Fans more Interested in Old DC than Current DC?

[BatmanJones]

Back issues were cool to me when I was a kid in the 1970s and contemporary comics weren't all that much more sophisticated than old comics. And, again, I was a kid.

I find comics that are more than 15-20 years old to be fun to browse through, for nostalgic purposes, but not more than that. Even New Teen Titans by Wolfman and Perez, the gold standard of DC comics in the mid-80s are unreadable to me for how dated the dialogue is. There are exceptions, of course, but they're the 80s comics that were way ahead of their time (Vertigo, DKR, Watchmen, etc.). But, apart from those, I cringe to read 20 year old comics.

Because I am nostalgic I still love to read about the characters I grew up with. But that's only the case because comics have grown up as I have.

The comics I'm excited to read are the ones that hit the stands each Wednesday. I like to re-read the best DC comics from the last 20 years or so but not nearly as much as I enjoy the new ones.

To me, Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams created the most classic Batman comics but no previous run has been as exciting to me as Tom King's run has. Snyder's/Tynion's JL is just about my favorite JL run. Only Alan Moore's Superman outdoes modern Superman comics for me. And only Johns wrote a better GL or Flash than what we're getting lately.

I'm regularly bummed out by the romanticizing of old DC over contemporary DC. I won't ascribe motives to anyone that prefers the old comics but some here only ever post to complain that things aren't as good as they were in the "good old days."

As far away as I get from appreciating anything from my youth--recognizing that the "good old days" were pretty rotten for most people IRL--I can still appreciate comic books and Wednesday is still my favorite day of the week for that that reason. But I'm only ever truly excited by what's new and what's next.

I can appreciate old comics for the art and for historical context but the writing is horribly dated. I was extremely excited by CoIE when it was coming out and I was 16 but I can't make it through a single issue of that series today.

To each their own though. Not trying to argue I'm right, only that I'm right for me.

[BatmanJones]

Hourman by Peyer and Morales is a clear exception. I've been delighted to see that run appear on DCUniverse and I still love it. There are exceptions but they're few and far between. And most of them are by Alan Moore.

[SebastianS]

I read Didio's statement with a smirk on my face, as for the last year or so, I have only been buying back issues, starting from 1990 and planning on collecting DC until Infinite Crisis.

[Masterff]

It might be old news at this point, but I came across this a few days ago and thought it might be worth discussing: https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/07...-dc-publishes/

In Dan Didio's words:



So, what do you think is the takeaway from this? Why do you think there appears to be more interest in classic DC than in the current output from DC?

For me its REALLY REALLY REALLY simple:

I am a fan of Conner Kent,Cassie Sandsmark,Bart Allen...
And I PERSONALLY really think that the best part of the Career was during Johns Teen Titans Run.

I LOVED Conners Look there (only Leather Jacket was missing) the 230 pounds muscular really powerful Superboy who could fight against Superboy Prime, he and Cassie were my favorite Couple, way better than he and Miss Martian....
and I also LOVED Bart there, he was funny, but more responsable than his Impulse personality...


I really loved this time, because at this time they WERENT only Side-kicks but Conner,Cassie,Bart.... earned also the respect of the JL..

Conner was a crucial part against Superboy Prime...

I also LOVED the Pre-Flashpoint Supergirl and I still think that she is the best interpretation of the character...



I would say in general:

-BETTER display of the characters (much of my favorite character interpretation comes from PRE-FLASHPOINT)
-Younger heroes and Side-Kicks played a crucial role and had the possibility to become famous, more powerful etc. than like now remaining in a Status Quo
-Better Continuity
-more positive aspect in the stories (REBIRTH Batman is hard to read at the moment, prefer the Pre-Flashpoint Batman)
-favorite characters ALIVE (Martha Kent,Jonathan Kent,Lian Harper,Rpy Harper....)
-Wally West...
-JSA

[Digifiend]

Even when creative teams changed, it seems like editors used to enforce some characterization discipline.

I remember reading a piece about a creator that wanted to run Captain America for president, and set the next four years of books in DC and the White House. The editor quashed it on the grounds that character would not accept the compromises that political office would require. I'm not sure the editors have that kind of influence on the stories any more.

And of course, they have done similar stories, just not on Earth-616.

[Mike]

I buy very few new books.
When I do the are mostly from "older" creators. Like Walter Simonson with Ragnarok: The Breaking of Helheim.

I am enjoying filling in gaps in my back issues.
These days I am working on filling out my Flash collection with issues from the 1970's. Issues that I missed the first time around.

[Vampire Savior]

To me, Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams created the most classic Batman comics but no previous run has been as exciting to me as Tom King's run has. Snyder's/Tynion's JL is just about my favorite JL run. Only Alan Moore's Superman outdoes modern Superman comics for me. And only Johns wrote a better GL or Flash than what we're getting lately.

