Even if Image is a reformed character there’s nothing wrong with me reminding everyone of what they were before they changed, right? I mean really, they should be made to knock on every door in the neighborhood and tell everyone what they were before, but at least they aren’t doing that… that thing… any more. Nevertheless I still feel it is my duty as an upstanding citizen and model community member* to make sure nobody forgets what they were.
I don’t see how my stating an opinion is punishing creators who, from what I gather from comments here, are getting along fine. In fact I am surprised my opinion bothers people so much. So what if some old dude has bad memories about this thing you like? You and another commenter here have made it pretty clear you rate a lot of Image’s present day output and that’s fine. I’m glad they are publishing good stuff and that you guys like it.
I haven’t analysed the history of it enough to be able to concur, but it’s interesting that you say this is a cyclic thing - however the big companies didn’t appear to ever have doomed themselves at all by walking roughshod over the little guys, from what I have seen. In terms of what happened in the 1990’s, any decline the big comics companies suffered was merely a result of their own lack of belief in their adaptability to the oncoming train of digital media. I saw what those companies did as very cynical - convinced that the paper comics industry was due a major downturn in demand they screwed every last penny out of what they saw as a dying market. Of course they did go on to adapt and remain as big as ever.
*Neighbourhood busybody with an axe to grind disguised behind a a stance of moral integrity and community concern.
