What Would You Do If You Had Complete Control Over the DCU?

[Timothy Hunter]

Considering the amount of discontent towards the creative decisions of DC Comics (Heroes in Crisis, Bendis, etcetera), I would like to know what you would do if you had complete power over the direction of the DC Universe? What editorial policies would you enforce? What crossovers would you have? What creative teams would you put on each character?

Edit. There are comments in this thread like "oh idea z and idea x that (random poster) mentioned is not practical. I can see that sort of argument detailing this thread so I decree : It doesn't matter if your decisions are practical, this is just a silly hypothetical scenario.

[Pohzee]

Either Tim or Damian gets the axe, and their entire generation with them.

Undies on everybody. Even people who didn't have them in the past. Undies on people's heads. From now until forever.

Tom King or Christopher Priest write every book.

Artists stay for entire the arcs. Delay an issue before you use a fill-in artist.

Lots of series set in different stages of DC's history.

[reni344]

I would keep every Robin, Batgirl, and other characters who have multiples and would have family books. I would have JSA in continuity, I would have aging characters be a thing in the DCU Batman and Superman are no longer perpetually 35, everyone will age. I would have stories move the way they would naturally. Bruce and Selina would be married, Dick and Barbra would be married and all of the Batfamily members would eventually either retire or pass down their mantles and that is how I would continue from then on all characters will age except those are immortal and eventually retire and give their mantles to new characters. Think Superman Batman Generations but with all of DC.

[Lee Stone]

Pull up a chair... I'll put some tea on.
Hope you don't have any plans.

[Buried Alien]

Take everything back to Pre-COIE mode.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Denirac]

Take Everything Back to Pre-Flashpoint but keep characters like Jon Kent, Keep Batman Incorporated going with Bruce on the League and Worldwide and Dick as Batman in Gotham with Damian, oh and I’d keep Jason as an Anti Hero

[Ascended]

Do I have control of *everything* or just creative control over the publishing line? Because if I got to mess around with distribution models, production methods, marketing, pricing and everything else? We're looking at a top-bottom overhaul of the entire system.

But in any case, as far as creative decisions go, it starts with some serious market research (or looking at the research DC already does, if they do much to begin with) and taking a hard look at my talent pool then trimming the fat and then recruiting hard from outside the industry.

Now, if you're wondering what I'd do if my only concern here was my own enjoyment? Man, I don't think CBR could handle a post that big! I threw together a cheap little thought experiment about re-structuring the DCU and that bare-bones outline was over a dozen pages.

[josai21]

Start fresh.

Five Comics Only.

Action Comics: Superman's Year One.
Detective Comics: Batman's Year One.
Wonder Comics: Wonder Woman's Year One.
Hero Comics: This would be short arcs following non-trinity heroes that are still their first iteration. (Green Lantern, Canary, Hawk Girl etc.)

History Comics: This would follow Vandal Savage from the evolution of man to present day. What is the history of this earth?

Those are the only comics that would be published by DC for about 2-3 years. Characters from Hero comics that received high praise would spin off their own lines.

Dick Grayson, the first sidekick, would be introduced about year three IRL. Year 3-5 would see Batman/Superman team ups. Year 5 would see the formation of the Justice League and more side kick heroes.

We are taking the long route here.

Year 6 sees Dick Grayson found the titans. Year 7 sees him become Nightwing and Jason todd becomes Robin.

It would be generational. We would see much of the same stories, but told in new and fresh ways...because once a character dies, they stay dead. Bruce and others would be allowed to age and grow older. by Year 20, Dick Grayson would officially be Batman. etc.

History Comics, once it reaches present day, would be a sort of Big Event of the Justice League versus Vandal Savage.

[Raijin]

And this is why fans should NOT have a say-so in anything. Most of these ideas wouldn't work and just boil down to personal bias.

Honestly I would just create more OGN's, more weeklys and more maxiseries.

[josai21]

And this is why fans should NOT have a say-so in anything. Most of these ideas wouldn't work and just boil down to personal bias.

Honestly I would just create more OGN's, more weeklys and more maxiseries.

Why wouldn't they work? If you're going to disparage ideas give reasons.

[MoneySpider]

And this is why fans should NOT have a say-so in anything. Most of these ideas wouldn't work and just boil down to personal bias.

