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[QUOTE=Judge Dredd;4777004]Dan DiDio talking collected editions
“We had a very poor 2018 with our collections. It forced us to reevaluate what we were collecting and how, so you saw a lot of changes taking place. If you saw the cancellations that occurred after solicitation, that’s probably because there was no appreciable interest for these titles-meaning that we couldn’t hit the minimum number to justify print. I’d much prefer just to cancel books than to have devalued product out there. We have to find ways to make our collected editions valuable, so that people want to purchase them and put them on a shelf. We also have to reevaluate these collections of six issues and out-when you collect six issues of a periodical regardless if it’s a complete story. You’re going to see more tweaking going forward, but I feel like we’re in a very good place.”
“We’re not cancelling because it’s a couple of copies off the number. We’re cancelling because it’s thousands of copies off. If we cannot get to two-thirds of that [minimum] number, then it does not justify publication.”
[url]https://www.bleedingcool.com/2020/01/10/why-dc-comics-has-been-cancelling-so-many-collections/[/url][/QUOTE]
Also this by Dan Didio:
[I]“We’re finding diminishing returns on the books with numbering on spines-they take the same periodical cadence that comes with our regular books. Every subsequent number drops precipitously. The longer those numbers run, the lower and lower those print runs become. Also, I want to make sure we’re clear about what’s in that book. That’s why the title’s more important. I’d like someone to pick it up for the reading experience rather than straight numbering.”
[/I]
Very depressing. Dan Didio sounds like Tom Brevoort several years ago when people were asking for further Omnibus volumes of Amazing Spider-Man. Basically, he doesn't care about the main buyers of these collections or that numbering has much to do with it. If we go by his thinking, we shouldn't buy Flash by Johns Vol. 1 because we don't know if we'll even get Vol. 2 or 3.
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[QUOTE=DragonPiece;4777126]so I know John Byrne's superman omnibus is cancelled, so can someone explain this? [url]https://www.amazon.com/Superman-Man-Steel-Vol-1/dp/1779504918/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6HUASH16YS18&keywords=superman+john+byrne&qid=1578409941&s=books&sprefix=superman+john+%2Cstripbooks%2C176&sr=1-1[/url]
This was the original link to the omnibus, now it calls it the man of steel volume 1, but the contents include more than that...so was the omni just renamed and became a hardcover?[/QUOTE]
Pretty sure the amazon listing just hasn’t been updated. The contents listed I believe are the same as what the omnibus would have had.
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[QUOTE=Raffi Ol D'Arcy;4777133]Also this by Dan Didio:
[I]“We’re finding diminishing returns on the books with numbering on spines-they take the same periodical cadence that comes with our regular books. Every subsequent number drops precipitously. The longer those numbers run, the lower and lower those print runs become. Also, I want to make sure we’re clear about what’s in that book. That’s why the title’s more important. I’d like someone to pick it up for the reading experience rather than straight numbering.”
[/I]
Very depressing. Dan Didio sounds like Tom Brevoort several years ago when people were asking for further Omnibus volumes of Amazing Spider-Man. Basically, he doesn't care about the main buyers of these collections or that numbering has much to do with it. If we go by his thinking, we shouldn't buy Flash by Johns Vol. 1 because we don't know if we'll even get Vol. 2 or 3.[/QUOTE]
I don’t like that DC uses the solicitation process as their research. Makes no sense to me. They should be doing financial analyses and market studies prior to soliciting not after the fact. If that was the case, we wouldn’t be seeing all these cancellations. Their process is stupid.
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Also by Didio, and an even dumber statement:
[QUOTE=BC]"There certainly has been some tweaking going on with the looks of certain titles, often mid-way through a run. When asked if DC could provide alternate dust jackets following design changes in a collected edition series, he dismissed this suggestion saying:[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Didio]“It’s time to move on. Every change we make to the visual interpretation of our packaging is to excite people, and get more people excited about the books themselves.”[/QUOTE]
Like I said in a Facebook group:
"What a completely moronic thing to say. Such a stupid move does 'excite' people, just not the way he's implying. I can't believe they are changing the spine to the Golden Age Batman Omnis -amongst others- after SEVEN volumes."
This guy doesn't get collectors - their customers- at all.
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DiDio's statements don't take into account how DC's own sorry reputation with their collections department is impacting their future sales.
Things like poor restoration, mousetrap binding, illogical or incomplete mapping and an inability to finish a series.
If they solicited Batman: The Bronze Age Vol 1, which might be my own personal holy grail of DC reprints, I still wouldn't preorder the damn thing because I have zero faith that the people producing the product would actually deliver.
By comparison, when Marvel solicits a book I [I]know[/I] it's going to be what I expect. I have trust in Marvel, because Marvel has been delivering the goods for years now.
The Marvel Masterworks line stands in total opposition to everything DiDio says.
DC needs to get their house in order, pronto.
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That statement is all kinds of dumb.
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[QUOTE=Raffi Ol D'Arcy;4777133]Also this by Dan Didio:
[I]“We’re finding diminishing returns on the books with numbering on spines-they take the same periodical cadence that comes with our regular books. Every subsequent number drops precipitously. The longer those numbers run, the lower and lower those print runs become. Also, I want to make sure we’re clear about what’s in that book. That’s why the title’s more important. I’d like someone to pick it up for the reading experience rather than straight numbering.”
[/I]
Very depressing. Dan Didio sounds like Tom Brevoort several years ago when people were asking for further Omnibus volumes of Amazing Spider-Man. Basically, he doesn't care about the main buyers of these collections or that numbering has much to do with it. If we go by his thinking, we shouldn't buy Flash by Johns Vol. 1 because we don't know if we'll even get Vol. 2 or 3.[/QUOTE]
The only DC Omnibus that anyone is going to buy that reads this is a self contained omnibus. Why buy any run longer than one omnibus in length.
