How could DC Comics sales be revived?

[Denjiro18]

The line is disorganised. Sales of everything not starring Bruce Wayne are down everywhere. Only a few DC books without Batman are featured in the Top 100 comics list each month.

The commentary above is not an opinion, by the way. I can provide links to monthly sales figures and the month's top 100 selling books. Currently, DC Comics is in a terrible position.

How would you resolve this? What would you use as a relaunch? What kind of weeklies would there be, and how many? Why would you choose to do this?

How could iconic figures like Superman and Wonder Woman be revived?


192.168.100.1

[John Venus]

They're already doing some of that, we're in the middle of a slow rebuilding phase for DC but it remains to be seen where it all ultimately leads to:

-More digital content.

-Elseworlds and out of continuity mini series. Though I wish they would put a label on it like 'this takes on Earth 567' or something.

-Titles that appeal to different demographic.

What I wish they would do:

-Launch a bunch of Year Ones and finally confirm what is canon and what is not canon.

-More diversity in tone and genre for titles.

-More back up titles for second and third string characters.

[scary harpy]

I do not think they can.

DC has squandered opportunities. Now, it is too late.

I agree with Chuck Dixon's prediction: eventually DC will be staffed only with managers who license out the IPs (or something like that).

[John Venus]

I agree. There is more money to be made if they just do cross overs. Remember the old DC/Marvel cross overs? Superman meets Spider-Man (again), Batman/Spider (again) or Wonder Woman meets Black Panther (again).

[NaVi]

it is very simple but impossible for DC.
1: You forget about sales and focus on quality, thus slowly attracting the reader.
2: stop focusing everything on Batman (it seems that sales of Batman have also slowly started to fall) and give others the opportunity to be the center, to prove themselves.
3: keep the universe alive outside of comics, video games, tv, movies, whatever, but always focusing on quality.

Basically DC has to become a serious company that looks to the future and not just the immediate present, but we all know that this is impossible.

[John Venus]

Successful adaptations of non-Bat characters is vital as well, imo. It's what draws in new readers and keeps the overall brand healthy.

Stop making just Bat related content. Give other characters a chance to shine without half assing it. It's literally do or die time now.

[jb681131]

They're already doing some of that, we're in the middle of a slow rebuilding phase for DC but it remains to be seen where it all ultimately leads to:

-More digital content.

-Elseworlds and out of continuity mini series. Though I wish they would put a label on it like 'this takes on Earth 567' or something.

-Titles that appeal to different demographic.

What I wish they would do:

-Launch a bunch of Year Ones and finally confirm what is canon and what is not canon.

-More diversity in tone and genre for titles.

-More back up titles for second and third string characters.

I think that, that is more what you'd like, but that they are not realy solutions to revive sales.

I think that all the upcoming original series on HBOmax will boost DC.

DC should put out official reading orders of stuffs.

DC should revive correctly the Vertigo line, or at least have way more non-super stuff, not all mashed up in the "Black Label".

For what is canon or not, we pretty much already know. And for what we are not sure, it can't all be told in "year one" stories, because they don't correspond to all year one stuff.

What's missing in tone and diversity currently at DC?

By curiosity, what digital content is missing?

[Lightning Rider]

Agree with the suggestions put forth. One quirky idea - I wish they sold comic books at movie theaters. Imagine if, after a movie screening, there was a rack/table of titles related to the character, ideally including a #1 of a planned ongoing. Maybe the local stores could get involved and be the ones to man the table. Kids, teens, adults, would all be curious exiting a theater and seeing that opportunity. Imagine how many little girls and women would have bought a Wonder Woman comic fresh from the thrill of seeing her big screen debut?

Now that might incentivize "synergy" between the comics and movies, which I wouldn't want. But if the movies take enough inspiration from the comics as they should, it shouldn't matter too much.

[Username taken]

Haven't comic book sales been going up?

[Johnny]

I don't like their current direction and haven't in a long time, but I don't understand these constant "doom & gloom" narratives about DC. Their sales have been down before too and never spelled demise for them. DC will not go out of business just because what they're currently doing doesn't appear to be working for the time being.

[MajorHoy]

How could DC Comics sales be revived?

