Layoffs at DC?

[Zaresh]

"is said to dislike the more mature approach to comics."

I find this concerning. Really doesn't seem good for the comics side...

I'm slightly concerned too, given that half the current reading base of comics overall are mature readers who seek mature content. I mean, even in the movies: look at Joker. That's a movie aimed to grown ups. Or even Wonder Woman; that's a movie for teens, not kids. And teen content tends to go into mature territory at times (violence and themes wise at least). I support focusing a bit more in content aimed for kids, they definitely need new readers and you need to work that base from the start as it is now. But, eh... You definitely need to put as much focus in the current reading base as well; and also, I guess, you have to look for new readers in that target that could come from side media, like games or, I don't know, webtoons or manga or whatever. It's a matter of balancing and look for readers in the right places, in my opinion.

But I'm also not an expert in bushiness, at all; so, welp, I don't know what I'm talking about, really.

[Badou]

Going back a bit in the thread to when it was discussing how OGNs might be this pathway for lesser characters to get their own stories, it is true that DC is going to, and has already, started to put more time and money into new OGN stories, but over the last couple of years superhero GN and trade sales have really tanked. So while GNs as a whole are growing massively, because of the kid and teen markets the that DC and Marvel abandoned years ago, traditional superhero GNs from publishers like DC, Marvel and Image have fallen off. Obviously DC is making more OGNs aimed at kids to try and get a foot back into that market, but I'm not really sure what it all means going forward. Where if the lack of single issue sales for these OGNs can really make them viable continuously and if these lesser characters can really find a pathway to get their own stories if DC starts putting more focus on OGNs after the restructuring changes.

Like the Mister Miracle series by Tom King is an interesting example. It moved hundreds of thousands of copies of single issues through the direct market during its run. It got loads of press, won awards, and DC promoted the crap out of it, but then when it was collected in a GN it sold 11K copies. 11K copies for a superhero trade is good, especially given that it collected all 12 issues I think, but if that is how much it sold after all the attention it got because of its original single issue run I wonder if the book could have been viable if it just got released as a completed OGN book. I don't know.

People mentioned the Raven OGN that sold well from DC's former INK Imprint line. It apparently sold 43K copies in 2019 (thanks Hibbs' bookscan article for the numbers) which was good enough to be DC's second highest selling GN for 2019 only behind Watchmen, but the next highest selling book from that former Ink Imprint line was a Catwoman book called Under The Moon: A Catwoman Tale which couldn't crack 5K in sales. Then if you look at the list of DC's top selling GNs for 2019 it is all older Batman stories, a few new Batman stories, Alen Moore work, and maybe a Flash or a GL book in there. I know in 2020 there were a lot more books released similar to the Raven one, but I wonder if Raven will be more of an outlier because of how popular her character is because of the cartoons or if these OGNs are a viable way to release stories for these characters that can't carry an ongoing title.

[skyvolt2000]

"is said to dislike the more mature approach to comics."

I find this concerning. Really doesn't seem good for the comics side...

Remember she is thinking about TOYS.

And material a parent can read with that kid or feels safe giving a book to.

Now the issue with that is this-

I mean what is the WORST that is a DC book? That is NOT in a book I can go to ANY school and get?

If she thinks DCCeased or Black Line is bad-I can find WORST in a school. Even at the elementary level.

The mature stuff is already there. I can understand her stance but reality says otherwise.

but the next highest selling book from that former Ink Imprint line was a Catwoman book called Under The Moon: A Catwoman Tale which couldn't crack 5K in sales.

I can explain that.

When did that book come out?
Also was it included in the various sales Target and others had? I think Raven's book was apart of the buy 2 get 1 free sale on Amazon. So that helps someone new like her.
Along with how many stores stocked her book versus Catwoman? I see Raven and Cass's books in stores. I DON'T see Gotham High or Catwoman except in comic book stores.

Also folks are willing to give new stuff a shot. Heck let STATIC have an OGN and he's been off free tv air for now 16 years. Miles Morales has best seller and very few knew who he was. This was years before Spiderverse.

[Holt]

Found this bit from Bleeding Cool interesting.

Executive Editor of Global Publishing Initiatives & Digital Strategy Marie Javins is seen more as a comic book industry lifer – with a big world-travelling sabbatical in the middle when Marvel went through what DC are going through right now. If anyone is there to preserve much of the old spirit of DC Comics – and American comic books in general, it is her. She also has a reputation for just getting things done on deadline against impossible odds.

Executive Editor, DC Children's/Young Adult, Michele Wells has more of a children's book background at Disney, First Book and DK, and has been at DC for coming up to four years, headlining the Children's and Young Adult books at DC. Michele is also closer to Warner Bros President, Global Brands, Franchises, and Experiences Pamela Lifford, and has a reputation for scheduling work long into the future – so deadlines are less of an issue.

DC Comics has had a habit of hiring figures at odds with one another's priorities in senior roles – recently once might consider Dan DiDio and Geoff Johns for example. Could this be continuing that game place, create division to inspire and to focus creative thought and solutions?

[Jadeb]

Personally, I’ll be happy if they stop with the rape and fridging and tone down some of the uglier aspects of modern DC.

[Zaresh]

Found this bit from Bleeding Cool interesting.

And this bit sound good.
Hmm... I guess that, by January, we will see how it al works in the end.

[dornwolf]

Personally, I’ll be happy if they stop with the rape and fridging and tone down some of the uglier aspects of modern DC.

Tend to agree. If toning it down a touch means less of that and less brutally killing characters I’m good.

