Gossip: Big Writer Changes at DC Comics for 2021

[MRP]

I’d use the big name writers on lesser titles on d-listers.

That’s how they got great runs on Doom Patrol, back in the day. Or Animal Man.

Keep the name characters that fans follow as character driven.

Keep in mind when Morrison wrote Animal Man and Doom Patrol he was not a big name, he was an unknown writer coming over form the UK who hadn't done anything in the US market. It was those books that started to make him a name in US comics. And it was the freedom to do whatever on those second and third tier books that is not available on the books featuring the big characters that really let creators establish themselves. With DC narrowing its line to the top tier characters, I am not sure you ill see books featuring D-list character or lower tier titles for that to happen anymore.

-M

[iron chimp]

I'm not surprised. My impression is that the DC that DiDio, Lee, and Harras created was one where people they liked (read: middle-aged men) were a main driver of who got jobs, and with a new team in place they are probably looking hard on whatever contracts DC have in place. Also, for all that I can tell, the good contracts for "star" creators haven't, as far as I know, given a corresponding increase in sales or in story quality. Instead we have a spiral of "big" stories and interference in any books not written by "star" creators.

Now, I have no idea on which strategies Wells and Javins will select for choosing new writers (or artists), but I really think it will be more diverse—indeed, it can hardly be less so. I hope they will go for younger, hungrier writers that have not primarily been molded by comics of the direct market, but have other creative influences as well. Hopefully they will be given the leeway to tell the best stories they are capable of telling. If DC can find the Moore or the Miller of the 80s but for the 20s, they will have struck gold.

Pretty confident the alan moore and frank miller of the 2020s wouldnt even be allowed through the door of DC let alone be hired.

[Vordan]

That was a pretty “nothing” article. I thought Rich was going to name creators being considered for books but instead he was just repeating what we already know. We knew a lot of the “big” names were either stepping away or reducing their output.

Most "name" writers don't seem to sell as well as they used to, or have limited returns, so I think it's probably smarter to move away from that kind of dichotomy.

It’s true. Johns Shazam isn’t lighting up the charts like Johns used to do. Morrison GL isn’t either. Bendis hasn’t been the sales power house he used to be in a long time. However even relatively new blood like Taylor isn’t a guaranteed success. His Injustice and DCeased stuff has sold well but his Suicide Squad and GL books have been flops.

I’d use the big name writers on lesser titles on d-listers.

That’s how they got great runs on Doom Patrol, back in the day. Or Animal Man.

Keep the name characters that fans follow as character driven.

They did that back in the day, the A-List talent was put on lesser known characters because DC figures Batman and Superman would sell no matter what. It’s how guys like Jurgens got the big books in the first place, but here’s the problem with that: If the A-Listers go too long without a good run it hurts their brand power and drags down the line. WW has gotten a bunch of small time creators since Rucka’s Rebirth run and her sales just keep sliding. The success of her movie hasn’t helped her main book at all because her main book has generally been boring dreck. Superman missed out on a fantastic pitch by Waid, Millar, Morrison, and Peyer around the turn of the new millennium because of office politics.

The big characters do need fantastic runs in order to maintain interest and create stories that people want to see adapted. They do need big important creative teams on them every now and then. But they also need new blood. Gene Yang has been one of the best Superman writers and he’s a relative newcomer to Big 2 work. Joe Keatinge is another person who is relatively unknown but who I think has a great Superman story in him, based on his one off Adventures of Superman issue. Tynion was Snyder’s sidekick for most of his career until relatively recently. DC does need to cultivate new blood but when that new blood proves themselves, are they just going to let them all slip away rather than pay them what they’re worth as Marvel did during the 90s or after the NOW era?

[Grayson - The Dark Heir]

It's too early to say much, but if the idea is to do away with the boys club that is DC's go-to writers, then this is great. Let's get some younger or newer writers on the bigger characters.

[Pohzee]

Haven't read his work in a while, but I'd be sad to see Tom King go.

[Vordan]

Haven't read his work in a while, but I'd be sad to see Tom King go.

King has said he’s got more work coming up, so I don’t think he’s going anywhere.

[Frontier]

King has said he’s got more work coming up, so I don’t think he’s going anywhere.

Yeah, he's just probably not likely to write a major ongoing anytime soon.

[Laufeyson]

Haven't read his work in a while, but I'd be sad to see Tom King go.

King has that movie New Gods under his belt. He won't go anywhere.

[Ilan Preskovsky]

King is much, much better at limited series anyway (well, not including Heroes in Crisis) so as long as he keeps doing that, I'm more than happy.

[Digifiend]

HIC suffered from executive meddling. But yeah, Omega Men, The Vision, Mister Miracle, King's limited runs are usually well liked.

[JackBNimble]

HIC suffered from executive meddling. But yeah, Omega Men, The Vision, Mister Miracle, King's limited runs are usually well liked.

There was executive meddling for HIC?

[Laufeyson]

There was executive meddling for HIC?

Apparently, Dan Didio suggested that the killer of the HiC is Wally West or that's the story I heard from comci website.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Apparently, Dan Didio suggested that the killer of the HiC is Wally West or that's the story I heard from comci website.

I think editorial basically gave a list of characters that they would allow as the killer and Wally was the one King chose.

[Konja7]

It has sense they don't want to pay a lot more for big names writers if these won't increase readers or sales.

I wonder what will happen.

[kingaliencracker]

I used this sales list:

https://www.previewsworld.com/Articl...Graphic-Novels

Absolutely nothing from dc from their main line in there apart from king, snyder, and tec anniversary. Everything else was black.label, classics, or ink.

So I would say, not coming from a sales expert mind you, that this indicates more Marvel & DC fans purchasing GNs and TPBs from the other companies in place of their monthly titles. It doesn't indicate to me that big names are still a major draw.