Movie promises to be “brutual enough for an R-rating” [source, io9 quoting Comic Book Movies quoting Marvel Source Avi Arad.
Whereupon lies the problem - an R rating has been seen as the signature death knell for a blockbuster movie. For example, the hideous editing done to DieHard4.0 in order to secure the coveted MA15 category. Or the Terminator 4 proposed PG to MA15 rating… or the ratings of Spiderman, Iron Man, Hulk, Punisher and Batman.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that comic book films are automagically destined for the MA to PG level of rating. I just don’t feel comfortable that the first shot Luke Cage has at the silver screen will be in a smaller niche than was presented to the rest of the Marvel franchise. Like it or not, Cage’s take will be judged against the PG-13 movies to determine “if audiences are ready for a black lead character in a comic book film”.
In fact, only the third Punisher film looks close enough to the money to be R-rated. Wolverine was toned down to a PG13 from a possible R rating, and if there’s one Canadian killing machine that would be well suited to non stop violence brutuality fest that’s worthy of an R rating… it’s Wolverine.
PG13 Wolverine versus R Rated Cage. Sales figures determine who lives for a sequel
There’s a lot of assumptions in comic book fandom about what’s important, what other people like, who reads what and what priorities people put on different factors.
Me? I like a little bit of numbers with my speculation. So with that in mind, I’d like to introduce to you all…
This debut issue of the Designated Survey is asking you to put some preferences down on what you want in a comic book, what’s important in comic book characters, and what makes a superhero outfit more than just a fancy dress costume?
Plus a couple of questions of what really matters when it comes to parting with money for four colour stories.
Links for spreading the survey around the place after the cut.
Five real ways blogging about comics has changed things in my life
1. I am a marketing lecturer. I teach marketing. I now think about the issues of race, gender, portrayals of gender, passive and active gender roles, stereotyping and the rest of the issues I’ve come to see in comics, over in my day job of teaching marketing to students who probably have never thought to question why all the examples in the text are white, middle class scenarios, and why everyone else is invisible.
2. Recognising I have white privilege (The Invisible Knapsack) and working towards doing something about it, and, in the industry I work in, doing something with it. Being a white male middle class intellectual with academic cred and long track record of speaking my mind freely because I’m a privileged white boy who sees no reason my voice shouldn’t be heard is a platform. Marketing could use a good dose of the stuff we’re dealing with in comics, and it may as well be me making the crossover, since if they’ll listen, we can start broadening the mindsets of marketers.
3. Parking the guilt, the anger and the rest of the crap, and just getting on with it. Somedays, being white and male isn’t all that’s grand. But for those hours, minutes or few fleeting seconds, they’re nothing to complain about, no reason to say “But white kids have it bad too” or generally be a defensive asshat when called on an issue. It also means that 24-7, I need to be aware. I don’t get days off to be privileged if I want to change. I don’t get time out if I’m serious about shifting me from what I was, to where I hope one day to be. And y’know what? It’s life. Cutting back on the privilege, taking steps back, having spaces you can’t access, having place your voice ain’t gonna be heard when you’re used to the opposite is a good start. I’ll never get it right, because if I want it to stop, it could.
4. Getting it wrong. When Alfred says the lines, “Why do we fall Master Bruce?”, I cry. Because it’s a moment cinema that speaks volumes to me, and those volumes are summed up poorly as “It’s okay if I get it wrong when I try, so long as I’m willing to actually be wrong, be corrected, and try again to do it right the next time”. I screw up. Until blogging for DS, working in a field where I am pretty bloody good at my job, I rarely screw up. I’ve had 50 conference papers accepted from 54 submissions over 10 years (and 20 from 23 in the last two years). The books and chapters I cowrite are accepted as “first draft, final draft”. Over here, at DS, I’m in new territory, and in territory where I am far from an expert, and just a guy finding his way in new terrain. (Okay, just a guy with a PhD and a willingness to learn)
5. It’s brought me back to comics. To be honest, before I started at DS, I was over comics. Now, I’m back into comics, reading far and wide, looking, learning, seeking out where people are doing it right, and learning how people are doing it wrong, why it’s happening, and how to change. It’s rekindled the love of the medium, and the burning desire for this medium that I love to be strong, to be successful and to be able to be shared with so many others.
