Board Demographics

Just curious how many relatively active posters are on the board and how do everyone's interests break down?

Do you read current comics, mostly older material, or a good selection of both?

Do you read mostly Marvel? DC? Independent? Everything?

Are there any current creators that you love most of their work or hate most of their work?

Are you more interested in discussing things you've read more recently or things from before that really made an impression?

Do you prefer discussions that focus on the positive, critically examine comics and trends, or something in the middle?

What do you like best about the board?

What do you feel are some challenges for the board?

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  • I probably read more current comics than older material but I have been getting more into older trades and archives recently and can see that switching in the fairly near future.

    I read mostly DC, Vertigo, and Image.

    Waid and Busiek are probably my favourite current authors, (although I'm not sure Busiek can be considered current anymore).  Morrison and Fraction are probably the current creators I find the most frustrating.

    In general, I'm more interested in discussing something I've recently read or reread.

    I think both positive and critical viewpoints add to discussions as long as no one takes it personally.

    I like the friendliness and variety of topics discussed on the board.

    I do find it a little frustrating that discussions often peter out fairly quickly.

  • I'd like there to be more Marvel and DC books that I'd like, but there aren't.  Admittedly, I set the bar a little high for both companies because so much of what they do is shameful and/or embarassing.

     

    The only Big Two comic I've been getting lately has been Gillen's Journey into Mystery, which ended very strongly.  This is dispite willingly immersing myself in the Marvel U for several years recently and then giving the New 52 a fair go.  For now, there are only a few comics of either company that I'll look out for collections of in my library, but I'm not buying any as monthlies.  I get more indies these days, but they don't add up to many titles.

     

    I've started using Comixology, and I can get collections of Image titles that have been making waves recently for very reasonable prices, so I'm happy to support them that way.  Monthlies are very expensive in Australia, so that has been 'putting downward pressure on my buying' as they say.

     

    Anyone who follows my posts would know that I get stuck into past runs quite deeply.  All sorts of stuff. 

     

    Often what I get stuck into will follow from some past reading experiences or fondly remembered comics, but I try to read them now as critically as possible, based on how they read now, rather than their nostalgic value.  It's much harder to critically appraise comics as they come out, for all sorts of reasons, so that's another point in favour of discussing old runs.

     

    Discussing a comic purely in terms of'how it fits into continuity makes my heart sink, as I'm sure has come across often.

     

    I don't believe in focusing on the positive as a first rule.  Yes, I tend only to go into depth with comics that I like, but I went into Green Lantern and Fables with an open mind, but then was fascinated by how they were appealing to people despite my finding them willfully pushing certain unhealthy agendas whilst pretending they were 'only common sense'.  I probably kept going there longer than I needed to for each of them, but... fascinating.  Having said that I don't believe in whining about comics being rubbish today if you can't come up with a better reason than that they are different now to how they used to be.

     

    It seems to be that focusing on the positive kills off certain very useful lines of exploration and discussion for comic series.  But then sometimes I devote 6 paragraphs of analysis to something that I found worth discussing in a comic, only for someone to throw in something along the lines of 'that writer sucks' as a contribution to the discussion.  Sheesh!  What I call 'Drive by criticism'.

     

    I like the friendliness of the board.  It probably does have a different feel to most other sites.  There is a certain amount of respect towards each other.

     

    The main challenge to the board is the limited number of participants.  There often just isn't that critical mass there to keep interesting and challenging conversations going about particular comics topics.  This is exacerbated by the fact that we all have different interests within the field.  Some are into old reprints from the 40s-50s.  Some follow DC and Marvels current big events closely.  Some of us are into particular creators - Kirby, Morrison, Moore or Mantlo, in my own case. 

     

    The Silver Age guys are a subset that show what the board would be like if more of us shared interests, as they do.  They have long, fairly detailed discussions, but although I love Silver Age comics I don't read them the same way they do.  (I wasn't 9 when they were first published for one thing, and for another, I generally couldn't give a hoot who inks them.  Its what the stories are saying that I'm into.)

     

    Another challenge to the 'feel' of the board is that the ethos of avoiding serious arguments means that sometimes fairly distasteful remarks or attitudes are let pass by the board so long as no-one was 'personally attacked'.  Sometimes the silence says a lot...

  • Do you read current comics, mostly older material, or a good selection of both?


