A Modest Proposal.

[superduperman]

So I think it's safe to assume most of us are unhappy with the direction that DC has been going in lately. Rebirth was, supposedly, a return to the pre-Flashpoint continuity but that hasn't really panned out. Didio hates sidekicks, Johns is dragging his feet on bringing back the JSA, and Superman is getting, by the look of it, yet another origin! Fun! So, what do we do about this lack of direction? Here's my suggestion: Don't buy any current comics. No Rebirth trades. No off the shelf floppies. Nothing being made today or what counts as modern continuity. Instead, spend your money on the era you want to bring back. If you want Wally back, buy Teen Titans trades. Buy his Flash run. Look for anything with Wally in it. Want Didio to stop picking on Nightwing? Buy a bunch of Nightwing trades. Old trades. Want a particular era of your favorite character back? Buy that era. And only that era.

This might be a little difficult. There's no guarantee your LCS will still carry a good chunk of these trades. Ask for them to be stocked. Order then directly. Or just use Amazon if you have to. DC isn't going to change unless the fans stop rewarding bad decision making. I buy mostly just out of continuity and pre-Crisis stuff these days. The modern comics don't interest me anyway but more than that, you send a message about the kind of stories you want, the kind of superhero you want, by only spending money on that version. Imagine what it would look like if the highest selling trade for that month was some 30 year old story? What would that say to TPTB? Now, we don't all want the same things. I understand that. BUT we will at least get them to listen to us.

[Ascended]

I applaud you trying to speak the language DC/WB speak; business, and using the market's supply-demand curve to make a statement. And I actually agree with your thinking; if we buy books that are terrible we're telling DC that we'll accept that level of quality. DC has no incentive to fix a broken title when it is still making them money. Hell, when we do that DC thinks that they're actually doing a good job. All the complaining online usually gets ignored as the noise of old fanboys who have nothing better to do with their lives than bitch about fictional people in spandex.

But this, not supporting any current titles at all? Isn't something I myself am going to get behind right now. I'm actually pretty satisfied with a lot of books currently and the ones I'm not happy with I dropped as soon as I stopped enjoying them. If you had asked me in 2010 I would've said "Beat you there; not reading anything from DC now and giving it all to Image, IDW, BOOM, and Dark Horse!" But now? Now I got DC books I like.

But you're totally right; the only way to "talk" to DC and make our point is to drop the collector's mentality and only read the titles that we actually like reading. If you're picking up Wonder Woman for no reason beyond the fact that you've always bought Wonder Woman.....you're doing "fan" wrong. As soon as a direction or story hits that you're not into? You dump that title like a bad habit and don't pick it up again until it gets better. Grab old issues or trades to scratch that itch; you might be surprised at what you find (I did this with Superman in the 00's and became a massive Golden Age fan because of it).

Spread the word brother; the collector mentality needs to stop. But I'm not missing the final issue of Naomi, man!

[Bruce Wayne]

Johns is dragging his feet on bringing back the JSA

It's not Johns that's dragging his feet. It's current day post-New 52 editorial that doesn't seem to care for the JSA (or the LoSH other than to make Levitz happy). If DC really wanted them back they would have been part of the New 52 reboot and we'd have them back already. It's just that current day DC doesn't want them in the DCU other than exceptions like Johns. It's the same for the Legion. If they really wanted they'd have given it to Hickman or something.

[DrNewGod]

Data talks. What you propose has merit.

Thing is, the real money is not in comics, so I'm not sure how much a comics sales protest can move the dial.

Still, it's worth trying. Letters gave Star Trek one more season after all...

[Lee Stone]

It's not Johns that's dragging his feet. It's current day post-New 52 editorial that doesn't seem to care for the JSA (or the LoSH other than to make Levitz happy). If DC really wanted them back they would have been part of the New 52 reboot and we'd have them back already. It's just that current day DC doesn't want them in the DCU other than exceptions like Johns. It's the same for the Legion. If they really wanted they'd have given it to Hickman or something.

I sort of think of the Legion and Legion Lost as the 'Professor and Mary Ann' of New52. They were left out of the New52 Preview book, making it more of a New50 'and the rest'.

[Sacred Knight]

Honestly, I'm on a break now going three months. I have every intention of catching up, but I fell behind due to a lack of urgency in the first place, which is never a good sign.

[skyvolt2000]

Here's my suggestion: Don't buy any current comics. No Rebirth trades. No off the shelf floppies. Nothing being made today or what counts as modern continuity. Instead, spend your money on the era you want to bring back. If you want Wally back, buy Teen Titans trades. Buy his Flash run. Look for anything with Wally in it. Want Didio to stop picking on Nightwing? Buy a bunch of Nightwing trades. Old trades. Want a particular era of your favorite character back? Buy that era. And only that era.

This might be a little difficult. There's no guarantee your LCS will still carry a good chunk of these trades. Ask for them to be stocked. Order then directly. Or just use Amazon if you have to. DC isn't going to change unless the fans stop rewarding bad decision making. I buy mostly just out of continuity and pre-Crisis stuff these days. The modern comics don't interest me anyway but more than that, you send a message about the kind of stories you want, the kind of superhero you want, by only spending money on that version. What would that say to TPTB? Now, we don't all want the same things. I understand that. BUT we will at least get them to listen to us.

One issue-how does that work for guys like John Stewart? Vixen? Who don't have anything in trade that is ONLY about them?

Buying current era Green Lantern only benefits HAL. Kyle, Jessica, Simon & even Guy have books starring them.

I would say buying those books would green light more abuse for them.

If you're picking up Wonder Woman for no reason beyond the fact that you've always bought Wonder Woman.....you're doing "fan" wrong.

