Go read this article at IGN and we'll be here when you get back.
I kind of thought something like this was a possibility, but given Didio's prior approach of a deeply editorially controlled and managed DC Universe, my odd's on it were about 10-15%. I do see this as a bit of a "throw @#$% at the wall and see what sticks" approach, but I also think it makes more sense than trying to make 52 ongoing titles cohesive 12 times a year, plus annuals. What it does lack is a name brand for the marketing effort - something that I think stuck around about two years too long at DC Comics with the New 52 (nothing is still new three years in), or a single message behind those books. Which: GOOD.
When I was a kid, the gold standard by which we shall believe everything should be measured, there were a wide array of titles and comics from DC and Marvel. 'Mazing Man sat on the spinner rack next to Swamp Thing next to Batman and The Outsiders.* I didn't pick everything up, but it made comics feel like a medium rather than a bunch of books about adults working out issues by punching things.
In the press release, it sounds like DC has realized the audience has changed and grown in the past few years and they need to serve that audience.
I can't say I'm overly thrilled with any of the announced titles in and of themselves (even I think a Bizarro book, even if great, is going to be gone by 2016), but I am pleased to see DC seems to be bringing back writers instead of just assuming characters will carry a title. There was always a balance to be found between editorial mandate and letting writers go crazy in their corner o the DCU.
I am disappointed that there's really nothing here for me, no Superman Classic or Earth-0 book (and just seeing a book celebrating the too-many-Robins problem makes me weep a little inside), and the ongoing issues at DC in regards to refusing to provide a baseline DCU that these books are all a reaction to is a longterm issue, but that's been the story of comics and me the past few years.
*DC - making Halo a thing again is probably a good idea. Just think of the merchandising!
Nothing in that new list really jumps out at me and says come buy me. I'm just glad that Gotham Academy is still a title. I've been picking that up in single issues. I'm amazed that there are now going to be two Harley Quinn titles but there are like 4 Deadpool titles so why should that surprise me.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, of the 49 monthlies DC is releasing 17 or 18 of them are Bat-family titles. So over 33% of their publishing line is dedicated to Batman. I guess they know what butters their bread.
Oh and Bizarro is a 6 issue mini so yeah, it's not going to last.
First, I feel a sense of relief that Bizarro is a mini-series. I can't see how that would sustain itself otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI'll be curious to see what folds in and out of the new approach. I'm well aware that the idea is to reach out to a newly diversified comics market, so I actually hope this works out. But, yeah, I don't really think I'll be picking up Starfire, but we'll see.