    I read a mix of both. I do enjoy seeing the different ways the stories have been told over the years.

    Do you read mostly Marvel? DC? Independent? Everything?


    Again I read a mixture. Still DC dominates, then is number of titles: Image, Dark Horse, Marvel, and everything else.

    Are there any current creators that you love most of their work or hate most of their work?


    I like a lot of what Brubaker is doing. As well as Mark Waid and Scott Snyder. I have yet to read a Steven Niles book I have liked.

    Are you more interested in discussing things you've read more recently or things from before that really made an impression?


    I enjoy discussing I was I have recently read since it is still fresh on my mind. That is why there are a ton of discussions on that I don't participate at all since I just have general remembrance of what happened in a specific comic or story.

    Do you prefer discussions that focus on the positive, critically examine comics and trends, or something in the middle?


    I don't have a preference, I say let the discussion go where it organically goes. Specifically, I enjoy going into comics I like, just because I don't want to re-read a comic I didn't. Then again I think you have to know a reviewer's both likes and dislikes to get a good grasp on where they are coming from.

    What do you like best about the board?


    The general friendliness towards each other. Plus, that we can have so many non-comics discussions here.

    What do you feel are some challenges for the board?


    I think some discussions get bogged down in some bit of minutiae that just bores me to tears. That we aren't big enough that everyone's topics don't get more feedback on them. Guys like Emerkeith and Jeff of Earth-J put a lot of time into some their posts and reading, and then they just sit there. If I have something to add I will, but I rarely do because I haven't read what they are talking about. They keep trying though and kudos to them.

  • Aw, thanks, Travis.

    I read what I would call a good selection of old and new material. I keep trying to wean myself off of periodical comics, but I doubt I’ll ever be able to do so completely.

    It used to be the number of Marvel and DC titles I’d buy each week would roughly equal everything else combined, but I’ve managed to whittle my selections from the “Big Two” down to nearly nil. These days, my weekly take is more likely to be six titles representing six different companies including Marvel and DC.

    There have always been both writers as well as artists whose work I either follow religiously or refuse to buy, but these days there seem to be more that I refuse. I could name names, but what would be the point? Let’s keep this positive.

    I love discussing both old and new material, especially if I’ve read it recently. There are some stories/series/runs so cemented in my mind I don’t need to re-read them. I read most reactions to new material if I am interested in the title/characters at all, but if I haven’t the issue/series in question, I don’t usually offer any thoughts of my own.

    I think any critical discussion should include both the good and the bad. I think it’s possible to be positive, even while writing a negative review. Negative reviews do have their place; if there’s something out there I wouldn’t like but am considering, I want to be warned against it.

    What I like best about the board is the community. I’ve met many of you face-to-face and hope to meet more in the future. Even if I haven’t met you (yet), I feel as if I know each and every one of you (the more frequent posters, anyway) personally.

    I think the biggest challenge this board faces is getting more members. I really miss the days when posts were so fast and frequent it was difficult to even keep up even just reading them.

  • Do you prefer discussions that focus on the positive, critically examine comics and trends, or something in the middle?
    I'm ok with some of both. I don't mind critical comments or panning reviews...provided that they back it up with specific examples so that I may judge for myself. Example: Saying that Liebfield's art sucks is an opinion...but pointing out that all his muscled figures are the same overdevelope Cable clones like his Captain America figures...is something I can then agree or disagree with...and an image posted to show this difference or similarity makes the case. I'm always better when there are specific image, covers or issues cited.

     

    What do you like best about the board?
    The general upbeat ability to write tongue in cheek, humorous, or ability to get silly ONCE in a while...without repeating personal stories in detail again and again. (I know I'm in danger of doing just that when I talk about my first collection again.)

     

    What do you feel are some challenges for the board?
    I think it would be easier to read some posts if spell check was built into the board (but I think individual posters either know how to spell...or can make it clear what they mean...or have spellcheck on their terminal program, or not). I prefer posters who write in complete sentences...with few parenthetical comments... so that I can flow their flow of thought.
    I'll have to think more about challenges....

  • GUYS, MY EDITOR IS SCREWING UP...I CAN'T BOLD MY ANSWERS AND INSERTING COMMANDS IS DELETING WHOLE QUESTIONS. SORRY FOR DOUBLE POSTING HERE....

