THE COMIX-TEN #4: TOP 10 COMIC EVENTS OF 2003

[Al Harahap]

The Top 10 Comic Events of 2003

By Jordan T. Maxwell and Al Harahap.

What a year comics has had in 2003!!

We cheered together when Marvel opened its doors to us amateurs to become professional creators for their Epic imprint; we cried together when they closed those doors because of the unmanageable amount of submissions. Fans just getting into CrossGen were horrified to find that it had cancelled a total of 9 of its ongoing titles in a restructurisation of the company's Sigil-verse line. DC teamed up its two biggest icons, Superman and Batman, in their own ongoing series for the first time since the cancellation of World's Finest more than 10 years ago. Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen not only released a sequel mini-series with betrayal and death, but also experienced an adaptation into a sci-fi movie. Dreamwave Productions ousts CrossGen to enter the top 5 comic publishers due to the success of its various Transformers series. Marvel piqued our interest with the cryptive Tsunami posters and the onslaught of series that followed in the Summer, only to decline in sales, and have many of them cancelled. We awaited with anticipation Neil Gaiman's epic Marvel project, 1602, and received it with mixed views. We became detectives, trying to solve the mystery of the missing Silver Surfer artist Milx, and raised an eyebrow at the strangeness of his replacement "Chee," who would oddly make the pair sound like indie-comic favourite Milk & Cheese. And who didn't gasp at the unforgettable moment when the X-Men's Xorn revealed himself to be Magneto?

The comics industry as a whole, too, changed when Diamond Comics Distributors decided to forego publishing any estimated or projected sales index from preorders in favour of its once-redheaded-stepchild Actual Sales Index. Perhaps seemingly obscure and passable, but actually very important in that all factions -- companies, creators, retailers, and readers -- can now "judge" the position of a book without the hype and only on actual sales. Even our own quaint comic community experienced a major event when we evolved from X-Fan into ComiX-Fan and opened our doors to other comic readers outside of X-books and Marvel books. (You WILL get along with one another if I have to tie you all up in a room and play Barbra Streisand till love abound.)

But no. No, those are not the 10 biggest comic events of the year. For this, Jordan T. Maxwell and myself have poked, prodded, and wrestled each other (mentally, though he almost duped me into doing so in tights) to come up with such top-10-worthy events. With this, we invite you to come along with us for a retrospect of the past year with... The Top 10 Comic Events of 2003:

---

10) I Love the 80s... or do I?
Ahh, the 80s. Aptly named the "Me Decade" when people tired of the 60s-70s liberalism and hippies, and brought back in conservatism. A time when hair was bigger than heads, blood circulation sufferred from tight jeans, and MTV (Music Television) still played music. But who cares about all that? What we're interested in are all the awesome properties that this decade spawned. The comic revival started in 2002 when Dreamwave released the sellout Transformers: Generation 1 #1. When the keen eyes and ears of other comic companies realised that the majority of today's comic readers grew up in the 80s with various other properties, the bidding war for rights to publish commenced. Late 2002 and the whole of 2003 saw other 80s properties stake their claim in the hearts of comic fanboys, such as Dreamwave's other Transformers series and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Devil's Due's G.I. Joe and Voltron, Image's Street Fighter, MVC's (then CrossGen's) Dragon's Lair and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Top Cow's Battle of the Planets, Wildstorm's Robotech and Thundercats, surely among others to come. But is this really what comic readers want? It seems that everyone gets excited at the announcement of a new 80s revival project. Come release time, the #1 issue may do well, but with the exception of a few, sales quickly decline. Freud would have a field day with the nostalgia factor being the big decider. Perhaps the quality doesn't match up to our expectations; perhaps it does but we quickly realise we're not getting our childhood back. One thing's for sure: These 80s properties are a great way to lure in the mainstream consumer into the comic industry. So hopefully, they'll stick around for a while.

