nakamachi wrote:
Batmite wrote:

I agree, especially since MMs and classic reprints in general has been on the way down for a few years now, so totally 100% about demand, 
and at the same time, and by experience, I do have faith in Marvel capacity to reinvent its formats, so the end will never really be the end, just a new beginning, and in a way that is what Epic really is.




I think demand is key, but I don't think I would be as cynical to say demand is 100% what it's all about, maybe it's more like 65% about demand. I think Cory and other editors at Marvel really do love the work and wish to do everything possible to please the fans and grab their interest and I think at times that may mean a few titles that may not have the biggest fan interest but perhaps a strong core following will make it through, in this way they can generate more excitement in the line as a whole and provide a more well rounded collection rather than just printing the most popular 10 or 12 titles only. 
And adding to that, Marvel seem to have a genuine interest in transfering all of its comics to digital, as well as restoring all MA comics for other reprint formats,
I have no doub that SC MM and Epic will not be the only reprint venues for MM.
I also think they have been fairly careful to move the line forward in a holistic fashion, which is why I doubt that they will allow Cap, Hulk, DD and Iron Man to fall too far behind. So if those titles don't become annual I would guess we will probably see a few more catch up volumes like they did with DD volume 8. Iron Man is actually about at the same time period as Avengers and Thor since the last volume was so big. IM volume 9 map can be skipped since the remaining 2 issues will just be added to vol 10. So I think they want the whole line to move forward in relatively the same 3 - 4 year window chronologically. Also once that window moves past a title chronologically I think they are passing it over. So I wouldn't expect any monster titles for quite some time.

There is also the possibility all titles might become not annual, but a some what looser release date, anywhere between 14 and 18 months,  that would allow
Cory to sneek in the occasional #1 volume, and so far we have been getting a new #1 every year.

Also I think they do want to continue to bring out new titles to generate more excitement, but since the schedule is fairly full now and I suspect we may be seeing more of Hulk, Cap and DD, perhaps we may see a new title every other year or every year and 1/2 instead of annually. New slots will open as CM and SM and others close out but it will be very slow. It may not matter though since new titles from the late 70s and early 80s seem to have much less interest.

I am still on the fence to see if we are really going to get 80s titles as MM any time soon, I would think Wolverine will continue as Omnibus for now and 
the New Mutants already collected as TPB will eventualy be Omnibus as well, ditto for Alpha Flight.

So, Demand = 2/3, Fan excitement and interest = 1/6, and chronological movement = 1/6 (that's my guess). Although I think chronilogical ties may begin to break up in the 80s.

Just thinking as I am writing this, what if.... Marvel were to start a side line of HC reprints for the lesser titles? It could be even by-monthly with fewer pages.