That’s a good point, Jer… especially if one is writing for a show like Grey’s Anatomy where a late script can have consequences similar to Civil War being delayed (since the network can’t skip ahead and show the next completed episode).

I think you may be being too generous with the learning curve aspect – I think it may just be priorities. The comic companies seem to be more understanding with “schedule slip” for writers and artists than the TV folks are – understandably, because the money invested in TV is huge and the stakes are high. When a writer starts to prioritize, the fact that missing a TV deadline might cause him some heavy pain on his career while missing a comic book deadline will get some pained phone calls from his editor probably plays into it a bit.

I’m sure you’re right, at least some of it is learning curve – writing for comics SHOULD be quite different than writing for TV, or movies, or novels, or what have you. But Heinberg’s Young Avengers just drip with TV writing – especially in the pacing. The way his books read, I guess I just think his TV writing skills should be helping him crank out the scripts, not hurting him that much.

Jer, I think there’s a learning curve that’s often underestimated. Not everyone can start writing comics effectively — there are unique qualities to the medium that need to be understood and mastered.

And I remember back in the day when artists were almost exclusively the culprits in the “late book” phenomenon – its strange to me that writers are having these kinds of problems – especially TV writers who normally write for “hour” long serials. It would seem to be that by their pacing, roughly 10 minutes of action takes place in a comic book (or less, if you’re Joss Whedon), so four issues would be roughly equivalent to 1 full script. Not that I’m condoning that style of pacing, but that’s how they seem to be writing it. I know they write in teams for TV and all, but 1 full script every 4 months doesn’t seem like it would be overwhelming. Maybe I’m wrong and the process isn’t as seamless as that, but the books I’ve read from TV-writer crossovers (including Heiberg’s own Young Avengers) seem to match that style of pacing.

And yes, 12 issues of a moderately successful title will tend to make more money than 6 or fewer issues of a highly successful one.

Of course, I don’t really miss Don Heck’s artwork, either, so I guess I’m torn…

I really wonder if there was any lead time given to either writer or artist for this book. Why is it necessary to rush? Wouldn’t having 12 books out on time be more profitable? That’s a genuine question, I’m not just being facetious.
craig