Why doesn’t DC use characters that have become popular in other media?

[Robotman]

Let me first clarify that I would never want to see DC comics turn into an exact copy of their tv and movie universes. But it just doesn’t make sense to me that they don’t capitalize on a character’s popularity in other media and grow the character further in their comics. I understand that it’s very hard for a mid level character to sell in a solo comic in the current market. But they could add some of these characters to a team book, give them a mini series, or have them show up during an event. Anything.

Some examples:

Artemis Crock aka Tigress has become a fan favorite on Young Justice, yet she’s had one brief appearance in Lobdell’s New 52 Teen Titans run and she was quickly killed.

Cisco Ramon aka Vibe appears each week on one of the most popular superhero shows on tv, yet he’s been MIA for years. At a time when DC claims that they would like to make their universe more diverse it seems like they’re wasting a Latino superhero who has gotten over with the fans (to use a wrestler term).

Jason Rusch was included on the Injustice 2 roster but has been shelved for a long time. Jefferson Jackson has never actually been Firestorm in the comics.

Heatwave has become a great character on Legends of Tomorrow but is barely used in The Flash comics.

DC doesn’t really have a patriotic themed hero other than Uncle Sam. Commander Steel is a regular on LoT but isn’t used in the comics. He could be their answer to Captain America.

The notoriety of numerous characters is regularly squandered by DC.

[Dr. Poison]

Vibe had his own series around the time the Flash TV show debuted but it got cancelled quickly due to low sales. I personally loved the series and wish they would give it another shot or at least have him join the Justice League or Titans(adult version).

Commander Steel has been appearing in Heroes in Crisis.

[Buried Alien]

Vibe had his own series around the time the Flash TV show debuted but it got cancelled quickly due to low sales. I personally loved the series and wish they would give it another shot or at least have him join the Justice League or Titans(adult version).

Commander Steel has been appearing in Heroes in Crisis.

Did that Vibe comic book series portray the character like Cisco on the FLASH TV series? The key to the character's popularity on TV is how he's written for the show and how Carlos Valdes plays the character. A successful Vibe book would depend on the extent to which the writers can capture that...vibe on the printed page.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Agent Z]

Vibe had his own series around the time the Flash TV show debuted but it got cancelled quickly due to low sales. I personally loved the series and wish they would give it another shot or at least have him join the Justice League or Titans(adult version).

Commander Steel has been appearing in Heroes in Crisis.

The Flash TV show debuted in October 2014. Vibe's solo book had been cancelled in September 2013.

Did that Vibe comic book series portray the character like Cisco on the FLASH TV series? The key to the character's popularity on TV is how he's written for the show and how Carlos Valdes plays the character. A successful Vibe book would depend on the extent to which the writers can capture that...vibe on the printed page.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

The Flash show wasn't even on the air at the time Cisco's book was cancelled.

[Buried Alien]

The Flash TV show debuted in October 2014. Vibe's solo book had been cancelled in September 2013.



The Flash show wasn't even on the air at the time Cisco's book was cancelled.

Then DC should try again with a more Cisco-like Vibe.

Buried alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Robanker]

Different audiences will buy different things. Some fans will buy every studio album but never see a live show because they don't like concerts or the sound is just different. Same band, different audiences.

I really enjoy reading about some characters, life Green Arrow, but I hate the show. I don't care for The Flash show much either. I'm sure the reverse is true for many fans who are just fine with just their televised incarnations.

Looking at your Artemis example, a lot of people want her with Wally too. Comic fans have known and loved Wally with Linda for years. So either Artemis fans don't get the parity they want or comic fans need to adjust the source material to make way for the adaption. It's hard to make both camps happy and there's not enough money with a lot of comics where a publisher can recover from that kind of gamble.

It's a tight rope to walk.

[Agent Z]

Different audiences will buy different things. Some fans will buy every studio album but never see a live show because they don't like concerts or the sound is just different. Same band, different audiences.

I really enjoy reading about some characters, life Green Arrow, but I hate the show. I don't care for The Flash show much either. I'm sure the reverse is true for many fans who are just fine with just their televised incarnations.

