stick it to 'im Erik

**MasterWerk** · 04-16-2004, 01:47 AM

just read this over at newsarama. they're talking about the new ICON label and the release of powers and kabuki:

http://newsarama.com/forums/showthre...threadid=11638

NRAMA: Will the Icon line have an effect, do you think, on say, established creators who would be looking to set up a new project in regards to another door to knock on?

LARSEN: That depends on how exclusive they want to make that club. I'm not privy to how things are there. I don't know if Bendis, Mack and Oeming have any say in the matter. I'm sure Rob [Liefeld] will be knocking at the Icon door with Youngblood in hand any day now...

OH SNAP!

**Ragelion** · 04-16-2004, 02:29 AM

That crazy Liefeld....

**FIG** · 04-16-2004, 03:27 AM

Man, poor Liefeld, everyone uses him like a pinata, even Erik Larsen.

**StrayTanGenT** · 04-16-2004, 05:12 AM

Erik Larsen always seems to say on his mind. Regardless of how geeky or whatever it may be.

Props to you Mr. Larsen. ;P

**NickRocks** · 04-16-2004, 08:27 AM

what a sweet kid.

**Dreamer** · 04-16-2004, 12:15 PM

icon just sounds like another way for marvel to keep top creators under their thumb. i don't think average joe's like me will allowed in that club.

marvel is not in the hand out business, marvel acquires properties to make money for marvel. im curious has to what bendis an mack had to give up?

peace out

**FIG** · 04-16-2004, 12:45 PM

You can always dream, dreamer.

**Inkthinker** · 04-16-2004, 12:46 PM

I'm inclined to think that ICON is indeed a "private club" for established independant creators, but so far (note that "so far") I haven't seen or heard anything to indicate that Marvel intends to interfere with those creators, as of yet.

You have to understand that when it comes to properties which Marvel owns, that it's very much a business to them. Anyone here who has worked as an artist for a business knows that their work will be controlled by an art director or editor or something of that nature. They will be told what to draw, and often how to draw it, and will be told to take out this and add that, and make sure you show this thing here prominently, and maybe hide that thing there or at least make it less noticeable, and so on. While a comics artist may hopefully be less micromanaged that some others, nonetheless as far as the people over you are concerned, this is a business, they are paying you to do something and they are paying you to do it the way they want to see it done. SO when I hear that Marvel is a very controlling company, or that Marvel is always interfering with its creators, I tend to think, "well, of course. They''re running it like a business".

Now, the way this differs from independantly owned properties like Powers is that while this is a business, ideally Marvel becomes a partner, not an employer. So in theory, while Marvels editors, attorneys, management directors and other suit-wearing types may suggest that something or another is done in such and such a way, the boss on that book is still Bendis. Assuming he's able to play the corporate game, there's no reason to suspect that the content or direction of the book should differ in any way. And knowing Bendis, if he felt that Marvel was trying to chivvy him around and force him into something he didn't want to do, he'd just close up the whole shebang. It's still his book, not Marvel's, just like it was his book, not Image's.

There's really no knowing the minds that make the big decisions at the House of Ideas (harhar), but it would be an extremely foolish business decision to interfere with the current management of a succesful property. Even from a totally noncreative, business management POV, when you acquire a successful, well-running company, the best thing you can do is just add your own name on the door and let it go on running just as it always has. And assuming that the suits at Marvel have any business sense, that's what they'll do with the people that become part of the ICON label.

If they do it right, being published under the ICON mast could become a mark of status... it says that you're one of the best of the best in independant comics. If they do it right, that is...