60 or 75 issues: which is better?

[Joe Washington]

For those who have read long-term comic book series like Preacher, Y: The Last Man, and Fables, which length for such a comic book series is better for the development of character and story and to hold a audience's attention long enough? 60 issues? Or 75?

 

[Icemizer]

All depends on if the story can be sustained or not. Issue count is never a good benchmark for that.

 

[Technobuilder]

However many issues is needed to tell the story.

No more.

No less.

No filler.

 

[RobertVA]

I got away from comics when DC started bouncing multi-part stories between different titles. Things like a story that would jump from an Issue of "Superman" to an issue of "Man of Steel" then an issue of "Action comics". It got too difficult trying to figure out which titles to read in what sequence to enjoy the story in the proper order.

So I'll say He11 NO to both 60 and 75 and say ONE!

 

[23skidoo]

Exhibit A: Watchmen (12 issues). Exhibit B: Cerebus (300 issues). It all depends on the story and the skill of the storyteller. Or, in other words, the story is as long as it is. You can't qualify how many issues is the perfect length, any more than you can apply a "perfect number of episodes" to a TV series or a "perfect number of pages" to a novel. It can't be done, nor should it ever be attempted.

Alex

 

[Joe Washington]

But isn't it better for those reading a comic book series that there's an ending in sight than something that goes on and on sucking every bit of creativity it could muster until the series becomes a shell of its former self?

 

[RandyS]

However many issues is needed to tell the story.

No more.

No less.

No filler.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Nerys Myk]

But isn't it better for those reading a comic book series that there's an ending in sight than something that goes on and on sucking every bit of creativity it could muster until the series becomes a shell of its former self?

Depends on the series. If you're telling a story with a specific end in sight, it's best not to go past that ending. Watchmen was a single story told over 12 issues. Superman has no ending. Its designed to last forever and change with the times. So it will have creative peaks and valleys.

 

[firehawk12]

Well, 60 has the benefit of the five year arc and you get 10 trades out of it. Seems like a fair compromise between making money and stretching something out to infinity.

 

[Tomato]

Depend on the story. I think Fables is going to push up to easily over 100. Along with spin offs. Personally I feel the quality hasn't declined at all.

 

[Captain Craig]

All depends on if the story can be sustained or not. Issue count is never a good benchmark for that.

However many issues is needed to tell the story.

No more.

No less.

No filler.

Exhibit A: Watchmen (12 issues). Exhibit B: Cerebus (300 issues). It all depends on the story and the skill of the storyteller. Or, in other words, the story is as long as it is. You can't qualify how many issues is the perfect length, any more than you can apply a "perfect number of episodes" to a TV series or a "perfect number of pages" to a novel. It can't be done, nor should it ever be attempted.

Alex

Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.
To add to Skidoo just a tad: Nor can you apply a certain time length to a movie for uniform perfectness.

Would anyone say that Fables is the new Sandman?
This is the first series that seems to have captured a certain magic since Sandman, that I've seen. If there was another such series it escapes me at present.

 

[Tomato]

Would anyone say that Fables is the new Sandman?
This is the first series that seems to have captured a certain magic since Sandman, that I've seen. If there was another such series it escapes me at present.

I really like Ex Machina. And Preacher was considered the flagship title of Veritgo when Sandman was finished. Y the Last Man is also great. But in terms of magic, I think Fables is up there. Man I tear up when I read about Prince Charming, Trusty John and Flycatcher.