Muppet Comics Cancelled?

[Fozzie Bear]

Aight. Boom Studios announced they were doing Muppet Comics and they had me. Yeah, I complained when I first saw the designs for Langridge's versions; but, it quickly grew on me when I could see it all as a full book and I became a quicker fan.

A few other books came along and I was impressed with the writing, the artists, and more.

Then, we hear that a movie is due out this year and what happens? I hear that the comics are cancelled.

Anybody ever notice that we almost always have fantastic products except when a movie or TV special is out?

When movies are out, or TV specials are out, that's when new products--big things, like the MR Photo Props, Comics, and Action Figures--need to be out. Cross promotions and tie-ins are perfection.

And, I'm definitely sad to see BOOM end the Muppets line of comics. There are other good writers and artists out there that could have continued all that.

Thoughts? Correct me, agree with me, let's pitch in and buy the license to do it ourselves...let's chat.

 

[dwayne1115]

Aight. Boom Studios announced they were doing Muppet Comics and they had me. Yeah, I complained when I first saw the designs for Langridge's versions; but, it quickly grew on me when I could see it all as a full book and I became a quicker fan.

A few other books came along and I was impressed with the writing, the artists, and more.

Then, we hear that a movie is due out this year and what happens? I hear that the comics are cancelled.

Anybody ever notice that we almost always have fantastic products except when a movie or TV special is out?

When movies are out, or TV specials are out, that's when new products--big things, like the MR Photo Props, Comics, and Action Figures--need to be out. Cross promotions and tie-ins are perfection.

And, I'm definitely sad to see BOOM end the Muppets line of comics. There are other good writers and artists out there that could have continued all that.

Thoughts? Correct me, agree with me, let's pitch in and buy the license to do it ourselves...let's chat.

Wow that does not seem right at all. I mean you would think that the comics would help boost the movie, so why cancle them.

 

[Drtooth]

This was revealed a few months ago. The fact we didn't get an announcement of what the next "Classics" line after Snow White (we usually get them just before a series ends) kinda hinted at that in retrospect.

Now, Boom didn't cancel the comic on purpose... they KNOW we'd be upset at them, and considering they've successfully brought back Rescue Rangers and Darkwing Duck in comic form (better than anyone else, I'd say) they wouldn't think of doing anything to anger the fans. This was all Disney and playing politics with the licenses to Pixar AND the Muppets.

Disney's plan, under their Marvel imprint, is to just rerelease the same Boom comics Pixar stories in an annual "magazine" for kids. They had NO plans on any new Cars or Toy Story (their premiere licenses, coming off one sequel and going to the next) stories... just reprint cheap little kiddy magazines. Marvel has enough kid friendly versions of their own superheroes (sometimes better reads than their regular lines... and we don't have to kill anyone off in a gimmicky way to increase readership), and they don't need to publish any outside licenses, owned by Disney or not.

So the same fate could easily befall the Muppets... a lousy magazine of reprints they'd release only ONCE and never again.

I've been quite happy with Disney's ownership so far, ever since the virals. But they pulled their successful comic license, stopped releasing new internet material, and failed to show even a few plushies at Toy Fair. I get they're doing this strategically... but they really need to get off their butts and do something starting in the late Spring at the latest.

 

[dwmckim]

Just to add to the above...

Indeed, Disney made the decision to switch some of their properties to Marvel. That's not anything Boom! did; they had it done to them. The odd thing in regards to the Muppets is that practically all the articles i've seen about the situation are silent as to whether the Muppets were affected and are being moved or not - sometimes the author of an article might add their speculation but i've yet to see any actual official confirmation that Muppets are being moved.

The other thing not mentioned is that this happened at essentially the same time another issue was taking place in regards to the Muppet comics - Roger Langridge's desire to move on to other projects. Even if all the stuff with Disney wasn't going on, Boom would still be scrambling to decide who they wanted to replace him with (or if they felt that Langridge WAS The Muppet Show Comic Book and whether they felt it best to end the title). Either way, we were supposed to get one more four-issue arc from Langridge (Four Seasons) but the Disney mess seems to have it in limbo.

I agree (and i've ranted elsewhere) about how Disney really dropped the ball with keeping up the Muppet momentum...they were riding such a great wave of carefully thought out revival and ubiquity and then it all just ground to a halt - crickets chirping and all. The disappearance of the comics sure ain't helping!

But in the long run, even if they're completely gone, we still owe everyone involved with them a huge debt of gratitude for not only the invaluable work the comics did in assisting bringing the Muppets back to being a hot property but also i think the comics were especially responsible for showing Disney how much love there is for the rare obscure characters leading to them being rebuilt for the new movie.

...and on a final note, even if the Muppets are gone from Boom, Boom still puts out their wonderful way underrated Farscape comics. Hey, everyone - if you have a hole burning in your pocket from the money you're gotten used to spending on two Muppet comics a month, why not use it to pick up some issues of Farscape? Why does it always seem like i'm the ONLY Henson fan in existence reading/loving/caring about these truly marvelous treasures? (All Henson fansite owners out there that never write about them yet devote page after page to Muppet/Fraggle comics, i'm especially looking at you)

 

[RedPiggy]

I really want them. The wikis are next to useless to describe what happens in them, so I really, REALLY want them. Hopefully after my home renovation projects are done, I can just flat out get everything so far.

