View Poll Results: Who Should be DC's New Publisher ?

Voters
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  • Karen Berger

    17 24.29%
  • Mark Waid

    7 10.00%
  • Grant Morrison

    13 18.57%
  • Kurt Busiek

    5 7.14%
  • Jim Shooter

    9 12.86%
  • Other (You Pick)

    19 27.14%
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  1. #1
    Unadjusted Human on CBR SUPERECWFAN1's Avatar
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    Default Who Should be DC's New Publisher ?

    DC Comics has had a rough go of it the last couple years. The new 52 when it launched had moved millions of copies and Dan Didio was considered a genius at the time. It was his push to reboot the DCU the last few years (he wanted to do it after Final Crisis and didn't get approval) so he finally seemed to be on top. But a lot of dominos would start falling that had Didio scrambling a couple years in.


    - The destruction of Vertigo as an imprint had started that decade as DC started pulling characters back. But it was the decision to do the new 52 and remove the grandfather title (Hellblazer) that really destroyed the imprint. Fables itself was limping to a conclusion as Willingham decided to end it. Without Hellblazer and Fables , Vertigo was DOA.


    - DC's move to LA had them under tighter control by Warner Brothers. Story plans like Batwoman's marriage was stopped , Batman's marriage also was stopped , Vertigo's contracts became a joke and better deals were elsewhere. Vertigo began losing its top editor in Karen Berger and then Shelly Bond. WB was seen as a big reason Vertigo was put down finally.


    - As sales was falling by 2015 during the move period ; Didio approved the terrible received DC You. An attempt to replicate the success of Harley Quinn's fun stories ; DC You had the company approve out there concepts (Black Canary became a rock singer , we saw Bat-Mite , Superman lost his secret ID and Jim Gordan became Batman) that all failed.


    - With his back against the wall and after the 2015 series Convergence failed ; DC scrapped all memories of that series and approved DC Rebirth for 2016. With a ton of buzz and return of the classic Post Crisis DC Universe ahead clashing with Doctor Manhattan ; things seemed to have turned around.


    - Within a year behind the scenes chaos hit as plots laid down did not match what Johns had planned for Doomsday Clock. The series itself was supposed to set up a new fresh DCU in 2018 suddenly was delayed repeatedly. While things were worked on and changed so much.


    - With the reaction to Doomsday Clock being negative , Didio and company planned another new reboot where newer heroes would replace those involved. This 5G concept likely was the final straw for WB who stepped in finally.



    -
    - But with DC in major chaos again there needs to be a new publisher. Someone who can step in and right the ship. So folks..lets lay it down and vote for the next Publisher for DC.




    Karen Berger


    It makes the most sense really. Berger's history with DC Comics and being there for over 3 decades ; her ability to lure talent to the company and her overall "hits" at Vertigo make the most sense here. Berger currently is with Dark Horse Comics but her talent and ability is there. Plus during her run at Vertigo the imprint was functioning like a well oiled machine with her letting the talent work.

    As a top contender here , I'd say Berger deserves this one.



    [IMG]https://******************.com/files/2018/10/Mark-Waid-1.png[/IMG]
    Mark Waid

    Waid who maybe a member of CBR could chime in here. Now he has the experience of running Boom as EIC few years and could step in and help fix DC's issues. A very respected pro , Waid has a great handle on what makes great stories and characters. A fact DC can finally set a direction and try to reconnect with readers again.




    Grant Morrison


    Morrison himself was (and I think still is) EIC of Heavy Metal magazine. A very respected pro as well Morrison always has grand ideas and who better to step in and right the ship of DC Comics than ...Grant Morrison ?



    The other 2 ....


    - Kurt Busiek : Now I know Busiek is a member of CBR and has answered questions before. The guy has written damn never everything in comics and could legit set things right at DC.


    - Jim Shooter : I held off on this one. Shooter himself hasn't ran a company since the 1990's but his history at handling and turning things around is there. He helped fix Marvel's issues in the 1970's. He of course is controversial for sure. But his name and legacy could have people listen to a direction and help fix DC.


    - OTHER : You name someone...and give a reason for them.
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  2. #2
    Extraordinary Member Dr. Poison's Avatar
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    Default

    Other - Geoff Johns. Look how well Rebirth stared out when he was calling the shots.
    Currently(or soon to be) Reading: Alan Scott: Green Lantern, Batman/Superman: World's Finest, Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Jay Garrick: The Flash, Justice Society of America, Power Girl, Superman, Shazam, Titans, Wesley Dodds: Sandman, Wonder Woman, & World's Finest: Teen Titans.

  3. #3
    Extraordinary Member kjn's Avatar
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    DC needs a publisher, not a writer.

