I don't have a lot of space this month due to the necessity of printing the annual statement of ownership, so let me see if I can think of a short topic (for once!) Hmmm, let's see...Got it. This month's topic: What factors make a good super hero team? Off the top of my head, I'd say having a balance of powers and personalities is a big plus. You wouldn't want everyone to have the same power on the team or they'd trip over each other doing the same trick all the time. If they all had similiar personalities, that would make for pretty monotonous dialogue. Hmmm, besides that, color-coordinated costumes might be a plus. A good male-female mix is also desirable. Gee, what else? Beyond these basics, I think it might get down to specific requirements of a team's concept. For instance, the Avengers are supposed to be Earth's mightiest heroes, so it certainly wouldn't fit the oncept if we brought in someone who wasn't from Earth, wasn't mighty, or wasn't a hero. I've got to go now to make room for your letters. Tell you what, you tell me what factors you think make for a good super hero team, and I'll print your ideas in a future M's Rems. Please write Mark's Remarks at the top of your letter to make for easier sorting of mail. Fair enough?
--Mark Gruenwald
Due to the necessity of including the Statement of Ownership on this letters page, I'll try to keep my Remarks brief. Today's topic: What is a Statement of Ownership?
What it is is a document that all periodicals are required to publish annually in order to retain their second class mailing permit for subscription copies. Second class postage is a lot cheaper than first class, so it is in publishers' best interests to comply with the regulation.
Now then, what possible interest is it to you, the reader? Well, if you look at Section 10E, you will know just how well the magazine you are reading is doing saleswise. Section 10E tells you how many copies were actually purchased, both on the newsstand and at direct sales outlets like comic book stores. Comparing Section 10Es of vairous books will clue you in to a title's relative popularity. If you glance at this book's Section 10E, you'll see the West Coast Avengers are quite healthy, thank you.
And with that brief behind-the-scenes insight, I'm signing off. (See, I can do short ones!)
--Mark Gruenwald