Written by Many years from now there will be business courses on Marvel Comics’ bizarre decision to demonize large swathes of its fanbase as a means of securing sales. Common sense tells objective observers that Marvel’s downward sales trajectory is tied to hostility towards the fans, and yet guys like Stephen Wacker, VP for Current Series and Development, continue to double and triple down on insulting loyal customers.
As has been said before, the “House of Ideas” has become the “House of Ideologues,” but if you need further evidence then check out my latest YouTube video. Mr. Wacker declared victory over the fans in a war that he has cooked up in his own mind, but he did so while preemptively blocking yours truly on Twitter.
Indeed, I am so utter defeated by men like Stephen Wacker and the Marvel’s Gate cult that I must be blocked from seeing what the victor is up to on social media. Never mind the fact that I have never made contact with him on the platform, either directly or indirectly.
Anyway, check out the video, subscribe if the format is up your alley, and make sure to leave your two cents in the comments section below. Unlike Mr. Wacker, I want to hear what you have to say.
Douglas Ernst Blog 
Another solid video as always Douglas. It makes some sort of sense to me that Marvel views comic fans like you and me (straight white dudes past our teens) as being the enemy. Clearly the books aren’t being marketed to us and our interests (no fight scenes or classic notions of heroism). Fans like us are in the way and preventing Marvel from releasing the next X-Men Gold variant cover featuring Storm tongue kissing Kitty Pryde like they want to.
Well Doug, the writer is getting paid by Marvel. Will Marvel continue to payor contract with him, if folks are getting his stuff for free? Is he really thinking this out?
I don’t like Marvel throwing out core characters, who have been around for decades. And replacing them with bad replacements. Al least DC keeps the core characters around. Sure, marvel has some good titles. it’s like finding some gold, amidst all the fool’s gold.
Wacker is a good name for this guy. He’s wacky. No wonder Marvel doesn’t get much of my money any more.
Wacker gives merchandise away for free, while insulting the paying customers.
Well, why not? SJW’s believe that people who voted for Trump are Nazis, and that Soros’ Rent-a-Mob storm troopers are “peaceful protesters” and “anti-fascists. ”
They live in gated communities and accuse you of paranoia and xenophobia if you want secure borders and immigration reform. They drive SUV’S and fly in private jets, then lecture us about the environment.
They also think that Rachel Dolezal is black, that Bruce Jenner is a woman, and that Elizabeth Warren is a Native American.
A cop in Ferguson Missouri shot an assailant in self-defense. There were protests, i.e., riots.
A Muslim immigrant cop in Minneapolis shot an unarmed woman who was not doing anything to threaten anyone. The mayor’s first priority was to promise to protect the “Somali community ” from a hypothetical backlash that never happened.
Similarly, after the San Bernardino massacre, the Obama administration responded by promising to increase unvetted Muslim immigration, and by threatening to “take action” against anyone who said anything that might be interpreted as “anti-Muslim rhetoric. ”
Your post was about Marvel, but the current political climate is more like Silver Age DC:
Welcome to Bizarro World.
“Welcome to Bizarro World.”
Marvel is contributing to the creation of DC’s Bizarro world. Interesting. 😉
How did all these weirdly hostile guys get into positions of corporate authority?
And how many of them have been ruined by “cop mentality”, where you deal with so many obnoxious “Fat Comic Book Guy” types that you end up thinking -all- the fans are “Fat Comic Book Guy” types, and as a result you view them all with contempt?
Hi Douglas,
I appreciate what you’re doing with this blog.
While I understand your focus is specifically on comics, your question about “How do they expect to make money by insulting readers” spurred this speculation:
MARVEL DOESN’T CARE ABOUT MAKING MONEY WITH ITS COMICS…BECAUSE AT DISNEY, IDEOLOGY TRUMPS MONEY.
As you know, Marvel is now owned by Disney. I believe there has been a deliberate decision in the upper reaches of Disney management — maybe the very top — that radical politics, SJWs, et cetera are “the wave of the future”…and that riding that wave is more important than short-term financial gain.
Consider: across its properties, Disney is becoming increasingly radical.
— ABC consistently promotes “diversity” (racial, gender, etc) in their entertainment, particularly sitcoms.
— Freeform (formerly ABC Family) is even more blatant, with lesbian, transgender, etc. sitcoms.
— Disney Channel is planning to move in a “more mature” direction with sitcoms about teen pregnancy, etc.
— ESPN routinely indulges in left-wing political talk over sports commentary.
— “Star Wars”: All heroes are women or people of color. White males are solely Imperial officers, not in heroic roles. (Well, except for Han Solo — and look what happened to him.)
— Marvel Cinematic Universe has been heroic white males up ’til now, but once “Infinity War” is over, will pivot to women and people of color as the white male hero characters are phased out (also due in part to the actors aging out of the roles, but that’s a convenient coincidence)
— Marvel Comics, you have documented.
— Mainstream Disney cartoons are increasingly women-centered (Tangled, Brave, Frozen) and people of color (Moana).
About the only area that doesn’t fit this overall leftist shift is Pixar, at least up ’til now. But that may be changing soon, too.
This may seem a bit conspiratorial, I agree. But if there HAS been such a decision, that ideology trumps profit (at least for now), it would explain why Breevort et al suffer no blowback from corporate. Just a thought.
Keep up the good work.