    I think that's an important distinction to make. The job of the publisher is to hire and manage editors, and to help hire writers. A publisher might get to set a direction, but they are not here to tell the story themselves.

    Of the list above, the closest candidate I see is Karen Berger. She certainly has the chops, but she's also 61 years old, and is probably looking at unwinding her career right now, not step into a huge cleanup project.

    What I think DC should try to get:

    • A strong manager, well-versed in making people work together and perform well, but also give them creative freedom.
    • A person who recognises strong stories, and is interested in pushing them.
    • A person who understands power dynamics and systemic discrimination. To put it another way, a person who understands that Berganza was only one half of the problem.
    • A person who groks that to reach new audiences, they need both new logistics, new stories, and new storytellers.


    In short, you want an enabler of storytellers, not a lone storyteller.
    «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])

  4. #4
    Obsessed & Compelled Bored at 3:00AM's Avatar
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    Geoff Johns is the obvious choice, but it's doubtful he'd have the time given his Hollywood commitments, which are no doubt more creatively fulfilling and financially lucrative than riding herd over a relatively small publishing division of the same corporation that $#!*canned him for failing to successfully jump through all the ridiculous hoops his corporate overlords made him do on the disastrous production of Justice League.

    I don't think Morrison has much interest in catering to the mainstream audience that WB would want DC Comics to be aimed at.

    Mark Waid would be ideal for the fanboy audience, but the rampant rumors of his inability to control his temper would suggest that he wouldn't be very well suited to be a corporate executive for very long.

    Honestly, I think it's going to be some middle-management type most of us have barely heard of who will toe the corporate line without getting the audience too upset. DC will continue producing uninspired mainstream comics month after month, with a few gems sprinkled in here and there as the current audience continues to dwindle. Meanwhile, DC will continue its shift towards more kid-friendly comics that are currently doing very well, but have little to do with the decades-long continuity older comics fans love.

  5. #5
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    Jim Shooter. My favorite guy in comics. Marvel had its best years under his guidance, and that's coming directly off of some of its worst years. Furthermore, most think that Valiant was putting out strong content under his tenure. I'd love to see him come back to comics in a managerial role.
    Last edited by Vampire Savior; 02-22-2020 at 07:32 AM.

  6. #6
    Extraordinary Member HsssH's Avatar
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    I don't get where people even get these names from? I feel like we are more likely to see an end of DC comics than someone like Shooter being picked for this job.

  7. #7
    Helping the Helpless Denirac's Avatar
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    You forget Scott Snyder. Allegedly a Battle with DiDio over Death Metal has caused all this
    Pull List:
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  8. #8
    Extraordinary Member kjn's Avatar
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    Here is a candidate: Michele Wells.
    «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])

  9. #9
    Astonishing Member
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    It's certainly not going to be a writer and more someone with a proven administrative background whether from within DC/WB, from Marvel, from some indie company or totally outside comics.

  10. #10
    Incredible Member Gotham citizen's Avatar
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    In my humble opinion the best candidate to become Editor in Chief of the DC should be Jim Shooter, because he is one of the few persons who really understand what is damaging the comic industry today (like this interview proves), but he is old so I don't know if he is available; let's say I would love someone who think like Jim Shooter and with his capability and experience.
    Ever in my humble opinion, if I could hire Jim Shooter like Editor in Chief, I would also hire Kurt Busiek like Artistic Director, because what he wrote in the preface of Astro City Vol. 1 proves (at least to me) he understand very well what make the superhero comics great and what they need to become great again.

    P.S. Like I wrote in the Batman section, I would give the entire franchise of Batman to the staff of "Batman; the animated series".

  11. #11
    BANNED Starter Set's Avatar
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    Jim Shooter? What has the guy even done in the last 15 years?

  12. #12
    Extraordinary Member DragonPiece's Avatar
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    Not who I want it to be, but I have a hunch they are going to hire Jeph Loeb. He recently left Marvel animation, DC wants more people in the business from outside of comics and he also has the corperate experience as well as knowledge of DC.

  13. #13
    ...of the Black Priests Midnight_v's Avatar
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    I think I'd like to change my vote to Grant Morrison, but ....

    I think that's an important distinction to make. The job of the publisher is to hire and manage editors, and to help hire writers. A publisher might get to set a direction, but they are not here to tell the story themselves.
    I agree with this.
    My priority is enjoying and supporting stories of timeless heroism and conflict.
    Everything else is irrelevant.

  14. #14
    Fantastic Member Stick Figure's Avatar
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    I wouldn’t want to lose him as a writer but Bendis would be a great choice to me. I love everything the guy touches. Being a great writer isn’t what is needed in a publisher though.

  15. #15
    Extraordinary Member CRaymond's Avatar
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    The necromancy-conjured spirit of Darwyn Cooke.

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