Vertigo had already lost all differentiation that it used to have, especially with the start of the Black Label line. But I do think DC Ink and DC Zoom will lose out. DC Zoom simply sounds more exciting than DC Kids, and a lot of kids-centric properties have proven to be hits with older audiences as well (My Little Pony is just one example). But at the end it's a rather simple rebranding for Zoom.
But I think DC Ink will be the main loss here. The DC Ink stuff was done using a different breed of creators, made in a different format, had a different focus in its distribution channels, told a different type of story, and were intended for a different audience than the normal DC stuff. Everything about it screamed that it was its own imprint.
«Speaking generally, it is because of the desire of the tragic poets for the marvellous that so varied and inconsistent an account of Medea has been given out» (Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History [4.56.1])
That is no longer true as we are seeing stuff at other companies get deals. Bitter Root got a movie deal before it's #5 issue came out at Image. Kwanza's Black got one as well with more to follow.
Try telling that to guys like this-WB basically destroyed Vertigo out of greed, and now they have got nothing. Some Vertigo stuff like American Vampire will continue under Black Label but for the most part I suspect that Image will reap the benefits of Vertigo’s demise.
http://shawnsjames.blogspot.com/2019...go-comics.html
Who are blaming guys like Robby Rodriguez because they refused to be harassed by a certain group.
Ignoring the fact most of those Vertigo books ALWAYS had under 20K orders or most had a set shelf life before the first issue.
It won't matter because kids will still have access to that Black Label in school or library.If it is for 8-12 year old it will be DC Kids. If it is mature it will be DC Black Label. Everything else will be just DC. Can it get any simpler than that?
Unless that title has a toy line or cartoon show-kids are going to ignore it.But I think that kids over 8 may feel somewhat insulted if everything targeting them is cartoonish.
I think it would be kind of cool if DC did comics akin to the Marvel Action books IDW is putting out, like all-ages standard comics based around their tentpole properties.
It doesn't feel like DC's relaly had those since they stopped doing tie-in comics to their main Superhero cartoons.
This is messy.
Vertigo is one of the best brands in comics history, associated with some of the best mainstream comics ever. Sandman. Preacher. Y The Last Man. 100 Bullets. Fables.
And there is a distinction between Vertigo and Black Label in that Vertigo was a decent home for self-contained projects, while Black Label seems to be mainly for mature-audience takes on the iconic characters (Vertigo did have series with existing DC characters like Swamp Thing and Morrison's Doom Patrol but there weren't many projects with JLA mainstays.)
However, there hasn't been anything that recent that got that level of acclaim.
Odds are good there will be some kind of relaunch, although I wonder if it's just too much of a headache for Warner Brothers, to deal with bad publicity on all sides with mature audience books that are often meant to be controversial.
The problem there was likely Batman nudity, rather than male nudity.
Sincerely,
Thomas Mets
I too thought vertigo hadn't had a hit in ages but actually they gave Tom king his break into comics and he's gone on to shift at least 7 million units for DC which is way more than any other writer recruitment initiative elsewhere in DC in the same period. And I think they gave Sean Murphy his break at DC and he can shift massive numbers too.
So in last 10 years or so 2 of DCs biggest names
Last edited by iron chimp; 06-22-2019 at 12:42 PM. Reason: 10 years not 5!
"It's too bad she won't live! But then again, who does? - Gaff Blade Runner
"In a short time, this will be a long time ago." - Werner Slow West
"One of the biggest problems in the industry is apathy right now." - Dan Didio Co-Publisher of I Wonder Why That Is Comics
True...
When it's extreme violence and gore, the defenders say, 'why protect our kids? they're going to see worse in the real world. might as well prepare them'.
But when it's sex and nudity, they say, 'that just glorifies sex and deviant behavior!'
As if the extreme violence and gore doesn't 'glorify' anything.
Especially nowadays where most villains are made to be sympathetic victims of society, for viewers to relate to.
"There's magic in the sound of analog audio." - CNET.
In the 80s you could pick up comics that had the full spectrum of sexuality in graphic detail. Then they slowly starting disappearing from the shelves and new titles stopped appearing. People talk about Image like it's some hotbed of artistic freedom and experimentation - I like image but the books are beyond tame compared to what you used to be able to buy.
And at least vertigo went out in a blaze of glory - never forget those 200,000 emails - that's what you are up against as a comic book reader.