How do you order DC titles for September? Fifty two #1 issues as the entire line reboots. Do you order it with inflated numbers as a #1 suggests? Do you just order off your previous numbers? Except how do you factor in the possible impact of the simultaneous release of electronic editions? How much business is that going to siphon off? Decades ago, DC came up with the hardcover/softcover near-simultaneous release of some of their most popular titles and it was a spectacular failure. But at least the retailers themselves weren’t threatened.
Or perhaps we’re just being paranoid. I mean, bookstores as a whole are doing extremely well and aren’t closing right and left, so it’s not as if comic book stores need to worry about their bottom line, right? Right?
I take it back. I’m glad I’m not the DC sales rep who has to sell this concept TO the retailers.
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This reboot also raises the same issue that came up (or should have) with Marvel’s Ultimates line: What about new characters? It feels like instead of trying to create exciting new heroes and fascinating new villains, we keep getting re-re-revisions of the “big” characters: the whole Ultimates line, D.C.’s latest reboot, the “year one/two/three stories” (I liked BATMAN: YEAR ONE, but after that…), etc. Is there really an incentive for writers at D.C. or Marvel to try introducing new characters when the interest/big bucks seems to be in the latest version of the Green Goblin, or the new history of Wonder Woman?
To use a music analogy, most bands have classic songs or favorite bands they like to cover — but they never hit it big if they settle for just being a cover band.
Interesting analogy, but I think Marvel and DC are more comparable to the 4 major music labels, rather than individual bands. And those music labels tend to be equally conservative in their decisions. I’m most familiar with their business in classical music, and I think the comparison is even more apt there.
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A large portion of the output from the 4 major classical labels is established artists recording their performance of established works. The labels prefer this approach because they sell reasonably well; more importantly, they can reasonably predict just how well. That predictability is valuable, because it minimizes risk. And that predictability is why another Superman/Spider-man title is more valuable to DC/Marvel than a book about a new character.
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Another similarity is that the musicians themselves are often interested in recording the same pieces. They want to make their mark on the music they grew up with. Similarly, many comic writers and artists seem very interested in leaving their mark on the characters they grew up with. And in both cases, it is possible to be quite successful as a “cover band” (so to speak).
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The final similarity is that both are catering to relatively small audiences to begin with. This makes them even more risk-averse, because there’s a fairly hard ceiling on the level of success. Why take risks if there’s little chance for a big reward?
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So, for better or worse, I suspect that new characters will continue to stand a better chance of seeing print at one of the other publishers, just as new classical compositions tend to get their first recording on independent labels.
Sadly, I have to agree with you. This may wind up like D.C. ONE MILLION, where thousands of yesars in the future there are still almost no new characters, just different versions of the big ones from today. Sigh…
A few other thoughts on the topic that refuse to organize themselves into anything more than bullet points:
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DC and Marvel as publishers have brought new characters to market and have had success with them – they just don’t participate in their respective shared universes.
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Beyond not wanting to take risks, there is also the issue of identity. To what extent is the DC universe its own place, and to what extent is it merely the world where Superman, Batman, et al live? (Likewise for Marvel, Spider-man and the X-Men)
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Finally, in fairness, DC and Marvel do create new characters in their shared universes all the time. The various events in the Green Lantern line have introduced a number of new characters to DC recently. The X-Men frequently add new characters; even between House of M and The 5 Lights, they still managed to introduce a few new mutants. And the Avengers line has seen new characters brought in via the Initiative and Academy banners. Not all the new characters are destined to be classics, but they haven’t completely abandoned the idea either.
Tim Callahan (I think, I’m not sure), from Comic Book Resources, wrote an interesting article about this.
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The Marvel and DC universe have a lot of mythology by now, and creating a new character is a little like creating a new Greek god. We already have gods for all the major aspects of life, and several minor aspects too. The new Greek god must have a place in the pantheon that isn’t filled by another god already.
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He mentioned Gravity, a new Marvel character created by Sean McKeever in 2005, that is a good character, but since Spider-Man already cornered the market for young, urban, struggling, loner superhero, there isn’t a place for Gravity in the MU.
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dcnu-brett-booth-new-teen-titans-costumes-110610.html
It was nice to hear Brett mention a name I hadn’t heard in a really long time: Bobbie Chase.
I don’t know yet which titles I’ll purchase, if any, or if I will wait for the trades. However, I know which title I won’t buy, even if I have a great fondness for the characters: Hawk & Dove. The reason ? Rob Liefeld is doing the “art”, and without Karl Kesel to cover his mistakes this time. You can count me out on this one.
I’m not sure how a bigger comic retailer would handle this, but my roommate is just going to order enough copies to cover the ones pre-ordered by his customers in their Previews. Maybe a couple of extra copies of the more popular characters. He doesn’t do much “off the rack” sales, and I think if it wasn’t for me ordering every Marvel book under the sun every month he wouldn’t do much in comic sales period. Magic: The Gathering is what seems to keep him in business. Also, I don’t think the electronic editions are going to have much of an impact outside of New York, L.A. and such. I just don’t see many tablets here in central Michigan. I’m sure it might be an issue somewhere, but definitely not here. Personally, I’m just going to buy books based on characters I like and the creative teams. I like Superman, but will not be buying Action Comics. I could save a lot money every month if Grant Morrison would write everything. I also won’t be reading anything written by any of the 90’s X-Writers. Anything that wasn’t written by Mr. David back then was just crap! I’m not sure who Resurrection Man is, but I will check it out just because of Abnett & Lanning.