Honestly I would just create more OGN's, more weeklys and more maxiseries.

To be fair, in my opinion, a lot of the decisions being made at DC are also based on personal bias (like who gets an ongoing solo and who doesn't, based on a writer's or editor's personal character preference), or newly created characters getting a shot at an ongoing solo series before other charcaters who have been around for decades), etc.

[superduperman]

REBOOT! REBOOT! REBOOT!

Everyone gets a new origin called GENESIS. All OGNs.

First to come out are Superman GENESIS, Batman GENESIS, Wonder Woman GENESIS.

Then, a month later comes Flash GENESIS, Green Lantern GENESIS, Aquaman GENESIS.

Three volumes every month. Followed by Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, Black Canary.

All books go back to their original numbering. Including Superman and Batman and Wonder Woman.

I write Superman GENESIS.

The JSA comes back early. With their own special GENESIS book. And, yes, they were around during WW2.

Legion book with Conner as Superboy. With the traditional Superboy costume. He lives in the future.

Teen Titans book with Nightwing, Cyborg, and Starfire as leaders. Rotating members of teen heroes based on the mission. With Tim as field commander. Standing members are Raven and Beast Boy.

Kents are still alive. Superman and Lois are married but no children. Due to his alien DNA, they can't have children.

Barbara Gordon is healed but still acts as Oracle as needed. Still Batgirl. BOP would consist of her, BC, and Huntress.

Justice League is like the cartoon. All heroes are basically members on stand by depending on the mission.

A horror line that would include things like Swamp Thing and Constantine. Zatanna would get her own title under this umbrella. This would be a Vertigo type line.

Jonah Hex would get a book.

Original Titans would also get their own book simply called Titans with Nightwing as leader, Wally, Donna (who goes back to her Wolfman origin), Roy Harper, and the original Aqualad. They mentor their younger counterparts periodically.

Showcase would get an ongoing title featuring other heroes.

And, as controversial as it sounds, no "crisis" to get us there. Cold restart.

[skyvolt2000]

And this is why fans should NOT have a say-so in anything. Most of these ideas wouldn't work and just boil down to personal bias.

Honestly I would just create more OGN's, more weeklys and more maxiseries.

Like it is now???

Nightwing makes Batman old but not his son Damian?
Nightwing makes Superman old but not his son Jon?

DC's most success female heroine of color is edited out of books and called pitch toxic?
The head of the company doesn't care for Tim Drake's generation?

Creators chased off of book or given books that they don't want.
Tim, Conner & Bart count for 400 solo issues and no one can find something for them to do?

Trying to force fans to support PETS versus others?
How many guys with tv shows can't sniff an appearance in comics.

Failure upon failure to build POC beyond supporting roles.

Where is the business sense at Dc? It's run by FANBOYS with a hang up on the Silver age.
I do agree with OGN, a few weeklys & maxiseries. Not everyone needs a monthly book.

But before ANYTHING is started-there needs to be a come to Jesus meeting at DC.

What is the direction of the company and each franchise?
There will be NO new characters created. We got too many sitting in limbo.
The good old boy network needs to GO.

[superduperman]

And this is why fans should NOT have a say-so in anything. Most of these ideas wouldn't work and just boil down to personal bias.

Honestly I would just create more OGN's, more weeklys and more maxiseries.

Pretty much everything Geoff Johns has done is fanon. Killing Flash's mother? Making Lex Luthor Superboy's human donor? Are you going to argue that's not personal bias? New 52 was Dan Didio's personal fanon. Hell, go back to John Byrne's reboot of Superman over 30 years ago. All personal biases.

[Raijin]

-I'd also tap into the manga markets. Create an imprint just for manga diehards. There are folks out there who are hardcore into manga but wouldn't touch a comic book. I would want to win them over.

-I would bring back up stories in ongoing titles again. Elongated Man with The Flash, Vic Sage with Batman and Manhunter with Birds of Prey.

-When it comes to DC's street-level corner. Marvel has them beat. There should be more options beyond Batman, Green Arrow and their respective members. I would create an imprint that focuses just on street level heroes.

-John Stewart would headline the Green Lantern series. Nuff said. Matter of act I'd treat DC's minority characters with respect. I'd give them the push they need and deserve.