---

9) Hush Makes a Lot of Noise
Everyone was talking about it. All the buzz in the industry was focused on it. It was the reading event of the year. Jim Lee and Jeph Loeb would be taking the reins of Batman for a year. Not only was it the return of Jim Lee to a regular comic book, but he was teamed up with one of the most acclaimed writers in the field today on arguably the most iconic character ever created. Sales soared. Readers raved. Women swooned. Barricades had to be put up on city streets. The sun turned black as sack cloth and lo, we were sore afraid. Verily, twas the biggest event in all of comicdom... and it should have been so freaking obvious that a five year-old in a cave could have thought of it. Put hot talent on iconic characters and give them creative freedom to do what they will. Tell a solid, good story. Give the fans what they want in ways they never would have expected. And most of all, have fun. It was a winning formula for Batman, bringing it out of the sales chart slums and taking it all the way to the penthouse suite. Most surprisingly? It did it with straight up full-color superheroics. No gritty realism, no deconstruction, no extreme character redesigns. Just using what works and realizing that the high drama, romance, and adventure of men and women in tights beating the crap out of each other can and does work, as long as you take it seriously and have plenty of fun. (Fun in comics... who ever heard of such a thing?)

---

8) DC is for Draft Creators
In 1976, DC Comics was acquired by the company called Warner Communications (now Time Warner). But aside from blockbuster movies by Warner Bros. (whose parent company is also Time Warner), the comic company that held such pop culture icons as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman always played second fiddle to their main rival, Marvel Comics, when it came to the comic books themselves (aside from a few years in the 90s when the comic-reading public preferred DC's stories over the infamous Marvel 90s saturation wherein each Marvel property had at least two series, some even more). With the new millenium, Marvel has regained its #1 position in the comic book industry with the strategies of its notorious former President Bill Jemas. So what's an underdog to do? Why, ask Papa Time and Mama Warner to provide. Finally, it seems DC's parent company is willing to provide for its comic properties, not just in all the blockbuster movies, not just in statuettes and miscellaneous memorabilia, but where it counts -- in the comic book field. Of course, this isn't the first time DC has nabbed big names for exclusive contracts, but the quantity -- and more importantly, quality -- who have come en masse is certainly staggering. With that, DC Comics has successfully signed for 1-3 years-long exclusive contracts (in chronological order from March to December, 2003): Bill Willingham, Will Pfeifer, Andy Diggle, Jock, Cliff Chiang, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale, Phil Jimenez, Tom Raney, Judd Winick, Ron Garney, Howard Porter, Scott McDaniel, Carlos Pacheco, Gail Simone, Joe Kelly, and Mike McKone.

---

7) Mark Waid's "Fantastic" Exit and Return
It was one of the most shocking and confounding moments in recent memory. After having taken Fantastic Four to new heights creatively, critically, and commercially, Mark Waid announced that he had been fired from the book. As fandom scratched their collective noggins, Marvel began playing damage control with hype about the book's new direction and creative team. To no avail, though, as message boards lit up with outrage at the situation. They say that fans do not have a voice on the Internet and that no one listens to them. But they also say that the electoral college is an effective means of voting. "They," it turns out, can be wrong. Realizing the blunder they had made in the wake of such a backlash, Marvel E.I.C. Joe Quesada publicly apologized for their handling of the situation and rehired Waid... before his run on the book was even over.

---

6) Di Another Day, Another Day
Touted by some as just another notch in the long line of former Marvel Comics President Bill Jemas' shock tactics, the X-Statix storyarc Back from the Dead (originally titled Di Another Day) was to revolve around the resurrection of global icon Lady Diana, or "Princess" Diana, as she was fondly remembered by her supporters and fans. Inevitable heated public debates followed the announcements and promotions. Some were appalled that a mainstream superhero comic book would print such "tasteless" material; others yet argued "freedom of speech" and that the story would be a satire on celebrity in general. Regardless, word of this controversial story had reached mainstream media and pop culture (something rarely achieved by a comic event, especially of this magnitude), and more astonishingly, key Hollywood figures and the British Royal Family. Marvel felt cornered into giving the storyarc a makeover, and the true genius (if you will) behind it, award-winning scribe Peter Milligan, had no choice but to make altercations of the inclusion of Diana into something entirely different and almost unrecognisable, that was ill-received by most X-Statix readers -- the only ones who ever truly mattered in the whole debacle.

