How Might We Expand A Character's Presence?

[Vakanai]

Okay, this one's going to be hard for some of you because you can't pitch story ideas. I know that you all have some swooping multi-arch epic saga all planned out, but there's other threads for coming up with story ideas. This thread isn't that. This is more about other platforms, genres, channels, and so forth to expand a character's audience in less thought of ways. You can say what sort of tone, style, and type of project this is, you can even pick writers and directors, you just can't get into details about plot.

I'll provide some examples using Batman and the Batfamily. Remember, no actual story/plot details are to be provided.

1. Mystery anthology book series. The World's Greatest Detective hasn't done much detective work in recent decades - and when he has it's been less Sherlock Holmes and more CSI. Part of this is because Batman's written by the usual comic book writers. So instead I'd have DC release a big book every year full of stories written by actual mystery writers, both legends in their fields and promising up and comers. Maybe some of these stories are adapted into graphic novel format, but for now just focusing on letting detective and mystery authors take a crack at writing some genuine detective stories with The Detective of Detective Comics, Batman.

2. Hallmark Mysteries movie series. This one's more unusual. Hallmark Channel is more famous for their romance films, but they also do a ton of mysteries. I don't know how well their mystery stories do or how good they are, only saw a few of their old Sherlock Holmes movies with Matt Frewer, but obviously they have an audience since they're continually making these - they have a whole Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel. Obviously this would be a cheaper, less action packed superhero series, and it would probably have plenty of Hallmark romance tacked on too (come on Catwoman!) - but it continues the push to establish Batman as a detective, and exposes him more to that lucrative female market. If they can make bakers and antique dealers into detectives, they should be able to work with Batman. Plus we'd probably get to see more of him as Bruce Wayne, which is refreshing.

3. Direct to video live action Batfamily movies. I know that Robin and Batgirl and Nightwing fans keep talking about DCEU Batfamily theatrical movies, but that's a long time coming and very hit and miss. I think getting a decent budget DTV live action series of movies might be a quicker, more practical start. One year we could get a Nightwing DTV movie, next year Batgirl, year after that a Red Hood movie and a Nightwing sequel. We don't really get superhero live action DTVs, and while they're not the huge budget theatrical spectaculars fans dream of, I think that there's an audience for them and it'll help scratch that superhero action itch.


Now I know that a lot of people are just going to shout for a Netflix/HBO series or big screen adaptation of this or that superhero, but hopefully there's some more unique and creative ideas too. So what sorts of books/games/movies/shows/etc do you think would be cool, interesting, or helpful for a character/character's family? And remember, you can't go on about plot or story!

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Most minority characters like Vibe/Doctor Light/Vixen should be targeting the YA/middle school markets.

[Lightning Rider]

I like the mystery book idea.

I wonder if they even make direct-to-video live action films anymore. I haven't done any research or anything but it seems like an abandoned strategy. But it could be pretty cost-effective if marketed right.

As soon as VR is able to incorporate bodily movements, I think a Superman game will become a fan-favorite once again. We can all use our imagination, but people will instantly understand the magic of wish fullfilment once they are able to believably fly, race bullets, see through walls, and move planets.

I would also pitch a Science of Superheroes TV series on Discovery or a similar channel. They've been done for Superman and other heroes before, and there's a book on it. But I think it would be a good way to showcase other heroes: the Atom and the physics of matter, Black Lightning and the human body's use of electricity, Plastic Man/Elongated Man's elasticity, Firestorm and Metamorpho's transformative powers, etc. While the science would be the focus, panel images and descriptions of the characters & their adventures laced throughout could turn casual nerds (and even some non-nerds) onto these new heroes. Discovery has 3 billion viewers worldwide, which ain't bad.

Scholastic Book Fairs are an oft-mentioned must.

Free comic books should be available at the end of screenings to any DC movie.

A DC immersion-based theme park would make a bajillion dollars and I've spent far too much time dreaming one up.

[Vakanai]

I wonder if they even make direct-to-video live action films anymore. I haven't done any research or anything but it seems like an abandoned strategy. But it could be pretty cost-effective if marketed right.

They do actually. It's far from abandoned. Tremors has been doing DTV movies for years now, there's been a few Dragonheart DTV sequels including one earlier this year, multiple Scorpion King DTVs exist, the Sniper film series, tons of stupid "mockbusters", and more low budget horror flicks than anyone can count. Just check out the Wal Mart video section, it's chock full of cheap DTVs.
I mean they have to turn out a steady profit to be so numerous. DC could take some of that market easy.

