American comics have always been a business first, and it has always been about the bottom line before all else --- but the way of reaching that desirable bottom line has changed. And that's when overexposure becomes a real danger.

I buy comics to read.  Period.  And now I sell whatever I do not give to my girls, simply because I got tired of keeping everything I have ever owned.

If one wants to invest one's money, I recommend every other form of investment over buying new comics.

I know, JB, that you're quite assiduous about choosing your words, so when you say this problem of askew marketing has been characteristic of the industry for the "past few decades," well, that's very disturbing. How does the industry get back to what it was after more than twenty years of deliberately following one course?

Also, it's sad to think that children haven't been at all able to buy comics in the grand old way for a quarter of a century. If the average kid reads comics in a strong block of five years, then that's five generations of readers who missed out. Just terrible!

***POSSIBLE WOLVERINE SPOILERS FOLLOW***

CSN #1060 has an article with Marc Guggenheim explaining his take on Wolverine's apparently invincible healing factor.  His take is that when Wolverine (in a 5-parter that begins in WOLVERINE #57) dies, his soul goes to a place where he has to fight a character named Lazear.  If he wins, goes back to his fully-healed body.  The idea behind this is that Wolverine's healing factor has become so powerful that there's no drama in his stories.  Guggenheim wants there to be consequences; such that when he gets torn in half or burned or whatever else is done to Wolverine these days, his soul pays for it because it has to fight its way out of the netherworld (or something). 

I can't say I care much for this idea.  However, at least it addresses the absurd extent to which Logan's healing factor has been taken.  Guggenheim said he lacks the "clout to depower him, or remove the healing factor..." so I can't say I blame him for taking this route.  Also, Howard Chaykin is the artist on this arc, so it may be worth looking at for that reason alone.

Jeezus.

Here's an idea: why not have the healing factor be similar to Wildcat's "Nine Lives" life regeneration power? Every time Wolverine heals, he finds he cannot recover as well the next time, and is slightly weaker for the experience, and loses (temporarily) his bestial accents, that make him a mutant to begin with?

So, as we look toward the future, I sure do hope those retailers will enjoy not being offended right out of business!