---

5) Bill Jemas Shown the Door at the House of Ideas
Perhaps it was a case of "what have you done for me lately?" Or maybe it was a case of "what goes around, comes around." Either way, the rumors buzzing around every fanboy's lips were confirmed as Marvel "demoted" Bill Jemas from his position of President mere months before his contract was up. Jemas first stormed the scene and set the reading community ablaze with his abrasive and very public persona, and with such inspired moves as the Ultimate line of comics and revamping of the X-Men and Spider-Man titles, bringing Marvel back to a leading position in the industry. However, as the Bard said, they stumble that do run fast and Jemas' initial momentum became something more akin to a pratfall as the publicity stunt of U-Decide and Marville alienated fans, his creative interference drove writers and artists to the competition and his attempts at post-Ultimate imprints (like the hot and cold Tsunami line and stillborn Epic fiasco). Seeing him as more liability than asset, Marvel shuffled Jemas to an out-of-the-way position to spend his last few months. What this bodes for the revitalized Marvel Jemas helped to (re)create is yet to be seen...

---

4) JLA/Avengers/Fans
Twenty years ago, a comic book artist by the name of George Perez came up with an idea to team up the biggest teams of the two biggest comic companies, the Avengers of Marvel Comics and the Justice League of America of DC Comics. His sample art whetted the appetite of many a fanboy. Alas, legalities between the two goliath companies prevented such a crossover from happening, which was curious (to fans) because intercompany crossovers such as Superman/Spider-Man, Batman/Hulk, and X-Men/Teen Titans made their way onto the shelves around that time. Years passed. And it seemed like the project would never, ever get off the ground. But a new hope spurt with 1996's Marvel vs. DC crossover. In 2003, that same artist is now a legend. And along with DC/Marvel writer Kurt Busiek, Perez has brought the most legendary, the most iconic, the most mighty, the most heroic in comics together in the JLA/Avengers (when published by Marvel) or Avengers/JLA (when published by DC) crossover -- a universes- and realities-spanning crossover that not only has the two superteams cooperate, but also collide in a kaleidoscope of colourful characters and superpowers. The ultimate superhero fanboy wet dream has finally come true.

---

3) X-Men 2
After the renaissance of superhero films created by the first X-Men movie, expectations were running high for this sequel... and this film exceeded them in every way imaginable. From the superior script, performances, and incredible special effects to the record-breaking opening weekend and rave reviews, X2: X-Men United raised the bar once again for what comic book franchises could do on the big screen and further pushed the merry mutants of Marvel into the pop culture consciousness. Bryan Singer's vision of these characters combines his own innate sense of film craftsmanship with the fun and intensity that have made these characters thrive for 40 years. With a strong and talented ensemble already in place, the sequel also brought in such acting luminaries as Brian Cox and Alan Cumming, as well as fresh newcomers Aaron Stanford and Kelly Hu. A visonary director, an amazing cast, mind-blowing effects and a script that combined action, drama, and romance while never losing its smaller human moments left an audience with only one lingering doubt in their minds: "How long can we be expected to wait for a third one?"

---

2) Comics vs. Society Round 2 Denied
Just when you thought it was safe to live in your parents' basement and be a comic geek away from the rest of the world... The comic world was rocked in the year 1999 when Dallas comic store clerk Jesus Castillo was arrested for selling adult material to an adult (undercover police officer). The charges against him were two counts of obscenity -- the first in selling the adult manga comic book Demon Beast Invasion #2, and the other in selling the adult anime Legend of the Overfiend. In 2000, based on the state attorney's final summation including a plea to the jury that comic books are for children and indecent to contain adult subject material, the state of Texas eventually found Castillo guilty and convicted him to 180 days in jail and a fine of $4000. Although Castillo did not actually spend any jail time, he was allowed probation, which will only end in April of next year. It has taken the CBLDF (Comic Book Legal Defense Fund) a years-long process to appeal to the Supreme Court (the highest word of law in the nation), which would be the final word on the matter and Castillo's last resort to turn the Texas ruling and conviction. But in August, 2003, the Supreme Court denied the appeal to hear Castillo's case. Not only was this the final blow to the comic industry, but comic fans as a whole were discouraged more than ever that the society they live in still cannot open its mind and move past the stereotypes of the clique in this day and age.