    Just curious how many relatively active posters are on the board and how do everyone's interests break down?
    I'm Guessing that there's about a dozen to two dozen active posters. Do I win a prize? (Don't send me no ning, either!)

    Do you read current comics, mostly older material, or a good selection of both?
    I don't know if it's a "good" selection, but I buy about 10 Marvels each month, and review/reread buy Marvel masterworks from the Silver Age. (Hello Mr. Silver Age: Are your Ears burning?)

    Do you read mostly Marvel? DC? Independent? Everything?
    Mostly Marvels with a few independants when a known, major creator is involved: Byrne, Stern, Busik, Bendis, Brubaker, etc.

    Are there any current creators that you love most of their work or hate most of their work? See above...Byrne, Stern, Dan Slott, Kevin Busik, John Romita Junior, Paul Smith, Ditko's classics, Jack Kirby, etc.

    Are you more interested in discussing things you've read more recently or things from before that really made an impression?
    Some of both...as I'm quiet knowledgable about Silver Age Marvels, most of my comments revolve around that area...but I enjoy hearing other people's expertise and focus and sometimes they turn me onto something really good.

  • What do I like best about the board?

    That we have the freedom and the comfort to horse around...joke, or poke fun at one another at times. I can usually tell when someone is departing form their normal tone of voice to plant their tongue firmly in cheek, or to kid me.  I enjoy that sense of commardre and brotherhood.  While most of the posts are formal, we let our hair down at times and enjoy it without taking everything on the board or topics TOO seriously....

  • Do you read current comics, mostly older material, or a good selection of both?

    My current comics purchases have gone way down, but my purchases of collections of old and recent material have gone up.

    Do you read mostly Marvel? DC? Independent? Everything?

    I wouldn't say "everything", but quite a cross section of DC, Vertigo, Wildstorm reprints, and the smaller publishers.

    Are you more interested in discussing things you've read more recently or things from before that really made an impression?

    Except for selected reprint collections, my actual comic book collection is long-since sold, so I tend to comment on things that either are in my reprints or things that jog a clear memory of past comics I've read.

    Do you prefer discussions that focus on the positive, critically examine comics and trends, or something in the middle?

    I think discussions that are both positive and critical are good, but over-the-top praise or criticism tends to make people tune out.

    What do you like best about the board?

    As others have said, there is a general feeling of friendliness.

    What do you feel are some challenges for the board?

    Can the board tell how many of these individual members look at the site? This may be tough because it's not necessary to log in to view threads. As of today, there are 415 members, of which a relative handful post. I think the biggest challenge is how to encourage more participation.

  • Do you read current comics, mostly older material, or a good selection of both? Both

    Do you read mostly Marvel? DC? Independent? Everything? If it sounds like it might be good, I'll give it a shot.

    Are there any current creators that you love most of their work or hate most of their work? There are writers and artists I've read/seen more than enough of.  There are others that continue to deliver on a regular basis.

    Are you more interested in discussing things you've read more recently or things from before that really made an impression? Once again, both.

    Do you prefer discussions that focus on the positive, critically examine comics and trends, or something in the middle?  I love comics, but I'm not a cheerleader.  There's good and bad in everything.

    What do you like best about the board?  I don't know how long I've been here, but by and large the main thing I appreciate is that there's intelligent, polite discussion.  I like and appreciate how civil people here tend to be towards one another, especially when there's a difference of opinion that people feel strongly about.

    What do you feel are some challenges for the board? It's been said before, but I think there are a lot of people who are intimidated by the knowledge on this board, and they shouldn't be.  Everyone here was new once, everyone here went through a period where they had little knowledge, and everyone here has their own level of interest and time to devote to this hobby of ours.

    That said, I'd love to see more "Who'd win in a fight? Green Arrow or Captain Ultra?" threads, as things like that are quite fun.  Sometimes I do think we get bogged down and a bit too serious about things, and some more silliness is never a bad thing.

    So, Tintin or Spider Jerusalem? ;D

  • See what I did there?  I'm talking about spell check, like it will fix all mistakes, and then I go and substitute a real word that sounds like or is very similar to the one that I mean...and post it, and spellcheck ignors it. (But I hope that people can tell what I meant...I'm writing at work, between walk arounds by the Boss, and so I read a little, post a little quickly, get back to work...take a break... repeat the cycle...)

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