DC cant do Vertigo anymore for the same reason Marvel could never replicate it, Karen Berger. She was the queen of cool and the main reason Vertigo was as succesful. They need another superstar editor like her to make it work, I doubt any exists.
Not just Karen Berger, it was Karen Berger allowing for more ownership of said Vertigo books, not to mention she always pushed for new series and characters to sell said books. Something that I suspect has been imploded along with the line. When you have stuff that owners have no stake in or royalties, it will flow into the sloppy work.
This was nineteen minutes and forty-one seconds of basically saying, "UNDO EVERYTHING DAN DIDIO DID!" Well, you and those people on Reddit are absolutely right (there were some really killer ideas there, btw). Throw in the firing of Jim Lee and the agenda mafia and I couldn't possibly agree more.
DC works best when the writers are interested in exposing the heart of characters above all else. Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's runs on Batman & Robin and Superman blow all their contemporaries out of the water. They were focused on the hearts of the characters, and completely non-cynical in their storytelling. Compare them to Tom King's garbage. It's night and day.
@The Cheap Normie Well, Arkham Genesis was illustrated by Dexter Soy, a damn good artist, and was heavily based on "A Death in the Family" storyline, it was ok. Now, Tomasi's runs on Superman and Super Sons were really good.
@The Cheap Normie I'd definitely recommend both series that I mentioned if you're going back for another look. His Bat-Family and Kent's feel like real families, and the stories are almost all geared towards emphasizing and building upon that. "Requiem for Damian" and "Escape from Dinosaur Island" outright blew me away.
How I would run DC comics: 1. No events unless it's essential. 2. Make a character bible. 3. Get Tom King a therapist. 4. Sexuality or Mantle swaps would have to be great stories in their own right, if not then they can not change. 5. Maximum of 7 Batman related books besides justice league(Batman, Detective Comics, Nightwing, Batgirls, Robin, Harley Quinn, Batman/Superman Worlds Finest) 6. Have editors that have the balls to criticize writers and artists. 7. Bring back Vertigo/fewer superhero stories 8. Better communication between editors. 9. Unless a story occurs in the far past, have consistent timelines. 10. Ban explicit politics, political stories must be stories, not agendas(goes both ways).
I’m a huge DC fan and it’s been that way since I was a kid. I seen Characters destroy by writers and editors, I know that they hear us. My ideas to fix DC are these. 1) Any established heterosexual characters who were changed into lgbt characters will go back back to the original characters traits. I will push established Lgbt character such Apollo and Midniter etc. 2) No events books for a year. Instead we will have crossovers with a two characters. 3)Black Label will be more than Batman books and Virgo will be making comeback. Wild storm line too with the wild creators leading the charge. 4) Titans and the Justice League titles will have top tier talents writing their books. 5) bring in good quality writers and stop giving the same writer multiple opportunities. There’s no need for Chip to write multiples books and the same as Tini.
throw in restoring Jonathan Kent into a kid and mindwiping his superman adventures since they obviously sucked ass. The Adventures of Supersons was one of the best things to happen out of rebirth and Jon's potential was robbed away from him when they aged him up. Hell, his progression into Superman in DCeased was better.
@@Bondfinesse Who said anything about stopping “Diversity” We asked for the lame woke lefty p.c politics. To be left out of comic books. Storm Forge Bishop (to name a few great characters) came before the age of Woke Comics Books.
No where not asking too much it's just the writers need to stop messing around and get their shit together and make something people want like good stories!
What I want is fun! Bring the fun back to titles. I was watching Hamster and Gretel last night on Disney. I thought this is how comics used to be. I remember picking up Plastic Man, reading about Gnort in Green Lantern. The Adventures of Bibbo in Superman. Booster & Beetle. Everything is too serious these days…I want some fun and levity brought back to comics.
Instead of pushing characters that can’t hold a monthly book they should do a “marvel comics presents” format with 2-3 stories featuring characters we wouldn’t normally try.
Good stories by people who like the characters they write and their histories isn’t too much. Don’t get me wrong, DC fans can be prickly, especially when it comes to what characters “should never!!” do, but for the most part, this is a company failure, not a fandom failure
This whole “diversify the line away from superheroes” thing is the most annoying take in the world. Why would anyone thing publishers could do other types of books when they can’t even do superheroes
@@bryanrickard7712 That would be a great idea. I read an interview where Tom Taylor said something about how great it is to have a bi guy who is so empathic and compassion and hasn't thrown a punch in six issue. First off there already was an empathic and compassionate Superman. His name is Clark Kent. Secondly he's basically bragging that his superhero book features no superheroics, which tells me _Superman: Son of Kal-El_ really *does* only exist to be an LGBTQ+ romance comic. The cover of issue seven of that series perfectly encapsulates what these fake woke assholes want superhero comics to be. There are Jon Kent and Jackson Hyde marching to protest climate change while being completely unaware of the giant Kraken that's bursting out of the water and crushing a boat behind them. Fuck you, Tom Taylor.
Geoff Johns, Jeremy Adams, Marc Silvestri, and Mark Waid are responsible for over half of my pullbox. Four creators on five books (technically six bc I get the Stargirl B cover too). That's it. Without them, I'm reading more indies than DC titles--and I'm not reading a lot of indies.
@@matts6607 It's awesome. If Silvestri can stick the landing it's going to end up as the best Batman story since Rebirth started, imo. And to think I originally picked it up only for the art
@@benevolentremnant2949 the art and story are pretty much on point. there are gems out there but dang it's hard to sift through the shit to find those diamonds.
@@cyberdragon3887 No one is saving DC Comics at the moment. Repairing/rebuilding/slightly improving it…yes. But we are not in the “saved” category yet, not by a long shot.
May I suggest some stuff that I find to be great over at DC right now? Human Target (Tom King) even if you don’t like King, if you are a fan of film noir this has been great, probably my favorite book, sad that it’s ending tomorrow. Superman (Joshua Williamson) and Action Comics 1051- (PKJ) The Flash (Jeremy Adams) Detective Comics (Ram V) World’s Finest (Waid & Mora)
@@TheLoonyMoony thanks I'll take world's finest,superman by Joshua williamson and flash by jeremy adams also I like find these on paperback any places that do that!?
@@EvandroACruz You’re entitled to your opinion but Human Target has arguably the best art in DC right now and easily the best writing of any DC book for me. I’m pretty early in Ram V’s Detective Comics but I’m enjoying it.
Let me add one more suggestion: in terms of tone, DC used to publish what I call “blue-sky stories,” that is the world in which the superheroes inhabited and the tone of the stories weren’t dark and apocalyptic all the time, and even the color of the comic worlds themselves weren’t muted but brighter and more optimistic, hence “blue skies !” Except for Batman’s world, naturally, but that’s kinda his thing. I haven’t read a proper DC comic since Morrison’s _The Green Lantern_ awhile ago, but his stories weren’t all dark and depression-inducing. One only has to look at a fair number of entries in the latest DCEU to notice that tone. There are exceptions, of course, but why should I be able to say that James Gunn’s _The Suicide Squad_ seems more welcoming and appealing than _Batman v. Superman?!_
Each Trinity character needs a one-and-done all ages book at all times. I believe this was one of my points to Paul Levitz back when we swapped letters 15 years ago. DC knows what they need to do but I don’t think they could if they wanted to given current market forces.
Also talk to your LCSs. They are the boots on the ground. DC shouldn't walk into a meeting with retailers at a con and be surprised at anything that is said there.