It's not rose tinted glasses for me. I will take John Byrne and (90s) Dan Jurgens Superman over...well...any Superman that has come since. And I still prefer reading Steve Englehart and Gerard Jones Green Lantern, and even Ron Marz Green Lantern over any of the more recent stuff. I simply find reading them to be more fun, and I wasn't even reading that old stuff back then, so it's not like I'm nostalgic for it in that sense. I read them a long time ago by now, but that stuff was already old when I discovered it.

The 80s stuff is often cheesy, but I find it endearing and still fun to read. Regarding DC, I find the 90s stuff is pretty much written like the stuff today...except it tends to be better, a lot less decompressed, generally more exciting, and has a lot less dumb stuff like events everywhere wrecking the stories you're trying to read. And the continuity is worlds better than what we get today. If I'm reading Supergirl, I don't have to worry that in ten issues, she will have a completely different status quo and everything previous will be forgotten. Then five issues after that, the same thing will happen. That's literally the type of thing that happens today. One minute, Supergirl is angsty and hates everyone, then she's a Red Lantern, then she is with a kid in a wheelchair. Then she's in Hogwarts in space. Then she's working for Cat Grant with some dreadlocks guy. Then she's...doing whatever she's doing now. And NONE of this stuff connects at all. That type of thing wasn't happening back then.

[mikelmcknight72]

So to all those responding that they prefer the older stuff, and don't like DC's current books: Is it just DC, or are other comic publishers just as bad? Have you looked at anything from Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, or any other publisher recently? Do they have the same problems?

I really am curious. I haven't looked at any comic published in the last 15 years, so I have no standard for comparison.

For the most part, I'm the same way with Marvel. Their comics have also, in my opinion, grown much more cynical.

The fact that modern comics has taken a serious turn towards being a propaganda tool for Left and Far Left politics is also a problem. Even if you 100% agree with the political views put forth, I'd think the echo chamber would get tiresome. Plus, everyone needs a break from politics in order to maintain some sanity and perspective. Sadly, such a break is increasingly difficult to find in entertainment. Marvel and DC both do this, but I think Marvel does it more.

[Electricmastro]

So to all those responding that they prefer the older stuff, and don't like DC's current books: Is it just DC, or are other comic publishers just as bad? Have you looked at anything from Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, or any other publisher recently? Do they have the same problems?

I really am curious. I haven't looked at any comic published in the last 15 years, so I have no standard for comparison.

For what it's worth, these are the publisher market shares for June 2019:



https://www.diamondcomics.com/Home/1...ticleID=231595

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

For what it's worth, these are the publisher market shares for April 2019:

https://www.diamondcomics.com/Home/1...ticleID=229458

Oof. Those numbers could be better.

[Jekyll]

So to all those responding that they prefer the older stuff, and don't like DC's current books: Is it just DC, or are other comic publishers just as bad? Have you looked at anything from Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, or any other publisher recently? Do they have the same problems?

I really am curious. I haven't looked at any comic published in the last 15 years, so I have no standard for comparison.

For me? It's just DC. For the past two years, I have never read more Marvel than I have now. Since Celbuski has taken the reigns, I LOVE what they are putting out. There truly is a book for everyone right now. Traditionally, the only Marvel titles I paid attention to were Daredevil & Spider-Man. Now I am reading: Venom, Silver Surfer, Guardians of The Galaxy, Immortal Hulk (one of the BEST titles I have EVER read).
Other companies, IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is probably the strongest one TMNT has had since it's original run back in the 80s. I haven't read much from Dark Horse or Image lately, so I can't really speak to their current titles.

[Electricmastro]

Oof. Those numbers could be better.

Also, the comic book sales for June 2019. Worth noting is that based on that, the most successful comic superhero that's not by Marvel or DC is Spawn, which managed to make it to the top 20:



https://www.comichron.com/monthlycom...9/2019-06.html

[Nick Miller]

The consistency issue that lemonpeace (rightly) points out also shows up in characterization. IMO, older DC comics tended to more consistently adhere to the personas of their characters. I suppose it has to do with the latitude some writers have today. They blow into a book, tell the story they want, often with very little attention to who they're writing, or what went before, and when they're done, the next writer does the same thing.

Its just the writers and editors,

“I’m going to write this MY way, how I want. Me me me.” Thats how they were raised.

[iron chimp]

I read old and new but lack of content is major issue for me in todays books; just too little story per issue. Books I get all look great but "big ideas" are thin on the ground and half the time I feel like I'm reading storyboards for wannabe TV episodes or computer games. The ever excellent cave Carson, dial h, and Section 8 were notable exceptions.

[iron chimp]

So to all those responding that they prefer the older stuff, and don't like DC's current books: Is it just DC, or are other comic publishers just as bad? Have you looked at anything from Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, or any other publisher recently? Do they have the same problems?

I really am curious. I haven't looked at any comic published in the last 15 years, so I have no standard for comparison.

Image is probably the best it's ever been over last 10 years imo.

Darkhorse is consistently rock solid with nice range of books in my experience. I can always find something to read in their line up.