http://asitecalledfred.com/2008/04/15/comics-in-context-221-the-king-in-exile/ Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:15:13 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 http://asitecalledfred.com/2008/04/15/comics-in-context-221-the-king-in-exile/comment-page-1/#comment-4062 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:15:13 +0000 http://www.quickstopentertainment.com/2008/04/15/comics-in-context-221-the-king-in-exile/#comment-4062 One thing that I think should be taken into account is the ramp up. Kirby’s Fourth World got the axe by their tenth issues, and Jack was following orders to put Marvel characters in the eternals before the twelfth issue. Considering that it was (and is) an industry that functioned without promotion, Becoming a blockbuster inside of a year might be a lot to ask.
And (especially at Marvel) Jack was competing with himself. THe Eternals was set up to compete with Thor, the Fantastic Four, and the Hulk–many of whom, upon Jack’s return, now also sported Kirby covers. Jack was then obligingly sabotaging his own books’ sales.
And it would be god to remember that, in the mid to late 70’s, newsstand comics were dying. Books were selling 20% of their print runs, and a lot of people (up at the Marvel offices, at least) were predicting the end of the medium.

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