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Friday, 5:22
2007-03-22 14:14:14

So, back to talking about editing a little bit.

One of the concepts that you need to understand and embrace if you're going to be a professional comic book editor is this: Commit To The Idea. If you can't do this, you're not going to get very far in this business.

There are going to be times when you may be called upon to edit a series in which you have no particular interest as a reader. A lot of guys try to compensate for this by trying to turn the book into something else entirely. (The attempt to make-over POWER PACK into a grim, angsty X-Men style book in the early 90s is a good example of this). But that's really not the best way to go about things.

What you need to be able to do is to figure out what it is about the character or the book that appeals to the people who like it--or is supposed to--and then Commit To The Idea. Not every comic book is for every reader--and that includes you as editor. You don't need to like every book you put out, but you do need to be able to look every book in the metaphoric eye and feel that you brought your best game to its production. If you can do that--if you can figure out what the audience wants out of a given book, even if you yourself aren't like-minded--then you stand a good chance at success.

Similarly, when working in a large shared universe like the Marvel U, there are going to be times when decisions made elsewhere are going to affect what you do. These range from things like "No More Mutants" to "Superhuman Registration Act" to "The Black Panther is Marrying Storm." You may like these ideas, or you may not like them--and there's an appropriate forum internally to discussing any reservations you might have, and either convincing people that you're right, or being convinced yourself. But once the call has been made and the course of action has been charted, your job is to Commit To The Idea. If Spider-Man's going to be revealed as a clone, and it's not within your ability to alter that decision, then what you have to do is go out there and make the best clone-Spidey stories you can. You don't have the luxury of phoning it in, or of walking away (at least not without walking away from the job as a whole.) If you can find a way to do this--if you can find a way to tell good stories stemming from a flawed idea--then you have a good chance of success in this business.

More later.

Tom B

Thanks, Tom. I haven't said it before, but I like the editing insight you provide. "Commit to the Idea" sounds rather obvious, but I imagine that it's a lot more difficult when one is in the moment, confronted with an idea or worse, a whole book, that one doesn't like. It must be hard not to try to steer the title in another direction. I have to admit, though, that changing Power Pack into yet-another-angsty-X-title is one of the funniest things I have heard. It's not like I own any issues of this comic, but even having read the Marvel checklist summaries of it, I can recognize that such a tweak is a radical reconceptualization of the series. Really, it would have been better to let Power Pack die the death than turn it into something that it is not. It's not that I'm against big changes as a rule (I liked X-Statix, so sue me!), but changing Power Pack's target audience like that seems singularly ill-advised. I'm glad that you don't name names. Hopefully, that will allow you to keep the insider info coming!

Posted by Lonesome Pinky on 2006-07-28 19:41:49

Ditto ^_^
I must say that Lonesome Pinky stole some words out of my mouth but I'm glad that they were said. Therefore I have nothing else to add except thank you as well.

Posted by TwilghtDragon on 2006-07-28 23:59:25

Great minds think alike...
and so do ours, apparently, Twilight Dragon. There nothing wrong with reiterating. Then at least I'll know that someone's got my back. Cheers!

Posted by Lonesome Pinky on 2006-07-29 05:32:29

wat
u guys were gonna change the power pack thank god u guys didn't i have a power pack book just imagie wat it would have been like

Posted by tarhaun on 2006-07-29 10:43:46

so when
they said let's kill spider-man and give him new suit and powers or let's put him on iron man's side of the cilvil war and unmask him u thought these were great ideas?:l

Posted by tarhaun on 2006-07-29 11:08:27

and then
we see that just because you as an editor don't like the title your placed on means that it can't be your baby. the audiance dictates the direction of the primary focus of characters. the others from the universe take precidence to story telling.THATS BRILLIANT!!!!!
i dig the blog and feel lots better about the every involving insight you have for us here tom.i do totally understand of what was stated,and feel the same about commiting to the whole and doing little to changes,but yet leaving more to the audience to yern for.like you said of power pack these kids to which they are need a little more caring to them than the x titles do. they have problems man do they.but what makes all in all to a title that you take on is the believability to the whole thing from the story to the actions in the art.a true editor can reconize the obvious that the reader does relate and/or can fantasies about. theres also the trueness to the character after all has been established. like spiderman everyone knows him by now and expects certain things of him and the story need to stick to those expectations. i hope all can dig with this and thanks once agian tom for giving such insight you are wise..oh believe that.....till tom turns spidey into a sissy with bubblegum powers make mine marvel......

Posted by image221972 on 2006-07-29 18:59:00

as far as great ideas go
Now that it's finally happened, i have to say that i am really excited about the Black Panther and upcomming issues. A small suggestion, how about a power boost for both characters. Keep up the good work.

-first black couple in COMIC history

Posted by illtestimony on 2006-07-30 00:41:54

and there should be a time to overrule
horrible decisions such as T'Challa marrying Ororo

Posted by J Baron on 2006-07-30 06:42:08

marriage...?umm..nooooo
i hope the kitty gets cold feet ...and then storm gets mad and makes it rain for a long time coz cats don't like water..now thats a story..i think thats very grown up to marry off a super hero.i have one question is how long have they been seeing each other.u know is this like a hollywood marriage i see you today we are married tomorrow.all in all lets reevaluate this ok guys..she deserves happiness ,but shes also kinda a loner. dang even gambit couldn't make her more of a lovable person.totally besides those points i think she might have some mental problems at some point in a womans life they go nuts..so tell the kitty boy to keep his chin up and watch out for the frying pan coz this is one wild marriage to be had.now heres a good thought who is going to do all the cooking and cleaning when the earth needs to be saved.does the apren come off of him or her? think about it..

Posted by image221972 on 2006-07-30 08:54:17

Somehow I doubt that the Black Panther has ever washed his own dishes. It's good to be the king!

Posted by Lonesome Pinky on 2006-07-30 23:06:46

THANK YOU!
Tom,
New Avengers 22 was an EXCELLENT book. One of the top comics I have ever read as far as emotionally connecting. FANTASTIC WORK. Thank you one and all.

Posted by bigdaddyhub2 on 2006-07-31 09:47:10

Very interesting insights into what goes into editing. I never actually considered that an editor could very conceivably be on a book he or she doesn't care for. I definitely have felt, as a reader, that someone wasn't really on board with a crossover/event/general direction and the book suffers for it. So I love the concept that its part of an editor's job to get behind an idea (and get the talent there too, I imagine).

Posted by jonwes on 2006-08-01 01:52:32

the saying should be
Cut the Bullshit.
Sorry but it always worked. Some things should stay the way they are. Learning the hard way never made sense and it costs more in the long run.

Posted by Celestial on 2006-08-09 22:17:06

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