[PCN24454]

Most minority characters like Vibe/Doctor Light/Vixen should be targeting the YA/middle school markets.

Oh god. That actually terrifies me.

[Vakanai]

Oh god. That actually terrifies me.

Why? What's wrong with the YA market?

[skyvolt2000]

I wonder if they even make direct-to-video live action films anymore. I haven't done any research or anything but it seems like an abandoned strategy. But it could be pretty cost-effective if marketed right.

Asylum Studios has made a living off of direct to video films with budgets of $1-$2 million.

Asylum films at least according to them break even in three months. We saw how long Sharknando lasted.

And if I was WB/DC-I would try to make a deal with Tyler Perry and try to get as many of those films done on his studio. He did 82 episodes of 5 of his shows while everyone else was shutdown.

If letting him write ONE (keyword ONE) needs to be done to get a deal do it.

Now who to use? Sugar & Spice would be one. Bumblebee (Not sure if 2 million would be enough maybe set a limit of 7 million for all).

I think the goal would be showcasing what you have-even if you do it like 6 times a year.

[PCN24454]

Why? What's wrong with the YA market?

It’s basically what the Arrowverse tried to be. It wasn’t completely horrible, but it could be ridiculous a lot of the time.

They came off as teenagers in a superhero club.

[Restingvoice]

Do the Harley Quinn or DC Superhero Girls. Less serious, easy to digest concept

Batbros or Titans sitcom

Lois and Jimmy interview the DC superheroes

No wait they're all well-known characters

Tales from The House of Mystery cartoon, introduction by John Constantine, featuring stories starring Swamp Thing, Zatanna, Andrew Bennett, Raven, Deadman, Wonder Woman, Scarecrow, Grey Ghost, Man-Bat, Clayface, Killer Croc, and so on. A little bit creepy but still PG.

11-13 year old me would've loved that

[Hi-Max]

I think an actual anime studio would make better use of Amethyst than anything DC could or would do with her. Even if the anime isn't full on shoujo and something more for boys, more in the vein of Dimension Hunter Fandora, Leda: The Fantastic Adventure of Yohko, the Valis games, or Dream Hunter Rem, Devil Hunter Yohko, and so on, I still think they would do much better with it.

It would be cool to see a 12 or so episode streaming anime to start out with. Some of the time, I think the Japanese have a cooler take on things that Westerners created. For example, they got me more into Wizardry than any of the western stuff ever did.

[Aahz]

Why? What's wrong with the YA market?

One problem is that the YA version are often so different from the normal comic versions that it is hard to bring the readers over.

[Sutekh]

As soon as VR is able to incorporate bodily movements, I think a Superman game will become a fan-favorite once again. We can all use our imagination, but people will instantly understand the magic of wish fullfilment once they are able to believably fly, race bullets, see through walls, and move planets.

That, or a Changeling/Beast Boy simulator that changed your perspective to that of any of the half-dozen animal forms your character assumes during the interactive VR adventure (perhaps including a different visual range for some, but including at least one four-legged cheetah chase with the viewpoint bobbing up and down, an underwater sequence as a shark, and an aerial sequence as a falcon) could be amazing.

I would also pitch a Science of Superheroes TV series on Discovery or a similar channel. They've been done for Superman and other heroes before, and there's a book on it. But I think it would be a good way to showcase other heroes: the Atom and the physics of matter, Black Lightning and the human body's use of electricity, Plastic Man/Elongated Man's elasticity, Firestorm and Metamorpho's transformative powers, etc. While the science would be the focus, panel images and descriptions of the characters & their adventures laced throughout could turn casual nerds (and even some non-nerds) onto these new heroes. Discovery has 3 billion viewers worldwide, which ain't bad.

Oh hell yes. I can't be the only science geek out there who loves to quibble over size-changers and the square-cube law, and how it can't just be their cells changing shape/size, or else the fluid in their inner ears, food in their stomachs, air in their lungs, etc. would explode out of them or whatever. Dozens of heroes have unique science interactions (or just flout science with stuff like a Speed Force, which still ends up a teaching opportunity, to show off how the Speed Force gets around physical laws and interactions like friction).

You've got some great ideas here.

A series of Bat-family 'choose-your-own-adventure' style mysteries storytelling video games, where the adventure choices are mostly the same, but at the beginning of the adventure you choose one of a half dozen Bat-fam peeps (Batman, Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, Huntress, etc.) and that determines how the action sequences and investigative sequences play out (Jason uses guns, Huntress a crossbow, Batman fists and batarangs and his grapple-gun, Nightwing escrima sticks and acrobatics, etc.), could be fun, to go with your mystery idea. (Maybe even an outside the Batbox choice like Constantine, who resolves the same mystery with occult lore and so low-impact magic, and complains the whole time about how this isn't even his city, so how did get dragged into this?)

