This is the place to discuss the episodes of the Comic Book Page podcast, the Comic Book Page website or pretty much anything else of interest to the Comic Book Page community...
I look forward to seeing if you boys address Ghost Rider's $3.99 cover price. Marvel pumped up the price $1.00 for issue that DIDN'T have any extra story , WASN'T a cataclysmic story event but instead had an extra 8 pages of extra filler.
When I saw this at the LCS I had a visceral feeling. I am honestly surprised how upset I had become by this, but I did. It absolutely became the wet blanket on my reading experience of this issue.
thefreakytiki wrote:I just downloaded it but I haven't listened yet.
I look forward to seeing if you boys address Ghost Rider's $3.99 cover price. Marvel pumped up the price $1.00 for issue that DIDN'T have any extra story , WASN'T a cataclysmic story event but instead had an extra 8 pages of extra filler.
When I saw this at the LCS I had a visceral feeling. I am honestly surprised how upset I had become by this, but I did. It absolutely became the wet blanket on my reading experience of this issue.
the Tiki
I wouldn't consider the 10 pages recapping the history of the Danny Ketch Ghost Rider to be filler. It goes a long way towards making the story much more accessible rather than just assuming that all of the readers have read the 90+ issue Ghost Rider series of the 1990s and remember it perfectly. I found those ten pages very helpful.
johnmayo wrote:
I wouldn't consider the 10 pages recapping the history of the Danny Ketch Ghost Rider to be filler. It goes a long way towards making the story much more accessible rather than just assuming that all of the readers have read the 90+ issue Ghost Rider series of the 1990s and remember it perfectly. I found those ten pages very helpful.
It's funny, I just finished the podcast and heard your assessment of the additional pages. I'm glad it worked for you. It's funny how it had two different effects on two different people.
thefreakytiki wrote:
It's funny, I just finished the podcast and heard your assessment of the additional pages. I'm glad it worked for you. It's funny how it had two different effects on two different people.
the Tiki
Yeah, I can see this being filler for anyone really "up on" the Danny Ketch GR. Given that I was more of an "original series" fan, I found the recap to be very helpful.
I liked this use of the extra pages a lot more than reprinting half a story from somewhere or throwing in "OHOTMU" pages.
I absolutely agree with you Bob on what is considered "filler".
I just wish that there was some kind of option for readers (a la director's cut comics 10 years ago. There were some that came out at the same time as the regular version not 3 months later). As time keeps going on, I foresee these "filler" comics as the new chromatic covers.
I read the entire run of the Danny Ketch series when it came out. While I knew everything in the recap, it was really helpful to have it in a summary format in that issue. The events being recapped where over a decade old. It is highly reasonable to believe that many readers would either not have read that entire previous series or may benefit from a recap of it to job there memory.
Where they "filler" to someone who knew the back story of Danny Ketch? Maybe. Maybe not. Personally, I didn't think so.
Should there have been a $2.99 version without the ten pages? That seems reasonable. Or, better yet, maybe release the ten pages as a 16 page $1.00 comic and only have the $2.99 version of the ghost Rider comic.
I see a huge difference between these ten pages and the random reprints we got during the One More Day issues of the Spider-Man titles. Those reprints had no bearing on the One More Day storyline and seemed to only be there to promote some trade paperbacks.
These pages filled a legitimate purpose in getting readers either up to speed of back up to speed of the Danny Ketch Ghost Rider.
And isn't trying to make the story more accessible to readers a good thing?
Now that I think about it, even though I agree whole heartily with the idea, there was nothing on the cover or in the solicits that stated that THIS issue would be a jumping on point. It is mid story arc.
Mind you, I don't blame the writer or artist for this. It's purely a company decision. I just don't understand the strategy other than an excuse to pump up the issue with "factoids" and files collected by staff interns. (If I come off as a grumpy old man, it's not my intention. )
thefreakytiki wrote:Now that I think about it, even though I agree whole heartily with the idea, there was nothing on the cover or in the solicits that stated that THIS issue would be a jumping on point. It is mid story arc.
Mind you, I don't blame the writer or artist for this. It's purely a company decision. I just don't understand the strategy other than an excuse to pump up the issue with "factoids" and files collected by staff interns. (If I come off as a grumpy old man, it's not my intention. )
the Tiki
The solicitation was clear enough that it was a good jumping on point that I started getting the title with that issue.
GHOST RIDER #28
Written by JASON AARON
Penciled by TAN ENG HUAT
50/50 Covers by MARC SILVESTRI
“The Last Stand of the Spirits of Vengeance” The biggest GHOST RIDER arc in ages begins here, as long lost brothers turned enemies Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch finally come face to face. In the snow covered mountains of Tibet, Blaze and the all new Caretaker uncover a startling secret about the Ghost Rider. Or should I say, Ghost Riders. And that sets the stage for a battle to decide the fate of Heaven itself. Plus, a Ghost Rider Saga backup feature.
48 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
johnmayo wrote:
And isn't trying to make the story more accessible to readers a good thing?
I absolutely agree with your sentiment... I'm just being selfish.
the Tiki
I totally get where you are coming from on this. The backup feature had no value to you and you didn't like paying an extra dollar for it. I can't fault you for that.
That having been said, equating the backup feature which had actual value to other people with a sales gimmick like a "chromatic cover" seemed a bit unfair.
johnmayo wrote:
The solicitation was clear enough that it was a good jumping on point that I started getting the title with that issue.
GHOST RIDER #28
Written by JASON AARON
Penciled by TAN ENG HUAT
50/50 Covers by MARC SILVESTRI
“The Last Stand of the Spirits of Vengeance” The biggest GHOST RIDER arc in ages begins here, as long lost brothers turned enemies Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch finally come face to face. In the snow covered mountains of Tibet, Blaze and the all new Caretaker uncover a startling secret about the Ghost Rider. Or should I say, Ghost Riders. And that sets the stage for a battle to decide the fate of Heaven itself. Plus, a Ghost Rider Saga backup feature.
48 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
Touche' Mayo. Touche'.
You got me. But what I meant (but wrote it wrong) was the cover or the solicit (i.e. PR crap I see on internet sites) dictated, to my knowledge, as an open arm welcome to new readers. If there was something on a "Newsarama" that stated this then I missed it completely.
You got me. But what I meant (but wrote it wrong) was the cover or the solicit (i.e. PR crap I see on internet sites) dictated, to my knowledge, as an open arm welcome to new readers. If there was something on a "Newsarama" that stated this then I missed it completely.
johnmayo wrote:
You mean something like this or this?
OK. In all fairness the Newsarama article states the issue #28 being a starting point on the very last line. The CBR refers to the Danny Ketch Mini as a good place for a source (to understand GR #28).
johnmayo wrote:
You mean something like this or this?
OK. In all fairness the Newsarama article states the issue #28 being a starting point on the very last line. The CBR refers to the Danny Ketch Mini as a good place for a source (to understand GR #28).
Regardless, I still bow to you.
(bleep).
the Tiki
You bring up a good point about how Ghost Rider #28 may not have been t the best jumping on point for the Danny Ketch story arc. I think both the Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch miniseries and the Ghost Rider arc that start at #23 were also good places to potentially jump into the story.
I picked up this Ghost Rider issue and the first issue of the Danny Ketch mini. I liked them both, but not enough to put them on my list. Maybe down the road as back-issues.
The Jimmy Olsen special such a great read, it reminded me why I love James Robinson as a writer and why I am so glad he is back writing comics. The Superman books have never been this good in a long-time.
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