Ok. Paper crack moment here.
Speaking of the delays, Legion of 3 Worlds #3 is now scheduled for Jan. 14, 2009 and issue #4 is scheduled for Feb. 25, 2009. Issue #5 has not been solicited yet...
I've spent a good chunk of my life in the publishing industry.
Why the fuck can't a companies like DC and Marvel remotely keep shit on a monthly schedule?
They have so many months lead-in and yet these companies, as publishers, are totally incompetent.
How is that in the pre-digital hey-dey of paper crack, writers and artists managed to produce a ton of shit on a monthly schedule and yet now, in this digital world of fast transmission and everything else Adobe has touched can't a goddamn comic book company put books out on schedule!??!?!
It can only mean that they are totally incompetent or that they just don't care.
If any of our publications failed to meet deadline heads would roll.
Obviously, these companies must view us, their stupidly retarded customers, as utter shit!
My theory is a variation of your last line. When comics were magazines-for-kids, they shipped on time or they didn't sell. If they didn't sell, the cover (likely) got ripped off and sent back to them, and they didn't get paid.
But then the comic book store opened up, and suddenly it didn't matter. If the comic didn't sell it went into the back issue bends, with no loss to the company. I don't even know these days how a comic book store returns unsold product or if it can... I will find out...
In any event, companies come up with complicated plotlines, over editorialize comic stories and ship late. If they lost the wide window to sell their books, I can tell you, things would change.
Even then, a competent editor and the competent office traffic manager can ensure that product is print-ready and on schedule!
It isn't complicated. It is purely a matter of organization.
DC and Marvel should not solicit for purchase any book that does not have at least 5 to 6 issues in a ready-to-print state.
That allows for almost 1/2 a year lead time to ensure the next 5-6 are in the can.
It isn't complicated at all.
It is a simple expectation for your contracted employees (artists and writers seem to be some of the only remaining ones) and if they cannot meet simple deadlines then their contract is null.
It's like cable installation or airline tickets. There are certain things people are willing to put up with unreasonable amounts of hassle and irritation in order to get. Comic books, to the remaining comic book audience, appears to be one of those things.