I’m just getting back into dC and everytime I think I understand I don’t . My love for Batman, arrow,flash and many more made me curious again and I’m like oh boy what have I gotten myself into lol
If I were in charge of DC comics, I would let the first Crisis wend with all of the heroes from the pre-Crisis multiverse save and expand the pre-Crisis multiverse instead of having it merge into one Earth. That way, it would have major impacts throughout all of DC’s main universes (i.e. Earth-One, Earth-Two, Earth-Four, Earth-S, and Earth-X) such as creating legacies and retiring mantles. Also, by the first Crisis, the JSA would be in their 60s, the JLA would be in their 30s, and the Titans and Infinity Inc. would be in their 20s. Elements of the pre-Flashpoint and post-Flashpoint continuity would still happen in the pre-Crisis continuity, but with minor changes. I would let each generation of heroes gain their character development and would either let them take in the mantles of their predecessors (i.e. Conner Kent Superman, Jon Kent Superboy, Damian Wayne Robin, Yara Flor Wonder Girl, Wally West and Bart Allen Flash, Connor Hawke Green Arrow, Lian Harper Speedy, Mia Dearden and Emiko Queen Red Arrow, Irey and Ace West Kid Flash, Stephanie Brown Batgirl, etc.) or follow their own paths (Tim Drake Red Robin, Cassie Sandsmark Fury, Bluebird, Cassandra Cain Black Bat). I would let all DC characters be happy with their lives, and they would pursue romantic relationships that resulted in some of them getting married and/or staring a family (i.e. Superman and Lois with Jon, Bruce Wayne Batman and Selina Kyle Catwoman, Barbara Gordon Oracle and Jason Bard, Helena Wayne Huntress and Harry Sims, Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor, Hal Jordan Green Lantern and Carol Ferris Star Sapphire, Barry Allen Flash and Iris West, Wally West Flash and Linda Park with Jai and Irey West, Nightwing and Starfire with Mar’i and Jake Grayson, Tempest and Dolphin with Cerdian, Red Hood and Artemis, Tim Drake Red Robin and Stephanie Brown Batgirl, Conner Kent Superman with Cassie Sandsmark Fury, Bart Allen Flash and Carol Bucklen with Maxwell Jason Allen, Oliver Queen Green Arrow and Dinah Laurel Lance Black Canary, Billy Batson Captain Marvel and Cissie Sommerly with C.C and Marilyn Batson Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel, Freddie Freman Captain Marvel Jr and Mary Batson Mary Marvel with Otto Christopher Freeman Whiz, Karen Starr Power Girl and Andrew Vinson with their son, Courtney Whitmore Starwoman and Josh Hammon with Albert and Billy Hammon, etc.) I would also age the DC characters at their own pace, causing the JSA to be in their 100s, the JLA to be in their mid-50s or early-60s, the Titans in their late-30s and early-50s and Infinity Inc. between their 50s and 90s, Young Justice between their late-20s and mid-30s and JSA All-Stars in their 30s and 40s, and the second-generation Young Titans and the Lost Children (renamed the Young Society) in their teens or 20s by 2023 on their own earths, where Earth-One and Earth-Four ages them in sliding time before Death Metal causes them to age in real time since then and where Earth-Two and Earth-S and Earth-X ages them in real time. Also, i would set proper continuity to all heroes as a way to make sense on what’s happening.
I know this is about DC. But I’d love for both companies to do what Alex Ross did on Fantastic Four: Full Circle. Fun story, easily digestible for normies, serves as a stand-alone story while still throwing in deep cuts for fans. And is just a one off. And also puts just as much emphasis on the artwork as much as the writing. I’m kind of done with long format storytelling. I just want stuff like what Ross did.
The problem with legacy characters is that there are way too many and DC keeps creating and throwing them away. Why did we need 3-5 new human green lanterns in the last 10 years? 3 new flashes? 5 new bat characters? 2 new green arrow characters? What’s the point when you throw them away immediately?
The problem with ALL modern comics relating to kids is I'm not letting my kids read the degenerate Rainbow propaganda that modern comics are. The boxes of 80s and 90s floppys was where my kids went post Dogman
Sooo, here is the problem with most of these suggestions: they haven't worked. -DC had a good all ages comic, Batman: Knightwatch. Good, but simple art; good but simple story. No one bought it. And then they stuck in Harley Quinn, the featured character in a current raunchy cartoon and a trashy comic. Of course, by that point it was cancelled, but still shows the editorial mindset. -They do have other genres. They have that lakehouse book and Green whatever and Harley Quinn Romance and Sgt Rock, DC Speechless....and they sold okish. -They had a good Titans book with a good team, Titans United....and it sold poorly. -They have given I Am Batman and Wonder Woman room to breathe, and they didn't sell. Time isn't going to make Fitzmartin's book better. Taskforce Z didn't sell. -Urban Legends didn't sell, and there were good stories in some of them (ex Murder Club. -JSA has had several books, and they don't sell. -Kill off characters and you turn away the fans of those characters. Keep John and Hal fans stop reading, keep Tim and Jason fans stop reading (aka spending money) -Eliminate all those Batman books and more than half of your top 50 books disappear, buyers just aren't buying Mr Miss or Ze Obscure character. What I do think would help: 1) Treat the business as a business. If a character has been trashed to the point sales crash, yes allow "room to repair", but if the book doesn't sell, cut your losses. 2) Hire editors who cam edit, not just hire friends and cheap. Editors have to know some of these books are poor quality. And if the editor keeps "writing" the book, the supervisors should know the editor can't edit effectively. 3) On that front, if the editorial teams books don't sell, the team needs to be moved from those positions. Tie employment to success. 4) Rethink contracting vs employment. Sure superstar writers might do better getting a contract, but the stories and long term IP may benefit from someone on salary who knows they have reliable income even if it's not a million dollar payday. This would also stop the I'm adding 20 characters so I get character equity problem. 5) Rethink marketing. For instance, publishers assume readers will search to know what is coming out and went. Just having a "continued in ___ on blah blah date" would help. (I know that isn't an "old" reader thing but new readers.) 6) I agree they need a continuity expert. The inch has become such a mile character behavior makes no sense, stories make no sense. It's frustrating reading, but it also means stories can't build buzz. It's hard to argue which Robin is best when one let's a serial killer run around his town and isn't concerned his kid brother is in a death tournament, then beats up his other brother who is pumped with Lazarus resin, while the other brother is on the love boat and searching for their missing father who either is was or will be in a dream world, an alternate universe , possessed by a demon, saving his father or having werewolf nightmares. Oh, and the Batgirls are going out to eat. It's a mess. Anyway, that's enough for now.
What on earth was that beginning? I want to see just two DC universes at a time. One that fills in from the thirties till now all the oldest characters in their original timeline, including golden age Superman, Batman, etc., as Roy Thomas did before Crisis on Infinite Earths, except, instead of explaining the hiatus of a character where publication stopped, just writing what was left off with a continuing active history, then adjust Infinity Inc. to a term earlier than the 80s, and show a dynasty of characters like Superman, making a son be the silver age one, etc. Then another universe that allows updated versions of Superman, Batman, etc.
1- Make comics affordable. 2- make them available. 3- Make them for everyone (Everyone. as in the traditional sense. not the pandering sense). 4- Respect the properties / characters, their histories and your LOYAL audience. 5- Hire the best and most passionate, dedicated, successful and fan celebrated creators. 6- Make them GOOD. But Troy, how do you make them good you ask? Easy... follow steps 1-5. Oh, and who are the "best" creators?... those who've shown they understand and have followed steps 1-6.
I have my list of things I'd like to see DC do, but instead I want to recognize the one comic DC is doing right: Batman & Scooby Doo Mysteries. Yes, that's right: Batman & Scooby Doo Mysteries. The stories pull from DC's rich history (original Batwoman and Bat-Girl, anyone?), acknowledge the weird parts of DC's storytelling past alongside things that are from current continuity, inject some fun, and somehow tell a great story without worrying about all the things that seem to bog down most mainstream DC titles.
@@bakixavirists4561 bruh we should be glad that McFarlane isn't writing spawn anymore, did you see the garbage that he wrote in the batman/spawn event?
@@BiggieTrismegistus Now, they need to go to a different format entirely. 1 monthly book for each character, thick - at least a couple hundred pages - at a price point that will get it into the chain stores- maybe 10 -15 bucks. Mostly reprints but a couple of new stories.
I think so, because sadly writers and everyone associated with the entertainment industry today are comprised mainly of narcisists. And narcisists really just care about themselves and their belief systems, self-inserting themselves everywhere. The problem is that they are not that interesting, specially in a competitive venue like the superhero genre.
Problem with DC is the higher ups I think. They just let "hot" writers do their story that have short term hype but no longetivity. Im looking at you Bendis.
A few years ago I was buying 25-30 dc books a month. I’m currently down to 4 ongoings. DC employ very few writers that I’m interested in reading comics by.