[CPSparkles]

One problem is that the YA version are often so different from the normal comic versions that it is hard to bring the readers over.

That's true. Ian Wayne and Bruce Wang were not well thought out. Talk about stupidity.

White-wash the person of colour and race bend the white guy. DC exec's can be morons.

I also feel that Dc could have been making the most of having a person of Colour as Robin for more than a decade now.

[CPSparkles]

That, or a Changeling/Beast Boy simulator that changed your perspective to that of any of the half-dozen animal forms your character assumes during the interactive VR adventure (perhaps including a different visual range for some, but including at least one four-legged cheetah chase with the viewpoint bobbing up and down, an underwater sequence as a shark, and an aerial sequence as a falcon) could be amazing.



Oh hell yes. I can't be the only science geek out there who loves to quibble over size-changers and the square-cube law, and how it can't just be their cells changing shape/size, or else the fluid in their inner ears, food in their stomachs, air in their lungs, etc. would explode out of them or whatever. Dozens of heroes have unique science interactions (or just flout science with stuff like a Speed Force, which still ends up a teaching opportunity, to show off how the Speed Force gets around physical laws and interactions like friction).

You've got some great ideas here.

A series of Bat-family 'choose-your-own-adventure' style mysteries storytelling video games, where the adventure choices are mostly the same, but at the beginning of the adventure you choose one of a half dozen Bat-fam peeps (Batman, Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, Huntress, etc.) and that determines how the action sequences and investigative sequences play out (Jason uses guns, Huntress a crossbow, Batman fists and batarangs and his grapple-gun, Nightwing escrima sticks and acrobatics, etc.), could be fun, to go with your mystery idea. (Maybe even an outside the Batbox choice like Constantine, who resolves the same mystery with occult lore and so low-impact magic, and complains the whole time about how this isn't even his city, so how did get dragged into this?)

I'd rather have Jason be an antagonist in any of these material not a baf-fam member.

Not of a fan of Red Hood who fires Rubber bullets

[Vakanai]

It’s basically what the Arrowverse tried to be. It wasn’t completely horrible, but it could be ridiculous a lot of the time.

They came off as teenagers in a superhero club.

Kind of not a fair assumption - there's a TON of YA stuff that doesn't resemble the CW at all. Like genres for kids and adult, YA is not all one thing. We shouldn't assume that our experience with one YA product is indicative of YA as a whole. The CW is just low quality in general (and I say that as a fan, I like it but I know objectively they're not that good), and that has little to nothing to do with them being YA.

One problem is that the YA version are often so different from the normal comic versions that it is hard to bring the readers over.

Not always, or even often. I've only read a handful of DC's YA stuff, but their YA Lois Lane trilogy of novels works as a great origin that you could easily see fitting the comic book version of the character. Her YA OGN is a believable origin too, although not as good as a story as the novels (again, objectively, subjectively I love that OGN, cute and fun and had me laughing that whole morning). Under the Moon A Catwoman Tale was another good origin that totally fits the character and feels right and shit is it deeper than many of the normal "adult/us" comics I've read. Batman Overdrive is a cute origin of Batman for the younger set that feels very much like normal Bruce, and the adaptation of Batman Nightwalker also feels very much normal teen Bruce Wayne.

They might differ in continuity from our comics, or introduce a few original supporting characters, but the books I've read very much felt like the characters to me. So not all of them are that different - honestly just from the sampling of YA DC I've done, I think the very different takes are more likely the exception than the rule. I haven't read them, but the most different takes I think might be Harley Quinn Breaking Glass and Gotham High. And honestly I don't have a problem with some books like that existing - they're the minority, and can work as entertaining Elseworlds. I mean look at the Black Label lines of books, you got books like Harleen that easily could slip into main continuity with little problem, so character accurate, and then you also get Criminal Sanity where Harley is a criminal profiler actively hunting the Joker and zero chance of turning into his girlfriend/stooge (don't tell me how it ends, I only read the first book before deciding to just get the trade one day).

I think we as fans just focus on the weird outliers we see and hear about and judge the whole category that way, especially since most of us haven't read the books. But honestly most of them very much get the characters pretty right and are fairly good to great stories to boot. I mean, the Kids and YA market has given us the greatest Superman story in years with Smashes the Klan. And that book is so much in keeping with the character.