glenn2f
asked:
Are there still "inventory stories" (or even multi-issue stories) anymore? I would think that it wouldn't be much of an option these days with the interconnectivity of the MU, the longer story arcs, and the changes that happen to many of the characters. I imagine this practice has been replaced with use of other artists who can fill in on a particular issue and its better for the editors to stay ahead of the curve and not need a something that will break up the narrative. Thanks.
You’re correct, at least in most cases. The days of the traditional inventory story went away once the Direct Market became the primary distribution venue. On the Newsstand, nobody particularly cared who wrote or drew a given issue of CAPTAIN AMERICA–you put it out, it either sold or it didn’t, and you returned the remainder for credit. But in the DM, our Retailers and Fans care a great deal-especially in these days where rising cover prices make it more crucial for them that every issue “count” or “matter.”
The downside of this, of course, is that today, a classic story like “The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man” would no doubt be described by online reviewers as “filler.”