Re-What?: The DC Problem
Greetings comic fans! I need to start this off by telling you a little something about myself: I LOVE DC Comics, I grew up a DC kid. Ever since my dad took me to the comic store for the first time when I was 9 years old. The first comic I ever got was Green Lantern (Vol 3) #19. My dad chose this one because it had all the Green Lanterns in it at the time it was printed. I also got Green Lantern (Vol 3) #125, which was the most current GL book out at the time.
When you’re that young- you don’t care about complete runs, or going in order, you just want to read about superheroes. Ever since then, I’ve been hooked. I’ve watched every DC animated show, I own every DC animated film, I’ve seen nearly every DC live action movie (no matter how pathetically awful some are).
My pull list is mostly DC, I own thousands of DC books, countless shirts, and memorabilia. I’m basically a fanboy (without the “everything sucks but DC” attitude). Well, DC’s newest half-baked idea has me fuming. Bare with me, because this is about to get really, really ranty as I tackle this while breaking down all your preconceived notions about how “great” this will be. Enjoy.
Open up your wallets kids, because here comes the hype train! Choo, choo!
I defended DC’s New 52, and I defended their “course correction” that’s Convergence and DC You. Well that’s it, I am done with this “REBIRTH” business. I put that in all caps because that’s how DC is marketing this crap. Seriously, on their official site when they announced this, they capitalized the whole word- every, single, time. They really want you to know that “This isn’t a reboot, it’s a REBIRTH!” Who is Dan DiDio really trying to kid?
This is absolutely a reboot, and anyone with half a brain can see that. I understand that “REBIRTH” is a cute little marketing ploy, and it’s going to work no matter what. Why? Because comic readers are oblivious.
They’ll just say things like “It’s to keep things from going stale!” …Stale? Most DC books right now are on issue #8.
You’re telling me that they’ve gotten stale ALREADY? That shows that DC has thrown away the old mantra: “quality over quantity.” They aren’t stale, DC is just desperate for cash. Sales for all the new #1’s are going to spike up to an insane number of copies, and DC will be rolling in money…
At first. The hype will eventually die, and things will stabilize. Then we can all sit tight and wait for another “REBIRTH”, reboot, redo, rehash, revamp, retcon, renumbering, course correction, or whatever the hell they want to call it next. The funny part is, DiDio said that he stands behind DC You less than 6 months ago. What a load of shit that was, huh?
Am I ready for what? For this to be replaced in less than a year? Not particularly.
The thing that kills me the most about this “REBIRTH”- is the insane number of bi-weekly titles. Which sounds like a neato idea in theory, but in practice? Well, it sucks. I love how DC is pitching this like “Hey, we’re super nice guys and we love our fans! So our books are back to $2.99 again, woo!” Really? They’re $2.99? No they aren’t. If I want to read Green Lantern (which is $3.99 at the moment) it’s going to be $5.98 because it’s two books a month. So if I’m reading 5 DC stories, I now have to purchase 10 books a month!
Now for someone with a decent job that’s not a problem. But what about the ones who live pay check to pay check and spend $15-20 a month on comics as a little way to treat themselves and help them get through the grind? They’re supposed to shell out double the cash to keep up with titles? This is EA Games type of scumbaggery akin to Star Wars Battlefront DLC.
I read 8 total DC titles at the moment (two at the $3.99 and six at the $2.99 price points), meaning I pay roughly $25.92 before taxes. In the “REBIRTH” future I will be looking at $47.84. That’s not counting the other books I buy from Marvel, IDW, Dynamite, and so on.
If I wanted to spend that much on JUST DC books, I would have more than 8 on my pull list. They aren’t doing it because they love you, they’re doing it because they want to gouge you for every dime you have. To think otherwise would mean you have ostrich syndrome.
The 2011 image is now retro. I can’t wait for all the “throwback” New 52 Superman cosplays!
“But Bryan, double the content each month, woo!” What good does that do if the quality still isn’t there? DC is notorious for outrageously short deadlines, not letting the writers know what their fellow writers are up too, and editors changing what the writers have written originally. George Perez voiced his frustrations in the past, as have other writers such as Grant Morrison, and Rob Liefeld.
If this sort of thing continues, what will a “REBIRTH” change? The answer to that riddle is: nothing. We’re still spinning our tires in the mud, the same problems will persist, because the REAL issue wasn’t solved. Not letting creators create.
DC needs to stop putting writers in a box, forcing them to write in a way that sets up giant super crossover stories that aren’t needed. Let the creators create, let the writers write, and let the readers read. It’s a simple concept. Not ALL DC titles are riddled with nonsense and incoherent drivel mind you. It seems only the major titles (Superman, Batman, Justice League, and the like) have this problem.
Which I will get to in a moment. But if you didn’t like New 52, or DC You- what makes you think you’ll enjoy “REBIRTH” when DC maintains the same practices they did during those? Spraying a turd with Fabreze doesn’t change anything.