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  1. #16
    Boisterously Confused
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    I'm curious to see how this works. The 100-page Giant formats were great for DC in the 1970s.

    Back before LCS proliferated through even modestly sized towns. Back before digital distribution.

    Those giants were likely the first exposure to a lot of DC's properties and heritage. They certainly were for me (I still remember marveling at the discovery that the JL had once included a bald green dude). But even the original experiment in these formats didn't last all that long if I remember correctly.

    I'd expect some initial enthusiasm, followed by a tapering off for these comics. I guess the hope is that the reprints will stimulate fans to seek out runs of the older material, be that in hardcopy collections or through DCUniverse subscriptions. As a tool to inspire increased purchase of their monthly content? I'm not so sure; at least, not as a long-term strategy.

  2. #17
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    Never had the good fortune to find any of the Walmart exclusive comics in a Canadian Walmart or a comic book store, so I wonder if I'll be able to find these within the Dominion's borders. How do they manage to fit any 2000s reprints into these comics? I can understand with the Johnny DC/Cartoon Network comics, because those had stand alone stories. But stand alone stories in the DCU are rare. Do they publish an entire arc in a single issue? That's why I assumed they would have older reprints, since pre-Crisis comics had lots of stand alone stories.

    By the way, GHOSTS was the most succesful run in its day--in that no other new title that DC launched in 1971 lasted as long. Only WEIRD WAR TALES and WEIRD WESTERN TALES came that close. But none of the new super-hero titles were able to endure for anywhere near that long. The original concept of GHOSTS was that the tales were true. Leo Dorfman was the main writer and he also wrote for RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT [True Ghost Stories] from Gold Key--so he probably had file cabinets full of ideas he could use for either title.

  3. #18
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    Sounds cool for new titles popping but I was only buying Batman #1-12 for the Hush story and even then because of spotty distribution I'm out 3 issues still.

  4. #19

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    I'm skeptical that these giants will bring in new readers unless these new readers are willing to get onboard with the serialized periodical type of storytelling that comics does.

    I think one of the biggest obstacles in getting new readers is that for decades now, comics have not been casual reader friendly.

    You can't just pick up a comic and read a done-in-one story, and that's a turnoff for a lot of people because they can't sample a character and get a full reading experience.

    Knowing DiDio's preferences, I would guess that these 100-page giants will contain only stories from his era at DC and that each story in the issue will be a chapter of a story arc. So, if there are 4 stories per issue, you'll be getting 4 stories that continue issue-to-issue until completed.

    I wonder if even Scooby Doo and Ghosts will be formatted so that there are no complete stories in any single issue.

    MAYBE, if you're lucky, the 3 reprint stories per issue will be half of a single story arc, so every two issues is like a trade paperback. But that would only cost ten dollars. Would DC really undercut their trade business by offering the same material plus two new stories for 5 to ten dollars less than a typical trade?

    It would be nice if these 100-pagers were like the Super-Spectaculars of the 1970s where readers would get Golden and Silver Age stories with a brand new lead story, but I don't see DiDio being a fan of such a tonal shift from story to story.

    The devil is really in the details as far as how desirable these new 100-page giants is concerned, and given DiDio's track record, I'm not optimistic.

  5. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Comic-Reader Lad View Post
    I wonder if even Scooby Doo and Ghosts will be formatted so that there are no complete stories in any single issue.
    I imagine Scooby Doo will alternate between a normal mystery and a Team Up mystery every other month. For the target audience, you can get away with one and done stories.

  6. #21
    Ultimate Member Lee Stone's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Comic-Reader Lad View Post
    I'm skeptical that these giants will bring in new readers unless these new readers are willing to get onboard with the serialized periodical type of storytelling that comics does.

    I think one of the biggest obstacles in getting new readers is that for decades now, comics have not been casual reader friendly.

    You can't just pick up a comic and read a done-in-one story, and that's a turnoff for a lot of people because they can't sample a character and get a full reading experience.
    I agree.
    I think something that the 'converted' comics readers in the industry don't think about is that new readers tend to start more casually.
    Dipping a toe here, dipping a toe there... Looking to find a character, theme, writer or artist they connect with.

    They want to find what interests them enough to want to pick up another issue.

    If you force them to have to pick up multiple issues right off the bat, it becomes a bit intrusive and too much of a hassle for someone new to comics.
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  7. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Stone View Post
    I agree.
    I think something that the 'converted' comics readers in the industry don't think about is that new readers tend to start more casually.
    Dipping a toe here, dipping a toe there... Looking to find a character, theme, writer or artist they connect with.

    They want to find what interests them enough to want to pick up another issue.

    If you force them to have to pick up multiple issues right off the bat, it becomes a bit intrusive and too much of a hassle for someone new to comics.

