Robert Kirkman vs. Brian Michael Bendis: From Baltimore Comic-Con!
It all began when fan-favorite writer and new Image Comics partner Robert Kirkman posted a video manifesto calling on more established comic book creators to leave Marvel and DC Comics behind and make creator-owned comics. That lead to a pointed response from fan-favorite writer and Marvel Comics mainstay Brian Michael Bendis on the Word Balloon podcast.
And then the comic book internet world ripped in half.
On September 27, 2008 Robert Kirkman and Brian Michael Bendis met face-to-face on a dias at the Baltimore Comic-Con to bring the debate in person and in front of a standing room only crowd. They discussed everything from their own impoverished beginnings in creator-owned comics to the current sales of their own work to the effect that mainstream exposure has on independent work. It's the most talked about comic book panel of the year!
Who do you think won the debate?
No transcript created yet. Check back soon.
Started discussion: October 1, 2008 @ 12:31pm GMT
Episode 90 - Robert Kirkman vs. Brian Michael Bendis: From Baltimore! [Discussion]
Robert Kirkman and Brian Michael Bendis meet face to face in Baltimore to debate creator-owned comics!
Watch or download the episode here!
It all began when fan-favorite writer and new Image Comics partner Robert Kirkman posted a video manifesto calling on more established comic book creators to leave Marvel and DC Comics behind and make creator-owned comics. That lead to a pointed response from fan-favorite writer and Marvel Comics mainstay Brian Michael Bendis on the Word Balloon podcast.
And then the comic book internet world ripped in half.
On September 27, 2008 Robert Kirkman and Brian Michael Bendis met face-to-face on a dias at the Baltimore Comic-Con to bring the debate in person and in front of a standing room only crowd. They discussed everything from their own impoverished beginnings in creator-owned comics to the current sales of their own work to the effect that mainstream exposure has on independent work. It's the most talked about comic book panel of the year!
I keep feeling like people are arguing points that Kirkman isn't even bringing up and it's frustrating.
Also it was cool to see paper, madmarvelgirl and of course the bear hug at the end.
iFanboy!
Awesome, awesome, awesome that you guys got to post the video. Hope it brings lots of new people aboard. (If you're one of those, welcome aboard and check out the cool columns at iFanboy.com)Great seeing this but I think the lack of trade numbers would make a big difference because if I'm reading Bendis stuff and really liking it I would most likely buy the first TRADE of Powers to check it out, not a random single issue. So my theory is that mainstream stuff does boost the other projects of the creators but most likely the difference would show up in the trades. (based on no figures, internet or otherwise).
I think it's hard to seriously argue that the name recognition involved in writing a Big Two book *doesn't* help creator-owned sales, up to a certain point. The real question Kirkman seems to be raising is when creators should stop relying on that boost and just go make their own books. That's a good question, and it's hard to answer.
Both men have said creators should do creator owned work when they're hot, while they're doing mainstream. That's when to guide the fans to your other work.
Kirkman was talking about directional trends in books and it showed that it doesn't matter whether you use internet numbers for that.
But regardless, I think they're both making two separate points in two separate arguments. Bendis seemed to make most of his argument about starting out, and Kirkman is mostly talking about people already famous. Which are very different scenarios. Oh well.
A really good panel, nice episode, but I'm pretty much over the Kirkman Manifesto.
View by:
People Who Watched This Episode Also Watched...
Advertisement
