Worldwatch by Chuck Austen!

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Post by Panz »

Go Look!

Ok, this has got me way excited! Chuck doin' his own stuff is always a good thing and Tom is one of my favorite artists. This looks Fantastic!
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Post by EvilTwin »

yeah, Chuck's very excited about this, and the more he tells me, the better it sounds. i just hope people get the humor and the message. :)

but just a note - tho the article says it is a limited series, if it sells well enough, Chuck wants to turn it into a maxi-series, quite a long one. it would includes some stories that never made it into X-Men, somewhat modified.
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Worldwatch by Chuck Austen!

Post by Remy_LeBeau »

I've been eagerly awaiting this series since hearing what you told me about it Jill (or does jill's evil twin have a different moniker?:P)

and now to see some of Tom's work. it's looking really good. I really like the rex pharoah design.
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Post by Crawler »

I think it's a great idea, a great concept, but I worry that it's going to have a very limited audience.

Here's hoping it makes a splash. :D
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Post by EvilTwin »

I see people in that thread already jumping to (incorrect) assumptions about the book. I just urge people to check it out despite the scantily clad bimbo costumes. believe it or not, there is a REASON for those costumes, and it is kinda important that they be dress absolutely ludicrously and offensively.
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Post by Crawler »

I like this:
I don't read a lot of Marvel so I'm ignorant about the anti-Chuck Austen vibe. However, I will say criticizing someone for their handling of an X-book is a mystery to me. If you don't like it read one of the other 12 X-books. Marvel has whored out that line as far as it will go and in May they're going to do it all over again.
Anyway, why doesn't the article mention any of the snarkiness or commentary that I've heard the book is based on? Selective journalism or did Chuck and Tom not mention it?

I also think that the article's intro is helping to paint perceptions about the series. I was under the impression that WorldWatch was more a commentary or jab at what has come before, not intended to be something fabulously new and original.

Starting the article with "Stan Lee and Jack Kirby changed the comic stratosphere in the 1960s with the introduction of the X-Men and Avengers." is painting it as trying to be completely original never-seen-before kind of stuff.
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Post by Bamfette »

ah, it's good to have my old account back ;)

and yeah, the article did kinda paint it to be something it's not. I talked to Chuck today a whole lot about Worldwatch - first of all it sounds cool. and it's no Authority or X-Statix ripoff, either.

as for the commentary, i fear it will fly over people's heads, as well. BUT i think it can be enjoyable even if you miss the message. one of those things that can work on two different levels. but i do hope more people 'get' it than not.

but as for the message, Chuck also said to me he wants specifics of that to stay under wraps so that people will figure it out on their own, so i guess that's all i have to say about that, at the moment...
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Post by Panz »

The way that it's being presented is really mis-leading. Even so, I don't imagine it selling well with the limited plot-big action crowd. This one is for the smart-n-snarky peeps like most of us Nightscrawlers :D

I hope it sells well. I'll be buying it !
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Post by Jeremys Iron »

This piqued my interest when it was first announced and I was wondering if it was still coming out. Good to see that it didn't fall by the wayside. This article definitely makes it sound quite a bit different then what was said originally. The whole commentary (deconstruction?) on the genre was what interested me in the project in the first place. So it's good to see that it's still there.

On a related note, who exactly are Wild and Wooly Press? I've never heard of them. Have they published any other comics of note? Thanks. :)

Oh one more thing does anyone know when Austen's Flywires from Humanoids is coming out? That sounded very interesting as well but I haven't heard anything about when it's coming out. Thanks.
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Post by Bamfette »

Wild and Wooly Press is just Chuck's own company that he sometimes uses to self-publish. WorldWatch is really self-published. Chuck is paying for the art, printing and everything out of his own pocket.

Flywires is coming out in December. I've seen the art for the first 20 pages and it's AWESOME! :D
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Post by Jeremys Iron »

Originally posted by Bamfette
Wild and Wooly Press is just Chuck's own company that he sometimes uses to self-publish. WorldWatch is really self-published. Chuck is paying for the art, printing and everything out of his own pocket.
Okay, well then it makes sense that I've never heard of it before. ;) As for self-publishing, that's a bit of risk, especially considering the state of the comic industry right now. What made Chuck decide to go this route as opposed to with a independent publisher (like Oni) or someone like Image or Code 6 at CGE? Does the success of the Millarworld titles increase Chuck's confidence that this type of book (self published superheros from established writers) can succeed?
Originally posted by Bamfette
Flywires is coming out in December. I've seen the art for the first 20 pages and it's AWESOME! :D
Lucky you! :) I just when to the artist, Matt Cossin's homepage and I can see he's quite the talented artist. Do you know if this is going to be coming out here as part of the US distribution deal between Humanoids and DC? It would seem to make sense from DCs standpoint as Chuck is more well known here (as opposed to many of the regular Humanoid creators like Jodorowsky), which would get the Humanoid books all the press that they apparently deserve (having never read any Humanoid books myself but hearing nothing but amazing things). If not, is the only way to get it to order directly from Humanoids?
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Post by Bamfette »