Looking at your Artemis example, a lot of people want her with Wally too. Comic fans have known and loved Wally with Linda for years. So either Artemis fans don't get the parity they want or comic fans need to adjust the source material to make way for the adaption. It's hard to make both camps happy and there's not enough money with a lot of comics where a publisher can recover from that kind of gamble.

It's a tight rope to walk.

Personally I'd be fine if they integrated YJ Artemis but left out the Wally relationship. I find her being Cheshire's sister more interesting.

[DrNewGod]

Commander Steel is TOO much like Captain America. That said, Moon Knight has been able to routinely maintain a comic, so I suppose it's not impossible.

[Digifiend]

Commander Steel has been appearing in Heroes in Crisis.

Wasn't he a victim?

[Frontier]

Cisco Ramon aka Vibe appears each week on one of the most popular superhero shows on tv, yet he’s been MIA for years. At a time when DC claims that they would like to make their universe more diverse it seems like they’re wasting a Latino superhero who has gotten over with the fans (to use a wrestler term).

It seems like the only Latino hero that DC Comics regularly cares about is Blue Beetle, and even that isn't by a lot.

Jason Rusch was included on the Injustice 2 roster but has been shelved for a long time. Jefferson Jackson has never actually been Firestorm in the comics.

And Ronnie as Firestorm was one of the most prominent heroes on Justice League Action.

Jax on Legends was basically just a black Ronnie because they couldn't get Robbie Amell back.

Heatwave has become a great character on Legends of Tomorrow but is barely used in The Flash comics.

I'm not sure if Heatwave as he is on Legends would work in the comics. The context, history, and writing are so different between the two of them.

Heck, Arrowverse Heatwave was never even really a Rogue.

Different audiences will buy different things. Some fans will buy every studio album but never see a live show because they don't like concerts or the sound is just different. Same band, different audiences.

Just look at how much Marvel attempts to draw in people who see the movies, TV shows, or Netflix series but how 99% of the time that has no impact on the sales of comics.

The only positive benefit to it seems to be to force them to actually focus on these characters they might have forgotten about otherwise and to get trades out there.

[Zero Hunter]

Then DC should try again with a more Cisco-like Vibe.

Buried alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

No thanks. What works on screen would seem very flat on the page. The Nu52 Vibe was a great character that barely got any use outside of his short lived series and the Justice League of America book which was a trainwreck from the word go. They did sort of try and do a TV inspired JLA team with the last book which had Vixen, Black Canary, Ray, Atom, and Killer Frost along with Batman and Lobo, but that book was just not good.

They would have been better off doing a JL book with Green Arrow, Black Canary, Vibe, Flash, Atom, Firestorm, Vixen, and Steel.

[Agent Z]

Commander Steel is TOO much like Captain America. That said, Moon Knight has been able to routinely maintain a comic, so I suppose it's not impossible.

The version that appears on Legends of Tomorrow was different enough from Captain America.

[Frontier]

No thanks. What works on screen would seem very flat on the page. The Nu52 Vibe was a great character that barely got any use outside of his short lived series and the Justice League of America book which was a trainwreck from the word go. They did sort of try and do a TV inspired JLA team with the last book which had Vixen, Black Canary, Ray, Atom, and Killer Frost along with Batman and Lobo, but that book was just not good.

They would have been better off doing a JL book with Green Arrow, Black Canary, Vibe, Flash, Atom, Firestorm, Vixen, and Steel.

Just look at how many writers try and write Iron Man like RDJ, to varying degrees of effectiveness.

Or, more infamously, when Andrew Kreisberg tried to bring Felicity Smoak into the main DC continuity.

[Lee Stone]

The version that appears on Legends of Tomorrow was different enough from Captain America.

The version in JLDetroit had more in common with Cyborg than Captain America, too.

[Dr. Poison]

Did that Vibe comic book series portray the character like Cisco on the FLASH TV series? The key to the character's popularity on TV is how he's written for the show and how Carlos Valdes plays the character. A successful Vibe book would depend on the extent to which the writers can capture that...vibe on the printed page.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Power-wise, yes. Personality wise - so so. Occupation & lifestyle wise - not at all. It was a mixed bag.