Be careful you'll get called out for doing that like John Stewart fans have. Meanwhile others get praised for doing that to Batman over Duke Thomas.

Thing is, the real money is not in comics, so I'm not sure how much a comics sales protest can move the dial.

It won't because it's not hurting anyone that they care about.

All they will do is FLOOD the market with more Batman related books.

The collector mentality plays a part but so does store owners who take no issue with over ordering certain books no matter what. Because those store owners have no issue with them collecting dust on shelves. Unlike books like Moon Girl that they constantly empower certain groups to complain about killing comic book stores.

They made it clear that they don't care about certain characters.

[skyvolt2000]

Honestly, I'm on a break now going three months. I have every intention of catching up, but I fell behind due to a lack of urgency in the first place, which is never a good sign.

That is what bins and the library are for

[Restingvoice]

So I think it's safe to assume most of us are unhappy with the direction that DC has been going in lately. Rebirth was, supposedly, a return to the pre-Flashpoint continuity but that hasn't really panned out. Didio hates sidekicks, Johns is dragging his feet on bringing back the JSA, and Superman is getting, by the look of it, yet another origin! Fun! So, what do we do about this lack of direction? Here's my suggestion: Don't buy any current comics. No Rebirth trades. No off the shelf floppies. Nothing being made today or what counts as modern continuity. Instead, spend your money on the era you want to bring back. If you want Wally back, buy Teen Titans trades. Buy his Flash run. Look for anything with Wally in it. Want Didio to stop picking on Nightwing? Buy a bunch of Nightwing trades. Old trades. Want a particular era of your favorite character back? Buy that era. And only that era.

This might be a little difficult. There's no guarantee your LCS will still carry a good chunk of these trades. Ask for them to be stocked. Order then directly. Or just use Amazon if you have to. DC isn't going to change unless the fans stop rewarding bad decision making. I buy mostly just out of continuity and pre-Crisis stuff these days. The modern comics don't interest me anyway but more than that, you send a message about the kind of stories you want, the kind of superhero you want, by only spending money on that version. Imagine what it would look like if the highest selling trade for that month was some 30 year old story? What would that say to TPTB? Now, we don't all want the same things. I understand that. BUT we will at least get them to listen to us.

My plan was to not buy anything, but if you say buying specific stories will have an effect then I'll do it.

Now that I mention it I wonder why I didn't think that because this is the reason why Year One, Killing Joke, and Hush last as long as they do.

[Masterff]

I am only reading Young Justice so far, which is nice to read and interesting and it brings Pre-Flashpoint Characters back...

[superduperman]

One issue-how does that work for guys like John Stewart? Vixen? Who don't have anything in trade that is ONLY about them?

Buying current era Green Lantern only benefits HAL. Kyle, Jessica, Simon & even Guy have books starring them.

I would say buying those books would green light more abuse for them.

Unfortunately, that may mean you'll have to look for things with them in them. I know Vixen had a stand alone issue about the time Rebirth started but I don't know if anything ever came of it. This might not be easy. Right now, the only mainstream book that looks interesting to me is the upcoming Lois maxi. Not sure if I'll get it. I feel like I'll be a hypocrite if I do. But it's Rucka and the art looks gorgeous. So I'm torn.

[CaptCleghorn]

Drop the collector mentality is a good philosophy. I probably follow that with Wonder Woman, buying stretches with writers I like and directions I find interesting. It's been that way with her since Roy Thomas wrote the book wayyy back. She, however, is an exception for me.

Legion of Super Heroes and the Earth Two JSA franchise hold my collector mentality. They've earned that distinction because although they do fall into ranges of "this is crap", they never stay there and come back to a level I like enough to buy. For most everything else, I buy what I like and stop when I don't or the book stops.

Another sign of the collector mentality in me is finishing a series if I would otherwise drop it and it ends soon after that point. Seems silly to me to have the first 95% of a series and not the final few issues, especially when my purchasing of them will have no effect on what happens to that series.

This is just what I do. YMMV.

[Ascended]

Be careful you'll get called out for doing that like John Stewart fans have. Meanwhile others get praised for doing that to Batman over Duke Thomas.

Let 'em talk.

The characters I like who don't get the recognition they deserve, like John (among many others) I support when and where I can. But if I buy a bad, poorly done book just on the basis of supporting the IP, all I'm doing is telling DC that I'm willing to let them half-ass their jobs just in the name of being able to see that character show up at all. And as much as I love John and Vixen (and Black Lightning, and Firestorm, and.....) if the book they show up in is bad, I'm not enjoying the experience anyway so what do I gain?

[Ascended]

Data talks. What you propose has merit.

Thing is, the real money is not in comics, so I'm not sure how much a comics sales protest can move the dial.

Oh, the larger media stuff doesn't really factor for the publishing side. Different companies, different people, different accounting sheets, etc.

I think (not to put words in his mouth) all Superduperman is talking about are the comics themselves. So all the money DC's characters generate from merchandise, movies, shows, whatever, doesn't show up on DC Comics' publishing income statements. So if everyone stopped buying comics, yeah DC would notice. And they'd panic.

[scary harpy]

Shockingly to me, I think I can do this.

I went through my pull list and discovered how little I am buying...and how easily I could stop.

SuperSons, WonderTwins and Dial H are limited series that are coming to an end. So no problem there.

Shazam, Young Justice and Scooby Doo Team Up (a love letter to previous eras of the DCU) are basically "non-continuity" (and that's probably why I enjoy them so much).

The rest of the comics I buy are out of loyalty to the character...I find myself not enjoying the read.

I could really reduce my total comic intake to 3 titles...and be happy. That's unusual for someone who's bought DC comics for over 35 years.

I don't know if this would send a message...but it would free up my spending money.