I try to come up with a gag or reference for each of your names, I really do.
So before I get into part two of revisiting your predictions for 2014, Interstate Shogun did check in to follow up on his personal prediction from last year, so be sure to give it a read.
And again, add your 2015 comic industry predictions to the pile for me to go through next year, assuming I survive that long.
ONWARD:
Brian blessed us with the following fortunes:
“1. DC will follow Marvel’s recent lead of stopping sales of periodical ‘floppies’ on the newsstand & in bookstores, leading to the collapse of that classic practice industrywide within a few years.”
You know, I haven’t the foggiest. I suppose I’d have heard about it if DC pulled out of newsstand distribution. I do suppose bookstore distribution of comic periodicals is probably on its way out, as you suggest, unless some drastic format change comes to make carrying these things worth everyone’s time, versus just going trade paperback/hardcover only in those stores.
“2. Marvel will continue to spread into different genres in movies & television by having as its second show on ABC a comedy: DAMAGE CONTROL, positioned as ‘blue collar S.H.I.E.L.D.’ and taking advantage of the fans’ zeitgeist over the damage done in big-budget superhero films.”
Given one of the complaints about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (does the TV show actually have all the little periods in the title? I’m too lazy to Google it up and check) is that precious few recognizable Marvel heroes pop up in the show, and all the ones you would want to see are Silver Screen Only, a Damage Control TV show might be even more frustrating. That said, I’m surprised that Damage Control hasn’t popped up in some form somewhere, as a humorous side-plot in one of Marvel’s TV shows or movies. Or maybe it has…I’m so far behind on my TV watching, you guys.
“3. DC’s move to California will lead to a demarcation of NYCC and SDCC as the de facto ‘Marvel Convention’ and ‘DC Convention’ as the two are able to pull out all the stops at the two close-to-home genre extravaganzas while the other would have to travel cross-country.”
Too soon to tell about this, I think. I will have to plan to make my Camarillo comic show the “Sterling Silver Comics Con,” however.
Andrew Leal loyally revealed
“1. IDW’s Rocky and Bullwinkle comic (HOORAY) will either a) bring joy into many hearts and surpass previous achievements in the art of comic book punnery or b) single-handedly re-ignite the Cold War, break off friendly relations with Canada, and cause certain right-wing pundits to decry a dog legally owning a small child.”
Well, I think people decried the Sherman and Peabody movie, but that’s probably not what you meant. I liked the Rocky and Bullwinkle comic, anyway!
“2. The success of BATMAN 66 will lead to SUPERMAN ’52, and the long-awaited Aunt Harriet/Professor Pepperwinkle cross-over.”
We got Wonder Woman ’77, so there’s hope yet!
“3. In the wake of DC UNIVERSE ONLINE and MARVEL HEROES, Classic Media and Sony will launch DATELINE: HARVEYVILLE. At last, you can raid Richie Rich’s vaults as Little Audrey, go PVP as either Baby Huey or Little Lotta, and see the epic carnage of the all-star battle against a rampaging Stumbo.”
Sadly, didn’t happen. But let’s be honest, would there be anything better than playing as Little Lotta, destroying everything in your path? …Well, maybe playing at Hot Stuff and shooting everyone with your flame-throwing pitchfork.
Robert in New Orleans jazzes things up with
“1. By the end of 2014, every issue Marvel Comics publishes will have a ‘#1’ on the cover somewhere.”
If not now, then soon.
“2. At the end of 2014, Doc Ock’s mind will still control Peter Parker’s body.”
Not in regular continuity, but Superior Spider-Man is running around in this Spider-Verse storyline, if I recall correctly
“3. Swamp Thing will continue to be appear in comics throughout 2014, but midway through the year his own title will be relaunched with a new ‘#1’ and a new title: Swamp Bat.”
Just barely…Swampy’s title is ending soon, but I think he’ll still be in Justice League Dark. And don’t say “Swamp Bat” so loud…DC might hear you.
William Burns turns up the heat with
“1. Without JH Williams’s involvement, Batwoman will be cancelled.”
