Following
their summer event Flashpoint last
year, DC Comics took the first steps into the digital age with their New 52
initiative in September 2011. Some books had soft reboots like Green Lantern and Batman which followed their events War of the Green Lanterns and Batman
Incorporated, respectively, while others had full makeovers. Following
their first story arcs, the creative teams have begun the world-building of the
New 52 universe where relationships between the characters are explored.
But some
of the titles are plagued with creative changes, cancellations, and slow burn
stories in their initial story arcs. However some books desire praise as they
build a strong foundation forward to tell worth while stories in the New 52
universe. Writers and artists who are trusted and have a track record of
keeping up with quality possess the talents to compete with other titles.
Creative Changes and
Cancellations
The
numerous and ongoing creative changes within the new 52 books will be causing
audience to move to books with stable creative teams. The current books
undergoing changes within a year of their initial release includes Dark Knight, Justice League Dark,
Stormwatch, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Green Arrow, Detective Comics,
Static, Firestorm, Hawkman, Superman, Voodoo, Deathstroke, Legion Lost, as
well as Hawk and Dove. DC is taking
a top-down approach when it comes to rebuilding a shared universe and reworking
creative lineups instead of an organic one.
Six of
their weakest titles are replaced by a Second Wave of titles and making
mid-course corrections on the way. Minority characters starting in O.M.A.C., Static Shock, and Mr.
Terrific have been cancelled since dipping below the 20,000 copies mark. If
you want a minority character to star in the title then give him an iconic
superhero like Miles Morales in Ultimate
Spider-Man.
DC Comics
added another war comic G.I. Combat
in their Second Wave after canceling Blackhawks
and Men of War. One of the
reasons of adding another war comic is for DC to protect its intellectual
properties since trademarks could enter the public domain if the owner of the
trademarks stops using them.
The
Second Wave includes both Batman:
Leviathan and Earth 2 however
writers Grant Morrison and James Robinson are committed for twelve issues only.
Whether either or both titles will lead to a major crossover in 2013 will
remain to be seen.
Digital Competition
In 2001
Marvel Comics showed commitment to the hardcovers and trade paperbacks
collections and constructed stories to be collected in that form. Now Marvel is
showing commitment to the digital market by announcing comics priced at $3.99
will include codes for free digital copies of the same issues while DC Comics
offers combo packs at $4.99 for both a comic and its digital copy.
The
sustainability of the New 52 depends if the books were performing better than
before their respective launches. DC Comics used their incentive program of
returnablity to elevate their sales. The objective was to increase the product
trail of their New 52 titles.
Complaints: Fill-Ins Artists and Writers
Both Action
Comics and Justice League are slow burns as their stories are
placed in the past. Their “real” stories will not be told until next year so
fans will not be able to judge their present stories with upcoming story arcs.
Both titles have earned help from other artists to continue the stories until
the regular artist catches up.
When writers and artists are changed within
the first six months, it shows the publishers have not planned things out
properly. Superman writer George Perez is replaced with
Keith Griffin and Dan Jurgens (Death of Superman). The first of Superman
two issues are extremely verbose and crosses over with Stormwatch for one
panel. The seventh issue begins with a Wildstorm invasion of Daemonites.
Superman needs fresh blood for a new generation not writers of the past who are
too familiar with the character to progress him forward.
The Wildstorm title Stormwatch gets guest writer Paul Jenkins
(Batman: The Dark Knight) to substitute for Paul Cornell after the first six
issues. The first three issues of Voodoo by Ron Marz may be read through
pictures. The words add very little to the story as the art gives a good
narrative. Marz gets to play with his Kyle Rayner Green Lantern character by
issue three, which has little effect on the story other than incorporating the
title into the DC Universe. DC needs to focus on providing full story arcs
within one to three issues to keep readers focused than waiting six months for
an entire story they may forget.
Praise: Building a Strong Foundation
Writers Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
bring another dimension to the Flash expanding on what previous writers
have told including Mark Waid and Geoff Johns. The dialogue alone from Brian
Azzarello (100 Bullets) of Wonder Woman makes the title worth picking up. Green Lantern seems like the only DC franchise
worthy to hold water as their stories have carried through from the
Pre-Flashpoint Era thanks to Geoff Johns. Johns is also continuing to bring new
adventures to Aquaman and
creating back to the heights of writer Peter David when he was on the title.
