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CBR TV @ NYCC: Todd McFarlane on “Spawn,” DC Comics, Walking Dead Toys

The always outspoken Todd McFarlane rejoined CBR TV at New York Comic Con to talk all things comics, but first the legendary creator played with his new Walking Dead action figures, showing off the latest wave’s special features for the camera.

The comics talk opened with Todd revisiting his DC Comics relaunch prediction, stating that while he gives DC credit for a solid launch, he’s still betting against the publisher’s ability to maintain the momentum half a year down the line, expressing a sense of caution about the retailers’ solid orders for issues 2 and 3 being met by the same enthusiasm by fans once the comics hit the stands.

From there, Todd discusses his own changing approach to comics publishing, his resistance to variant covers or similar gimmicks and the fact that as soon as he bowed to pressure and matched solicitation information with the shipping books, sales began to drop. Despite this, McFarlane insists there is no temptation to reboot the series at #1.

McFarlane wraps by delving into his newfound role as mentor, pointing to his relationship with current “Spawn” artist Szymon Kudranksi, offering notes and encouragement to the up-and-comer while still encouraging his longtime collaborator Greg Capullo as he builds “Batman” for DC with Scott Snyder.

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  • Yumph!

    cue the DC drones hating on Todd for telling it like it isnnnu00a0

    • David Fullam

      We got his back.

    • Serpico71

      ok. u00a0I’m a retailer and DC pulls for the top titles are up 25-50%, the big relaunch gave more exposure to titles no one would ever bother, like Grifter or Voodoo. u00a0All Star Western is 30% over Jonah Hex. u00a0Over 70% continue to have incredible reviews, with good and bad controversersies, and a new Grant Morisson Kirby-esque universe to come with cross-overs. u00a0Going into week 4, it succeeded better than I had expected. u00a0But DC gave themselves a shot in their arm, not to the industry. u00a0DC and Image are delivering the most exciting in new comics, with Marvel just (as Todd says), “regurgitating titles”. u00a0 Kudos, on Severed, Luther Strode and Jake Ellis for IMAGE. u00a0DC and Image has great quality right now.u00a0

  • Outside_

    Sounds like he swallowed his tongue before the interview, but yeah, it’s still to early to really say that N52 was the big hit the industry needed.

  • doc fate

    todd,maybe you should focus on making your own comic line readable.what a mess image has become.

    • Yumph!

      Well, let’s do the math. Marvel and DC – tons of gimmicks, variants ncovers, crossover events, death and rebirths. Image – creator owned nstuff with a truly independent voice, more variety than the homogenized nrubbish at the big 2, series like Butcher Baker that is one of the best nbooks out right nownnnnYeah, your analysis is spot onnn

      • Truth Hurts

        cue the Image drones hating on theu00a0Big 2u00a0foru00a0having better comics.u00a0 nu00a0nu00a0nu00a0Your arguments are hypocritical, at best…nu00a0nu00a0

    • Shaman

      The Image line is a mess, Doc?u00a0 Really????u00a0u00a0 Walking Dead?u00a0 Invincible?u00a0 Luther Strode?u00a0 Yea, with crappy titles like that, I can see how you think they are “a mess”.u00a0 if you hate todd and his yappy mouth, that’s cool.u00a0 but to trash a successful line because of your dislike of him?u00a0 that’s the very definition of “jealous fanboy”.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeremy-Aleksich/1353686801 Jeremy Aleksich

    +1nnu00a0″Cue DC Drone” LOL

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeremy-Aleksich/1353686801 Jeremy Aleksich

    +1nnu00a0″Cue DC Drone” LOL

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Roberto-Briceno/60604889 Roberto Briceno

    I agree with Todd’s statement regarding DC 110%. Todd is using a word that everybody is forgetting is “CONSUMER.”u00a0nn

  • NewFlesh

    He just hates DC for stealing Capullo LOL

  • http://www.facebook.com/hartleyholmberg Hartley Holmberg

    So DC pulls off one of the most innovative move the comics industry has seen, manages to drawu00a0thousandsu00a0of people into stores that are either relapsed or new fans, and in 2 months manages to place the year ahead of the year before in sales and people still can say with a straight face that the new 52 might not be au00a0success?nnIts like listening to a republican debate!nPure nonsenseu00a0that’su00a0in full denial of reality.nI love Image comics.nBeen buying Savage Dragon since issue 1 of the mini ( and before that if you count its spiritualu00a0predecessoru00a0Megaton) Same with Invincible and I own and love many many more Image books.u00a0nMany of which are now owned by DC I might add.nBut Todd need to just admit he was wrong, something I don’t see him ever willing to do.nIn his lastu00a0interviewu00a0he stated that he was betting against DC and that they were running a “fools errand”.nThe man hasn’t had a comic in the top 10 let alone 20 in years, and needs to get over himself and his giant not-as-smart-as-he-thinks-he-is ego.nHes great with toys, hasn’t been so great with comics in over a decade.nSuck it up and be a man Todd:YOU.WERE.WRONG.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6VVGMNK3L3KMHYPU2JO3QTQZUU Trey-dizzle

