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Stephen Wacker Vs The Internet

Published Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:00:39 -0600

Last updated Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:49:19 -0600

Eric Canete posted about his recent issue of Amazing Spider-Man and how some Spidey fans didn't take to his artwork much (idiots of course, it's damn fine gorgeous) – this is the double page spread that got some in a tizzy. Obviously what they see as poor anatomy, I see at a distorted viewpoint intended to display dynamism, action, movement in a similar manner that Jack Kirby used forced perspective.

But what really caused the fuss was this comment.

PS – Are there really people boycotting the Spiderman books because of some event that's happened like Marvel did a whole rewind on Spiderman's history or Aunt May is now a super-spy? Really?! A boycott?! Wow, you guys are hard core.

Oh dear. Now that's like a red rag to a bull who believes that Spider-Man would never doa deal with the devil. The Comic Book Resources forum started dissing Canete for making such a statement, clearlky derisopry of the comic fanbase. And who should arrive to defend him but your friendly neighbourhood Steve Wacker, editor of the Spidey books.

Here are a few choice bon mots…

I have no doubt that if Stan were still the editor there would be many fans apoplectic at every invented, perceived slight. To pretend otherwise is naive.

Finally Eric is a genius..at least at comics. Probably sucks at other genius stuff like math and message board moderating. You'll see more of him in a Hammerhead story coming up in Web.

The real hardscrabble reality is that his only real audience is the person he's selling work to…me. Now you can easily expand this to his theoretical audience being readers, but fortunately or unfortunately, the editor guards the gate and he has to give me something I want first.

I can't speak for people who come here like Slott who cleary hates everyone involved in comics, but I do think the comments through and expect the worst. I'm just not particularly concerned. I don't think you or anyone here is any sort of litmus test.

I love places like this, but it's a vocal minority of mostly anonymous people. Which is fine and certainly fun, but it's not worth making a publishing plan around.

It's all interesting to me and I thought it was helpful to point out the differences between an artist saying something and an actual Marvel employee saying something.

This isn't public relations though. It's mob mentality.

I don't think the world many of you want –where a creator feels personally responsible and saddened every time someone anonymously or nonymously expresses contempt when they don't like the work–will ever exist or ever has.

I think you want people to be more afraid than they feel. Knowing Eric, I'd imagine the reaction is closer to mine "It's a shame the people who didn't like it, didn't like it. Ah well, maybe next time" (Note: If you're reading that in Eric's voice, choose bigger words. If you're reading that in my voice it should be very effete with a slight stutter.)

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