I have the feeling that it's just a social phenomenon to use the word 'bitter' to write off others who may have bold opinions that diverge from the 'party line'.

Ironically, these 'bitter' individuals are usually pretty successful or content with their lives, which might hint at jealousy on the part of the ones tossing the label in the first place!

Ironically, these 'bitter' individuals are usually pretty successful or content with their lives, which might hint at jealousy on the part of the ones tossing the label in the first place!

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Excellent points! This goes back to Breevort's comment about my not even being in comics any more. Currently I am producing about the same amount of work as I ever have, between the stuff for IDW and the commission pieces. I consider all this to be "comics", but some, it seems, do not allow the application of that term to anything that does not find a place on their "approved" list. Thus, while I am having the time of my life doing STAR TREK stuff, I see comments to the effect that it is "all he can get". I wonder if it would be the same if I was doing STAR TREK for Marvel?

In a way, it's a lot like type casting in Hollywood. Having been the Superhero Guy for most of my career, it is unacceptable if I do not continue to be the Superhero Guy. Anything else does not "count". So, obviously, if this is how the "fans" feel, it must also be how / feel, and thus, I must be pretty bitter about it.

It's oddly parallel to the chief manner in which I got my reputation for having a towering ego. I don't think anyone who has honestly paid attention to what I have said and written over the years of my career could come to that conclusion, but from the earliest days, I noticed that many on the fringe of fandom tended to treat what people said ABOUT me as if it was what I myself was saying. If my fans say I am the greatest thing since sliced bread, then that must be what I think too! What an egomaniac!!

So, bitter? No. Right now, in fact, having more fun writing and drawing comics than I have had in quite a long time. No worries, for instance, that my next STAR TREK project will find itself being gutted because some higher up at IDW has decided to pull a stunt that affects all the books. No concern that NEXT MEN will be forced into a crossover that has nothing to do with the story I am telling, and derails two years of planning. And, best of all, never, ever, having to pick up the phone and call an editor to ask "Who IS this character this month?"

But when I think about the extent to which all those things, and more, are still going on in the rest of the industry, that's when I get ANGRY.

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Remember Stan's famous maxim, "Never give the fans what they THINK they want!"

No concern that NEXT MEN will be forced into a crossover that has nothing to do with the story I am telling, and derails two years of planning.

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And that's really a big beef of mine with the big universes.  Even back when I loved Marvel, it was a problem.  That and direct-only stuff - I still remember an editorial note directing me to an issue of Marvel Fanfare for a tidbit of info - a tidbit I wasn't privy to, growing up in a small town far from a comics shop.  That really bummed me out.

Another example of someone who is doing better than ever AWAY from Marvel - Mike Mignola.  He's found the best place for his stuff, I think.

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I read Marvel comics almost exclusively from about 1962 to 1965, and I never once needed to look at a different title to understand any part of the issue I had in my hand. Even when a rare "crossover" occurred, Stan made sure all the necessary info was in the issue to hand.

Even when a rare "crossover" occurred, Stan made sure all the necessary info was in the issue to hand.

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That's the trick--

I enjoy the occasional editoral footnote which refers one to another story or title, but one's enjoyment of the issue at hand should not depend on those other works. Everything you need to know to enjoy the story should be right there on the page.

It should be more along the lines of, "If you want to know more, then check out...", than, "Check this out in order to understand what you're now reading".

What disturbs me most nowadays is no one seems to be looking out for the best interests of the characters themselves. It didn't seem that long ago that if the creative talent wasn't doing the job, at least you had a layer of editors to step in and say "No, FoneBoneMan wouldn't do that."

Now, it's like all the characters are in a brothel, The Powers That Be are pimping them out as fast and as quick as possible for any kind of trick imaginable.

"You want what? Yeah, we can do that. A little unorthodox, but yeah, we can do that. It'll cost you extra, though."

Can you imagine Disney letting someone get away with this on the Mouse and friends? Or Warner allowing someone do this type of stuff on the Looney Tunes?

A classic case of the character supporting the story, rather than the story supporting the character. Since then, alas, this has become almost standard practice.