 

[Drtooth]

...and on a final note, even if the Muppets are gone from Boom, Boom still puts out their wonderful way underrated Farscape comics. Hey, everyone - if you have a hole burning in your pocket from the money you're gotten used to spending on two Muppet comics a month, why not use it to pick up some issues of Farscape? Why does it always seem like i'm the ONLY Henson fan in existence reading/loving/caring about these truly marvelous treasures? (All Henson fansite owners out there that never write about them yet devote page after page to Muppet/Fraggle comics, i'm especially looking at you)

OH NO! That hole is completely full of Darkwing Duck and Rescue Rangers and the upcoming Ducktales... not to mention upcoming Mega Man comics from Archie, and.... so help me... Bongo has started up a Bi-monthly Spongebob. There's still one Fraggle Rock to go.

If anything else, the one shining flicker of hope is that if there were 2 Muppet comics in the mix, I'd have to sell a kidney. Though... I wish they did a Muppet annual like they did for Darkwing... that thing is well worth 5 bucks. I highly recommend any Darkwing fans to pick that up right away. it has a special story by Tad Stones himself.

Ooh... yeah, about this:

I agree (and i've ranted elsewhere) about how Disney really dropped the ball with keeping up the Muppet momentum...they were riding such a great wave of carefully thought out revival and ubiquity and then it all just ground to a halt - crickets chirping and all. The disappearance of the comics sure ain't helping!

There's clearly some rights hiccup they've had with Muppet Show season 4... but other than that, nothing at toy fair, not much online... and now they wanna play politics with the comic license. They've got a MOVIE in a few months. It will be here before you know it. I'm sure there's going to be an explosion of stuff once November hits... but in the mean time, Disney NEEDS to keep the momentum going. We need to drill into everyone's heads a movie is coming. They're "relevant" again. If they had Smurf merchandise in the US 2+ years before Sony tossed a pad of paper at someone and said "Quickly! Give us a script! One that will SUCK!" they sure as heck can put some Kermit plush right next to Mickey and Minnie. They even have Marvel stuff (unoriginal stuff, though) at Disney now.

 

[frogboy4]

The Muppet Vinylmation Series Two was supposed to be out by now, but for some reason it's been in a holding-pattern. I do think this is planned as the silence before the Muppet publicity storm that will begin late this summer. Right or wrong, that's just my take on what's happening. I do expect that Disney Stores will have that Kermit plush next to the Mickeys 3rd or 4th quarter of 2011.

 

[Drtooth]

I understand they want to slowly get in and out with Muppet merchandise and hype to prevent an overexposure shock or whatever... but COME ON! It's time to start slowly getting stuff out there. T-shirts featuring characters besides Kermit and Animal, plush toys... and of course, getting the rest of the Muppet comics AS PROMISED out as soon as possible.

That said...

The other thing not mentioned is that this happened at essentially the same time another issue was taking place in regards to the Muppet comics - Roger Langridge's desire to move on to other projects. Even if all the stuff with Disney wasn't going on, Boom would still be scrambling to decide who they wanted to replace him with (or if they felt that Langridge WAS The Muppet Show Comic Book and whether they felt it best to end the title). Either way, we were supposed to get one more four-issue arc from Langridge (Four Seasons) but the Disney mess seems to have it in limbo.

I'm am confident that had the license continued, if they couldn't complete the series without Langridge and let it end with him (Yeah... and Don Rosa isn't every bit as good as Carl Barks ) they would have just started up another Muppet comic. The Classics line can hold up with different writers and artists... why not a series of Muppet adventure comics or maybe even a Muppets Tonight limited series? Or they could have just got another writer and artist to do it. Roger's decision to step down didn't effect this all that much. The writing was on the wall wen they didn't announce a 4 part after Muppet Snow White (they usually gave us news a series in advance).

 

[Count von Count]

...and on a final note, even if the Muppets are gone from Boom, Boom still puts out their wonderful way underrated Farscape comics. ... Why does it always seem like i'm the ONLY Henson fan in existence reading/loving/caring about these truly marvelous treasures? (All Henson fansite owners out there that never write about them yet devote page after page to Muppet/Fraggle comics, i'm especially looking at you)

First off, I'm sad as well the boom cancelled Muppet Comics.
They had great writers, working hard in keeping the wackey spirit of the Muppet Show alive. I hope that style crosses over in the new Muppet movie, as I think we all do

Now as for the farscape in fan sites. I think fan sites bring up Muppet/Fraggle the most because there sites are to Jim's work. They want to keep the old alive, as they should.
And Farscape is something you can find info about on official new sites, so there's no reason to bring it up

 

[beaker]

Is it confirmed that Disney stopped the Boom Muppet comics, only to release random issues bundled in anthology kiddy magazines?
It'd be one thing if these were *actual* magazines that features some comic pages. Goodness knows I've been wishing for a Muppet magazine for over 20 years. I'm confident we'll get one in time for the movie. But that's rather lame if Marvel won't put out new Muppet comics. It does feel doubtful the Landridge Arc will complete.

But hey, there's the amazing Fraggle Rock vol 1 and 2 Muppet fans need to track down. The book form of FR Vol 1 is nothing short of amazing.

As far as merchandise, its about mid march and there's not ONE Muppet item at any mall Disney stores...which seems highly troubling. Then again, most of what we've seen is just cheap stationary and other tacky stuff.

To Frogboy: A lot of mall Disney stores now seem to have tons and tons of varying Vinylmation sets, heavily promoting them instores with "vinylmations $5 with any purchase $20 or more".
Sadly, no Muppet series to be found anywhere.