@@BiggieTrismegistus And you could very easily make them more teen oriented if they started Robin, Speedy, Kid Flash, etc. Kids actually love super-powered families. I mean, just look at how successful The Incredibles and Encanto were!
Said it here before I think but: Cut the fat. They have characters that are solid gold and yet they waste money making series for Poison Ivy and Punchline. Spend that money to give the core characters the writers and artists they deserve. All we need is: Superman Action (extended Supe family) Batman Detective (extended Bat family) Wonder Woman Flash Aquaman Green Lantern Core Titans JSA Justice League Dark Justice League shouldn't even be an ongoing. If all the members have their own ongoings, it'll just conflict with those stories and create confusion. The Justice League having to come together is an event within itself. Either that or have a JL team of Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Canary etc. Anyways, every other DC character can fit into those titles as guests, they don't all need their own ongoings. MHA has dozens of characters it bounces between. No one wants or needs ongoings for every supporting character. Cut down the output to a dozen or so monthly books, put the dozen absolute best writer/artist combos on them. Pay them well and ensure they're all communicating, keep tight continuity so things feel like they matter, entice the creative teams to sign multi year contracts, and people might actually start to care.
Never say never, what's old ALWAYS becomes new again. You bet your ass you'll see newsstand books again, it'll just take 5 or so years after the much needed collapse.
It's cute that everyone wants to help out an undeserving entity such as DC with constructive suggestions, but sometimes one needs to utterly fail in order to learn from that hard lesson. What's that called, again? 'Tough Love'? yeah, that's it.
Its so far gone now Structurally, marketing wise, creatively, talent wise and financially that reprints of classic stuff are all that remains and they even struggle with getting that right. Sad
All we're asking for is good storytelling good character development sexy female characters the characters we know and love to be respected good artwork NO politics no identity politics and no virtue signaling no social justice crap in general. That's not too much to ask now is it?
I miss the old DC. They did know what's going on with the characters. Nowadays the activists write wokesoaked stories without sense of humor and adventure. DC must return to really good writers who make great stories.✌️
it's funny how the fans are telling DC how to run their business. Seems like the execs at DC are just clueless. They think we are stupid. it just seems like a no brainer here, Wes. I want to see some great DC stuff. I want to be excited going to the comic store to get my pull. Alot of the ideas you presented from the fans are sound advice. Will DC listen? probably not.
I don't think the people running businesses should _always_ listen to what the fans are telling them because the fans can be clueless and arrogant. In this case though? DC should absolutely be listening. We can see the sales charts so we know almost all of the company's books are failing. We can also see the enormous amounts of negativity that greets every new book, story and issue. DC can't though because they're the arrogant and clueless people here.
For a company that created a story called "Identity Crisis" it's ironic they can't tell they're having one. What is DC Comics, the publishing company of monthly magazines, to the media behemoth that is WB+Discovery? They have the characters to make the televison shows, the videogames, the merchandise, etc., but the comic publishing arm is treated like a relic or at worst; the ugly girl who only got to go to prom because their dad owns the venue or DJ equipment. Does Jim Lee ever get in front of Zsalav or whoever at WB+D and ask "Do you want us to dominate the direct market? Otherwise we'll just produce less books, maybe do a prestige format and reprints, and let Marvel or Image take over if it's not important to corporate goals"; "Do you want us to just be an R&D think tank, throwing concepts and characters and storylines out into the world and seeing what sticks? Get an executive in here and tell us what WB+D is looking for and we'll just produce it so we're not wasting so much time and money on contractors and editors making lukewarm comics. Even Marvel Comics fell ass-backwards into understanding what a media mix is." Unfortunately, for someone to ask that means possibly unveiling the truth of DC Comics importance and the slashing of jobs, but at least after there is some alignment of what the publisher needs to be doing and not just driting around doing jack-all.
Wes, here is a question to you and folks like Perch: Who is really left to 'mind the business' at most 'major comic publishers'? This system has been the domain of mercs for how many decades?
maybe i'm just too old, but would it actually hurt to do single ish stories that would let new readers jump on with? i mean, my parents picked me some comics up in the mid-'70's and i was able to jump in w/no problem regarding tons of over convoluted continuity or having to get the last 6 ish to catch up on the current story. just me? and your right, why 62435 diff versions of the same character? but then again, w/3600 diff GL's, i'd love an ongoing w/stories staring the rest of the GLC, i mean it'b be @ lest 3600 ishs long...lol
about 20 years ago I was talking to Kyle Baker and he said his son loved the Green Lantern in the animated JLA. He said his son was super disappointed when he got his first Green Lantern comic book and it was a totally different character than the Lantern in the animated JLA.
And here I thought we were asking for the bare minimum. Also, please, no more human GLs, I beg of you! If they keep adding more, they might as well form a corps of their own. The four horsemen are more than enough.
Any new DC Vertigo label should be Ram V, Dan Watters, James Tynion IV, Marjorie Liu, Jeff Lemire, and Mirka Andolfo! And bring Liam Sharp and Sana Takeda in amongst the artists. Talk Dave McKean into doing sets of trippy covers.
First thing I would do is to begin a clean slate by firing the employees, editor, publisher, and retire Jim Lee. Next, I bring actual talent writers and artists that care about the characters and make good stories. Then, Restore the characters back the way they were like no more retcon people's sexual identity or raceswap for agenda something like a character bible. Finally, stop attacking your customers and stop using the multiverse gimmick.
Some of those suggestions are like so basic you'd think DC would already be doing SOME of them lol. I think the biggest for DC (and Marvel) is event fatigue. As I've said before, you cant have major threats back to back to back to back. It would literally kill any hero from pure exhaustion if they had to defend the Earth from a constant barrage of life-threatening events day after day after day. Joker could just walk up to Batman and shoot him in the head after he just saved the Earth from Darkseid for the umpteenth time. Some characters are interesting as guest stars but once they get their own books you realize they arent book-worthy. The occasional mini-series every couple years would cover this need for solo adventures.
Matt Reeves is getting a Batman trilogy. Todd Philips is getting two Joker films. I just wanted Snyder to be trusted with two more Justice League films to do his way. Was that SO UNREASONABLE? Maybe give us the Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad and any potential Director's/Final/Special Edition cuts of MoS, Dawn of Justice, Wonder Woman, and Snyder's JL Thats all. Snyder's 5 film vision the way he wants it, and any films that feel interlocked to that vision.
Readers can't pretend to want less events when the events are the best selling titles. If we don't want events, we have to stop buying them. Anything else is hot air.
The one thing I always suggest is looking back at successful titles that ran for years, figure out what it is that made them so long running, and do it again. Impulse lasted nearly a hundred issues; the clone Superboy and Robin did the same. Kyle Rayner had one of the longest runs and he didn't even start with a #1 issue! I would do more with the 3rd and 4th string books and characters. Hawkman, Capt. Atom, Firestorm, Manhunter, the Freedom Fighters, Dr. Fate, the Spectre, etc would all get more action somewhere in the line. Make Superman matter. He and Batman used to have somewhat equal footing in the 90's with multiple books, Superman is lucky if he can carry four featuring him. The characters created by big names should have them featured on the title. Jack Kirby's the Guardian sounds better than 'Guardian'. Steve Ditko's Blue Beetle or Ditko's the Question also makes those Charlton characters pop a bit more. They already did it with Kirby's Fourth World...
Wes, if you could only have 2 human green lanterns, what happens to the rest? I’m sorry, but only having Hal and John would just suck. Guy and Kyle are way better characters than John and DC has so much squandered potential with Jess, it’s not even funny. What about the flash? When Barry was the only one in the new 52, it was boring as hell. Wally, Jay and even Bart are more fun than Barry.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who likes Jessica Cruz and thinks she should be featured more. There are a ton of storytelling possibilities with her. I also agree that Barry Allen isn't very interesting. I thought it was funny that in Snyder's Justice League he was writing Barry as if he were Wally. That right there is a hint that Wally is the more interesting character. Personally I'd like to see more of Jaime Reyes as Blue Beetle. The solo book of his written by John Rogers that came out of _Infinite Crisis_ are some of my favorite comics. And he's diverse too! DC should love him because of that.
