I just realized that it has been 2 and a half years since our last Q & A thread with Cory Sedlmeier. And also realize it has been a while since we've heard from him on the boards.
I miss Cory.
Seriously though, upon reading a lot of DC Archives, I already had a lot of respect for Cory before, but my respect level has quadrupled when comparing the Masterworks line to that line in terms of reproduction and compilations and overall excellence... And I think it was that realization that made me kinda glum that we haven't seen him poke his head on to the boards in a while. Yes, I know he is super-busy, and we all want him to continue working at what he does best. But still, I can pine away, can't I?
So I thought I would start a little Questions thread in hopes of luring him back on to these boards and answering some burning questions from Masterworks fans. This could be a growing list, that when he ever gets a break or wants to check in that he could pick and choose and answer some when he has a chance.
Okay cool, I'll start:
1) Now that we are entering the seventies in a lot of the core volumes - what upcoming storylines/issues are you looking forward most to collecting in Masterworks format?
2) Have the price increases affected your plans for the Masterworks line at all (for example, adding a couple extra issues to certain volumes for more generous page counts or steering clear of chancier material) or is it business as usual as far you are concerned?
3) For 2013, can we expect the same output as 2012? (12 Marvel Age, 3 Golden Age, 3 Atlas Age).
4) Will the next couple of the years potentially see another volume of predominantly eighties material (joining Uncanny X-Men)? Or do we have enough forties, fifties, sixties and seventies material to keep you occupied for a while?
5) What are your thoughts on an Uncanny X-Men companion line to capture the various X-Men limited series and one-shots?
6) We didn't get any new #1's in 2012 in Marvel, Atlas or Golden (with the possible exception of the December Marvel Age announcement). Will we be seeing more #1's in 2013? Care to let us know how many?
7) A couple Rarities volumes in 2013 perchance?
8) I was curious, are Masterworks a little more immune to lower sales than other reprint volumes because the work that is done can be re-used in future Omnibus and TP releases?
9) Any hope of some of the OOP hardcovers going BTP in the next couple years? Any thoughts at all on a Deluxe Masterworks line that slowly restarts at the beginning? A special edition, with additional extras, intros from creators and historians before each issue that speak directly to that issue, a timeline showing what was going on historically as well as what was being released by Marvel at the time and maybe even the competitors with brief synopsis, complete reprinted contents including letters pages and possibly ad pages, maybe in a 4-up like they did in the Superman DC Archives. With all the major #1s out of print (Amazing Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Avengers, Doctor Strange and so on), it seemed like a fun idea that could leverage the work that 's already been done. And it seems those early issues tend to sell out in the hardcover format no matter how many times you reprint them. The first Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four Masterworks volume have sold out of seven printings and the first Fantastic Four Omnibus has sold out twice already. Seems like there is more money to be made in keeping these early issues in print. (This didn't turn out to be a question rather than an outright plea, but...)
10) With the lower output of Golden Age and Atlas Age, should we expect to see more continuations of existing lines, or can we expect to see some new titles introduced into the mix?
Okay, ten seems like a good number... anybody else have any other questions to ask? I know, I know, this isn't an official thread, but what can it hurt?
I miss Cory.
Seriously though, upon reading a lot of DC Archives, I already had a lot of respect for Cory before, but my respect level has quadrupled when comparing the Masterworks line to that line in terms of reproduction and compilations and overall excellence... And I think it was that realization that made me kinda glum that we haven't seen him poke his head on to the boards in a while. Yes, I know he is super-busy, and we all want him to continue working at what he does best. But still, I can pine away, can't I?
So I thought I would start a little Questions thread in hopes of luring him back on to these boards and answering some burning questions from Masterworks fans. This could be a growing list, that when he ever gets a break or wants to check in that he could pick and choose and answer some when he has a chance.
Okay cool, I'll start:
1) Now that we are entering the seventies in a lot of the core volumes - what upcoming storylines/issues are you looking forward most to collecting in Masterworks format?
2) Have the price increases affected your plans for the Masterworks line at all (for example, adding a couple extra issues to certain volumes for more generous page counts or steering clear of chancier material) or is it business as usual as far you are concerned?
3) For 2013, can we expect the same output as 2012? (12 Marvel Age, 3 Golden Age, 3 Atlas Age).
4) Will the next couple of the years potentially see another volume of predominantly eighties material (joining Uncanny X-Men)? Or do we have enough forties, fifties, sixties and seventies material to keep you occupied for a while?
5) What are your thoughts on an Uncanny X-Men companion line to capture the various X-Men limited series and one-shots?
6) We didn't get any new #1's in 2012 in Marvel, Atlas or Golden (with the possible exception of the December Marvel Age announcement). Will we be seeing more #1's in 2013? Care to let us know how many?
7) A couple Rarities volumes in 2013 perchance?
8) I was curious, are Masterworks a little more immune to lower sales than other reprint volumes because the work that is done can be re-used in future Omnibus and TP releases?
9) Any hope of some of the OOP hardcovers going BTP in the next couple years? Any thoughts at all on a Deluxe Masterworks line that slowly restarts at the beginning? A special edition, with additional extras, intros from creators and historians before each issue that speak directly to that issue, a timeline showing what was going on historically as well as what was being released by Marvel at the time and maybe even the competitors with brief synopsis, complete reprinted contents including letters pages and possibly ad pages, maybe in a 4-up like they did in the Superman DC Archives. With all the major #1s out of print (Amazing Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Avengers, Doctor Strange and so on), it seemed like a fun idea that could leverage the work that 's already been done. And it seems those early issues tend to sell out in the hardcover format no matter how many times you reprint them. The first Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four Masterworks volume have sold out of seven printings and the first Fantastic Four Omnibus has sold out twice already. Seems like there is more money to be made in keeping these early issues in print. (This didn't turn out to be a question rather than an outright plea, but...)
10) With the lower output of Golden Age and Atlas Age, should we expect to see more continuations of existing lines, or can we expect to see some new titles introduced into the mix?
Okay, ten seems like a good number... anybody else have any other questions to ask? I know, I know, this isn't an official thread, but what can it hurt?