Humanoids got in touch with several American creators to write stories for them. i can't remember who the others were, specifically, but i remember being impressed by some of the names... and yeah, i believe this is a way for them to launch their distirbution deal with DC. get some American names on the books so people will be more familiar with the creators and more likely to pick them up.

as for self publishing... i am not entirely sure, but he has self published before (and i was sorta wrong, not JUST indy books... Wild and Wooly Press was actually used on US War Machine, as well) I would have to ask specifics, will get back to you... however, he has mentioned wanting to make a name as an independent talent, just show he can do it, (even tho he has before) and maybe get a trade or two out of it. he's not kidding himself that WorldWatch will sell anywhere near the numbers of like X-Men, but he only needs to sell like 10,000 to get his money back. also, after Marvel, he's real big on control right now. not that the companies you mentioned interfered with a creators works, but... you know, he is capable of doing it himself, the publishers name isn't going to help him sell it, (unless it was maybe Vertigo, or something.) so why bother? and not a slight against smaller indy publishers in general, but he has had a very bad experience with one in particular. wont name any names, but he's out money because of it. ancient history, though.

and hey, I'm self publishing. if i think a nobody can me can do it, i don't see why he can't. ;)
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Post by Archangel »

This sound awsome. ITs coming out in july. But being self publish will it still ship to comic store and places like that were people could pic it up?
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Post by Jeremys Iron »

So is it going to be solicited in Previews this month? If so, I'd better start pimping this (along with Heathen Sent :)) to my LCS.
Originally posted by Bamfette
Humanoids got in touch with several American creators to write stories for them. i can't remember who the others were, specifically, but i remember being impressed by some of the names... and yeah, i believe this is a way for them to launch their distirbution deal with DC. get some American names on the books so people will be more familiar with the creators and more likely to pick them up.
I seem to remember hearing names like Warren Ellis, Joe Casey, Travis Charest, and John Cassaday. Cassaday's 'I am Legion' looks especially good.
Originally posted by Bamfette
as for self publishing... i am not entirely sure, but he has self published before (and i was sorta wrong, not JUST indy books... Wild and Wooly Press was actually used on US War Machine, as well) I would have to ask specifics, will get back to you... however, he has mentioned wanting to make a name as an independent talent, just show he can do it, (even tho he has before) and maybe get a trade or two out of it. he's not kidding himself that WorldWatch will sell anywhere near the numbers of like X-Men, but he only needs to sell like 10,000 to get his money back. also, after Marvel, he's real big on control right now. not that the companies you mentioned interfered with a creators works, but... you know, he is capable of doing it himself, the publishers name isn't going to help him sell it, (unless it was maybe Vertigo, or something.) so why bother? and not a slight against smaller indy publishers in general, but he has had a very bad experience with one in particular. wont name any names, but he's out money because of it. ancient history, though.

and hey, I'm self publishing. if i think a nobody can me can do it, i don't see why he can't. ;)
Interesting, haven't read U.S. War Machine yet despite all the good things I've heard about it. But I do have the singles here and sure enough Wild and Wooly Press is right there in the credits. What does that mean exactly, how was it used? Was Chuck more involved on the publishing side of things than is usual for the creative team? I seem to remember hearing about him pushing for a lower price and a faster release schedule. Or I'm I thinking about something else? :?

As for wanting control and self-publishing, all I got to say is more power to him. The amount of decision making ability given to creative teams on company owned books seems to me to be maddingly small. I can only imagine how refreshing it must be to get out from under that proverbial thumb.

All I'm saying is that the amount of risk involved would give me a lot of pause and I highly respect anyone with the courage to go down this path. I'm sure it's difficult, but it keeps this industry vibrant and those that do it deserve the thanks of all comic book fans.
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Post by Bamfette »

he released US War Machine on a weekly schedule for a much reduced cover price, yes. seems to have worked. Chuck is really really big on releasing comics on a shorter schedule, it's part of the reason Uncanny is being put out bi-weekly for the most part. he does not really thingk 22 pages a month is enough to keep interest high. not entirely sure how Wild and Wolly Press was involved in that, i just looked at my TPB and it was in the credits.

and yeah, it is a risk. but all things considered, for Chuck, who, love him or hate him, his name will sell more copies than a little logo in the corner saying who the publisher is, it's not much more of a risk than going through a publisher. less, even. the Eternal was conceived as an ongoing series as was The Call, both were canceled due to sales, sales which would have made it profitable to him going it alone. no, he wouldn't have made as much, per page, or anything. but the sales on both of those were above 20,000, which while it means cancelation for Marvel (tho it is about average for Vertigo titles, even the popular ones, like Y and Fables. DC has deep pockets due to corporate backing.) would have made it possible for him to pay an artist, pay for printing, and still make money, and continue a series he would want to write.

oh, and WW will be in Diamond's preview catalogue, yes. but not HS. atleast not yet. we did not realize this going in, but Diamond required a finished issue from indy publishers before they will solicit. we wont have that in time to make it into the July catalog, tho we will try for a later one. it will be available in San Diego and direct form us as of July, though :)
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