DC fans want DC to be, well ...DC. A sign of hope in the comics sphere Vertigo and the New Universe were both good. Rather than redoing the same event over and over again
I just wanna thank modern comics artists for cementing the legacy of those that came before them. Alan Moore, Todd MacFarlane, and such really owe their still decent comic sales to the modern "artists." Modern artists such as...... and ummmm..... well, there's that one author..... You know what? You all know who you are, even if no one else does. That's the sacrifice I'm talking about. Thanks so much, weirdos.
The major publishers need to create a Hulu-like entity where they all share ownership but it runs with independent leadership. The smaller publishers get to participle for a percentage of sales, etc. Compete with Shonen Jump. This scares the DM but if successful it can only lead to more business for them overall. More readers digitally, more people getting into comics, more people interested in specialty shops.
It is so true that there are to many Batman books being publish but there is a solution to this just keep publishing Detective Comics, Batman, Nightwing and the miniseries but for the other characters just publish 2 anthology series were there stories could be tell just like the recently recently finish Barman Urban Legend. They could do a Gotham Knights or Bat Family anthology comic were they could tell the stories of: - Red Hood - Tim Drake Robin - Robin - Batgirls (Barbara, Spoiler, Orphan) - Batwoman - Huntress - Bluebird - Luke Fox Batman - Batman Beyond And another anthology series call Gotham Underground or Gotham Underworld were they could tell the stories of: - Catwoman - Harley Quinn - Poison Ivy - The Joker - The Penguin - The Riddler - The Outsiders - Batman Incorporate They could also change Detective comics and switch it from telling Batman stories to telling stories consent rating on the GCPD and their detectives like: - Renee Montoya The Question - Jim Corrigan The Spectre - Doctor Occult - Harvey Bullock - Slam Bradley (The Original main protagonist of Detective Comics)
You hit right on the head. You can't recognize the character's personalities anymore which is why you need a line wide reboot. Get rid of this continuity and start over with some seasoned professionals. There are some talented people out there but they need some editorial guidance. Forget agendas. The people that you're trying to reach don't read or buy your books. You're alienating the people who do. You can't keep producing for an audience that isn't there.
Quit letting writers break your characters! Individually or en mass in big events. Seriously, how many major character changes have been positively received in the past five years? Or even the past ten? Far fewer than have been reviled. Also, get better at releasing collected editions. Marvel is releasing Omnibuses for all sorts of obscure characters with minor/cult-followings. I've got Omnis for Moon Knight, Shang-Chi, Solomon Kane, and even for their adaptation of public domain novels....Meanwhile, DC can't even give us decent collections for the Bat Family. Nothing for Dixon's Nightwing, nothing for Tim Drake's Robin solo book....Releasing those collections seems like such an easy win.
What were Vertigo titles ended up moving in small part to Image Comics. A shame that DC destroyed Vertigo and Young Animals imprints. Something about, “Mother Panic” being a better “Batman” title than the “normal” DC lines of titles. On the Image front, looking forward to more “Lady Mechanika.”
I really want DC to do more war comics. Haunted Tank, Sargent Rock, Creature commandos, enemy ace. I really want some combat aviation comics too, I really wish they would do aerial combat with the BlackHawks.
DC Black Label was ORIGINALLY supposed to be adult based stories but Batman walking around his Batawang was too adult and censored the rest of the series.
I'll say it again. Pick up exactly before flash point, DC ended all the comic runs in 2011 November. The main characters were already aging out and you can PROPERLY have a new roster of characters take over the responsibilities. Go back and read all the last 2 titles of all DC comics runs before flash point, there was a massiv future of good take over characters there, but no, fucking flashpoint happened and that led to new 52.... Honestly the answer is what I have said. And here's another important thing, fans need to accept that characters can die out and things move on, fans clinging onto heroes staying exactly the same is detrimental for future storytelling.
The only reason why these great ideas are not in place is because the plan is destroying comics any way they can. The real talent is making you believe that is not their intention but the picture is bigger than anyone would allow their mind to imagine.
1) looks like I’m watching Interstellar tonight again 😂 2) which lanterns (Earth) do we apparently kill off/depower ? Because for me Guy Gardner is my guy! My #1 also I’d like to see the other Lantern Corps bought back for me that p’d me off so much !
We the people who want to read DC Comics aren't asking for too much. Those in charge just don't want to give us what we want for reasons and what they're giving us instead is (censored).
and as for the cover of action comics 1053 featuring power girl : big breasted women NEED representation. they should not be made to feel bad about their body type.
I totally agree with the Power Girl/Donna Troy one. Power Girl should have just had the Galatea origin from the Justice League cartoon as an enhanced clone of Supergirl. The multiverse shouldn't have been necessary. With Donna, the problem is that writers need 6-12 issues to explain where babies come from, using everything from "magical duplication" to space aliens to the multiverse. I mean, Christ, these people need to get laid. It should be simple enough to say she's Diana's kid sister, THE END. If Diana was made out of clay and given life by the Greek Gods, then Donna could have been made the same way. If Diana is the daughter of an Olympian, Hippolyta could have just gone back for seconds. THIS SHOULDN'T BE COMPLICATED, but writers feel the need to over-explain things.
DC cant do Vertigo anymore for the same reason Marvel could never replicate it, Karen Berger. She was the queen of cool and the main reason Vertigo was as succesful. They need another superstar editor like her to make it work, I doubt any exists.
Excellent point.
A great comment and I totally agree!!!!! 🤘🐀
Fantastic point. I picked up so many titles she was editing back in the late 80's and throughout the 90's. I took it for granted how great she was
Not just Karen Berger, it was Karen Berger allowing for more ownership of said Vertigo books, not to mention she always pushed for new series and characters to sell said books. Something that I suspect has been imploded along with the line. When you have stuff that owners have no stake in or royalties, it will flow into the sloppy work.
This was nineteen minutes and forty-one seconds of basically saying, "UNDO EVERYTHING DAN DIDIO DID!" Well, you and those people on Reddit are absolutely right (there were some really killer ideas there, btw). Throw in the firing of Jim Lee and the agenda mafia and I couldn't possibly agree more.
Dan Didio is bad and he should feel bad
no....undo what GEOFF JOHNS did....
Johns Justice Society is ramping up for another reboot already.
@@kwesiprescod2817 You can both be right
@@thebatmakescomics Bad, very, very bad.
@@kwesiprescod2817 They're going to reboot again regardless. It's what they do.
Dear DC
all I’m asking from you is good stories, is that too much ?
Sincerely, a fan
Exactly it's just good stories that's we need!
Dear DC
All I’m asking from you is to cancel 'Teen Titans Go'.
Is that too much?
Sincerely, a fan
@@Launchpad05 amen to that , launchpad
If Good storytelling and treating the characters with respect is too much- then yes(...) We are asking too much.
What how are we asking too much!?
To the comments…he’s being sarcastic 🙄
Loved the intro! Interstellar is a masterpiece!
DC works best when the writers are interested in exposing the heart of characters above all else. Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's runs on Batman & Robin and Superman blow all their contemporaries out of the water. They were focused on the hearts of the characters, and completely non-cynical in their storytelling. Compare them to Tom King's garbage. It's night and day.
@The Cheap Normie Well, Arkham Genesis was illustrated by Dexter Soy, a damn good artist, and was heavily based on "A Death in the Family" storyline, it was ok.
Now, Tomasi's runs on Superman and Super Sons were really good.
@The Cheap Normie I'd definitely recommend both series that I mentioned if you're going back for another look. His Bat-Family and Kent's feel like real families, and the stories are almost all geared towards emphasizing and building upon that. "Requiem for Damian" and "Escape from Dinosaur Island" outright blew me away.
How I would run DC comics:
1. No events unless it's essential.
2. Make a character bible.
3. Get Tom King a therapist.
4. Sexuality or Mantle swaps would have to be great stories in their own right, if not then they can not change.
5. Maximum of 7 Batman related books besides justice league(Batman, Detective Comics, Nightwing, Batgirls, Robin, Harley Quinn, Batman/Superman Worlds Finest)
6. Have editors that have the balls to criticize writers and artists.
7. Bring back Vertigo/fewer superhero stories
8. Better communication between editors.
9. Unless a story occurs in the far past, have consistent timelines.
10. Ban explicit politics, political stories must be stories, not agendas(goes both ways).
The 3rd one💀
1,2,3,5,6,7 and 10 are the best ones!
