I can't quite see where any of my posts would come across as "Marvel-bashing", though. I buy more Marvel books in any given month than I buy DC books (especially under the current gotta-buy-em-all regime at DC) and I enjoy just about everything I buy. I guess this reaction is natural in a comics blogosphere that leans so heavily toward DC's books that it can make many of us Friends of Ol' Marvel feel a bit overprotective of the House of Ideas (no matter how badly they may fumble the ball at times).

My point about Back in Black is that it not only did very little to advance the post-Civil War story that was running in Amazing Spider-Man, but that it all but admitted as much in it's last-page blurb for One More Day that it was little more than filler between Civil War and One More Day. The Civil War arc ended with Peter in a sniper's sights. Back in Black ended with "Please read One More Day" (paraphrasing).

Honestly, which ending is more likely to bring you back for more?

Back in Black had not even the faintest whiff of a resolution, even given the monthly super-hero comic book's version of a resolution, which is more an advancement of a character's story than a bona-fide ending. It ended with Peter realizing that he had become the very thing that he had spent years fighting against: a criminal.

Thing is, he was already a criminal at the end of the Civil War arc. What's worse is that both Peter and the readers knew it then, too.

Kind of tough for a protagonist's "moment of clarity" to pack any punch if the character in question has been aware of it for the entire arc.

It's an incomplete product, and a product that will look even more incomplete to any poor sucker who buys this story in trade. After having been strung along by this arc for the past six months I see nothing wrong with venting my spleen about it.

Apologies again if this was not the best topic under which to vent said spleen.

I do agree with your (more on-topic) assessment of Son of M, though. The non-ending that mini sucked on ice.

Cheers!

But about 'Back in Black', how did it not have a satisfying ending?

Now I'll freely admit that I haven't really read ASM since Romita left because I felt like JMS was finished with his big storyline, but I try to keep up via messageboards and what-not. From what I understand the story of 'Back in Black' was Spidey enacting revenge on those who shot his dear Aunt. That story had a begining (She was shot on the first page of part one, right?), a middle, and an ending (the fight with Kingpin). Aunt May in a coma (the subplot of Back in Black) is a larger plotline that will then be the central focus of the next arc, One More Day. Did I miss something there? Please let me know.

Further, my major assertion in my original post was that your response Todd seemed misdirected. The subject of the article was about mini-series with no endings where as you cited an serial with a storyline that had some dangling plotlines. They just didn't seem to match up, and in my head played like typical Marvel bashing where it wasn't appropriate. Like I said, a better example would probably be Son of M which ended on a big cliffhanger with nothing pointing you to where to go next.

Now Aunt May's condition is a story following from that.

As for the tie-ins, only Sensational tied into Amazing in any real way. It had stories in the hospital and about Aunt May. FNSM just went about its business, put Spidey in a different costume and had some nonsense about an image inducer.

"Back in Black" doesn't. It has a beginning and a middle, and nothing even vaguely resembling an end.

Okay, fine, this is the state of the majority of comics these days.

But it's not the majority of comics - it's some of two companies out put.
Sales wise they may be ahead, but in sheer number of comics released?
Plenty more bang for your buck elsewhere.

http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/3938714.html#cutid1

Mind bendingly, brain breakingly awful.

However, it's naive to say that even these open-ended monthly titles aren't divided into neat six-issue arcs with cute titles because they are written almost explicitly for the trade these days. The TPB market has ensured the monthly publication of one new chapter in an endless chain of six-issue mini-series sold as Amazing Spider-Man. Each of these "series within a series" fits neatly within a standard-sized TPB, as luck would have it.

"Back in Black" will undoubtedly be one of the next Spider-Man TPBs available, and though I'm sure that most folks who purchase the book will be aware that this is simply the latest chapter in the never-ending story of this character. However, the lack of even a partial resolution to even some of the events in this part of the story makes me wonder how many of these fans will think twice about dropping money on any future Spidey trades.

A story arc should have a beginning, a middle and an end of some sort. Following the story after this arc should enhance one's enjoyment of the title rather than being a necessary supplement to what one has already purchased.

There's little reason to divide the stories in these ongoings into arcs at all if there's not even the barest attempt at any resolution to the events within them, no?

Look, just because I'm participating a discussion of mainstream comics, don't assume I don't read anything else. I love my Jay Faerber and my Mike Mignola. I was ecstatic to discover Local #10 the other day. It doesn't mean I have to be limited in what else I can read and discuss.