---

1) Endless Nights is a Sleeper Hit
It's rare that a comic book can capture the imagination and near universal acceptance and praise of all who read it. It's even rarer that a comic book can reach beyond the borders of the medium and gain the attention of a mainstream audience. But Neil Gaiman is a rare talent. Having already broken records, won awards, and revolutionized comic books with his initial Sandman series, Gaiman hadn't written the characters he's become most associated with since 1999's gorgeous Dream Hunters. His next work would have to be a masterpiece to sate the expectations of his fans. And in Endless Nights, a masterpiece is exactly what we got. Gathering together seven of the most talented graphic artists from around the world to tell a collection of short stories about the members of the Endless, Gaiman wove a non-linear journey through our own collective unconscious, not only creating a distinct atmosphere for each piece to engage the audience on primal emotional levels as well as their higher intelligence, but also just telling amazing stories. Readers in both the comic book and mainstream audience devoured it, driving it onto The New York Times' Top 20 Bestseller List. It not only showcased the undiminished talent of one of our finest creators, but also validated the versatility and artistry of comic books as a medium.

---

Thus concludes this edition of The ComiX-Ten -- The Top 10 Comic Events of 2003. Don't forget to vote on the events in the above multiple choice poll. Remember: It's not what you like/dislike, but rather what you consider to be big or "big deal" events. Then join us again in a few weeks for our next, and perhaps familiar, installment.

---

Jordan T. Maxwell celebrated the big comic events of 2003 by, unlike 2002, becoming a more involved and valued writer at ComiX-Fan.

Al Harahap celebrated the big comic events of 2003 by ordering vegetable chow fan with a side dish of egg foo yung.

[Michael Wimmer]

All of these stories were huge. If you asked me a few months ago i would have said Waid being fired from FF but with him back on i choose not to think about that dark time . I voted Crossgen because despite what spin Rosemann puts on it you didnt see a restructuring, you saw the fall of a company. Not saying Crossgen is dead, although they may well soon be but i think it showed a couple of things about comics fans and the business. It showed that for many fans they loved Marz and Dixon on Marvel and DC characters but were not interested in new characters, and it showed that unless you publish liscensed products your chances of surving in this business are extremely low.

[salvador]

I voted for the Bill Jemas demotion from president, 'cause I hope that now many things will be different, and something is already going to be different, as Claremont's return on Uncanny. I hope for more news soon!

[theEYESofFIRE]

I think Mark Waid's FF fiasco was the biggest story as it showed fans have a voice and influence when it comes to comics.

Also, it can't be a coincidence that soon as Jemas is fired, his buddy Chuck is fired from Uncanny and Davis and Claremont are brought up. Yes folks, the age of Buckely sure is bright

[Jon]

Is there a TPB of Hush yet?

[Wicked_Incite]

I voted for the Supreme Court's denial for an appeal, because damnit, that story scares me as a reader.

[Fetsur]

Of the top ten... the firing of Mark Waid I would rank second highest - it definitely garnered the most attention, and shocked everyone. His rehiring would, ironically, fall way down the list.

Third place, the mighty sales successes of Street Fighter, Wanted, 1602, JLA/Avengers, Wolverine: The End, Amazing Spider-Man #500, Ultimate X-Men, Supreme Power and The Unfunnies have amazed me.

Fourth: the comic book that crossed over into television continuity. Yeah, I'm talking about Fray and Buffy! Has that ever happened before? Not to my knowledge! Was it completely awesome when it happened? You bet!

Fifth: CrossGen running out of money and restructuring. Doesn't look like they'll make it to the end of next year, which is too bad

Sixth... the sidelining of Bill Jemas. Perhaps necessary, but it's bad that Marvel did it forcefully.

