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Service Resumes
2007-11-27 09:11:13

Well, that was fun.

As most of you have no doubt surmised, the announcement regarding Marvel's new Digital Comics Unlimited program generated enough responses that our systems have been playing catch-up for the last week or two. Hey, blame it on the Hulk. But we seem to be back in business again around these quarters. (And for those who've asked, no, I don't know when the message boards will be back up; people are working on it.)

There were a couple trains of thought I had going before the interruption, but I think we're going to try to start fresh here again today; some of that stuff may come back up again in the posts ahead, depending on what happens to be on my mind, and whether I'm pressed for an idea. (I'll almost certainly speak a bit further on why Spider-Man is about Youth, since so many people seemed to get bent out of shape about that observation.)

Since we last met, I've been away for a little more than a week on a Thanksgiving break. During that time, this past Saturday, my family and I had the opportunity to stop by the home belonging to my brother Joe and his wife Jen. They live in this ancient wood-construction home in the suburbs of Philadelphia, complete with a small fish-pond out back and antique toiletries. Their home is in a kind of off-beat section of the neighborhood, as was proven out when we all made a trek down the street to stock up on some Diet Pepsi.

It was a sight to behold, even though we'd been warned about it by Jen beforehand: the local convenience store also doubles as a Halloween Costume Emporium. No kidding, you could find rubber severed heads hanging directly above the M & Ms. It was one of the strangest little stores I've ever been in, kind of musty with age, and eclectic mish-mash of different styles and items and ephemera.

It was like nothing so much as a vintage comic book store, one of the early ones that was kind of uninviting and bleak, yet somehow inexplicably well-loved. The sort of place where all manner of treasures could be hiding, waiting to be found, in the next box. Or on the next counter.

And they did have a spinner rack. It was only about half-stocked, but the books at least were new. I haven't seen an actual vintage metal spinner rack in a convenience store in what must be more than a decade, so this was something of a find. I imagine they can't be doing any great business off of it, but given the sort of clientèle most likely to go out for a ham on rye and a fake moustache, it wasn't at all out of place. And if you wanted a copy of NEW EXCALIBUR or AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, they had it!

More later. Welcome back.

Tom B

MDCU
I was kinda hoping you'd talk about Marvel's new online thing. I signed up for it, but I haven't seen any place to give feedback to anyone at Marvel.

Posted by CodeGuy on 2007-11-27 09:34:16

Hi Tom
This is a really cool blog, I've got to say....I guess I'm newest reader, Darn Hulk for shutting down the message boards. Anyway, Keep On Blogging, Tom.

Posted by fantasticthing on 2007-11-27 12:12:51

Hi codeguy,

The digitalcomics site is a great place to be but indeed it isn't yet perfect. :-) There IS a link on the top right to 'feedback'. I already posted some bugs using that link...

Am I by the way the only one who has a problem with the enormous amount of comics there? There is so much to read that I spent more time marking comics as 'Must Read' as opposed to actually reading. :-)

Posted by Zigy on 2007-11-27 13:03:26

Tom!
I spent several long moments last week reading back through all of your old posts, wonderful stuff.

And just to add onto the argument that every comic is somebody's first...

the one that hooked me was the 1995 Spider-Man super special...planet of the symbiotes part 2...yep.

It's funny, I loved that comic, it was the gateway and I fell through arms outstretched wide for me...

So, I just wanted to let you know that, that even the ones that you yourself have said weren't very good, that took so much time and stress to deal with, well, they added wonderful priceless moments to my life, so Thank-you.

Posted by Todd Michael Rogers on 2007-11-27 17:24:11

Tom!
your server ate my lost post, so assuming it doesn't show up I'm gonna attempt to retype it!

I spent the better part of last week going back through your archive and reading all your old posts, wonderful stuff, thank-you for taking time out of your day to interact with us, it feels wonderful.

Also, to add to te argument that every comic is somebody's first, mine was 1995's Spider-Man super special...planet of the symbiotes part 2...yep.

And I loved it, It was a gateway that I fell through arms reaching out for more.
And now I write comics!

So I just wanted to et you know, even though it was so stressful and what not to get those faux annuals out, it added so much enjoyment and priceless moments to my life, thank-you so much!

-mE!

Posted by Todd Michael Rogers on 2007-11-27 17:29:46

Okay
So now my once ill begotten post has decided to show up along with my retyped one.. Hey kids, can you spot the differences?

Posted by Todd Michael Rogers on 2007-11-27 17:31:26

"I'll almost certainly speak a bit further on why Spider-Man is about Youth, since so many people seemed to get bent out of shape about that observation"

Kick ass, Tom!

Posted by Dr. Chaos on 2007-11-28 00:01:51

Now it shows up..
I see what you mean, Todd.

Weird.

Posted by Dr. Chaos on 2007-11-28 00:04:40

7 days without Brevoort makes one weak.

Posted by bigdaddyhub2 on 2007-11-28 09:37:30

I want the marvel boards. NOW

Posted by Addicted2comiX on 2007-11-28 17:57:54

Array

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About this blog:
Ramblings and musings from the mind of Tom Brevoort. "It won’t be clean. It won’t be fun. It mostly won’t be coherent."

About the author:
Tom Brevoort is Executive Editor for Marvel Comics, and oversees such titles as New Avengers, Civil War, and Fantastic Four.


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