Is anyone else sick of Marvel's constant crossover 'events'?

Question

First House of M, now Civil War. I've got dozens of unread books because I can't figure out what order they should all be read. An event now and again is OK, but don't try to get me buying third rate books like Spider-woman or whatever because it's part of the crossover.

Answer 1

Heck, I got fed up with them back at Onslaught - I could only afford a few books, not half of Marvel's monthly catalogue!

Everyone is trying to top (or at least, equal) Crisis on Infinite Earths by DC decades ago, and instead they tend to wind up long, convoluted, difficult to follow, and (worse still) expensive.

In Now Comics "Quantum Quartet" (Fantastic Four done with Married With Children for those who missed that little gem) the team were offered insurance for (among other items) the annual summer destruction of the universe - and Marvel has been doing that for years, with the stories getting (at least physically) bigger and bigger, until Onslaught when half the Marvel Universe got involved.

Recently DC got on board with critically acclaimed stories that I couldn't afford to buy all of (Infinite Crisis, Identity Crisis, 52, One Year Later...), Marvel refused to be trumped and came up with House Of M, and now Civil War.

It is interesting to see an event that would actually affect every single title, but these companies are forgetting the smaller buyers, who only want, can only afford, or can only follow a small amount of monthly titles.

It could very easily lead to a backlash of people leaving and going to other companies. In fact, I think it has already happened in the past.

And how will Marvel react to this? Probably put Spider-Man in another new costume that won't last but will be traded to another character (Venom, Scarlet Spider, Spider-Girl, the Slingers...).

And DC will change the entire history of their universe. Again. (Crisis On Infinite Earths, Zero Hour, Infinite Crisis...)

(Added later) The best way to do a Cross-Over Event was done by DC back in the 80s with the 3 month event Invasion. The story affected all the "current"-timeline titles (i.e. Superman yes, Legion of Superheroes no) with the "Invasion" banner on the top, dealing with that title's hero/team in the fight against the various alien invaders, with a monthly title dedicated to winding all of it together. So if you only got JLA, Batman, Green Lantern and Aquaman, you only needed to buy JLA (which briefly covered what Wonder Woman was doing separately), Batman, Green Lantern (where he briefly crosses paths with Captain Atom on his way somewhere else), Aquaman and Invasion:Aftermath (details given only for example - I don't know exact details).

In other words, you could follow the story and only needed to buy one extra issue per month, unless you wanted to follow any other part of the storyline - but there was no compulsion or necessity to do so.

THAT'S how to do a company-wide event!

Answer 2

I used to get sucked into buying all the books too. I've decided that I'm only buying the parts of the crossover that I read every month anyway. If I can't understand the story or get the gist of it from them then it's not that good a story line anyway. Who can afford to buy every book that comes out every week in order to keep up with a story? I think part of the reason they do it is too pump up sales for a smaller book. But it doesn't work on me. I don't think there has ever been a crossover that has made me add a title that I wasn't reading before the event started.

Answer 3

I haven't followed Marvel's crossover events. The Infinite Crisis story was good. I read the OMAC and Day of Vengence mini-series. I thought that they were very interesting and followed Infinite Crisis and enjoyed it.

52 is pretty good and very readable. I am looking forward to Justice League of America when it hits stores next week and the Trials of Shazam mini-series by Judd Winick since Captain Marvel has become a major player in Day of Vengence.

Answer 4

Yes .. thank you . I hate having to read 50 different titles just to get the mainstream continutiy on one of them .. I dont mind small crossover events .. like maybe 2 months that cross like 2 or 3 tittles (Teen Titans - Outsiders "insiders" arc). But the big ones are too much. I think just have the main title and leave the others alone . (that being said it would be difficult to do).

Answer 5

I kinda of like it (please don't hit me). It's nice to know that all our favourite heroes know each other and interact. I have all House of M and Avengers Disassembled material, just waiting for Decimation and Civil War. It is a bit hard to keep track and wouldn't mind the characters returning to their own thing.
You gotta remember these events affect everyone which is why they cover all the books. When Civil War is done maybe the heroes will disband and return to their seperate pages. As for the third rate books, don't buy them. Just follow your favourite heroes and use www.marvel.com to follow characters you rarely hear of.

Answer 6

I read a JLA book recently, a big apocalyptic thing... it was pants, there were too many characters in it to really trace who was who, and who was doing what... it's as if the plot writers just wanted to show off one powerful hero after another, a kind of huge ego trip... I read it to the end, but it wasn't fun.

So, yes, you could say I'm sick of that kind of comic book- even after a single read! High quality stories about a single character and how they live are a much better waste of my time ;)

Answer 7

I've never really gotten into the recent ones. I think the last one that sucked me in was "Atlantis Attacks" the themed storyline across all of their annuals.

Though Civil War has thrown up a few little gems in the books I collect regularly anyway.

Answer 8

Heal thyself. under no circumstances say they make you ill. Say they convey about exhilaration into your existence reason you aren't any further one among them. i comprehend many dems & i appreciate them a lot using appreication i'm getting from the comparison the idiots supply me. The Reid tale isn't new. So enable it purely pick the flow purchase & no longer get into your ability feild. What are you able to do help the dems. there's a race happening in Mass. i imagine & the dems are calling human beings up there reason the right wing is spreading all kinds of lies. So in case you want to do some thing accessible digital mail me & i'll inform you the thanks to become in contact. in the interim, purely stay functional. Getting ill is for republicans. we are the healthful human beings. So stay established contained in the coolest. they are the social gathering of NO, & hate & warfare & negativity. So my answer is not any, i do not care in any respect about their nagging. What nagging? enable them shop it to themselves. they are depressing human beings.

Answer 9

I was annoyed by things like Supergirl and Spiderwoman and Batwoman and Catman and whatever else they've come up with, because it's pathetic and an obvoius attempt at getting more money.

Answer 10

Yeah I stopped buying comics all together because of it.