I guess Animal Man Deluxe Volume 2 is never going to come out... and what metric are they using to gauge how many units an omnibus is going to sell? Going by this guys faulty logic and business sense I would say that their metric is flawed. Especially if they are canceling things like Starman and Man of Steel by John Byrne and just a bunch of other really boneheaded blunders.
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Very disappointing to read Didio's take on the current state of DC's collections department.
Posters on this board and others recognized the trend a long time ago, but this pretty much confirms that they are finally realizing those trends as well. They've essentially created their own self-fulfilling prophecy. :(
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[QUOTE=SJNeal;4782920]Very disappointing to read Didio's take on the current state of DC's collections department.
Posters on this board and others recognized the trend a long time ago, but this pretty much confirms that they are finally realizing those trends as well. They've essentially created their own self-fulfilling prophecy. :([/QUOTE]
Are you saying I should stop waiting for Batgirl (Cassandra Cain) v4?
Didio's comments seem tone deaf, or at least suggest that they don't understand the most ardent section of their fan base. Marvel's Epic, MMW, and Omni lines are running strong - unless he wants to suggest that DC's back catalog is lesser than Marvel's, they should be able to put the resources behind some nice material for us to collect full runs from before, say, 2005 (it remains weird that Wally West's first run on Flash is probably going to be the first full run in archival form from DC).
As a side note: how is it so hard to make affordable collections for LoSH? Bendis's new run just started (I know it's an all new continuity), and there's basically nothing on the shelves you could buy or order if you liked the concept!
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[QUOTE=bob.schoonover;4782991]Are you saying I should stop waiting for Batgirl (Cassandra Cain) v4?
[/QUOTE]
If I've had to stop waiting for PAD's[I] Aquaman[/I] v3 (and PAD's [I]Supergirl[/I] V5, and Ostrander's 3rd vols. of [I]The Spectre[/I] and [I]Martian Manhunter[/I], and Dixon's [I]Birds of Prey[/I] v4 and [I]Legionnaires[/I] v3 and [I]The Legion by Abnett & Lanning[/I] v3) then yes, you should stop waiting for [I]Batgirl[/I] v4. ;)
Wow, seeing all those orphaned lines in one list is pretty depressing. :(
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[QUOTE=SJNeal;4784251]If I've had to stop waiting for PAD's[I] Aquaman[/I] v3 (and PAD's [I]Supergirl[/I] V5, and Ostrander's 3rd vols. of [I]The Spectre[/I] and [I]Martian Manhunter[/I], and Dixon's [I]Birds of Prey[/I] v4 and [I]Legionnaires[/I] v3 and [I]The Legion by Abnett & Lanning[/I] v3) then yes, you should stop waiting for [I]Batgirl[/I] v4. ;)
Wow, seeing all those orphaned lines in one list is pretty depressing. :([/QUOTE]
Don't forget Robin v6, Azrael v2, Kyle Rayner v2/3 (I forget which was cancelled), and the high likelihood that Shadow of the Bat is ending at v4
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[QUOTE=ShooCat;4777275]Also by Didio, and an even dumber statement:
Like I said in a Facebook group:
"What a completely moronic thing to say. Such a stupid move does 'excite' people, just not the way he's implying. I can't believe they are changing the spine to the Golden Age Batman Omnis -amongst others- after SEVEN volumes."
This guy doesn't get collectors - their customers- at all.[/QUOTE]
No he doesn't get us at all. He really does sound like a Tom Brevoort clone from a few years back. The difference, from my understanding, is that Brevoort had nothing to do with what got collected or not whereas Didio does, unfortunately. The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 4 Omnibus was the biggest selling Omnibus last year. Vol. 4! That speaks volumes (pun intended).
[QUOTE=SJNeal;4782920]Very disappointing to read Didio's take on the current state of DC's collections department.
Posters on this board and others recognized the trend a long time ago, but this pretty much confirms that they are finally realizing those trends as well. They've essentially created their own self-fulfilling prophecy. :([/QUOTE]
DC have shot themselves in the foot. Cancelling solicits has caused many to quit preordering which in turn has caused further cancellations. The Masterworks Board members are up in arms with not a few stating that their money will now go to Marvel. Someone mentioned about DC strangling themselves with their publishing methods. Very very sad.
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[QUOTE=Raffi Ol D'Arcy;4784389]That speaks volumes (pun intended)[/QUOTE]
Lol.
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[QUOTE=bob.schoonover;4784327]Don't forget Robin v6, Azrael v2, Kyle Rayner v2/3 (I forget which was cancelled), and the high likelihood that Shadow of the Bat is ending at v4[/QUOTE]
Not to mention Green Lantern: Hal Jordan vol. 2, Superman/Batman vol.6, Superman Blue vol.2, Catwoman by Jim Balent vol.3
The most depressing is that Didio proved himself clueless in his job. On numerous occasions he was complaining that people want older stories. So what seems to be problematic? Sell older stuff! How! Didio does not have to reinvent a wheel. Just copy Marvel's approach. Print 3 formats - Omni, Archives and epic own line. It is not a rocket science.
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[QUOTE=bob.schoonover;4784327]Don't forget Robin v6, Azrael v2, Kyle Rayner v2/3 (I forget which was cancelled), and the high likelihood that Shadow of the Bat is ending at v4[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Petrus7;4784747]Not to mention Green Lantern: Hal Jordan vol. 2, Superman/Batman vol.6, Superman Blue vol.2, Catwoman by Jim Balent vol.3
[/QUOTE]
You guys are just twisting the knife, thanks... :mad: :p