    True, but unfortunately, it also often deters existing longtime readers like me.

    Marvel turned me off big time starting in the mid-80s with its lackluster company wide events like Secret Wars that dominated their entire schedule for months and all those inter-title mutant crossovers.

    The more collecting comics and following a story became work, the more I dropped titles -- especially when, after all that work in collecting each chapter of the story, the story itself was underwhelming and you walked away feeling suckered and dissatisfied because you fell for all the hype that promised a lot, but delivered very little.

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Comic-Reader Lad View Post
    I'm skeptical that these giants will bring in new readers unless these new readers are willing to get onboard with the serialized periodical type of storytelling that comics does.

    I think one of the biggest obstacles in getting new readers is that for decades now, comics have not been casual reader friendly.
    Issue number one they will have is who you are USING in the books.

    This does not work for someone like Batman or Aquaman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Barry, Hal, Ollie, Harley or someone who has a LOT of trades.

    Why would I pay $5 for part 1 of a reprint of Batman Hush when I can go to the public library are check out Batman HUSH trade for as long as I want.
    Or go to Half Price Books where that book is $7 MINT. Or dig in bins for the floppy? Or take advantage of sales at Midtown, Movie Trading Post or Barnes & Nobles? In some cases get that trade FREE.

    It's the same issue with Archie-whose digest won't stop putting the same 100-300 stories in digests and trades every year.

    You are not going to get new readers with those guys-you already got them.

    This is where you use guys like Cyborg, Vixen, Outsiders, Young Justice kids and others who don't have pile upon pile of trades with the same stuff in it.

    This is where you would toss Milestone books in-not one of them have a compete series run in trade.
    Same with Steel, Guy, Impulse, Connor Kent, Conner Hawk and so on. Action Comics weekly never made a trade.

  9. #24
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    I loved the 100 page digests as a kid.
    If DC can capture even a FRACTION of the greatness of those books, they will do well.
    I hope they DO look outside the last 20 years for 'classic' stories though.

    On a side note, if DC are throwing out a Ghosts 100 pager, how about a House of Secrets title?? - Those old issues are bloody brilliant.
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  10. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by MajorHoy View Post
    One other problem when DC says "New stories plus classic reprints": how are they defining "classic"? Are they going back to stuff from the pre-DiDio years, or basically just reprinting stories from the post-Flashpoint era again?
    I've only read Batman and Teen Titans/Titans and they are all <20 years. Like Batman was the new story, then Hush, then Batgirl or Nightwing New 52. Titans was new story, Johns run, New 52 Supersons, and Sideways.
    Pulls: Batman, Detective Comics, SiKtC, Catwoman, Nightwing, Titans, Godzilla, Wonder Woman, Batman & Robin, Brave and the Bold, No/One, Kill your Darlings, and Deviant.
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  11. #26
    Extraordinary Member superduperman's Avatar
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    I assume the Superman/Batman/Justice League/Wonder Woman books will just pick up where the Wal-Mart books left off. Original story with some reprint material thrown in. I've been collecting the Superman book since it came out and some of the issues are selling on Amazon for $20-25. This might have something to do with the spotty distribution. So if you're looking for a reason to get them, this might be it.
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  12. #27
    Uncanny Member MajorHoy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by superduperman View Post
    I assume the Superman/Batman/Justice League/Wonder Woman books will just pick up where the Wal-Mart books left off. Original story with some reprint material thrown in. I've been collecting the Superman book since it came out and some of the issues are selling on Amazon for $20-25. This might have something to do with the spotty distribution. So if you're looking for a reason to get them, this might be it.
    However, if the only thing you were interested in was the new Superman story, DC is publishing those separately at present.
    Under the new plan, I don't know if they'll maybe do a collected edition of the brand-new-only material or not.

  13. #28
    Savior of the Universe Flash Gordon's Avatar
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    Excited for whatever the new material will be for AQUAMAN!

  14. #29
    Uncanny Member Digifiend's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MajorHoy View Post
    However, if the only thing you were interested in was the new Superman story, DC is publishing those separately at present.
    Under the new plan, I don't know if they'll maybe do a collected edition of the brand-new-only material or not.
    I would still expect trades, but not a reprint in floppy format with only the new material.
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  15. #30
    Uncanny Member Digifiend's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by superduperman View Post
    I assume the Superman/Batman/Justice League/Wonder Woman books will just pick up where the Wal-Mart books left off. Original story with some reprint material thrown in. I've been collecting the Superman book since it came out and some of the issues are selling on Amazon for $20-25. This might have something to do with the spotty distribution. So if you're looking for a reason to get them, this might be it.
    Not JL. That one was REPLACED by the Wonder Woman one and the new material had always been the Diana solo story.
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