      Yay they got two months, let’s see if they can actually you know keep this going before DC does their usual m.o. of somehow messing this up

    • Omegasaga

      Type your comment here.Hartley Holmberg I was against this DC halfassed reboot from the start— but i find myself really enjoying40% of the new DC 52.nnMy biggest gripe and prediction still stands…. once the NEW factor wears off, and teh creative teams leave or are shuffled after the first arcu00a0 sales will PLUNDGE— nnBut the BIGGEST PROBLEM people are overlooking…. CONTINUITY.nThe 4 robins, never was a Teen Titans, Young Green arrow/same age as Roy Harper, Superman died but was never married to Lois?u00a0 This list goes on. nAs a shared universe- DCs continuity is more screwed up now (CONVOLUTED) than EVER in its entire history.nnThis was DCs biggest problem following Crisis in 1985.u00a0 It wasnt until 2005 when DC REincorporated its silver age continuity back that everything finaly made sense.nNow ALL that was accomplished- the legacy aspect of DC. Its all screwed up.

    • Kitchener

      “Relapesed”? It makes sounds like a religion. Sorry as an outsider i find this kind of weird.

    • Sackmagic22

      Never Liked Spawn But I do know it was in the top 20 for at least its first few years. It started going down in 94-95 so it hasent been 20 years yet. Also DC did the Relaunch/Crisis thing already. Its not innovative.u00a0Finally a Number of the 52 booksu00a0have already been cancelled. Todd isent oneu00a0of myu00a0favorite boyhood artisits. Or artisit I like at all but…I know what he says is correct. As for the long term he was saying…willhave to see. Btw Warrenu00a0Ellis has stated that the margin between sales between Marvel and DC in 2011 was tiny compared to what they expected it to be. Yes its quite possible that the momentum that has been built up by the relaunch is going to fizzle out in the long term…will see what happends. Its to early to say anyone is inncorrect right now.

  • http://www.facebook.com/hartleyholmberg Hartley Holmberg

    …

  • http://www.facebook.com/hartleyholmberg Hartley Holmberg

    So DC pulls off one of the most innovative move the comics industry has seen, manages to drawu00a0thousandsu00a0of people into stores that are either relapsed or new fans, and in 2 months manages to place the year ahead of the year before in sales and people still can say with a straight face that the new 52 might not be au00a0success?nnIts like listening to a republican debate!nPure nonsenseu00a0that’su00a0in full denial of reality.nI love Image comics.nBeen buying Savage Dragon since issue 1 of the mini ( and before that if you count its spiritualu00a0predecessoru00a0Megaton) Same with Invincible and I own and love many many more Image books.u00a0nMany of which are now owned by DC I might add.nBut Todd need to just admit he was wrong, something I don’t see him ever willing to do.nIn his lastu00a0interviewu00a0he stated that he was betting against DC and that they were running a “fools errand”.nThe man hasn’t had a comic in the top 10 let alone 20 in years, and needs to get over himself and his giant not-as-smart-as-he-thinks-he-is ego.nHes great with toys, hasn’t been so great with comics in over a decade.nSuck it up and be a man Todd:YOU.WERE.WRONG.n

    • Omegasaga

      Hype never lasts. You need strong story foundations and creative teams that stick around for more than 1 arc.nu00a0nWatch asu00a0 people STOP reading JUSTICE LEAGUE after JIM LEE leaves as of issue 6 or 7.nWatch as people start getting annoyed that continuity doesnt make sense.nu00a0nREMEMBER that the talent involved at DC has not changed. Just reshuffled.nThese are the same people that “planned”u00a0 COUNTDOWN to lead right into FINAL CRISIS.u00a0 Not only was that 52 wasted issues that did NOT have any remote thing to do with Final Crisis- But the BIG even itself was a blunder too.nu00a0nI admit there is a lot of energy and coolness to some of the titles… but the foundation is weak.

  • Tyler Gross

    When Todd MacFarlane says “I’ll bet against it.” u00a0He’s really saying, “I’m pissed I didn’t think of this first.” u00a0

  • Serpico71

    I do want to say that the problem with Spawn is just that it just is not that great. u00a0Orders have dropped on it, simply because people are not buying it, talking about it – reading it. u00a0It has to do about quality. u00a0The most amazing comic in terms of word of mouth and sales is Severed. u00a0It outsells Avengers in my store. u00a0Bizarre. u00a0Lot of good stuff, Todd, but the bottom line – quality of the comic, and innovative storylines. u00a0I will stand on a corner and scream selling Fialkov’s ECHOES all day. u00a0WIth Snyder, Edmonson and Fialkov, all a part of the DC52, I hope you wish their success. u00a0I know you do.

  • http://twitter.com/SocialClimber85 TyroneJames

    He screams 90′s