DC Universe to switch to comics-only platform in 2021

[Noodle]

What comic shop even keeps 6 months of recent issues? The most I've seen around me is maybe the most recent 3-4 issues, but I don't think I've seen any that keeps 6 months.

[Factor]

I'd love to see a subscription option that gave access on the same day as print, but 3 months is pretty good compared to what we had.
DC's one year wait was terrible. I hope they copy MU's strategy once again.
But even if they don't, their back issues library is way more exciting than any of the new stuff, sadly. I'm following fewer DC books than ever.

[Lee Stone]

What comic shop even keeps 6 months of recent issues? The most I've seen around me is maybe the most recent 3-4 issues, but I don't think I've seen any that keeps 6 months.

The six month/year waits were Marvel and DC stepping way outside to avoid retailers throwing a fit, since they survived mostly on pre-orders from those retailers.

I think they’re both at a position now where they’re free to not feel chained down to the retailers, with mobile being more established as an acceptable vehicle for mass media consumption and trade paperbacks doing well in the general bookstores.

And their parent companies could either help them stay afloat long enough to get their own footing, independent of the retailers, or fold them into a different department.

We’re not there yet, but I think a month wait would be ideal for all parties involved, including the readers.
I can see the retailers threatening to not order their books, but they would only be hurting themselves and drive their customers away.

[Lee Stone]

I'd love to see a subscription option that gave access on the same day as print, but 3 months is pretty good compared to what we had.
DC's one year wait was terrible. I hope they copy MU's strategy once again.
But even if they don't, their back issues library is way more exciting than any of the new stuff, sadly. I'm following fewer DC books than ever.

Same here.
I very rarely read anything post-2011, with most of what I read being from before 1994.
I’ve gotten to where I just look to see what older comics have been added.

Hopefully, whatever’s coming in 2021 will rekindle my interest in modern comics again.

[Holt]

What comic shop even keeps 6 months of recent issues? The most I've seen around me is maybe the most recent 3-4 issues, but I don't think I've seen any that keeps 6 months.

It's stupid to me, but it's something that's been discussed. That garbage list of suggestions retailers had for "fixing" the industry from earlier in the year had such genius points as comics not going to digital until months after the print release, and fewer stories being collected in trade paperback so people have to buy more single issues.

[Lee Stone]

It's stupid to me, but it's something that's been discussed. That garbage list of suggestions retailers had for "fixing" the industry from earlier in the year had such genius points as comics not going to digital until months after the print release, and fewer stories being collected in trade paperback so people have to buy more single issues.

Not surprising as they think ‘industry’ means them.

The direct market didn’t gain power until the mid-‘80s when DC and Marvel started doing digital firsts, I mean ‘direct market only’, comics that made readers drive out of their way to find them like Easter eggs.

[Digifiend]

Tribute art by Matt Taylor as DC Universe is now just one month away from losing all the video content.

[Frontier]

Tribute art by Matt Taylor as DC Universe is now just one month away from losing all the video content.

This is kind of sad (even if most of this will be on HBOMax) .

[iron chimp]

Not surprising as they think ‘industry’ means them.

The direct market didn’t gain power until the mid-‘80s when DC and Marvel started doing digital firsts, I mean ‘direct market only’, comics that made readers drive out of their way to find them like Easter eggs.

The direct market was way more powerful before dc or marvel even entered it. Books were more expensive, sales were big, and there had been huge speculator bubble while dc and marvel were stuck on newsstand watching it all. Thats why they entered the shops because thats where the money was.

[Digifiend]

That's nonsense, as the speculator bubble was in the 1990s. Which of course is after DC and Marvel became available in specialist stores!

[iron chimp]

That's nonsense, as the speculator bubble was in the 1990s. Which of course is after DC and Marvel became available in specialist stores!

Then you dont know your history.

[skyvolt2000]

That's nonsense, as the speculator bubble was in the 1990s. Which of course is after DC and Marvel became available in specialist stores!

Iron Chimp is right.

Some of those Marvel & DC books were at both regular stores and comic book shops.

Some books were the same and others had different covers or logos. One of Firestorm's books had two different logos on for newsstand and one for stores.

There was a reason you didn't see certain books in stores. Or you saw them in those 3 for $1 bags in regulars stores.

The speculator bubble was in the 90s but you could still go to a grocery store and buy comics.

While that comic book store was selling Spawn #1 for $20-$100 because Wizard the Guide to Comics said so. I could go to Sack & Save and get it for cover price.

Milestone & Vertigo was the only books you had to go to a comic book store to get.

[iron chimp]

Iron Chimp is right.

Some of those Marvel & DC books were at both regular stores and comic book shops.

Some books were the same and others had different covers or logos. One of Firestorm's books had two different logos on for newsstand and one for stores.

There was a reason you didn't see certain books in stores. Or you saw them in those 3 for $1 bags in regulars stores.

The speculator bubble was in the 90s but you could still go to a grocery store and buy comics.

While that comic book store was selling Spawn #1 for $20-$100 because Wizard the Guide to Comics said so. I could go to Sack & Save and get it for cover price.

Milestone & Vertigo was the only books you had to go to a comic book store to get.

That wasnt the speculator bubble i was referring to but yes there was also a 90s indie superhero bubble too with image/valiant/etc.

Marvel and image especially benefited from 80s indie tactics and a pre existing speculator network in the comic shops to copy the techniques the indies had used to create a 2nd bubble while DC cashed in on Indie development of trades and bookstore distro and cashed in that way piggybacking them

[Digifiend]

Iron Chimp is right.

Some of those Marvel & DC books were at both regular stores and comic book shops.

Then they weren't "stuck on newsstand".

[Restingvoice]

"The cost of DC Universe Infinite will be much the same as DC Universe - $7.99 a month, or $74.99 a year (which equates to $6.25 a month). "

Okay. This is a problem. They should lower the price if it contains only comics. Of course this won't matter for new subscriber who don't know but I know, dammit.

By the way DC official digital comics buying app follows Marvel to be shut down and returned to just Comixology again.