[scary harpy]

The core League is obviously safe, nobody is losing a solo there. Suicide Squad is likely safe, as is Teen Titans. Guys like Hawkman and the Outsiders are probably already dead in the water, those books are almost certainly going to be culled. I'm curious about the solo books for legacies though; there's no way characters like Nightwing, Supergirl, or Batgirl are removed completely....but they might lose their solo books and be exiled to team titles only.

Thanks, Ascended.

This is exactly what I was afraid of.

DC must own over 200,000 characters...at the very least.

Who's safe?

• core Justice League
• Suicide Squad
• Teen Titans
• Bat-Family mostly

To me, this begs the questions:

Which teen Titans will we see? Which will be put on a shelf in limbo?
When will I see Batwoman again?
Will I see Jay Garrick, Ted Grant, Alan Scott again?
Will I see Hawk & Dove again?

I think I know the answers.

We could lose a lot of heroes...because a lot of heroes can't hold their own titles.

Villains are a different story. Suicide Squad should always have enough characters for membership. DC needs villains to fight heroes.

It doesn't matter if it JLA fights the Injustice League or the Injustice Society of Earth 2; it just matters that hero team has a villain team to battle.

But don't expect too many villains to be rescued from obscurity and revitalized. New writers want to introduce new threats...to leave their mark, I think. I also think this is wasteful...but DC didn't ask what I think.

[Frontier]

Personally, I’ll be happy if they stop with the rape and fridging and tone down some of the uglier aspects of modern DC.

I think there are degrees in terms of content that should be kept in mind.

If there is a line that's already focusing on more kid-friendly content, I don't think the main comics need to be geared less toward adult audiences, if not egregiously.

[Konja7]

I can explain that.

When did that book come out?
Also was it included in the various sales Target and others had? I think Raven's book was apart of the buy 2 get 1 free sale on Amazon. So that helps someone new like her.
Along with how many stores stocked her book versus Catwoman? I see Raven and Cass's books in stores. I DON'T see Gotham High or Catwoman except in comic book stores.

Also folks are willing to give new stuff a shot. Heck let STATIC have an OGN and he's been off free tv air for now 16 years. Miles Morales has best seller and very few knew who he was. This was years before Spiderverse.

DC wants to sell OGN to a different audience, so they likely tried to give Gotham High and Catwoman books to stores. Why stores wouldn't want these books?

[Holt]

Rule of thumb for who is safe is probably "who has a movie or TV deal." The Comicsbeat article speculated there'll likely be some sort of Green Lantern content to cash in on the HBO series.

[captchuck]

The new Looney Tunes show is very popular. This might be a perfect time to bring back Bugs Bunny and friends. And I mean start from scratch, not reprint the recent stories.

Stargirl also looks to be perfect to sell to the general public. The comics from the 1940's to 1960's were all sold to the general public and are now very valuable collectors items. If comics are to survive, we probably need to move beyond the niche market. This might be the only way DC Comics can continue.

[Frontier]

The new Looney Tunes show is very popular. This might be a perfect time to bring back Bugs Bunny and friends. And I mean start from scratch, not reprint the recent stories.

Stargirl also looks to be perfect to sell to the general public. The comics from the 1940's to 1960's were all sold to the general public and are now very valuable collectors items. If comics are to survive, we probably need to move beyond the niche market. This might be the only way DC Comics can continue.

Wasn't DC already publishing Looney Tunes comics?

[Samm]

Thanks, Ascended.

This is exactly what I was afraid of.

DC must own over 200,000 characters...at the very least.

Who's safe?

• core Justice League
• Suicide Squad
• Teen Titans
• Bat-Family mostly

To me, this begs the questions:

Which teen Titans will we see? Which will be put on a shelf in limbo?
When will I see Batwoman again?
Will I see Jay Garrick, Ted Grant, Alan Scott again?
Will I see Hawk & Dove again?

I think I know the answers.

We could lose a lot of heroes...because a lot of heroes can't hold their own titles.

Villains are a different story. Suicide Squad should always have enough characters for membership. DC needs villains to fight heroes.

It doesn't matter if it JLA fights the Injustice League or the Injustice Society of Earth 2; it just matters that hero team has a villain team to battle.

But don't expect too many villains to be rescued from obscurity and revitalized. New writers want to introduce new threats...to leave their mark, I think. I also think this is wasteful...but DC didn't ask what I think.

Justice League: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman The Flash (Barry), Aquaman, Green Lantern (most likely John or Jessica), Green Arrow, Black Canary, Black Lightning (due to his show), Hawkman, Hawkgirl. The first 6 are for sure sticking around, the others will likely be rotated in and out.

Suicide Squad: Harley Quinn, Amanda Waller, Deadshot, Boomerang are staying. Everyone else is roared in and out (Katana, El Diablo, Killer Croc, King Shark...etc).

Teen Titans: East. Robin (likely Dick, maybe Damian), Raven, Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy... maybe Blue Beetle, Bumblebee, Static and Terra as rotating members.

Bat family: Batman, Batgirl (Barbara), Robin (Dick or Damian)

[superduperman]

"is said to dislike the more mature approach to comics."

I find this concerning. Really doesn't seem good for the comics side...

Wonder if they're still paying for that whole Bat-dick thing with Damned. The backlash was unexpected and I doubt that AT&T wants to deal with angry parents hearing about something they never read and throwing a temper tantrum over something not aimed at kids anyway. Plus, I doubt they are big comic book people. Their perception of Batman may very well be the sixties TV show.