Say all you want about Marvel Comics, but at least:

[LAWtoyoto 432]

Say all you want about Marvel Comics, but at least they release 'Variety' titles for us to choose from. Unlike DC Comics, which released half of the publishing lineups are Batbooks.

Although Marvel relys 'Spidey' and 'X-books' for being a top selling franchise, nowadays, 'Venom', 'Daredevil', 'Immortal hulk' and freaking 'Moon Knight' (Who is a B-Listed) have stronger sellers with most of the batbooks.

Marvel feels like they'd be thrilled if Moon Knight started to outsell the X-Men, while DC seems horrified if other hero solo run outselling Batbooks.

I know a lot of people doesn't like the writing quality for the flagship teambooks like 'Avengers' and 'Fantastic Four'. If you hate it, then you tries other variety titles you can choose from. But in DC Comics, if you don't want to read batbooks. Then you are left with no choices (if your favourite superheroes is B/C Listed). Even if you buy 'Action Comics','The Flash' and 'Wonder Woman' book, their sales couldn't subtain the same strong numbers like those 'X-books'.

Of course, you say all you want about the staff and management at Marvel Comics, but at least it's not worse than what you see at DC Comics.

[Tony Stark]

Me and some of the owners of my LCS were talking about this and they said the same exact thing. Variety for Marvel is well and nothing but Batbooks for DC.

[Vic Vega]

You aren't wrong but give DC credit for making a honest effort to spread out it's lineup.

What happened was when books like Blue Beetle, Frankenstein, Earth 2, Swamp Thing and The Terrifics either stopped selling or never sold at all DC doubled down on Batman, which always sells.

DC tried to give the fans variety but they didn't want it... So they stopped.

[Outburstz]

Honestly I don't blame DC. Their fans completely rejected any an all new books that weren't Bat family related it was insane. That Amazon Historia book was just flat out beautiful.

[Digifiend]

You aren't wrong but give DC credit for making a honest effort to spread out it's lineup.

What happened was when books like Blue Beetle, Frankenstein, Earth 2, Swamp Thing and The Terrifics either stopped selling or never sold at all DC doubled down on Batman, which always sells.

DC tried to give the fans variety but they didn't want it... So they stopped.

The latest Swamp Thing was a mini that did well enough to get a sequel. The Terrifics was actually the most popular title in the New Age of DC Heroes line. And didn't Earth-2's sales only sink after a creative team change a couple of years into the run?

[Marvell2100]

DC does put out quite a bit of Bat-themed books but they're also putting out Milestone and the horror comics. Milestone and the GL book by Redjack are the only DC books I'm currently reading.

I did like the Superman and The Authority mini that came out and I'll probably get the trade of their story in Action Comics.

It's probably safer to say that the majority of DCU is filled with Bat-books and that can be a turn off.

[Iron Maiden]

Say all you want about Marvel Comics, but at least they release 'Variety' titles for us to choose from. Unlike DC Comics, which released half of the publishing lineups are Batbooks.

Although Marvel relys 'Spidey' and 'X-books' for being a top selling franchise, nowadays, 'Venom', 'Daredevil', 'Immortal hulk' and freaking 'Moon Knight' (Who is a B-Listed) have stronger sellers with most of the batbooks.

Marvel feels like they'd be thrilled if Moon Knight started to outsell the X-Men, while DC seems horrified if other hero solo run outselling Batbooks.

I know a lot of people doesn't like the writing quality for the flagship teambooks like 'Avengers' and 'Fantastic Four'. If you hate it, then you tries other variety titles you can choose from. But in DC Comics, if you don't want to read batbooks. Then you are left with no choices (if your favourite superheroes is B/C Listed). Even if you buy 'Action Comics','The Flash' and 'Wonder Woman' book, their sales couldn't subtain the same strong numbers like those 'X-books'.

Of course, you say all you want about the staff and management at Marvel Comics, but at least it's not worse than what you see at DC Comics.

I've been saying the same thing for a while. DC should just change their name to Batman Comics. Is it because that's the only character the writers/artists want to work on?

[Digifiend]

DC's already named after Batman, lol. Detective Comics is one of Batman's main books, and the one the company is named after.

[skyvolt2000]

Me and some of the owners of my LCS were talking about this and they said the same exact thing. Variety for Marvel is well and nothing but Batbooks for DC.

A LOT of store owners will admit that. Most just don't want to say it on the record.

Yet notice you don't hear those owners crying about Marvel books like they did in 2015. Suddenly they like that variety. Especially from the indy book side.

Their fans completely rejected any an all new books that weren't Bat family related it was insane.

While that does play a factor. We also have to look at what books were trainwrecks and how much damage was done to characters by PREVIOUS folks in charge.