Cancelled it is, though even with J.H. Williams, Batwoman wasn’t selling all that great, far as I could tell. I mean, I liked it, but I’m a person of refined tastes, as you know.
“2. Hoping to follow up on Kevin Keller’s success, Archie Comics will introduce a transgender character.”
It really feels like that I’ve read something along these lines, though maybe I’m misremembering. It really does say something about how far Archie has come to see this as an absolute possibility. My Googling did nothing, alas, except turn up a lot of anti-Archie blogging from folks who can’t stand the idea of anyone not like them being treated as actual human beings worthy of respect, which is a little sad. Anyway, if it hasn’t happened yet, I’m sure Archie will do it soon.
“3. ‘Judge Parker: The Eduardo Barreto Years’ archival reprint is announced, to the delight of breast fans everywhere.”
Not yet it seems. I remember being disappointed to find out Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez was leaving Atari Force, only to find out his replacement, Eduardo Barreto, wasn’t half-bad his own self. Quite the talented fella, that Eduardo.
Mike Baehr bears down with
“1. Amazon will make an aggressive move to try and take dominance of the digital comics market away from comiXology”
I’d say Amazon buying comiXology qualifies.
“2. More examples of monstrous behavior by individuals in the industry will come to light, followed by more half-assed insincere apologies and lack of real consequences beyond internet scolding; relatedly, the glass ceiling in editorial at Marvel & DC will remain intact”
Sadly, probably all still true, though in one case this year an actual permanent-seeming consequence did arise in response to deplorable behavior.
And as far as glass ceilings go, so long as events like this continue to garner positive response, those ceilings can’t go uncracked for long. Let’s hope, anyway.
“3. Dan Clowes and Charlie Kaufman begin co-writing a screenplay about a plagiarizing movie star”
A plagiarizing movie star? That’s too crazy…who’d ever believe it?
“Bonus 2015 prediction: Jaime Hernandez sweeps all the applicable major comics awards for the collection of The Love Bunglers (out this Spring, cough cough)”
Featured as a Best Book over at Publisher’s Weekly, so that’s something! Though frankly Jaime and Gilbert should be winning all the awards all the time.
demoncat4 pays tribute to his previous three lives with
“after forever evil dc will do a crossover where all the bad guys vanish and the heroes deal with a dc universe of no evil.”
That would have been kind of hilarious, but did not come to pass, really. The Multiversity entry The Just was kind of like that, with the superpowered sons and daughters of superheroes trying to carry on a mock-superheroic tradition in world where all adversity had been long ago been conquered by their parents.
“2 marvel will wind up bringing a new rom back to their comics.”
I bet if Marvel could somehow clear up the Rom rights, a new Rom series would be kind of cool, actually. Nothing yet, though!
“more comic industry bad behavior at cons will come to light with more top names confessing and trying to say sorry.”
Nothing specific about con behavior I can recall, but I haven’t been keeping track, either. But in general…yeah, there’s a lot of behavior out there that people need to feel apologetic for, but probably don’t, and more’s the pity.
Erik…uh, Erik, um…look, I can’t have a joke for every name:
“DC’s New 52 status quo will continue to be trashed online, will sell just fine. I will continue to read the trades at the local library and be glad I spent my money on worthwhile things, like candy and cigarettes.”
Some New 52 sells okay, some does not (hence the recent cancellation of a dozen books), and DC’s always getting trashed online regardless of what they’re doing, so What Can You Do? I have no idea how you’ve been spending your money over the last year, though, so you’ll have to tell us. (NOTE TO SELF: carry candy and cigarettes at the new shop)
Bully stuffs us all with love by predicting
“The Punisher will shoot someone.”
If by “shoot” you mean “hug” then…no, not in the slightest. If you did mean “shoot,” then, well, whoa nelly did he ever.
See you next time, with more semi-researched responses to your forecasts!
“I red some predictions penned by Erik”.
Erik the Viking, obviously. It is always a good time for a Handmade Films reference.
yay i won!
“Brian blessed us”
Snicker!!!
“Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez was leaving Atari Force, only to find out his replacement, Eduardo Barreto”
oh, they were both GREAT!!