[Nomads1]

What I wish they would do:

-Launch a bunch of Year Ones and finally confirm what is canon and what is not canon.

-More diversity in tone and genre for titles.

-More back up titles for second and third string characters.

I wholly agree with part of this. IMHO, less is more. As others have mentioned, DC needs to momentarily forget sales and foccus on reestructuring their Universe. Pull back. Go back to basics. Respect your core characters. Drop the variants and derivatives. There is one Superman, there is one Batman, one Wonder Woman, etc... IMHO, DC is desperatly trying to please everyone and actually pleasing no one. It needs an editor in cheif with a strong hand and a clear view. I don't even care if it's a view I like or even agree with, but there needsto have a definitive backbone for the creators to work around (for exemple, I don't necessarily agree with Snyder's view of the EDCU, but there is no doubt that he had a plan). Personally, I wish the DCU would go back to representing hope and a brighter tommorow. Heroes should be heroes, inspirational and always doing the right thing. Dump the deconstruction trend and go back to building up the characters.

Peace

[Digifiend]

For what is canon or not, we pretty much already know. And for what we are not sure, it can't all be told in "year one" stories, because they don't correspond to all year one stuff.

Yeah, Year Ones aren't going to cover things like the various Justice League or Teen Titans rosters, nor major events and Crisises.

You know that History of the Marvel Universe mini from three years ago? DC version, please.

[skyvolt2000]

Haven't comic book sales been going up?

Yes they have.

However those boosts have come non super hero related books. Mainly from Boom, Image and other companies that have always been around and in some cases were already active in outside of comic book store market.

Image has different versions of Spawn running around. NOBODY is screaming "Al Simmons is the only Spawn".

Red Sonja and Vampirella are getting series after series and NOBODY is throwing shade or fits about what volume they are on.
Image, Valiant, Dynamite, Aftershock, Boom, IDW, Oni Press, Darkhorse, Titan and Scout have tossed out diverse books with diverse leads and NOBODY has thrown a fit about it.
Dynamite books average 5-6 variant covers an issue. NOBODY complains about that.

NOBODY is concerned about sales with those companies. Many of those books like Something is Killing Children and Saga have beaten Dc SOUNDLY.

Yet when DC does ANY of the above-FITS are thrown.
Folks go OUT of their way to belittle diverse books and characters.
Folks will write an essay as to how Duke Thomas and Jace Fox have RUINED Batman.
Wonder Woman is unreadable because of Jara.
"I am offended that Tim Drake's book says Best Robin and Batman wanted Duke to be BETTER than Robin".
One animated cartoon makes Hal Jordan look bad.
These books are UNREADABLE! Why because I looked at the COVER!
How DARE!!!!!!!! DC try to expand readership with New Age Heroes.
How DARE!!!!!!!! DC does Far Sector, Doom Patrol, Shade the Changeling Girl and Mother Panic.
How DARE!!!!!!! DC does OGN with Beast Boy, Raven, Nubia and Aqualad.
Doomsday is here!

Want to fix DC's sales?????

1) Quality of a book does not matter if you choose not to READ it. So that conversation needs to GO. Because too many folks are concerned MORE with WHO is on the cover versus actual story.

2) Everyone needs to worry about the book that they are READING. If one is NOT reading New Batman-the sales on that book are NOT your business. It's not stopping you from reading Flash.

3) Stop hate buying books you don't want.

4) David Walker encourages this-if you like a book write a review about it. Especially on Amazon. If Flash is the best book NO ONE is reading-help to change that.

If someone thinks Hal Jordan is boring-recommend some books instead of John Stewart and Teen Lantern bashing.

If you think a book is bad-EXPLAIN why and leave out the toxic nonsense. Calling Fitzmartin a diversity hire pandering to Twitter and Tumblr does NOT help. Stick to what is in the book.

5) Just because YOU don't like a character does not mean everyone else does. See #2.

6) (blank) is NOT the reason (blank) does not have a book. Peacemaker is NOT the reason why JSA does not have a book.

7) NOTHING is wrong with trying an issue of a book through WHATEVER means you can.

[Johnny]

Of course, it's always the fans' fault. Same song each and every day.