Comments on: The New 51? Wait, Maybe It Should Be The New 48…? http://blog.newsarama.com/2013/01/28/the-new-51-wait-maybe-it-should-be-the-new-48/ The Blog@ Team and prominent comics personalities share what’s on their minds. Mon, 20 May 2013 03:24:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: moose n squirrel http://blog.newsarama.com/2013/01/28/the-new-51-wait-maybe-it-should-be-the-new-48/comment-page-1/#comment-788891 moose n squirrel Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:57:10 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=35047#comment-788891 "Dan Didio has previously talked about his desire to keep the DCU line at 52 books, saying that it’s a good number of the publisher." Numerology is not a good way to run a business. “Dan Didio has previously talked about his desire to keep the DCU line at 52 books, saying that it’s a good number of the publisher.”

Numerology is not a good way to run a business.

]]> By: mike http://blog.newsarama.com/2013/01/28/the-new-51-wait-maybe-it-should-be-the-new-48/comment-page-1/#comment-788855 mike Tue, 29 Jan 2013 04:05:24 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=35047#comment-788855 The Dark books are DC's best right now, just like the pre-Vertigo horror line they are emulating. Sadly, their superhero books largely seem to be emulating the Image and X-books from that early-mid 90s era instead of something modern, because that's what Bob Harris knows best. YJ is a great example of how a DC reboot could have gone with better creators and less micromanaging from talentless hacks like Didio and Harris running the line into the ground. Its mostly by accident that books like Smallville by the highly underrated Bryan Q Miller and the return of the Legends of the Dark Knight anthology managed to squeak out of the micromanagement stranglehold that has infected the reboot and given readers some of the best Superman and Batman comics out today. A Superman who likes being Superman is a refreshing change from the new and 'improved' Superdouche in the New 52. Maybe having Lois in his life is for the better after all... The Dark books are DC’s best right now, just like the pre-Vertigo horror line they are emulating. Sadly, their superhero books largely seem to be emulating the Image and X-books from that early-mid 90s era instead of something modern, because that’s what Bob Harris knows best.

YJ is a great example of how a DC reboot could have gone with better creators and less micromanaging from talentless hacks like Didio and Harris running the line into the ground.

Its mostly by accident that books like Smallville by the highly underrated Bryan Q Miller and the return of the Legends of the Dark Knight anthology managed to squeak out of the micromanagement stranglehold that has infected the reboot and given readers some of the best Superman and Batman comics out today.

A Superman who likes being Superman is a refreshing change from the new and ‘improved’ Superdouche in the New 52. Maybe having Lois in his life is for the better after all…

]]> By: mike http://blog.newsarama.com/2013/01/28/the-new-51-wait-maybe-it-should-be-the-new-48/comment-page-1/#comment-788854 mike Tue, 29 Jan 2013 03:56:43 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=35047#comment-788854 I understand how their digital comics are formatted. They are 10 page comics cut in half to fit a 4:3 tablet screen. There's no reason not to release low tier books as a small digital monthly. They only release Li'l Gotham on holidays now. There's no reason something like Firestorm or I, Vampire would need a weekly release, when 10 pages a month would be enough to keep the characters out there for audiences. Now something like the DC SHOWCASE idea could be a weekly. I understand how their digital comics are formatted. They are 10 page comics cut in half to fit a 4:3 tablet screen.

There’s no reason not to release low tier books as a small digital monthly. They only release Li’l Gotham on holidays now. There’s no reason something like Firestorm or I, Vampire would need a weekly release, when 10 pages a month would be enough to keep the characters out there for audiences.

Now something like the DC SHOWCASE idea could be a weekly.

]]> By: tralfaz http://blog.newsarama.com/2013/01/28/the-new-51-wait-maybe-it-should-be-the-new-48/comment-page-1/#comment-788843 tralfaz Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:36:07 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=35047#comment-788843 "The rest of DC just is one big mistake at this point."? bullshit. Animal Man, Swamp Thing, Justice League Dark, Demon Knights, Earth 2, AND YES I, Vampire disagree with you. The big problem is that the DCU should have been like the universe in the tv show Young Justice. “The rest of DC just is one big mistake at this point.”?

bullshit. Animal Man, Swamp Thing, Justice League Dark, Demon Knights, Earth 2, AND YES I, Vampire disagree with you.

