So every once in a while I check the sales figures for the various months. Mostly I check to see how books I like are performing. Especially Marvel books which have to perform better than most books to keep seeing the light of day. It’s been my experience that any book out of the top 50 in sales is in danger. It didn’t look good when one of my favorite books The Guardians of the Galaxy was hovering in the high 60’s midway through the year. It looks even worse now that the October figures have come in and now the book is sitting in the 80’s. Not good.
Those of you who are enjoying the book I thank you, it’s good isn’t it? But I want to talk to those Star Wars fans out there, or the Legionnaires fans out there. I have a special message for each of you.
Dear Star Wars fan,
Hey hey now, I know what your saying, this isn’t Star Wars I know… But look, the characters are cooler than you think. First off there is Star Lord Peter Quill, he’s cool like Han Solo but without a Wookiee and a much cooler gun. He’s tough, durable and a man of action. He’s carrying a lot on his shoulders and has dedicated his life to saving the universe. This is a ragtag group of warriors and mentalists, I know it’s missing a Jedi but it does have an Adam Warlock (I think).
All kidding aside Guardians of the Galaxy will appeal to your strong sense of adventure o’ Star Wars fan. The threat to the universe that they face is palatable, and the real sense of danger is ever present, it really is a good book. There is something to be said about a book that not everyone is paying attention to, the writers typically get a little more wiggle room. All I’m saying is that there aren’t that many Star Wars books coming out each month that you don’t have room for one more book, just make it Guardians of the Galaxy.
Dear Legionnaires fan,
So all the craziness is over and your looking to get back to normal. Could I offer you more craziness instead? Adam Warlock turns into the magus and people start dying. Even in victory there is sadness and defeat. The stakes are never higher and the characters will to survive each day is sorely tested. Your only 20 issues out which isn’t that bad in comic book terms.
DC doesn’t corner the market on space tales and the jury is out on who is doing it better these days which is good for you. While Blackest Night dominates the comic shop all I’m saying is that there is a diamond in the rough that is really good all of the time instead of a few times a year.
Look at it this way, comic magic happens when two or three guys are left to their own devices and that’s what is happening right now more or less. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning are re-imagining the landscape of the Marvel universe, literally. What they have done so far is nothing short of breath taking and all I’m asking is that you come be a part of it. From the death of Lilandra to the rise and fall of the Kree Empire, so much has happened in such a short time.
I’ll leave you with this, if you don’t pay attention to what’s going on in space now, then you’ll be completely blindsided when it bleeds over into the comics you do read. Plus the book has a talking, gun toting, cigar smoking, raccoon.