Finally, the best part of this blogging run has been the day in, day out reminders that I don’t get a cookie for doing the right thing. Checking privilege, being less blind to rest of the world around me, and trying to do something about it has made a difference.
I am eternally grateful to the girl-wonder team from bringing me on squad, letting me have a slice of the G-W space, and not drowning me in Marvel crossovers.
I’m also grateful to the audience I have here at DS, particularly to people who debate, argue, and generally keep the comments thread alive during my routine absences (oh hai day job. IN UR STUDENT CONSULTATION, BLOGGING UR DS).
No, this ain’t a retirement or resignation letter. It’s a realisation as I started tackling teaching introduction to marketing to first years that the world of marketing they get to see is shaped in part by the world I’ve been lucky enough to be shown by Girl-Wonder and the bloggers, commentators and forum posters.
Now, I have to go corrupt the minds of youth. By semester’s end, they will be able to sing along to late 80s one hit wonders. I’m not all about the side of good you know.
I’m interested in talking to male bloggers who posted criticism or negative reviews about the Mary-Jane Watson statue, and the responses they received to their posts. I’d like to hear/read your opinion of how people reacted to what you had to say, types of commentary/feedback you received, and volume of commentary/feedback on the issue. If you have links to the posts you’d like to contribute that’d be helpful as well.
Drop me a line at designatedsidekick@gmail.com - if you want confidentiality or post up to the comments.
This is a rapid fire, non scientific approach for me to get some shared experience from fellow male comic book bloggers. From one male blogger to another, I want to swap notes on the incident, and people’s responses to your posts.
After the Mary Jane saga, I thought Sideshow’s inept approach to marketing couldn’t be beaten. Thanks for proving that was undue optimism. Chris, look, fanfic ain’t my thing, and this is a comics book blog, but I can’t watch a wounded company suffer.
In summary: Your marketing sucks.
Your site? I can’t say either way since I don’t write fanfic (if you exclude that Dr Seuss/marketing crossover one, and the Ice/Rogue/Pyro one). What I do know is marketing. You, despite your match practice at Yahoo! seemed to have forgotten a bit. The bit that starts with the words “the customer”.
Here’s a couple of freebies to remind you.
Do not attack the community you’re trying to recruit from - ever. You want to set up a commercial fanfic archive? You need fic readers and fic writers. Don’t hurt yourself by alienating them.
Do not spam LJs. Especially when you’ve got a reputation that’s ankle-locked on the LJ base. Dude, seriously, don’t jeopardise 6A and LJ by being a jerk over another project. You’ll regret the brand damage in the morning.
Take criticism from the people who are doing what you’re setting out to do. If the fanfic community is reacting badly, then you have a problem that they are identifying for you. For free. If your lawyers and expensive people couldn’t see those problems, you hired the wrong expensive people. Ask for a refund
Accept criticism. See if there’s a valid point. If there isn’t, don’t give the critic a valid point by being a jerk (or appearing like one, or whining in LJ posts). You’re tired? Tough. Cowboy the fuck up son. This is business, you’re in a gorram startup. Start acting like the leader of the company and lead from the front. Long hours? Don’t complain to the internet about long hours - chances are, we’re working crappy shifts and pulling overtime to get by. Then we get home and do this internet stuff in our limited spare time.
Above all, yes, you’re doing this for the money. NOBODY CARES HOW MANY HOURS YOU HAVE TO WORK FOR YOUR MONEY. Shut up, front up, and work for the pay cheque. Or do it for the love. Just don’t whine. Nobody likes an emo CEO with a pay cheque, options and an aversion to long hours.
Dude, seriously, you seem to be freaking because your beta test uncovered problems. That’s what a beta test and market test is about - test marketing to see where the errors are, finding bugs and patching systems. You have problems, you have unresolved bugs. Shouting ‘LA LA LA HOBBITS’ won’t help.
If you’re serious about providing a decent service, start with being a decent company. Do that by listening to the market you so very much are trying to emulate. Work with them, not against them.
Above all, if you’re planning on converting a large rich mine of freely devoted time, effort and love into something that gives you financial reward - don’t piss off the people who are providing the resource you’re trying to tap.
Yours Sincerely
Designated Sidekick
(Thanks to Stewardess’s LJ wrap up for the fast paced coverage)
