Archie Comics: Dark Circle Comics (2015)

[alton]

Don't forget, there will be a two-issue Swamp Thing title during Convergence:

http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2014/11...risis-coolness

Then we have to see what DC does with him after that.

In my opinion approximately 3-4 of the 2 issue releases like this one are the only good things about the bloated Convergence. What are we looking for to begin with? 10 titles a week which translates to 40 titles in the first month? Like talk about Market driven vs. Story driven in the above interview. Well this is better discussed on another thread. Let's stick to Archie/Dark Circle here.

[Stormcrow]

There's another interview with Duane Swierczynski at Comics Alliance about the Black Hood, if you want to check it out.

I'd heard of the launch but didn't really pay attention until now since I wasn't familiar with the character even though I quite like the creators. I went back and read all of the previous interviews and by this point I'm completely on board. Looking forward to it!

[Dylan Davison]

Unless this is a digital first offering that will then have a later print component, I won't be picking it up.

It looks like it's digital only. At least it seems to be a digital exclusive. Why would that make you not pick it up? I thought the first series was digtial? Then released in trades. Am I mistaken? If so sorry haha. My mistake.

Also, the first four issues of the Red Circle Shield stuff is free on the Archie app.The rest say coming soon. They will be available through all of Archie’s major digital partners, including iVerse, ComiXology, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Google and more.

And all of these;

BLACK HOOD (Impact) #1-2
BLACK HOOD (Red Circle) #1-3
ORIGINAL SHIELD (Red Circle) #1-4

are currently on here:
Dark Circle Comixology
For a price.


More info:

Additional titles will continue to be added spanning both the Impact and Red Circle publication histories alongside the new ongoing Dark Circle Comics series.
Available in March:
New Crusaders: Dark Tomorrow Special
The New Crusaders return in this new Dark Circle Comics Special! Still reeling from the shocking death of their teammate during the events of New Crusaders: Rise of the Heroes, the group has no time to rest as a new threat attacks Impact City. There’s no room for failure—the brutal Ragnarok claims to wield the power of a god, and has no problem sending the heroes home in bodybags. Can the New Crusaders pull themselves together and avert catastrophe?

Source

[MajorHoy]

It looks like it's digital only. At least it seems to be a digital exclusive. Why would that make you not pick it up? I thought the first series was digtial? Then released in trades. Am I mistaken? If so sorry haha. My mistake.

I believe the first series was originally released as a digital comic and then print issues as well as a tpb. I bought it as a trade paperback.

I'm an old school type of guy. I want my comic books on paper.
Also, I only have a desktop computer . . . I don't do "apps" or read digital comic books. If they do digital-only, it just means to me they don't want my $'s / my support. That's their choice.

Also, the first four issues of the Red Circle Shield stuff is free on the Archie app. The rest say coming soon.

That's nice, but I bought all the original !mpact line when they first came out from DC, and I went and bought just about all the Red Circle/Archie Crusaders-related titles from the 1980s back in the mid-to-late 80s.

[Dylan Davison]

I believe the first series was originally released as a digital comic and then print issues as well as a tpb. I bought it as a trade paperback.

I'm an old school type of guy. I want my comic books on paper.
Also, I only have a desktop computer . . . I don't do "apps" or read digital comic books. If they do digital-only, it just means to me they don't want my $'s / my support. That's their choice.

Ah, I see. Well I am like you, to a point. I really only read hard copies. But if I did really like something, be it characters or the series itself, and it's only coming out in a digital issue then I will choose to get it that way (unless it is going to show up in TPB), because it's important to me haha. But I totally get where you coming from though. So I understand.

Maybe if it sells enough and gets a new series, Alex said that if it sells well they will know what people want more of and make more of it, or something like that. Then they may print it in a trade with the first volume of the new series maybe? Haha who knows.

That's nice, but I bought all the original !mpact line when they first came out from DC, and I went and bought just about all the Red Circle/Archie Crusaders-related titles from the 1980s back in the mid-to-late 80s.

Ya, I plan to buy as much as the old Shield stuff in physical for as possible. So I will get them in print soon. But the first 4 issues is free, for people who want it. That's never a bad thing lol.

I hope they keep putting more old, free or not, hero stuff out, cause I can't find the stuff before the 80s for The Shield in print. Issue 1-5 of Pep Comics is in a trade, but thats it. So I can't read anything he was in before the 80s. Which sucks. Cause I want to.




Also a new Black Hood interview with Duane:
Comics Alliance interviews Duane!

[Bslythegamerguy]

I'm so tempted to give this a shot, it looks like it would be a fun little universe of characters to follow. But you know what that means? It will be a fun little universe of characters to fall in love with just to see them ripped away from me much like what happened with Crossgen, the entire Project Superpowers line, the Kirby-verse, and finally DH's Project Black Sky.

Is it worth it....? The pain? The heartache?

[MajorHoy]

I'm so tempted to give this a shot, it looks like it would be a fun little universe of characters to follow. But you know what that means? It will be a fun little universe of characters to fall in love with just to see them ripped away from me much like what happened with Crossgen, the entire Project Superpowers line, the Kirby-verse, and finally DH's Project Black Sky.