The big problem is that the DCU should have been like the universe in the tv show Young Justice.

]]> By: John DiBello http://blog.newsarama.com/2013/01/28/the-new-51-wait-maybe-it-should-be-the-new-48/comment-page-1/#comment-788825 John DiBello Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:28:54 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=35047#comment-788825 <I>DC should just shelve every title under 10k and just sell them digitally. 10 pages a month for 99¢</I> The formatting and scheduling is a little different on the digital books--they're primarily <I>weekly</I> (except for Saturdy's 3 "Beyond" titles, which tend to rotate). They're specifically designed for the format, with each digital page making up a precise half-page on the printed editions. And they've pretty much kept to big-name franchises: three <I>Batman</I> books, <I>Arrow</I> and <I>Smallville</I> (the <I>Smallville</I> title is remarkably fun and well-done, I think!) I've noticed, also, there don't seem to be many "top-name" creators on the DC digital formats; I wonder if this will change and if royalties are dramatically different under this distribution model. DC should just shelve every title under 10k and just sell them digitally. 10 pages a month for 99¢

The formatting and scheduling is a little different on the digital books–they’re primarily weekly (except for Saturdy’s 3 “Beyond” titles, which tend to rotate). They’re specifically designed for the format, with each digital page making up a precise half-page on the printed editions. And they’ve pretty much kept to big-name franchises: three Batman books, Arrow and Smallville (the Smallville title is remarkably fun and well-done, I think!)

I’ve noticed, also, there don’t seem to be many “top-name” creators on the DC digital formats; I wonder if this will change and if royalties are dramatically different under this distribution model.

]]> By: Aaron Poehler http://blog.newsarama.com/2013/01/28/the-new-51-wait-maybe-it-should-be-the-new-48/comment-page-1/#comment-788805 Aaron Poehler Mon, 28 Jan 2013 18:56:52 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=35047#comment-788805 And the correlation between number of books in the line and number of cancellations is demonstrable how? And the correlation between number of books in the line and number of cancellations is demonstrable how?

]]> By: mike http://blog.newsarama.com/2013/01/28/the-new-51-wait-maybe-it-should-be-the-new-48/comment-page-1/#comment-788803 mike Mon, 28 Jan 2013 18:28:49 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=35047#comment-788803 With such a strong digital-first program already going, DC should just shelve every title under 10k and just sell them digitally. 10 pages a month for 99¢ and we'd still get a fix of I, Vampire or Blue Beetle. Etc. That would be a great home for DCU Presents as well, (re)introducing characters and concepts in short arcs or one-shots like in LOTDK every week, and using that to gauge how popular something is before giving it a full blown ongoing title. Like a modern day SHOWCASE. Maybe mix in some 'NEW TALENT SHOWCASE' in as well, and build a new bullpen of fresh talent. If something doesn't work, just pretend its out of continuity and try the concept another way in a year or two. With such a strong digital-first program already going, DC should just shelve every title under 10k and just sell them digitally. 10 pages a month for 99¢ and we’d still get a fix of I, Vampire or Blue Beetle. Etc.

That would be a great home for DCU Presents as well, (re)introducing characters and concepts in short arcs or one-shots like in LOTDK every week, and using that to gauge how popular something is before giving it a full blown ongoing title. Like a modern day SHOWCASE.

Maybe mix in some ‘NEW TALENT SHOWCASE’ in as well, and build a new bullpen of fresh talent. If something doesn’t work, just pretend its out of continuity and try the concept another way in a year or two.

]]> By: Robin http://blog.newsarama.com/2013/01/28/the-new-51-wait-maybe-it-should-be-the-new-48/comment-page-1/#comment-788798 Robin Mon, 28 Jan 2013 17:07:51 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=35047#comment-788798 Well said Graeme. The only books I have any interest in picking up from DC are Batman and Batman Inc (which we know is finite as well). The rest of DC just is one big mistake at this point. It is very easy to tell which books are trying and which don't. And it is starting to seem that even Geoff Johns isn't that interested anymore. Well said Graeme. The only books I have any interest in picking up from DC are Batman and Batman Inc (which we know is finite as well).
The rest of DC just is one big mistake at this point. It is very easy to tell which books are trying and which don’t. And it is starting to seem that even Geoff Johns isn’t that interested anymore.

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