Seventh... DC's shock signings of Grant Morrison and then Greg Rucka to the publisher, causing two of the industry's top titles to lose their prestigious writers.

Eighth, the removal of Princess Diana from X-Statix. Nobody with any kind of royal connection ever even commented on it and yet somebody in Marvel's higher echelons decided, mid-production, the whole thing needed to be changed. I feel very sorry for everyone involved, particularly Mike Allred.

As for Endless Nights, I understand that so far 1602 has outsold it - and it hasn't even got to the bookstores yet... and Jesus Castillo was 1999, not 2003. Though the Arkansas and Michigan rulings were 2003, and a lot scarier to anyone living there!

And first place? Well, that's reserved for something that hasn't happened yet... just wait a couple of weeks.

[2ndchance]

Magento coming back in NXM was the biggest surprize in comics today.

[@@liy@h]

Xorn being Magneto really shocked me but Salvador leaving X-Treme X-Men was THE event of 2003 I think. (kinda weird it wasn't in the top 10 )

[John Gleason]

I was completly caught off guard with Xorn being Magneto. That is why that event got my vote.

[Al Harahap]

Originally posted by Michael Wimmer
I voted Crossgen because despite what spin Rosemann puts on it you didnt see a restructuring, you saw the fall of a company. Not saying Crossgen is dead, although they may well soon be but i think it showed a couple of things about comics fans and the business. It showed that for many fans they loved Marz and Dixon on Marvel and DC characters but were not interested in new characters, and it showed that unless you publish liscensed products your chances of surving in this business are extremely low.

Some would call you cynical, but I think you're just being realistic.

If that event were included in the Top 10, I would've written a comparison with Valiant of the 90s (damn, those were really great books, and a great universe too). It's scary to me how similar the two situations are. They were both really fresh for readers and stood to give the big two a run for their money. Unfortunately, overexpansion in such a short time leads to implosion, whether creative, financial, or both. I've only checked out a few of CrossGen books, and the ones I did I really enjoyed, but when their number of titles doubled in mere months, it really, really turned me off and away.

Actually, I think it happened to Image and its main universe too. I mean, what do we have left? With the Liefeld-verse ousted and Wildstorm defecting, there's only Spawn, Savage Dragon, and the Top Cow-verse left, all of which are distancing themselves from each other so much, that you can hardly call them "a universe" anymore. Only they've survived and stayed big by diversifying creators and comics. Seriously, you can find any genre/type of comic book with Image. Mad respect for Image.

But I digress... Back to CrossGen, I hope that unlike Valiant they aren't down for the count and continue to rebuild after the 9-title culling, because competition breeds quality, and worthy competition like themselves helps to harvest better quality comics all around from all companies.

Originally posted by Jon
Is there a TPB of Hush yet?

The Hush Vol. I and II hardcovers are out. I is almost out of print, and DC insists they won't be reprinting it so soon, so it might be tough to find. II just came out last week (I think).

As for a softcover TPB, DC is not scheduled to release one till Summer 2004. Although, with the rapid sellout of the HCs, the rumour is that they may push it up to satisfy demand. But take it as just that -- a rumour.

[Kevin Sutton]

Pretty eventful yea, I had trouble choosing. Its funny that the poll result shows a number one that doesn't even show up on the top ten list.

[Arachne]

Why am I not surprised that there was no mention of the hugh sales of manga this year? Look at Publisher's Weekly's list of the top 15 selling graphic novels of the year, and only three, yea only three were American. And as much as people talk about Neil Gaiman (who really is the nicest famous person I have ever met), no one has mentioned Clamp. 8 of the top 15 selling books were put out by Clamp- so the top selling creators of the year were four women- and to me THAT'S the biggest comic story of 2003.

[Jon]

Originally posted by Al Harahap
The Hush Vol. I and II hardcovers are out. I is almost out of print, and DC insists they won't be reprinting it so soon, so it might be tough to find. II just came out last week (I think).

As for a softcover TPB, DC is not scheduled to release one till Summer 2004. Although, with the rapid sellout of the HCs, the rumour is that they may push it up to satisfy demand. But take it as just that -- a rumour.