Folks want to bash Bendis for Young Justice but he was NOT the one that ruined those guys.

Tim, Conner & Impulse account for almost 500 solo issues. Trying to keep Batman and the gang young screwed them over.
How many characters who SOLD got tossed aside?
How many never got a second shot at solo run? Especially those of color?
How many never got a SHOT?

It takes time to get those fans back if they comeback.

[Username taken]

It wasn't always like this.

Somewhere along the line in recent times, the rest of DCs line completely fell off. I don't know what the reason is but it happened.

I think part of the problem is that there doesn't seem to be a lot of "top creators" on DC books at the moment.

I don't really agree that DC can't do anything about it besides selling Batman books. If DC wants Titans or Superman or other books to sell more, they have to put high-profile creators on them. Or at least creators that have some sort of "reputation". Aquaman had a billion-dollar movie and I don't even know who's writing the book currently. Wonder Woman had a movie that was a cultural phenomenon and again I don't even know or understand what's happening with the character.

Batman is Batman and will always sell, it's time to spread the talent pool across the entire line. Although it's going to get a lot tougher because with Image and now Substack coming up, a lot more creators are more interested in doing their own thing rather than slave to the big tow.

[ed2962]

It wasn't always like this.

Somewhere along the line in recent times, the rest of DCs line completely fell off. I don't know what the reason is but it happened.

I think part of the problem is that there doesn't seem to be a lot of "top creators" on DC books at the moment.

I don't really agree that DC can't do anything about it besides selling Batman books. If DC wants Titans or Superman or other books to sell more, they have to put high-profile creators on them. Or at least creators that have some sort of "reputation". Aquaman had a billion-dollar movie and I don't even know who's writing the book currently. Wonder Woman had a movie that was a cultural phenomenon and again I don't even know or understand what's happening with the character.

Batman is Batman and will always sell, it's time to spread the talent pool across the entire line. Although it's going to get a lot tougher because with Image and now Substack coming up, a lot more creators are more interested in doing their own thing rather than slave to the big tow.

I agree. For a long time DC company wide had a lot more variety than Marvel, but recently fell off. I'm not sure what happened either. I'd suggest it has something to do with the losses of Paul Levitz and Karen Berger, the ending of their side lines like Vertigo, then creators being upset with changes to their standard contracts...plus upheavals in management have had something to do with it. The people who are there now seem to not have a clear direction for the company.

[charliehustle415]

A LOT of store owners will admit that. Most just don't want to say it on the record.

Yet notice you don't hear those owners crying about Marvel books like they did in 2015. Suddenly they like that variety. Especially from the indy book side.




While that does play a factor. We also have to look at what books were trainwrecks and how much damage was done to characters by PREVIOUS folks in charge.

Folks want to bash Bendis for Young Justice but he was NOT the one that ruined those guys.

Tim, Conner & Impulse account for almost 500 solo issues. Trying to keep Batman and the gang young screwed them over.
How many characters who SOLD got tossed aside?
How many never got a second shot at solo run? Especially those of color?
How many never got a SHOT?

It takes time to get those fans back if they comeback.

This fact alone infuriates me so much.

These books were my bread and butter as a kid and to see them never get solo titles again sucks.

This is one of the biggest reasons why I stopped buying DC.

[Anthony W]

Say all you want about Marvel Comics, but at least they release 'Variety' titles for us to choose from. Unlike DC Comics, which released half of the publishing lineups are Batbooks.

Although Marvel relys 'Spidey' and 'X-books' for being a top selling franchise, nowadays, 'Venom', 'Daredevil', 'Immortal hulk' and freaking 'Moon Knight' (Who is a B-Listed) have stronger sellers with most of the batbooks.

Marvel feels like they'd be thrilled if Moon Knight started to outsell the X-Men, while DC seems horrified if other hero solo run outselling Batbooks.

I know a lot of people doesn't like the writing quality for the flagship teambooks like 'Avengers' and 'Fantastic Four'. If you hate it, then you tries other variety titles you can choose from. But in DC Comics, if you don't want to read batbooks. Then you are left with no choices (if your favourite superheroes is B/C Listed). Even if you buy 'Action Comics','The Flash' and 'Wonder Woman' book, their sales couldn't subtain the same strong numbers like those 'X-books'.

Of course, you say all you want about the staff and management at Marvel Comics, but at least it's not worse than what you see at DC Comics.

Marvel! At least we aren't DC!

[Iron Maiden]

DC's already named after Batman, lol. Detective Comics is one of Batman's main books, and the one the company is named after.

Didn't they call it Direct Current for a while?

[Frontier]

I mean, it's not perfect, but I think it's unfair to say there's no variety in DC's current lineup.