I’m a huge DC fan and it’s been that way since I was a kid. I seen Characters destroy by writers and editors, I know that they hear us. My ideas to fix DC are these.
1) Any established heterosexual characters who were changed into lgbt characters will go back back to the original characters traits. I will push established Lgbt character such Apollo and Midniter etc.
2) No events books for a year. Instead we will have crossovers with a two characters.
3)Black Label will be more than Batman books and Virgo will be making comeback. Wild storm line too with the wild creators leading the charge.
4) Titans and the Justice League titles will have top tier talents writing their books.
5) bring in good quality writers and stop giving the same writer multiple opportunities. There’s no need for Chip to write multiples books and the same as Tini.
How about bring back the new age of heroes line!
throw in restoring Jonathan Kent into a kid and mindwiping his superman adventures since they obviously sucked ass. The Adventures of Supersons was one of the best things to happen out of rebirth and Jon's potential was robbed away from him when they aged him up. Hell, his progression into Superman in DCeased was better.
Marvel and DC need to stop destroying what the original creators made. And leave the PC culture and politics out of comics.
Politics has always been in comics.
@@1ObsoleteMan no
@@Bondfinesse Who said anything about stopping “Diversity” We asked for the lame woke lefty p.c politics. To be left out of comic books. Storm Forge Bishop (to name a few great characters) came before the age of Woke Comics Books.
@@StratumPress politics..yes; activism..no.
Keep subtle politics.
No where not asking too much it's just the writers need to stop messing around and get their shit together and make something people want like good stories!
10 years ago some of these suggestions if adopted may have helped.
What I want is fun! Bring the fun back to titles. I was watching Hamster and Gretel last night on Disney. I thought this is how comics used to be. I remember picking up Plastic Man, reading about Gnort in Green Lantern. The Adventures of Bibbo in Superman. Booster & Beetle. Everything is too serious these days…I want some fun and levity brought back to comics.
If you're not already reading it you should check out The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries. It's great fun.
Instead of pushing characters that can’t hold a monthly book they should do a “marvel comics presents” format with 2-3 stories featuring characters we wouldn’t normally try.
Good stories by people who like the characters they write and their histories isn’t too much.
Don’t get me wrong, DC fans can be prickly, especially when it comes to what characters “should never!!” do, but for the most part, this is a company failure, not a fandom failure
That interstellar meme at the beginning was gold 😂
This whole “diversify the line away from superheroes” thing is the most annoying take in the world. Why would anyone thing publishers could do other types of books when they can’t even do superheroes
Exactly. I have nothing against them diversifying the kinds of stuff they publish, but doing so won't fix the core issues
You can also use superheroes to tell stories in other genres anyway.
@@BiggieTrismegistus I wish someone would use superheroes to tell LGBTQ romance stories. Idk why nobody has thought of that yet
@@bryanrickard7712 That would be a great idea.
I read an interview where Tom Taylor said something about how great it is to have a bi guy who is so empathic and compassion and hasn't thrown a punch in six issue. First off there already was an empathic and compassionate Superman. His name is Clark Kent. Secondly he's basically bragging that his superhero book features no superheroics, which tells me _Superman: Son of Kal-El_ really *does* only exist to be an LGBTQ+ romance comic.
The cover of issue seven of that series perfectly encapsulates what these fake woke assholes want superhero comics to be. There are Jon Kent and Jackson Hyde marching to protest climate change while being completely unaware of the giant Kraken that's bursting out of the water and crushing a boat behind them. Fuck you, Tom Taylor.
Geoff Johns, Jeremy Adams, Marc Silvestri, and Mark Waid are responsible for over half of my pullbox. Four creators on five books (technically six bc I get the Stargirl B cover too). That's it. Without them, I'm reading more indies than DC titles--and I'm not reading a lot of indies.
not gonna lie that Marc Silvestri Batman and Joke comic is great!
@@matts6607 It's awesome. If Silvestri can stick the landing it's going to end up as the best Batman story since Rebirth started, imo. And to think I originally picked it up only for the art
The only great writers saving DC right now, tho I also count Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Ram V but that is just my opinion
@@benevolentremnant2949 the art and story are pretty much on point. there are gems out there but dang it's hard to sift through the shit to find those diamonds.
@@cyberdragon3887 No one is saving DC Comics at the moment. Repairing/rebuilding/slightly improving it…yes. But we are not in the “saved” category yet, not by a long shot.
I’m a DC fan, all I want are good stories
Same!
May I suggest some stuff that I find to be great over at DC right now?
Human Target (Tom King) even if you don’t like King, if you are a fan of film noir this has been great, probably my favorite book, sad that it’s ending tomorrow.
Superman (Joshua Williamson) and Action Comics 1051- (PKJ)
The Flash (Jeremy Adams)
Detective Comics (Ram V)
World’s Finest (Waid & Mora)
@@TheLoonyMoony thanks I'll take world's finest,superman by Joshua williamson and flash by jeremy adams also I like find these on paperback any places that do that!?
@@TheLoonyMoony Human Target and Detective Comics sucks so much.
@@EvandroACruz You’re entitled to your opinion but Human Target has arguably the best art in DC right now and easily the best writing of any DC book for me. I’m pretty early in Ram V’s Detective Comics but I’m enjoying it.
In unrelated news. Metropolis, IL Superman statue had its head blown off by wind. Insert the joke of your choice.
Let me add one more suggestion: in terms of tone, DC used to publish what I call “blue-sky stories,” that is the world in which the superheroes inhabited and the tone of the stories weren’t dark and apocalyptic all the time, and even the color of the comic worlds themselves weren’t muted but brighter and more optimistic, hence “blue skies !” Except for Batman’s world, naturally, but that’s kinda his thing.
I haven’t read a proper DC comic since Morrison’s _The Green Lantern_ awhile ago, but his stories weren’t all dark and depression-inducing.
One only has to look at a fair number of entries in the latest DCEU to notice that tone. There are exceptions, of course, but why should I be able to say that James Gunn’s _The Suicide Squad_ seems more welcoming and appealing than _Batman v. Superman?!_
Each Trinity character needs a one-and-done all ages book at all times. I believe this was one of my points to Paul Levitz back when we swapped letters 15 years ago.
DC knows what they need to do but I don’t think they could if they wanted to given current market forces.
They better figure out a way to pull it off because it's hard not to get the impression DC Comics is in a self-inflicted death spiral.
Also talk to your LCSs. They are the boots on the ground. DC shouldn't walk into a meeting with retailers at a con and be surprised at anything that is said there.
I’m just getting back into dC and everytime I think I understand I don’t .
My love for Batman, arrow,flash and many more made me curious again and I’m like oh boy what have I gotten myself into lol
If I were in charge of DC comics, I would let the first Crisis wend with all of the heroes from the pre-Crisis multiverse save and expand the pre-Crisis multiverse instead of having it merge into one Earth. That way, it would have major impacts throughout all of DC’s main universes (i.e. Earth-One, Earth-Two, Earth-Four, Earth-S, and Earth-X) such as creating legacies and retiring mantles. Also, by the first Crisis, the JSA would be in their 60s, the JLA would be in their 30s, and the Titans and Infinity Inc. would be in their 20s. Elements of the pre-Flashpoint and post-Flashpoint continuity would still happen in the pre-Crisis continuity, but with minor changes.
I would let each generation of heroes gain their character development and would either let them take in the mantles of their predecessors (i.e. Conner Kent Superman, Jon Kent Superboy, Damian Wayne Robin, Yara Flor Wonder Girl, Wally West and Bart Allen Flash, Connor Hawke Green Arrow, Lian Harper Speedy, Mia Dearden and Emiko Queen Red Arrow, Irey and Ace West Kid Flash, Stephanie Brown Batgirl, etc.) or follow their own paths (Tim Drake Red Robin, Cassie Sandsmark Fury, Bluebird, Cassandra Cain Black Bat).