Thankyou. Im rather uneducated when it comes to Batman. How may volumes will there be in total?

[Kevin Sutton]

Originally posted by Arachne
Why am I not surprised that there was no mention of the hugh sales of manga this year? Look at Publisher's Weekly's list of the top 15 selling graphic novels of the year, and only three, yea only three were American. And as much as people talk about Neil Gaiman (who really is the nicest famous person I have ever met), no one has mentioned Clamp. 8 of the top 15 selling books were put out by Clamp- so the top selling creators of the year were four women- and to me THAT'S the biggest comic story of 2003.

Well the rise of manga isn't really different this year from the previous year, so its not a big story for this year. The other thing though does sound pretty important I guess.

[ManolisV]

Diana and Neil's NYTimes dominance!

how could Neil's succumbing to superhero comics be considered better than the endless Nights' triumph? -scratches head-

I sooo don't want to see the -hahaha fooled ya- plot mtwist of Xorn=magneto win this :/

[citizenx]

I loved Endless Nights. Fantastic stuff. Good year for comics.....

[Justice Daye]

Originally posted by ManolisV
I sooo don't want to see the -hahaha fooled ya- plot mtwist of Xorn=magneto win this :/

I'm with you here Manolis. Only good surprises are shocking. I shook my head in disgust at this one.

[Wolverine]

I voted for Waid and Xorn/Magneto

[Papillon]

I voted for the more mainstream and business related things. I think that plot twists like Xorn/Magneto and such only really have value for those already involved with comics.

How do things like the success of X2 make comics look in the public eye? Compared to the "bunch of pushovers" image that the Castillo case loss and the "Di Another Day" fustercluck leave the industry with, the good it does is completely lost. But then again, having Sandman: Endless Nights reach the NYT bestsellers is almost a direct slap in the face to anyone who fails to see comics as "literature" (including the judges who define certain fantasy awards' criteria).

Also, what does it say when Marvel has two line begin strong and die slowly? When their biggest personnel shake-up involves a firing but DC's involves many, many hirings or signings? It gives fans and would-be creators some idea what The Big Two are going through and who's more on the ball - at the moment. Also, the sharp rise and decline of 80s titles - how will that affect some of Image's divisions, or Dreamwave?

Moments that make you go "hmmm...." should be ones that leave you with questions about comics in general, not just shout "DUDE!" over a nifty plot twist or two.

[Fetsur]

But, Papillon, the poll was asking which comics events of 2003 piqued YOUR curiosity the most. Not what you think affected the "mainstream public" the most, because let's face it, none of these are going to affect the "mainstream public" particularly.

[Arachne]

Well most fans have been hearing about the coming of manga. But this year is the year the book industry took notice of the selling power of manga. Manga is the fast growing segment in the industry period. The fact that manga is becoming big money makers is changing the way publishers and retailers view all graphic novels, Japanese and American. So I think that this year manga has set a new course for comic books and graphic novels in retail. I mean Borders now have larger manga sections than most comic book stores and even Target is in works to start selling manga in their stores.

Originally posted by SuperMutant


Well the rise of manga isn't really different this year from the previous year, so its not a big story for this year. The other thing though does sound pretty important I guess.

[UltimateIceman]

I went for Gaiman and Endless Nights. It's priceless making the NY Times top 20 list being a comic book.

UltimateIceman

[Dragon]

I loved the return of the 80s i feel like alittle kid again, X2 ruled nuff said, Magneto's return was expected and laughable just because teh fact Morrison lied and said he'd never be back when he "killed" him the ealier. Hush was excellent, story, artwork everything. Now if only Marvel could get there hands back on Jim Lee. Ok i'll go now

[Alex Guillen]

Many great stories to choose from that cause quite a comotion amongst the comic community but I voted for JLA/Abemgers finally happening, after 20 years in themaking it came about.

other stories that got our attention have to be Waid's fiasco with Marvel and FF as well as Crossgen's finanical woes. But one other story that really got people talking has to be the DC exclusives, wow it was just like attracting every creator like a light to a moth.