Isn’t it part 2 of a trilogy?"

Part two of a trilogy can still have an ending. Any story where the characters are alive at the end could be said to not having an ending. I think some of you folks are being unfair.

The ending of Amazons Attack sounds pretty bad, but it does end the story of the Amazons Attack(ing).

And when one of the gods asks her who she is to speak of justice being served, she says, “But you must admit … Goodness has certainly triumphed!!” That’s the last line of the mini-series. So yes, six issues to set up a pun. Everyone at DC should be ashamed of themselves.

Holy shit sticks thats bad!
I tells ya, Pfifer downed a few the night he finished that script - and still had trouble meeting his gaze in the mirror.

Really, this is the state of comics these days.

No it's not.
That's the state of MU and DCU books these days.
I'm managing to read plenty of comics without reading anything to do with this mess.
It's tied in to She-Hulk which I read, and Blue Beetle spun out of it - oh, and I picked up The Atom the other day, so I'm sure there will be a tie-in somwhere - but other than that, I read a shit load of comics that have nothing to do with all of this.

I think all you newly apathetic Marvel and DC readers should use this as an oppurtunity to try something new.
Noble Causes, Dynamo 5, Invincible, All Star Superman, Marvel Adventures, Madman, Cassanova, Savage Dragon... that's just off the top of my head, and it's limited to only superhero books.
If you vote with your wallet and just stop buying - the 'big two' think the markets just in a slump - but if you take that money and spend it on other titles, they'll notice the change (and you'll get a good read too!)

… It didn’t. It instead urged readers to pick up the next arc: “One More Day”."

Todd, you do realize that Back in Black wasn't a mini-series, right? It's a serial who's purpose is to get you to pick up the next issue.

A better example of Marvel doing the same thing would be, what...Son of M, or Silent War. Both of those ended with cliffhangers leading into (hopefully in Silent Wars case) another series.

Cheers!

"The lead in to Infinite Crisis was done very well. I think in my 15 years of reading comics, the first half of 2005 was probably my favorite six months of reading comics ever."

Couldn't agree more!

They have turned what was a very clever and imaginative story build into a colossal money-grab.

I have been asking myself for sometime now, "Is this the pay off for having followed them this long?"

I may be heaping too much praise on the writing from 2005, to say make this analogy, but once you've driven a Ferrari on the Autobahn, this last year has been like taking a Greyhound from Flushing to Denver!*

*with a small child kicking the back of your seat the entire journey.

Now the pendulum has swung the other way, and the Big Two are in continuity overload. It has become editorial mandate for each story to serve a lead-in to the next story. The downside to a story "that matters" is that it isn't complete, because the consequences will necessarily have to be dealt with later. You can't seal your cake in mylar and eat it too.

Amazons Attack was not very good, I absolutely agree, and the fault rests strictly with the editorial mandate. Will Pfeifer and Pete Woods were given the assigment of setting up an Amazon invasion using Allan Heinberg's incomplete Wonder Woman superspy setup, plus Darkseid had to be behind it. That they were able to pull it off as well as they did speaks volumes about the creators, but a terrible idea done well is still terrible.

... It didn't. It instead urged readers to pick up the next arc: "One More Day".

DC is hardly alone in doing this type of crap to its readership. This philosophy of having story arcs and minis that resolve themselves in these kind of non-resolutions seems to be shared equally among the writers and editors at both of the major comic book companies.

It tends to lessen my enthusiasm for supporting the monthly "floppies", as well. At least you have a chance in hell of avoiding tricks like this when you "wait for the trade".

Hear, hear! Sums up my feelings right now entirely. I manage to enjoy a handful of DC books but I don't have the inclination or money to buy all 25+ books every month, including all these ridiculous Countdown crossover mini-series. My interest in Final Crisis is essentially dead at this point...

Yes. It’s been established since Planet Hulk that it would be a trilogy.

I just find it funny that people are trying to use the middle part of a trilogy as an example of something that comes to a definite conclusion.

Isn’t it part 2 of a trilogy?

Yes. It's been established since Planet Hulk that it would be a trilogy.

I thought 52 was boring and was not sure why they did it. Infinite Crisis stunk.

Stop trying to lump Worl War Hulk into this discussion. it has not ended. Marvel does end their comics. Planet Hulk ended. Civil War ended.

I bet World War Hulk will have an ending

Isn't it part 2 of a trilogy?