I would let all DC characters be happy with their lives, and they would pursue romantic relationships that resulted in some of them getting married and/or staring a family (i.e. Superman and Lois with Jon, Bruce Wayne Batman and Selina Kyle Catwoman, Barbara Gordon Oracle and Jason Bard, Helena Wayne Huntress and Harry Sims, Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor, Hal Jordan Green Lantern and Carol Ferris Star Sapphire, Barry Allen Flash and Iris West, Wally West Flash and Linda Park with Jai and Irey West, Nightwing and Starfire with Mar’i and Jake Grayson, Tempest and Dolphin with Cerdian, Red Hood and Artemis, Tim Drake Red Robin and Stephanie Brown Batgirl, Conner Kent Superman with Cassie Sandsmark Fury, Bart Allen Flash and Carol Bucklen with Maxwell Jason Allen, Oliver Queen Green Arrow and Dinah Laurel Lance Black Canary, Billy Batson Captain Marvel and Cissie Sommerly with C.C and Marilyn Batson Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel, Freddie Freman Captain Marvel Jr and Mary Batson Mary Marvel with Otto Christopher Freeman Whiz, Karen Starr Power Girl and Andrew Vinson with their son, Courtney Whitmore Starwoman and Josh Hammon with Albert and Billy Hammon, etc.)
I would also age the DC characters at their own pace, causing the JSA to be in their 100s, the JLA to be in their mid-50s or early-60s, the Titans in their late-30s and early-50s and Infinity Inc. between their 50s and 90s, Young Justice between their late-20s and mid-30s and JSA All-Stars in their 30s and 40s, and the second-generation Young Titans and the Lost Children (renamed the Young Society) in their teens or 20s by 2023 on their own earths, where Earth-One and Earth-Four ages them in sliding time before Death Metal causes them to age in real time since then and where Earth-Two and Earth-S and Earth-X ages them in real time.
Also, i would set proper continuity to all heroes as a way to make sense on what’s happening.
All I hear is more Batman. -DC probably
Basically DC and Marvel need comic fans as advisers, good writers and no woke in their movies
You know 70-80 percents of these suggestions apply to Marvel as well.
I know this is about DC. But I’d love for both companies to do what Alex Ross did on Fantastic Four: Full Circle.
Fun story, easily digestible for normies, serves as a stand-alone story while still throwing in deep cuts for fans. And is just a one off. And also puts just as much emphasis on the artwork as much as the writing.
I’m kind of done with long format storytelling. I just want stuff like what Ross did.
The problem with legacy characters is that there are way too many and DC keeps creating and throwing them away. Why did we need 3-5 new human green lanterns in the last 10 years? 3 new flashes? 5 new bat characters? 2 new green arrow characters? What’s the point when you throw them away immediately?
If they brought back newsstands in places like walmart. A lot more kids would be getting into comics.
Just like how local stations need to bring back cartoon blocks. Especially with how costly cable, and streaming have become.
@marco conti Yet, they still publish them, and the only time people use them is to protect their floor from mud, and snow.
The problem with ALL modern comics relating to kids is I'm not letting my kids read the degenerate Rainbow propaganda that modern comics are. The boxes of 80s and 90s floppys was where my kids went post Dogman
Sooo, here is the problem with most of these suggestions: they haven't worked.
-DC had a good all ages comic, Batman: Knightwatch. Good, but simple art; good but simple story. No one bought it. And then they stuck in Harley Quinn, the featured character in a current raunchy cartoon and a trashy comic. Of course, by that point it was cancelled, but still shows the editorial mindset.
-They do have other genres. They have that lakehouse book and Green whatever and Harley Quinn Romance and Sgt Rock, DC Speechless....and they sold okish.
-They had a good Titans book with a good team, Titans United....and it sold poorly.
-They have given I Am Batman and Wonder Woman room to breathe, and they didn't sell. Time isn't going to make Fitzmartin's book better. Taskforce Z didn't sell.
-Urban Legends didn't sell, and there were good stories in some of them (ex Murder Club.
-JSA has had several books, and they don't sell.
-Kill off characters and you turn away the fans of those characters. Keep John and Hal fans stop reading, keep Tim and Jason fans stop reading (aka spending money)
-Eliminate all those Batman books and more than half of your top 50 books disappear, buyers just aren't buying Mr Miss or Ze Obscure character.
What I do think would help:
1) Treat the business as a business. If a character has been trashed to the point sales crash, yes allow "room to repair", but if the book doesn't sell, cut your losses.
2) Hire editors who cam edit, not just hire friends and cheap. Editors have to know some of these books are poor quality. And if the editor keeps "writing" the book, the supervisors should know the editor can't edit effectively.
3) On that front, if the editorial teams books don't sell, the team needs to be moved from those positions. Tie employment to success.
4) Rethink contracting vs employment. Sure superstar writers might do better getting a contract, but the stories and long term IP may benefit from someone on salary who knows they have reliable income even if it's not a million dollar payday. This would also stop the I'm adding 20 characters so I get character equity problem.
5) Rethink marketing. For instance, publishers assume readers will search to know what is coming out and went. Just having a "continued in ___ on blah blah date" would help. (I know that isn't an "old" reader thing but new readers.)
6) I agree they need a continuity expert. The inch has become such a mile character behavior makes no sense, stories make no sense. It's frustrating reading, but it also means stories can't build buzz. It's hard to argue which Robin is best when one let's a serial killer run around his town and isn't concerned his kid brother is in a death tournament, then beats up his other brother who is pumped with Lazarus resin, while the other brother is on the love boat and searching for their missing father who either is was or will be in a dream world, an alternate universe , possessed by a demon, saving his father or having werewolf nightmares. Oh, and the Batgirls are going out to eat. It's a mess.
Anyway, that's enough for now.
I love this comment. It should be pinned
Literally just asking for respect from them to us fans, and for the characters we love.
What on earth was that beginning?
I want to see just two DC universes at a time. One that fills in from the thirties till now all the oldest characters in their original timeline, including golden age Superman, Batman, etc., as Roy Thomas did before Crisis on Infinite Earths, except, instead of explaining the hiatus of a character where publication stopped, just writing what was left off with a continuing active history, then adjust Infinity Inc. to a term earlier than the 80s, and show a dynasty of characters like Superman, making a son be the silver age one, etc.
Then another universe that allows updated versions of Superman, Batman, etc.
1- Make comics affordable. 2- make them available. 3- Make them for everyone (Everyone. as in the traditional sense. not the pandering sense). 4- Respect the properties / characters, their histories and your LOYAL audience. 5- Hire the best and most passionate, dedicated, successful and fan celebrated creators. 6- Make them GOOD. But Troy, how do you make them good you ask? Easy... follow steps 1-5. Oh, and who are the "best" creators?... those who've shown they understand and have followed steps 1-6.
I have my list of things I'd like to see DC do, but instead I want to recognize the one comic DC is doing right: Batman & Scooby Doo Mysteries.
Yes, that's right: Batman & Scooby Doo Mysteries. The stories pull from DC's rich history (original Batwoman and Bat-Girl, anyone?), acknowledge the weird parts of DC's storytelling past alongside things that are from current continuity, inject some fun, and somehow tell a great story without worrying about all the things that seem to bog down most mainstream DC titles.
Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries is absolutely great. It's certainly one of my favorite DC books right now.
I'm all for bettering their collected editions line. Marvel is wiping the floor with their Epic Collections and Omnibuses
One of the main reasons why Manga succeeds is because there is trust that the writer and artist are not going to change midway through a run.
Hellboy is kinda the same way. Also, there’s a reason why Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo team up was/is so popular.
Does this include todd mcfarlane with spawn!?
@@bakixavirists4561 bruh we should be glad that McFarlane isn't writing spawn anymore, did you see the garbage that he wrote in the batman/spawn event?
@@mr.jultra4720 oh man so that's it for that series shit!
Yes. Asking for good comics from the big two is too much of an ask. They should just be happy with the crap that they're given.
People need to realize that there is no such thing as a newsstand any longer.
It's baffling people still don't realize that. Getting comics back onto newsstands was a good suggestion 30 years ago. Now? Not so much.
@@BiggieTrismegistus Now, they need to go to a different format entirely. 1 monthly book for each character, thick - at least a couple hundred pages - at a price point that will get it into the chain stores- maybe 10 -15 bucks. Mostly reprints but a couple of new stories.