Is it worth it....? The pain? The heartache?

Honestly?

Probably not.

Safer to wait until they maybe come out in tpb collections in that case, even though waiting until then may cause the company to feel there isn't enough demand for the product in the first place.

[Captain Craig]

I'm so tempted to give this a shot, it looks like it would be a fun little universe of characters to follow. But you know what that means? It will be a fun little universe of characters to fall in love with just to see them ripped away from me much like what happened with Crossgen, the entire Project Superpowers line, the Kirby-verse, and finally DH's Project Black Sky.

Is it worth it....? The pain? The heartache?

I get where you're coming from. However, if after every failed relationship I never risked dating again I wouldn't be engaged now so you just got to keep putting your heart on the line for these new indie universes. Plus, perhaps the epitaph for Dark Horse's PBS is premature....let's hope.

Bright side: VALIANT passes year 3 this summer!!!

[Dylan Davison]

I'm so tempted to give this a shot, it looks like it would be a fun little universe of characters to follow. But you know what that means? It will be a fun little universe of characters to fall in love with just to see them ripped away from me much like what happened with Crossgen, the entire Project Superpowers line, the Kirby-verse, and finally DH's Project Black Sky.

Is it worth it....? The pain? The heartache?

If you are interested, get them. Because once people start thinking it will fail at some point and do not buy it then it will fail haha. Also on a side note, PBS is not ending now. They still have stuff planned it seems. Barb Wire for example. Ghost ended due to sales, but Cap was a planed end. And they have plans for him and her it seems. At least that's the way that it is coming off as.

But if you are interested in getting these you should. Supporting the titles can only help them. And people supporting the title is what will keep it going.

But it's up to you really haha. I for one in super excited for this line. And am willing to give it a chance.

[Lee Stone]

Two pleasant surprises today.
First, that New Crusaders will finally get its sequel.
Second, that the old Impact Comics and 80s Red Circle Comics will get archived digitally. I hope they have the rights for The Fly and reprint the full lines of both imprints. Not that there's a lot to digitize.

Archie gets a +1 from me for this.

[Bslythegamerguy]

I don't like how they can't seem to decide if this is a reboot or a relaunch. Seems like some characters are starting from day one while others are encompassing their previous existence. What's the deal? Also, are these ongoing or revolving mini's? I think revolving mini's are the way to go, honestly.

[MajorHoy]

I don't like how they can't seem to decide if this is a reboot or a relaunch. Seems like some characters are starting from day one while others are encompassing their previous existence. What's the deal? Also, are these ongoing or revolving mini's? I think revolving mini's are the way to go, honestly.

But, at least with Marvel and DC, mini-series get ignored as "unimportant" unless they star guys like Batman or Spider-Man.

As for reboot / relaunch, they did a reboot of sorts when they came out with the New Crusaders in 2012 and (apparently) killed off most of the original members of the Mighty Crusaders. What we got in New Crusaders was the next generation worth, overseen by a really old guy (original Shield). So, they may just be considering this a relaunch of that franchise, as well as new introductions of Black Hood and now a younger, female Shield.

[Dylan Davison]

I don't like how they can't seem to decide if this is a reboot or a relaunch. Seems like some characters are starting from day one while others are encompassing their previous existence. What's the deal? Also, are these ongoing or revolving mini's? I think revolving mini's are the way to go, honestly.

It has always been a relaunch of sorts. They have said since the start that the past has existed, but they are not making it so you have to know the past to read these.

For example, they have said The Shield is not the only Shield, and that Joe still exists but that the new Shield has been alive since the revolutionary war. Also Duane has talked about the Black Hood that came before his new character.

So I feel like the new series won't reference the old stuff and if they do it won't be much. But since New Crusaders does take place in Dark Circle and so does the last Fox series (where Joe Higgins was a main part of that book) we can clearly see the past is there.

Also these are ongoings, I am not sure if mini's would sell to well or get the numbers they want. I am happy that these are ongoings though, I prefer ongoings for things like this. Though I would not mind if they had some mini series.

I get the benefits of minis, they tend to finish even if they don't sell well. So I like that. But I also like having a character I can pick up and read every month, and with rotating minis there is a chance they new mini's won't interest me. That has happened with Valiant and me a few times, for example.

Also I just saw an ad on CBR for The Black Hood, so looks like they are advertising. That's good. I can't wait till the 25th though, it's so close now haha!

[Bslythegamerguy]

This line of books does indeed look fun but like I said before, the Crossgen void has never been fully restored and while Dynamite's pulp books, Project Superpowers, and PBS were close, they never truly made the pain go away. Also, those lines never felt like they were here to stay, and they weren't.

God this looks fun, but I just can't take anymore comic heartache.

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

Honestly?

Probably not.

Safer to wait until they maybe come out in tpb collections in that case, even though waiting until then may cause the company to feel there isn't enough demand for the product in the first place.

the funny (and ironic?) thing is is that mindset/approach is just what contributes to it "not being worth it," as you point out.

If you want the obscure indies to survive, then don't trade-wait them. Support them and order the singles.

but quick side question out of curiosity:
Are the 3 titles in a shared universe?