The Batman
franchise gained some boost thanks to Grant Morrison building up Batman
Incorporated. Batwing bring another version of Batman with
different origins and ethnicities giving this character a new dynamic in
storytelling. Detective Comics has brought a sense of mystery to
keep the average Batman fan entertained until the next issue arrives. Batman: The Dark Knight by Paul Jenkins and David Finch
brought eye candy to Batman and the other characters. Scott Snyder carries the
main Batman title with artist Greg Capullo (Spawn).The Batwoman title whose main character was the
brought forward during aftermath of 2006’s Infinite
Crisis carries strong story
arcs for the future as well as Batman
Beyond Unlimited which gives us a glimpse of Bruce
Wayne’s legacy.
Both Swamp
Thing and Animal Man have interesting stories to tell as
the qualities are on the levels of Alan Moore and Grant Morrison’s stories. I, Vampire brings the vampires face-to-face with
the heroes of the DC Universe and fully integrating the characters.
Writer Scott Lobdell is blessed with his
artists R.B. Silva on Superboy,
Brett Booth on Teen Titans,
and Kenneth Rocafort on Red
Hood and the Outlaws. The fresh storytelling with breathtaking art brings
life to these DC titles.
Overall the first half of the year is
strategizing for the second half as DC Comics New 52 reaches its first birthday
in September. DC is retooling its line and finding the best combination of
titles, artists, and writers to provide a unique comic experience.
January Publishing Strategies
Majority
of the New 52 comics are nearing their penultimate issue of their first story
arcs. Readers have already decided which titles to keep which ones to drop
going forward. DC begins its first crossover and world-building initiative with
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #5
AND O.M.A.C. #5 (The former is later
cancelled to make room for the Second Wave of the New 52). DC Comics also
releases the Batman vs. Bane trade
paperback to prep readers for his upcoming appearance in The Dark Knight Rises film in July.
February Publishing Strategies
DC
finishes the majority of their first story arcs of the New 52, which should
stabilize sales for upcoming issues. They also collect the trade paperbacks of
the Flashpoint series which ended
with the launch of the New 52.
March Publishing Strategies
DC begins
their next story arcs as well as collecting some of the first arcs of the New
52. The Vertigo Comics releases four ongoing titles to strengthen their line of
current titles including Fairest #1
by Fables scribe Bill Willingham.
Both Batman: Knightfall and Batman: Venom are released in trade
form in anticipation for the upcoming Batman film.
April Publishing Strategies
Eight of
the lowest selling titles of the initiative New 52 books are cancelled to make
room for the Second Wave in May including O.M.A.C.,
Blackhawks, and Men of War. More collections of the New 52 first story arcs are
collected as well as Batman: Prey
which was the inspiration for the upcoming The
Dark Knight Rises film.
May Publishing Strategies
The
Batman franchise of books begins its one month crossover with the Night of Owls storyline. Snyder asked
the writers of the other books if they wanted to participate so this is not a
multi-part crossover but a nonevent. However writer Judd Winick is responsible
for writing three titles including Batman:
The Dark Knight, Catwoman, and Batwing. Eight new books of the Second
Wave of the New 52 are released including Earth
Two, World’s Finest, Batman: Incorporated, Dial H, G.I. Combat, and the
Ravagers.
Several
of the DC Comics crossovers over with one another to encourage world-building
including Justice League International
and Firestorm, Green Lantern: New Guardians and Blue Beetle, Suicide Squad
and Resurrection Man, and finally
the crossover between Teen Titans, Superboy, and Legion Lost setting up the events within Ravagers. DC Comics used two and three issue events to bring the
New 52 titles closer together within their shared universe. The Smallville
television series transitions into comics through Smallville Season 11 picking up where the series left off.
May also
marks the tenth anniversary of the first publication of Vertigo’s Fables, which was celebrated in March
with the release of Fairest.
June Publishing Strategies
The Before Watchmen mini series begins four
titles expanding on the original limited series by Alan Moore. Sales will
determine whether DC Comics will be able to turn yesterday’s stories into
today’s profit.