I think so, because sadly writers and everyone associated with the entertainment industry today are comprised mainly of narcisists. And narcisists really just care about themselves and their belief systems, self-inserting themselves everywhere. The problem is that they are not that interesting, specially in a competitive venue like the superhero genre.
Problem with DC is the higher ups I think. They just let "hot" writers do their story that have short term hype but no longetivity. Im looking at you Bendis.
A few years ago I was buying 25-30 dc books a month.
I’m currently down to 4 ongoings.
DC employ very few writers that I’m interested in reading comics by.
Asking for
1) Something that interests them
2) Something that doesn't insult them
Secondarily...
3) Could we avoid hiring "talent" from deviantart and tumblr?
Anybody reading Darkwing Duck and Gargoyles from Dynamite? Those books are great so far. Feels like they were ripped straight from the 90s.
Yeah it's a blast of nostalgia
@@retronerds6884 Yup hopefully the Disney Villain books from Dynamite are just as good
I just buy what Jeremy Adams, Geoff John's, Joshua Williamson and Mark Waid are writing. The rest I just don't care.
Maybe they should just have different lines so they can chase after the “new” customers without getting rid of the old ones.
Gotham Knights literally could be all of the sidekicks and spin-off heroes in Gotham in one book.
Now that the character families are so damn big I think an anthology title for the Batfamily, Green Lanterns, and the Flashes would be a good idea.
@@BiggieTrismegistus And you could very easily make them more teen oriented if they started Robin, Speedy, Kid Flash, etc.
Kids actually love super-powered families. I mean, just look at how successful The Incredibles and Encanto were!
No, because the content were getting is crap
Said it here before I think but: Cut the fat. They have characters that are solid gold and yet they waste money making series for Poison Ivy and Punchline. Spend that money to give the core characters the writers and artists they deserve. All we need is:
Superman
Action (extended Supe family)
Batman
Detective (extended Bat family)
Wonder Woman
Flash
Aquaman
Green Lantern Core
Titans
JSA
Justice League Dark
Justice League shouldn't even be an ongoing. If all the members have their own ongoings, it'll just conflict with those stories and create confusion. The Justice League having to come together is an event within itself. Either that or have a JL team of Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Canary etc.
Anyways, every other DC character can fit into those titles as guests, they don't all need their own ongoings. MHA has dozens of characters it bounces between. No one wants or needs ongoings for every supporting character.
Cut down the output to a dozen or so monthly books, put the dozen absolute best writer/artist combos on them. Pay them well and ensure they're all communicating, keep tight continuity so things feel like they matter, entice the creative teams to sign multi year contracts, and people might actually start to care.
Never say never, what's old ALWAYS becomes new again. You bet your ass you'll see newsstand books again, it'll just take 5 or so years after the much needed collapse.
It can't happen soon enough!
It's cute that everyone wants to help out an undeserving entity such as DC with constructive suggestions,
but sometimes one needs to utterly fail in order to learn from that hard lesson.
What's that called, again? 'Tough Love'? yeah, that's it.
Brring back Jean-Paul Valley as a serious character!
I think that's what they were hoping to do in _Justice League Odyssey_ but he was by far the character who got the least attention.
Its so far gone now Structurally, marketing wise, creatively, talent wise and financially that reprints of classic stuff are all that remains and they even struggle with getting that right. Sad
No! Their asking us to pay for it so it should be good.
I miss those intro videos. I was happy to see one on this video :)
All we're asking for is good storytelling good character development sexy female characters the characters we know and love to be respected good artwork NO politics no identity politics and no virtue signaling no social justice crap in general. That's not too much to ask now is it?
DC's probs are self inflicted, so no sympathy.
I miss the old DC. They did know what's going on with the characters. Nowadays the activists write wokesoaked stories without sense of humor and adventure. DC must return to really good writers who make great stories.✌️
So very many good ideas that would absolutely work, but thoes are good ideas and we're not aloud to have good things.
it's funny how the fans are telling DC how to run their business. Seems like the execs at DC are just clueless. They think we are stupid. it just seems like a no brainer here, Wes. I want to see some great DC stuff. I want to be excited going to the comic store to get my pull. Alot of the ideas you presented from the fans are sound advice. Will DC listen? probably not.
I don't think the people running businesses should _always_ listen to what the fans are telling them because the fans can be clueless and arrogant. In this case though? DC should absolutely be listening. We can see the sales charts so we know almost all of the company's books are failing. We can also see the enormous amounts of negativity that greets every new book, story and issue. DC can't though because they're the arrogant and clueless people here.
For a company that created a story called "Identity Crisis" it's ironic they can't tell they're having one. What is DC Comics, the publishing company of monthly magazines, to the media behemoth that is WB+Discovery? They have the characters to make the televison shows, the videogames, the merchandise, etc., but the comic publishing arm is treated like a relic or at worst; the ugly girl who only got to go to prom because their dad owns the venue or DJ equipment.
Does Jim Lee ever get in front of Zsalav or whoever at WB+D and ask "Do you want us to dominate the direct market? Otherwise we'll just produce less books, maybe do a prestige format and reprints, and let Marvel or Image take over if it's not important to corporate goals"; "Do you want us to just be an R&D think tank, throwing concepts and characters and storylines out into the world and seeing what sticks? Get an executive in here and tell us what WB+D is looking for and we'll just produce it so we're not wasting so much time and money on contractors and editors making lukewarm comics. Even Marvel Comics fell ass-backwards into understanding what a media mix is."
Unfortunately, for someone to ask that means possibly unveiling the truth of DC Comics importance and the slashing of jobs, but at least after there is some alignment of what the publisher needs to be doing and not just driting around doing jack-all.
Ok here’s my suggestion: WB should license out their DC Comics properties to independent comic studios.
Wes, here is a question to you and folks like Perch: Who is really left to 'mind the business' at most 'major comic publishers'? This system has been the domain of mercs for how many decades?
maybe i'm just too old, but would it actually hurt to do single ish stories that would let new readers jump on with?
i mean, my parents picked me some comics up in the mid-'70's and i was able to jump in w/no problem regarding tons of over convoluted continuity or having to get the last 6 ish to catch up on the current story.
just me?
and your right, why 62435 diff versions of the same character?
but then again, w/3600 diff GL's, i'd love an ongoing w/stories staring the rest of the GLC, i mean it'b be @ lest 3600 ishs long...lol
The customer pays for what they want. If they aren't paying you for the shit you make, it's because your product is shit and you are ignoring them.
about 20 years ago I was talking to Kyle Baker and he said his son loved the Green Lantern in the animated JLA. He said his son was super disappointed when he got his first Green Lantern comic book and it was a totally different character than the Lantern in the animated JLA.
And here I thought we were asking for the bare minimum. Also, please, no more human GLs, I beg of you! If they keep adding more, they might as well form a corps of their own. The four horsemen are more than enough.
Any new DC Vertigo label should be Ram V, Dan Watters, James Tynion IV, Marjorie Liu, Jeff Lemire, and Mirka Andolfo! And bring Liam Sharp and Sana Takeda in amongst the artists. Talk Dave McKean into doing sets of trippy covers.
First thing I would do is to begin a clean slate by firing the employees, editor, publisher, and retire Jim Lee. Next, I bring actual talent writers and artists that care about the characters and make good stories. Then, Restore the characters back the way they were like no more retcon people's sexual identity or raceswap for agenda something like a character bible. Finally, stop attacking your customers and stop using the multiverse gimmick.
DC can’t afford enough good writers to do half these things mentioned. Nothing else matters.
Some of those suggestions are like so basic you'd think DC would already be doing SOME of them lol.
I think the biggest for DC (and Marvel) is event fatigue. As I've said before, you cant have major threats back to back to back to back. It would literally kill any hero from pure exhaustion if they had to defend the Earth from a constant barrage of life-threatening events day after day after day. Joker could just walk up to Batman and shoot him in the head after he just saved the Earth from Darkseid for the umpteenth time.
Some characters are interesting as guest stars but once they get their own books you realize they arent book-worthy. The occasional mini-series every couple years would cover this need for solo adventures.
