth until now has the last three years of GL flying off the shelves again.

That said, when things slow down, Marvel and DC both love the reboot.

Good money says this makes it to 75 easy, likely to 100, but after that, it is all on whoever is guiding the book.


-Don

[Tazer That Evil, Yellow Bastiche Find all posts View Profile Close Tazer]

Yo.

optimally, longer than 182 ish's (vol. 3), HOPEFULLY longer than 220 ish's (vol. 2)




Tazer

[Guest Close Lundonj]

Yo.

optimally, longer than 182 ish's (vol. 3), HOPEFULLY longer than 220 ish's (vol. 2)

Hell, I HOPE they hit 500 plus on this one, DC just seems to have a habit of restarting this series. Except for the series hiatus in the 70's, when Hal's stories were moved to the back of Flash, until volume two resumed a few years later -- they generally kick it off with a new #1 when things slow down.



-Don

[Maverick_GL Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Maverick_GL]

The correct answer was 2814 actually


Optimistically (I still haven't become bitter over comics, yet) I could see this lasting until #100 at least. There's always a chance having a movie coming out (crosses fingers) will introduce a whole new generation of readers to at least give it a shot. You never know, it might not take much to make comics "cool" again among people, especially younger ones. Besides, who's a better role model for kids than a hero who uses their imagination to do whatever they want, and who's motto is "Overcoming great Fear"? Two fundamental things we tell children when they are young is "you can do anything you put your mind to" and "don't be afraid to try new things".

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

DC will cancel and relaunch it before it gets to #200. DC's overall plan is to relaunch all of their mainstream titles every ten to fifteen years. The only exceptions are Action, Superman, Detective, and Batman. Those four are the only "safe" titles because of their incredible historical importance. Hellblazer has dodged the bullet for a very long time, but that's mostly because the Vertigo imprint gives it some protction, and the expectations are very different.

And I wouldn't be surprised at all if we see another Flash #1 within a year.

[Maverick_GL Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Maverick_GL]

So are the continuities in those 4 "safe" books consistent? Has the overall story ever been "rebooted" within those series? If so, doesn't that indicate that, regardless of the # on the title, its the stories that sell the book? It also says that putting things back at #0 doesn't work as well as just rebooting within the ongoing series, and keeping the #'s.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

Well, of course you can't or wouldn't WANT to keep one line of continuity on a book that has lasted 70 years, that'd be ridiculous. Comics are always getting revamps and upgrades, and that's great. But I really like the notion that a book is SO strong, that it just keeps going and going with the same numbering. Two of these four books are going to hit their #1,000 issue while we are still reading comics! How friggin' cool is that?

[Guest Close JL4GL]

Just wondering: At a certain point (say issue #50), should this 4th series take on the numbering of either the first series (48,49,50,221,222...) or the last series (50,183,184...)? Just so it continues with a higher count number? They just did that recently with 'Adventures of Superman' when it returned the original 'Superman' (vol 1) numbering.
Seems like the new issue counts result more due to calling attention to the new writer(s), and for publicity (the old idea that 1st issues sell more).

[KILLER-CLONE Manhunter Repairman Find all posts View Profile Close KILLER-CLONE]

If DC's smart they'll keep it going forever. GL is entitled to the same respect that is afforded Superman and Batman.

If sales dip then don't sack the book, sack the creative team. The characters don't need constant re-booting. Sometimes its the writers and editorial that need the boot - straight out the front door.

[Tazer That Evil, Yellow Bastiche Find all posts View Profile Close Tazer]

Yo.

Hell, I HOPE they hit 500 plus on this one, DC just seems to have a habit of restarting this series. Except for the series hiatus in the 70's, when Hal's stories were moved to the back of Flash, until volume two resumed a few years later -- they generally kick it off with a new #1 when things slow down.

I dont think we'll ever see that happen, since the companies (both DC and Marvel) had at 1 point been fearful that the large issue runs were actually keeping potential readers away (for fear that they might not be able to easily jump into a title), and IIRC this is partly wat lead Marvel to creating the Ultimate -line (remember the rumor that the old MU was gonna be replaced by the UMU-stuff??)

and lets note: how many long-term titles kept their original numbering, and/or havent been cancelled?

I can only name maybe 3 off the top of my head.




Tazer

[Tazer That Evil, Yellow Bastiche Find all posts View Profile Close Tazer]

Yo.

So are the continuities in those 4 "safe" books consistent? Has the overall story ever been "rebooted" within those series? If so, doesn't that indicate that, regardless of the # on the title, its the stories that sell the book? It also says that putting things back at #0 doesn't work as well as just rebooting within the ongoing series, and keeping the #'s.

both Supes & Bats have had their continuities changed atleast once over the last 20yrs, however they didnt really affect the NUMBERING of the books.

Well, of course you can't or wouldn't WANT to keep one line of continuity on a book that has lasted 70 years, that'd be ridiculous. Comics are always getting revamps and upgrades, and that's great. But I really like the notion that a book is SO strong, that it just keeps going and going with the same numbering. Two of these four books are going to hit their #1,000 issue while we are still reading comics! How friggin' cool is that?

I hope that turns out to be true, cuz its not like comics sell like they used to 30, or even 20yrs ago; the kids (read: young boys) have more things which have their attention AND money......and most BIG companies make their money off the merchandising said characters bring in.

I personally hope that Im around for Action Comics #1000 tho......




Tazer

[GLspotlight Alpha-Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close GLspotlight]

To at least 100 but as long as DC keeps the top talent on the book post Geoff's run, whenever that will be. I see GL being around for a long while.

[Guest Close Lundonj]

I dont think we'll ever see that happen, since the companies (both DC and Marvel) had at 1 point been fearful that the large issue runs were actually keeping potential readers away (for fear that they might not be able to easily jump into a title), and IIRC this is partly wat lead Marvel to creating the Ultimate -line (remember the rumor that the old MU was gonna be replaced by the UMU-stuff??)

and lets note: how many long-term titles kept their original numbering, and/or havent been cancelled?

I can only name maybe 3 off the top of my head.

Well, I know DC has corrected their mistakes on a couple of the books and gone back to the original numbering, so four overall for them, Action, Detective, Batman, Superman.

Marvel only numbers two, despite the hick-ups with a relaunch for each, and have only FF and Amazing Spider-Man reflecting their continious publication. I'm not sure why, but the other title that hasn't taken any breaks, just the one relaunch is Daredevil, but they took the 'second' number off the front after years of showing the second volume, and the total number of issues they published in a row.

So, you're right, it is pretty damned rare -- maybe only six books out of several hundred titles a month.

Which is why it will be interesting to see just how far this round of GL goes.



-Don (thinks #300 is the record for an indy title, Cerebus)

[Guest Close Malkin]

I'd like this volume to keep going as long as DC is publishing comics. I hate relaunches starting at #1.