Gossip: DC Comics, Abandoning Comic Shops and Comic Cons?

[kingaliencracker]

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/goss...nd-comic-cons/

[Holt]

From the article.

That the Warner Bros firings of yet more DC Comics senior staffers, and the subsequent fallout across the company is part of a series of measures that will include a switch away from month print comic books towards digital comic book serialisation of stories, then collected in trade paperback sized volumes, or larger, thicker, anthologies aimed at a general mass market, a bookstore market, the bookfair market, the likes of Amazon – and then comic book stores and the direct market almost as an afterthought.

That the content being published and publicised will be pulled back to characters and storylines that have a big multi-media presence, so we're basically talking Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Flash, Green Lantern, Harley Quinn, and Suicide Squad.

Bleeding Cool named a number of redundancies made by Warner Bros in recent days as well as adding further details as to what was taking place at the publisher the day afterwards, later partially corroborated by Comics Beat. No other comics news source has reported further details as yet. This may be because DC Comics has not issued any official press release.

It is notable that the naming of the departure of the likes of Adam Philips, Director, Marketing Services and Stuart Schreck, Sales Manager with 47 years at DC Comics between them were the principal figures who dealt with the direct market of comic book retailers, which led to much lamenting from comic shop owners as a result.

The other thing to bear in mind is that is this were to happen, and that is still up in the air, it wouldn't be for some time. DC is publishing their February solicitations tomorrow, whatever the DC Omniverse thing is meant to kick off in March, with a big company-wide relaunch and the return of titles such as Harley Quinn. Another lead creator is meant to be taking over both Superman titles, just as Brian Bendis did. And Brian Bendis has a big event to follow as well – and then there are the greenlit Black Label books, the YA and Kids OGNs and much more -all this is baked into current DC Comics schedules, which have seen a number of titles such as Batgirl, Young Justice and Hawkman come to an end in recent weeks. So if this does happen – don't expect it any time soon. Just watch for the signs as the company starts to change gear.

Something more solid is the rumour at DC Comics have made the decision to no longer have a strong comic book presence at comic book conventions in the fashion they have before, any appearance will now be subsumed into Warner Bros presence. We have seen a move in that direction at New York Comic Con, but San Diego Comic-Con still had DC Comics doing the full month. Not any more, and the departure of Fletcher Chu-Fong as DC Events Director after 18 years is seen as further proof of that. Not that there are any conventions to appear at right now, but this is a decision made going forward.

Much of these decisions come down to the Warner Bros Burbank offices, and DC Comics having to justify the space the company uses with them – even as everyone is working from home. So comic books that would make a profit at other publishers, are in the red at DC Comics. Which might also mean that other publishers would be keen to license titles that DC Comics has no current interest in publishing right now, able to monetise them without Warner Bros overheads on the balance sheet. However, I understand from those who have made enquiries that the suggested price demanded by Warners for such a thing is too high for anyone in the direct market. If Warners have chosen not to publish a comic, and someone else thinks they can make a profit doing so, it would have to be an unachievable profit for Warners to agree, as things stand.

[Dark Falz]

Whether this rumor is true or not, I think this sort of thing is inevitable. Again, if true, I guess it took a pandemic, getting smashed in sales by scholastic comics, and putting people in charge who aren't sentimental to conventional comics accoutrements like floppies and comic stores for the company to finally make that big jump. If it isn't true now, it will likely be true sometime in the near future.

Personally, I think that's potentially good news for the company, because I think that's what should be done because it makes sense, but I don't know how adept DC would be in rather uncharted waters like that. They could either navigate them well, or totally sink, because a lot--possibly (probably) most--of their audience more or less likes things the way they are now (they largely hate digital and like comics shops), even if they may recognize there's something wrong with the system.

[Noodle]

It would be stupid to abandon comic cons. The cons pay them to be there, it's free publicity for upcoming books, and the writers/artists that work for them will be there anyway as they often run their own tables to make money. Even if they abandon shops or even go digital-only, you still need to promote what you're trying to sell.

[vasir12]

It would be stupid to abandon comic cons. The cons pay them to be there, it's free publicity for upcoming books, and the writers/artists that work for them will be there anyway as they often run their own tables to make money. Even if they abandon shops or even go digital-only, you still need to promote what you're trying to sell.

It is most definitely not free for them, as the company as to spend a lot to probably present, not to mention to cost of travel.

That's why so many sites were emphasizing how cost effective FanDome was.

[sifighter]

It is most definitely not free for them, as the company as to spend a lot to probably present, not to mention to cost of travel.

That's why so many sites were emphasizing how cost effective FanDome was.

I’m not sure if I expect less cons, it’s possible but I would still expect artists and writers to go, but I would definitely expect more FanDomes

[skyvolt2000]

It is most definitely not free for them, as the company as to spend a lot to probably present, not to mention to cost of travel.

That's why so many sites were emphasizing how cost effective FanDome was.

Not everyone does online. You would lose them and that walk up money and networking.

Now there are ways to save money and still go to cons.

Since this is DC-who is owned by AT&T-the places that they go all have a CW network. Send them to those local cons. The ones who have new shows will be there anyway.

[Noodle]

It is most definitely not free for them, as the company as to spend a lot to probably present, not to mention to cost of travel.

That's why so many sites were emphasizing how cost effective FanDome was.

A company like DC isn't paying to present. The cons pay DC to be there. The most they would pay is travel costs as often the larger cons pay for the hotel costs of their guests.

Online conventions are cheaper for the people that run the conventions as they don't have to book venues or pay for said hotel costs. DC doesn't run conventions aside from Fandom this year.