16:15 JLA making treaties with alien worlds? It's not Star Trek TNG.... LOL
Matt Reeves is getting a Batman trilogy. Todd Philips is getting two Joker films. I just wanted Snyder to be trusted with two more Justice League films to do his way. Was that SO UNREASONABLE?
Maybe give us the Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad and any potential Director's/Final/Special Edition cuts of MoS, Dawn of Justice, Wonder Woman, and Snyder's JL
Thats all. Snyder's 5 film vision the way he wants it, and any films that feel interlocked to that vision.
The thumb nail is absolutely accurate. Only buying Batman main books since a year because everything else feels like a skip it.
Readers can't pretend to want less events when the events are the best selling titles. If we don't want events, we have to stop buying them. Anything else is hot air.
The one thing I always suggest is looking back at successful titles that ran for years, figure out what it is that made them so long running, and do it again. Impulse lasted nearly a hundred issues; the clone Superboy and Robin did the same. Kyle Rayner had one of the longest runs and he didn't even start with a #1 issue!
I would do more with the 3rd and 4th string books and characters. Hawkman, Capt. Atom, Firestorm, Manhunter, the Freedom Fighters, Dr. Fate, the Spectre, etc would all get more action somewhere in the line.
Make Superman matter. He and Batman used to have somewhat equal footing in the 90's with multiple books, Superman is lucky if he can carry four featuring him.
The characters created by big names should have them featured on the title. Jack Kirby's the Guardian sounds better than 'Guardian'. Steve Ditko's Blue Beetle or Ditko's the Question also makes those Charlton characters pop a bit more. They already did it with Kirby's Fourth World...
Wes, if you could only have 2 human green lanterns, what happens to the rest? I’m sorry, but only having Hal and John would just suck. Guy and Kyle are way better characters than John and DC has so much squandered potential with Jess, it’s not even funny. What about the flash? When Barry was the only one in the new 52, it was boring as hell. Wally, Jay and even Bart are more fun than Barry.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who likes Jessica Cruz and thinks she should be featured more. There are a ton of storytelling possibilities with her. I also agree that Barry Allen isn't very interesting. I thought it was funny that in Snyder's Justice League he was writing Barry as if he were Wally. That right there is a hint that Wally is the more interesting character.
Personally I'd like to see more of Jaime Reyes as Blue Beetle. The solo book of his written by John Rogers that came out of _Infinite Crisis_ are some of my favorite comics. And he's diverse too! DC should love him because of that.
DC fans want DC to be, well ...DC. A sign of hope in the comics sphere
Vertigo and the New Universe were both good. Rather than redoing the same event over and over again
I just wanna thank modern comics artists for cementing the legacy of those that came before them. Alan Moore, Todd MacFarlane, and such really owe their still decent comic sales to the modern "artists." Modern artists such as...... and ummmm..... well, there's that one author..... You know what? You all know who you are, even if no one else does. That's the sacrifice I'm talking about. Thanks so much, weirdos.
Sadly I’m banned from that reddit for a completely innocuous comment so was unable to participate in that particular conversation.
The major publishers need to create a Hulu-like entity where they all share ownership but it runs with independent leadership. The smaller publishers get to participle for a percentage of sales, etc. Compete with Shonen Jump. This scares the DM but if successful it can only lead to more business for them overall. More readers digitally, more people getting into comics, more people interested in specialty shops.
I would do a lot of changes to DC Comics. Only issue is They will not listen to 1 of them.
It is so true that there are to many Batman books being publish but there is a solution to this just keep publishing Detective Comics, Batman, Nightwing and the miniseries but for the other characters just publish 2 anthology series were there stories could be tell just like the recently recently finish Barman Urban Legend.
They could do a Gotham Knights or Bat Family anthology comic were they could tell the stories of:
- Red Hood
- Tim Drake Robin
- Robin
- Batgirls (Barbara, Spoiler, Orphan)
- Batwoman
- Huntress
- Bluebird
- Luke Fox Batman
- Batman Beyond
And another anthology series call Gotham Underground or Gotham Underworld were they could tell the stories of:
- Catwoman
- Harley Quinn
- Poison Ivy
- The Joker
- The Penguin
- The Riddler
- The Outsiders
- Batman Incorporate
They could also change Detective comics and switch it from telling Batman stories to telling stories consent rating on the GCPD and their detectives like:
- Renee Montoya The Question
- Jim Corrigan The Spectre
- Doctor Occult
- Harvey Bullock
- Slam Bradley (The Original main protagonist of Detective Comics)
Bring back comics in grocery stores, as impulse buys.
Movies tv and comics have been consistent for decades before this. They had new ideas before this. Companies and humans have gotten lazy.
You hit right on the head. You can't recognize the character's personalities anymore which is why you need a line wide reboot. Get rid of this continuity and start over with some seasoned professionals. There are some talented people out there but they need some editorial guidance.
Forget agendas. The people that you're trying to reach don't read or buy your books. You're alienating the people who do. You can't keep producing for an audience that isn't there.
DC needs to offer other characters besides just superheroes. Indies are successful because they do this exactly.
Quit letting writers break your characters! Individually or en mass in big events. Seriously, how many major character changes have been positively received in the past five years? Or even the past ten? Far fewer than have been reviled.
Also, get better at releasing collected editions. Marvel is releasing Omnibuses for all sorts of obscure characters with minor/cult-followings. I've got Omnis for Moon Knight, Shang-Chi, Solomon Kane, and even for their adaptation of public domain novels....Meanwhile, DC can't even give us decent collections for the Bat Family. Nothing for Dixon's Nightwing, nothing for Tim Drake's Robin solo book....Releasing those collections seems like such an easy win.
What were Vertigo titles ended up moving in small part to Image Comics. A shame that DC destroyed Vertigo and Young Animals imprints. Something about, “Mother Panic” being a better “Batman” title than the “normal” DC lines of titles.
On the Image front, looking forward to more “Lady Mechanika.”
I really want DC to do more war comics. Haunted Tank, Sargent Rock, Creature commandos, enemy ace. I really want some combat aviation comics too, I really wish they would do aerial combat with the BlackHawks.
DC Black Label was ORIGINALLY supposed to be adult based stories but Batman walking around his Batawang was too adult and censored the rest of the series.
that intro, man🤣
I'll say it again. Pick up exactly before flash point, DC ended all the comic runs in 2011 November. The main characters were already aging out and you can PROPERLY have a new roster of characters take over the responsibilities. Go back and read all the last 2 titles of all DC comics runs before flash point, there was a massiv future of good take over characters there, but no, fucking flashpoint happened and that led to new 52.... Honestly the answer is what I have said. And here's another important thing, fans need to accept that characters can die out and things move on, fans clinging onto heroes staying exactly the same is detrimental for future storytelling.
The only reason why these great ideas are not in place is because the plan is destroying comics any way they can. The real talent is making you believe that is not their intention but the picture is bigger than anyone would allow their mind to imagine.
1) looks like I’m watching Interstellar tonight again 😂
2) which lanterns (Earth) do we apparently kill off/depower ? Because for me Guy Gardner is my guy! My #1 also I’d like to see the other Lantern Corps bought back for me that p’d me off so much !
Fans: We want more DCAU type shows.
DC: Nah, just watch 'Teen Titans Go'.
We the people who want to read DC Comics aren't asking for too much. Those in charge just don't want to give us what we want for reasons and what they're giving us instead is (censored).
and as for the cover of action comics 1053 featuring power girl : big breasted women NEED representation. they should not be made to feel bad about their body type.
I totally agree with the Power Girl/Donna Troy one. Power Girl should have just had the Galatea origin from the Justice League cartoon as an enhanced clone of Supergirl. The multiverse shouldn't have been necessary. With Donna, the problem is that writers need 6-12 issues to explain where babies come from, using everything from "magical duplication" to space aliens to the multiverse. I mean, Christ, these people need to get laid. It should be simple enough to say she's Diana's kid sister, THE END. If Diana was made out of clay and given life by the Greek Gods, then Donna could have been made the same way. If Diana is the daughter of an Olympian, Hippolyta could have just gone back for seconds. THIS SHOULDN'T BE COMPLICATED, but writers feel the need to over-explain things.