Hindsight is 20/20.

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From a mid-1980s distributor newsletter for retailers, giving suggestions on ordering levels and potential sales for forthcoming comics:


The artist on this issue? I’ll let H at the Comic Treadmill clue you in, in case you don’t already know.

Actually, I sorta preferred this period of this particular artist’s work, come to think of it.

Progressive Ruin brings you higher education.

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  • Thanks for playing along with the Sluggo/Swamp Thing vote posts from the last couple of days. I needed something light and silly to improve my mood, and you all really came through. Your comments from day one and day two were, by and large, very funny and silly and right in tune with the tone of the posts. You’re a bunch of swell folks, and don’t let anyone tell you any different.
  • At long last, after nearly four decades of existence on this planet, I’ve finally contributed something positive to society. You may recall this post, where I questioned the physics involved in flinging Rex the Wonder Dog from a quicksand pit up onto a high ledge. Well, said panels and the potentially problematic physics therein have been pondered by honest-to-goodness college professors, as well as used as an instructional tool in an actual college class.

    Thanks to reader Walaka for making my day!

  • Tim O’Neil is continuing his discussion of the ’90s comics market, a topic of particular interest to me (as anyone who’s read my site for any length of time likely knows). He makes some good observations about societal influences on comics content from that period, as well as contrasting Marvel’s and DC’s publishing strategies. Good reading for people interested in extended ruminations on recent comics industry history.
  • Congrats to pal Nat for the tenth anniversary of his company, About Comics! Nat’s a swell guy! Buy his stuff!
  • The newest installment in the insurance industry’s longest running gossip column is up at Beaucoupkevin‘s. As per usual, take it with a huge grain of salt!

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN.

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A jubilant Swamp Thing celebrates his victory.


The results are in from yesterday’s election, and, by a ratio of approximately 2 to 1, Swamp Thing, 36, of Louisiana, has beaten out Sluggo Smith, 8, of the Wrong Side of the Tracks.

Voters cited Mr. Thing’s stance on the environment as one of the deciding factors in this election. Strangely, past scandals in Mr. Thing’s life seemed to have little negative impact, such as the revelation in 1986 of swampside dalliances with social worker Abigail Arcane, and Mr. Thing’s subsequent attack on Gotham City following Ms. Arcane’s arrest.

However, Mr. Thing’s ample media exposure, for these events and others, both positive and negative, seemed to work in his favor. Mr. Smith’s media presence in recent years has been much less, leading to lower voter recognition in comparison to Mr. Thing. Also, some noted Mr. Smith’s lack of international recognition, perhaps indicating a weakness in foreign policy. Other concerns included Mr. Smith’s lack of a stable economic policy, resulting in repeated financial shortfalls in his immediate area of influence. Mr. Thing had no stated economic policy, but in this case it appears “no news is good news,” as the voters apparently preferred a lack of policy to a bad one. While Mr. Smith did have a strong recycling policy, Mr. Thing’s more wide-ranging general environmental scope of his platform was seen as vastly preferable.

Swamp Thing taking 2/3rds of the vote may be interpreted as a clear mandate from the people, but one must not discount the strong social influence Sluggo Smith wields. Though not taking the election, Mr. Smith still holds sway over his legions of followers, who contemplate his every move and find themselves entranced by his philosophy of unburdened living. Mr. Thing will need to take this “Sluggo Effect” into account over the course of his term…a term that will almost certainly be closely scrutinized by both sides of this election.

It ends with a hat.

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  • Here’s yet more on the topic of the Superman “triangle numbers” thing, this time from Tim O’Neil. He discusses the inherent downside in the interlocking continuity among the multiple Super-books, emphasized by the triangle numbering, which reduces the individuality of the titles and creative teams in favor of editorially-mandated crossover events/”sagas.”

    I was going to respond further, but too much of what I just tried to write seemed like it was duplicating what Tim was saying, and I don’t want to be That Guy, you know? I do want to make two points, though:

    1. When the interlocking Superbooks worked, they worked really well, and that was during the whole “Death/Return of Superman” storyline. Outside of the sensationalism and influx of magpies into the market looking to “invest” in a “collectible,” the actual serialized story generated genuine interest and excitement in at least our customers, and certainly in other readers elsewhere, I’m sure.

    Not disputing any of Tim’s points, here, mind you. I do agree that the tight continuity among the Super-books probably lasted far too long, as he says, in favor of DC’s hopes that they could get lightning to strike twice with later Superman “events.” I suppose one could argue that, during the industry’s lean times of the post-crash ’90s, that the serial nature of the titles was what was keeping the hardcore readers coming back, and DC couldn’t take the chance of losing what was left of their Superman readership by cutting that last incentive to keep reading. Just a little wild speculation, is all.

    2. I can see the current iteration of the “triangle numbers” on the Superman books having the primary effect of raising numbers on the Supergirl title. At our store, Supergirl generally sells about 2/3rds of the Superman titles. If the Superman readers decide they want to work Supergirl into their weekly Super-reading, and depending on just how tightly the Supergirl storylines are tied in with the Superman titles, I expect sales to eventually even out.

    Keeping Tim’s criticisms of the older Superman titles in mind, what this means for the actual content of the Supergirl comic, its individuality or lack thereof, remains to be seen. And given that a month in, we’ve already had those triangle numbers on two “specials,” I don’t know how many extra books Super-fans are going to want to put up with just to maintain an unbroken triangle chain.

    Anyway, Tim says he plans on saying more on the topic, so hopefully I didn’t step on any toes, here.

  • By the way, remember when the two Legion of Super-Heroes titles had “L numbers?”


    Related: remember when the Legion could support two monthly books?

  • I’m thinking about this triangle number thing way too much.
  • Pal Tom has been going through his Grimjack comics in chronological order, with commentary and images and gosh darn if it doesn’t make me want to pull out my Grimjacks and read them. Here’s part one, here’s part two, and the man owns a Munden’s Bar hat. A Munden’s Bar hat. He must know what he’s talking out.

Carla and Lance.

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As you may have heard, comics blogger and salesperson Carla Hoffman, along with her husband Lance, suffered serious burns as they were attempting to evacuate the Santa Barbara fires.

They are expected to recover, but they have lost their home. If you would like to help them out…here, from the official Montecito Fire Department web page is a press release (PDF download) detailing the Lance and Carla Burn Fund, including information on where to donate.

I’ve only met Carla and Lance once, but I’ve spoken with Carla several times on the phone, as her store and ours regularly do business with each other. She’s always a treat to talk to, friendly and exuberant, and I always thought quite well of her. And Lance was quite the good guy, too, and I know Carla thinks the world of him, judging from her writing in her various blogging outlets. So please, everyone wish the best for Carla and Lance, and hope for their quick recovery…physically, economically, and emotionally.