Rumour: A Third Wave of Job Cuts for DC & WB in The New Year?

[John Venus]

Marvel was almost bankrupt in the late 90's, now they are one of the most lucrative pop culture power houses. This doesn't mean DC is guaranteed to bounce back like Marvel did but that it does set a precedent. It's going to take strong leader ship in multiple areas for them to move out of this quagmire. Until then it really does look like DC is going to end up either licensing their IP's to other publishers or they will end up outright selling them for a quick change.

[SecretWarrior]

Marvel was almost bankrupt in the late 90's, now they are one of the most lucrative pop culture power houses. This doesn't mean DC is guaranteed to bounce back like Marvel did but that it does set a precedent. It's going to take strong leader ship in multiple areas for them to move out of this quagmire. Until then it really does look like DC is going to end up either licensing their IP's to other publishers or they will end up outright selling them for a quick change.

I wonder if they'd start by licensing smaller names like Booster Gold or the Outsiders, or if they'd go with the big guns from the go.

IDW/Darkhorse Action Comics starring Superman, with a Wonder Woman backup.

IDW/Darkhorse Detective Comics starring Batman, with a Green Lantern backup.

IDW/Darkhorse Justice League, with a Legion or Titans backup.

[seismic-2]

it can get good comics, but you can also get disastrous ones for characters, without someone safeguarding the legacy of those characters.

If DC really cared about the comics they could still exercise control over their use, by making it a term of the licensing agreement that scripts had to be approved by DC, or at least that significant changes to the characters had to be. Howver, Warners probably doesn't care what another publisher would do with the characters in their comic books, since Warners cares only about protecting the IP for movie and television use, and the vast majority of the audiences for those media have no idea what is happening to those characters in the comic books, and they don't care.

[Jabare]

It wouldn't be surprising a lot of big companies are hemorrhaging. It will take a long time for some households and businesses to fully recover, if they ever do, from this pandemic.

DC isn't going under; their IP's are too valuable (potentially). Movie and tv properties etc. The traditional print comics have been hurting for a while now. It might behoove DC to adopt some more progressive digital policies as the manga and manhwa industries have.

[Jekyll]

It wouldn't be surprising a lot of big companies are hemorrhaging. It will take a long time for some households and businesses to fully recover, if they ever do, from this pandemic.

DC isn't going under; their IP's are too valuable (potentially). Movie and tv properties etc. The traditional print comics have been hurting for a while now. It might behoove DC to adopt some more progressive digital policies as the manga and manhwa industries have.

Licensing out their IPs might not be the worst thing to happen. At the very least the stories couldn’t be as bad as they are now. However, it will probably just be Batman and friends at this point into the foreseeable future.

[Frontier]

Licensing out their IPs might not be the worst thing to happen. At the very least the stories couldn’t be as bad as they are now. However, it will probably just be Batman and friends at this point into the foreseeable future.

I think it would depend on a lot of factors.

[Goldrake]

Licensing out their IPs might not be the worst thing to happen. At the very least the stories couldn’t be as bad as they are now. However, it will probably just be Batman and friends at this point into the foreseeable future.

Or they could be worse, if there aren't people who don't care for these characters. its all about writers wanting to leave “their stamp” on the character instead of celebrating the character as established. The goal of a writer should be to leave the character in a better shape than he/she got them. By making them greater, not personal takes according to your tastes/views.
These characters have been around before most of us, they have history, legacies that no writer should be permitted to throw them away.

[Will Evans]

But damn, talk about the ultimate crossover leading to the ultimate American Comic Book universe integration. For a time at least (a year or two minimum), Disney would have a license to print money due to public curiosity.

It wouldn’t be worth it long term there guy

[superduperman]

Or....Disney?

If anything DC should be the one buying Valiant. We just want DC comics to live on, not some crossover team-up.

Marvel will sue your ass just for acknowledging Spider-Man exists. I prefer not to go through that with DC characters. Someone shouldn't have to worry about getting sued for using the word "Kryptonite".

[Celgress]

It wouldn’t be worth it long term there guy

But the short-term would be truly glorious even if it turns into a train wreck.

[LifeIsILL]

Licensing out their IPs might not be the worst thing to happen. At the very least the stories couldn’t be as bad as they are now. However, it will probably just be Batman and friends at this point into the foreseeable future.

Or they could be worse, if there aren't people who don't care for these characters. its all about writers wanting to leave “their stamp” on the character instead of celebrating the character as established. The goal of a writer should be to leave the character in a better shape than he/she got them. By making them greater, not personal takes according to your tastes/views.
These characters have been around before most of us, they have history, legacies that no writer should be permitted to throw them away.

Or it could just be Elseworld type stories over and over again.

While Elseworld stories aren't bad, everyone acts pretty much out-of-character. You just get Injustice pretty much.

[Goldrake]

Or it could just be Elseworld type stories over and over again.

While Elseworld stories aren't bad, everyone acts pretty much out-of-character. You just get Injustice pretty much.

end result you lose the soul of these characters, instead of increasing their standings and popularity especially lesser known characters, it will push away potential new fans besides old ones.
These characters have successfully passed through generations because of their legacy. Take that away and you can have just a character who can be anyone and none.

[Agent Z]

Or it could just be Elseworld type stories over and over again.

While Elseworld stories aren't bad, everyone acts pretty much out-of-character. You just get Injustice pretty much.

People act out-of-character in main continuity as well. It isn't inherently bad and sometimes can work depending on execution. And it's a lot easier to deal with in a separate universe.

[DrNewGod]

Just something I'd find neat. I think back on how good 52 was. It featured a number of characters tangential to DC's biggest IPs, but none of the main players. What if DC were to license out a lot of their seldom or no-longer used characters for a Five-Years later-verse?

[Frontier]

Just something I'd find neat. I think back on how good 52 was. It featured a number of characters tangential to DC's biggest IPs, but none of the main players. What if DC were to license out a lot of their seldom or no-longer used characters for a Five-Years later-verse?

I just don't see what's inherent about the concept that would require, basically, outsourcing.