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The Layer Method
Our top Secret time-saving technique for creating and merging balloons and tails in Illustrator.
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Thursday, September 9, 2010
It Should Have Been the “Big Three”
A Tale of Aesthetic Success and Corporate Failure
By Marc R. Keller and Bryan A. Bushemi
The true strength of any entity often contains two components in balance. Harmony can exist when three aspects are present instead of two, however (i.e., past, present, and future; mind, body, and spirit, et cetera), so why shouldn’t a similar threefold balance be possible within the comic book industry?
Like our traditional two-party political system, Marvel and DC (the “Big Two”) have long ruled the comic industry, with no worthy third candidate challenging their reigns — until the end of the 20th Century. In 1999, information technology entrepreneur Mark Alessi founded CrossGen Comics. What set CrossGen apart was Alessi’s focus on genres other than superhero action. The company adopted a yin-yang-esque sigil to empower its heroes and villains, which also served as its corporate logo, promoting a unified creative ambiance among its artists and products.
Styling itself as a white knight against tyrannical large-market rivals, CrossGen raised the bar for the entire industry. By recruiting veteran professionals like Ron Marz, Mark Waid, and George Pérez, quality replaced quantity, improving the writing and graphics tremendously, and giving readers more to digest than exploitatively tasteless “bad girls” and confusing crossover events. Each title featured self-contained storylines and brief recaps of previous issues, making them accessible to new readers and those who missed key issues. Most importantly, CrossGen titles always shipped on time.
Since its release of CrossGen Chronicles in June 2000, the company expanded to include other services for fans. Their Comics on the Web program provided access to their titles on an online subscription basis. In conjunction with COTW, teaching and activity guides for educators were developed to better serve and benefit children. The company even inked book and film development deals based on several titles, including their acclaimed historical-mystery Ruse series. In addition to HeroClix figures and T-shirts, CrossGen released DVD versions of its comics with voices and sound effects. Sweet, huh?
Alas, the financial hammer dropped in June 2004 when CrossGen filed for bankruptcy, leaving storylines/ideas unfinished, including their universe-redefining Negaton War series. Despite its best creative efforts, Alessi’s rapid overexpansion of its products contributed to its demise. Also, CrossGen’s inability to successfully market their products outside comic retail shops failed to attract non-comic audiences, despite their best corporate efforts.
Had CrossGen survived, the competition between it and the Big Two would have strengthened the comic industry. Marvel and DC have added CrossGen talent in their stables, capitalizing upon their creative legacy. CrossGen had the potential to emerge beyond “third-party candidacy,” but cliché that it may be, we’ll never know.
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Friday, February 8, 2008
• The End.
So long. Farewell. Auf Wiedersehen. Good night.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
• Closing time
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Wednesday, January 16, 2008
• Oni resurrects letters columns
Resurrection series features letter-writing contest
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
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With Red 5 info
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
• Happy Thanksgiving!
From aka Comics and Comic World News
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Lettering powerhouse and CWN sponsor turns 15
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• Surrogates movie ready to start production
Bruce Willis to star
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February 4, 2008:
November 20, 2006:
A Comic-Con without the Captain