All-Star Superman to be reprinted as a Black Label title

[Myskin]

And more announcements.

https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2018/0...dc-black-label

[Adekis]

The concept of "Black Label" is mostly weird to me because they already publish this kind of story all the time, you know?

It sounds like basically they looked at all their most popular out-of-continuity stories - stories I believe are popular because they're out of continuity, since that means basically anyone with passing familiarity with the characters can understand them - and said "let's make a whole line that's like that." But like... they were already doing those kinds of stories enough that all this really does is gather them all together and create a new sticker for old stories too. If there was no "Black Label" I would literally never notice.

As for being "thoughtful, mature" comics, aren't most of the comics they publish at least theoretically like that already? Does this mean their other books will be more all-ages now? Doubtful.

[RepHope]

Zoom and Ink will be for kids. Black Label is Elseworlds but it will also let creators show off more graphic (sex) scenes. DC also just wants their Elseworlds all under one Label, which is why ASS is getting put under it, despite it not being a “dark” story.

[Ascended]

As for being "thoughtful, mature" comics, aren't most of the comics they publish at least theoretically like that already? Does this mean their other books will be more all-ages now? Doubtful.

My feeling is that this will be more "Vertigo with established DC names" than it will be "Finally, Batman can say 'F*ck!!'"

At least, that's what I hope this is. Because the big name DC IP's approached with the kind of thought and imagination as Sandman and Doom Patrol and Hellblazer and all the other classic Vertigo titles? I've been wanting that for years.

[Shockingjustice]

Zoom and Ink will be for kids. Black Label is Elseworlds but it will also let creators show off more graphic (sex) scenes. DC also just wants their Elseworlds all under one Label, which is why ASS is getting put under it, despite it not being a “dark” story.

What do the Teens and young adults fall under?

[Hilden B. Lade]

What do the Teens and young adults fall under?

Ink is the YA/Teens line.

[Shockingjustice]

Ink is the YA/Teens line.

Oh ok thanks

[stephens2177]

So zoom is lil kids
Ink is teens,young adults
Black is very adult

Is that about right? And is there more out there coming?

[Adekis]

My feeling is that this will be more "Vertigo with established DC names" than it will be "Finally, Batman can say 'F*ck!!'"

At least, that's what I hope this is. Because the big name DC IP's approached with the kind of thought and imagination as Sandman and Doom Patrol and Hellblazer and all the other classic Vertigo titles? I've been wanting that for years.

I largely agree with that hope, but I've got concerns as well, largely in the area of "if they were capable of bringing that kind of thought and imagination to mainstream heroes on a regular basis, maybe they'd have been doing it before now."

Also, and I realize this may be vaguely controversial, I wouldn't actually mind if Superman and Batman dropped the f-bomb once in a while. Not like, Shazam, but his "family" is pretty much the only one where I'd hate to see that under any circumstances. That's not to say that I want Superman and Batman swearing like sailors all the time - maybe Lois and Red Hood could get away with it more frequently - but once in a while in a story specifically set aside to be "the kind of story where Batman can say 'F*ck!!'"? I might enjoy that, to a certain extent.

[Myskin]

Zoom and Ink will be for kids. Black Label is Elseworlds but it will also let creators show off more graphic (sex) scenes.

I don't think that it is really comparable to Elseworlds.
Elseworlds was a very general label which included mainly two types of contents:
1- Out-of-continuity stories which focused on the classic/recognizable version of the character (so classic, in fact, that some Elseworlds stories were considered in-continuity up to a certain point and didn't even have the "Elseworlds"label for a long time) and with a VERY strong authorial approach (Dark Knight Returns, All-Star Superman, New Frontier).

2-Out-of-continuity one-shots with the characters in completely different contexts (Superman in the Middle Ages, Batman Frankenstein, Batman Pirate) and with a weaker authorial approach. Basically the "Treehouse of horrors" stories.

I think that Black Label is more of the former than the latter. With some exceptions, like White Knight (which, I suspect, was put under the Black Label because the first story, Superman Year One, was postponed and they had to launch the imprint somehow).

[Minerboh]

Superman Year One is pushed to November???
What the...

[millernumber1]

The concept of "Black Label" is mostly weird to me because they already publish this kind of story all the time, you know?

It sounds like basically they looked at all their most popular out-of-continuity stories - stories I believe are popular because they're out of continuity, since that means basically anyone with passing familiarity with the characters can understand them - and said "let's make a whole line that's like that." But like... they were already doing those kinds of stories enough that all this really does is gather them all together and create a new sticker for old stories too. If there was no "Black Label" I would literally never notice.

As for being "thoughtful, mature" comics, aren't most of the comics they publish at least theoretically like that already? Does this mean their other books will be more all-ages now? Doubtful.

I don't think these comics are popular because they are out of continuity (also: Batman: Year One). I think they're popular because of the amount of craft and self-contained nature, which doesn't have to be out of continuity.

So zoom is lil kids
Ink is teens,young adults
Black is very adult

Is that about right? And is there more out there coming?

I don't think it's correct to say that Black is "very adult." It's closer to elseworlds with the possibility of being R-rated, but Batman Year One and All-Star Superman aren't anywhere close to R-rated.

[The Dying Detective]

What interst me is that R-rated stuff caters to a very specific audience wouldn't this limit the amount of people reading All Star Superman?

[RepHope]

What DC wants is people to associate Black Label with quality. That’s why they’re branding All-Star, Kingdom Come, and New Frontier with the Label, despite those not really fitting the whole “dark and edgy” vibe Black Label was originally marketed as. I expect Red Son and Gotham by Gaslight will get Black Labeled as well.

[Atlas]

"Black Label" is representative of the level of creativity and originality I expect from Lee and DiDio. It sounds like a beer or coffee label. All-Star was a comic from the 40s and referred to the level of talent. "Black Label" is dull and ultimately meaningless, and I hate that it's going to be slapped onto fantastic works like All-Star Superman. I could care less what Miller's Batman stories are called. I call them crap myself.