DiDio Talks Post-"Convergence" DC: 'We Should Always Be Looking Forward"

[CBR News]

Dan DiDio talks to CBR about DC Comics' new slate of series, the significance of "Convergence" and the importance of having the publisher under one roof.


Full article here.

[Flash Gordon]

If we're always supposed to be looking forward, give us a LEGION book!

[Lee Stone]

The end of "Convergence," continuity-wise, established that all of this stuff is kind of still out there.

Is that how you interpret it?

It's how it's been interpreted.

That's how it's been interpreted, you're absolutely right. [Laughs]

Do you disagree with that interpretation?

I think what's fun is the conversation that it creates at this moment between the fans. As a longtime fan before joining DC, nobody was ever out there explaining the comic stories to me. We went out and tried to figure it out. I think what you'll see in the future are stories that will help bring some level of clarity to that. But from where we stand right now, I love the conversation. I love the excitement of people trying to figure it out, and make sense of what they see in front of them, and what it might be, or might not be, at the end of the day.

Since "Convergence" was such a big hit, and people were happy to see these earlier versions of characters -- is there at least a possibility that they could be revisited somewhere down the line?

I always feel that we should always be looking forward. I feel very strongly about that. I think we have to be looking to the future. Instead of looking to the past of what we've done, I think we've got to embrace where we're heading, and what things might be coming in the future of our books and characters. Not to discount anything, but realistically, I'm more excited about where we can go than where we've been. This was a great chance to see everybody, but I think after a while, you want to start seeing where we can be going to, and what can be new and fresh.

It's clear when you see what's happening, not just with DC but the other companies -- new ideas, new directions. As long as they're true to the interpretations of the characters, and are recognizable at the core, I think it's very important for us to modernize, update and contemporize where we stand with our characters and stories, looking forward from this point, into the future.

Very interesting.
I can see where this is heading already.

[JBatmanFan05]

Very interesting.
I can see where this is heading already.

Yup, heading towards not doing a bloody thing with pre-FP. Just as I suspected when they had nothing ready and said they will look at Convergence's performance.

They've fooled some fans with Convergence and he's having a good laugh about it. Cha-ching.

Dan: [Convergence] also embraces the sense that DC has changed over the years. That's what it's saying. The fact that we're changing now, again, is just an extension of what we've always done -- so hopefully, with that level of understanding, they'll be able to jump on board and look at the new directions for the characters, and get excited about them now, as they did when they first read them in previous interpretations.

Sorry Dan-O, I'm not jumping on board. Pre-FP titles or nothing. You want diversity and to embrace the future. Do something new for DC and work with your prior main continuities.

[Lee Stone]

What I took from this interview...

1. Jeff King's explanation of the last issue was really just an "interpretation".
2. Didio makes good pr but bad interviews.
3. We will not see any of those characters again. At least not those versions of them.

[Darth Kal-el]

He also did say one book at least was coming directly from convergence. Could be the crisis adventure who knows

[The Celtic Batman]

Convergence was a lot of fun. But Multiversity was off the chart Awesome. And that came out on Didio's watch.
So, yay.

[gwangung]

I think I'll read the comic books that will be coming out.

Much more fun than wallowing in the bile over what was, and always have been (if your IQ is above room temperature), PR speak.

[Hutchimus Prime]

The end of "Convergence," continuity-wise, established that all of this stuff is kind of still out there.

Is that how you interpret it?

Nope, I interpret it as: If you like this old stuff...here's what you get now.

[dcdrew]

So it's all out there but main focus is previous New 52. Not really for me. DC will have to revisit alternate realities like DC brought back the concept in 1989 Elseworlds "Gotham By Gaslight" only 4 years after CRISIS ended Multiverse.

[dcdrew]

I'm sticking with what Jeff King said!

[andersonh1]

Didio, I've got 2 DC books on my pull list right now and for the foreseeable future. I had 25 Convergence tie-ins on my pull list the last few months. Do the math.

Looking forward? To what? More retreads that are hollow imitations of past DC characters? More throwing anything you can think of against the wall, hoping something sticks? No thanks.

[mr_crisp]

"As a longtime fan before joining DC, nobody was ever out there explaining the comic stories to me"

Just imagine if there was somebody telling you what was going on and not what you interpreted.

[hsalf]

I'm okay with moving forward as long as they can bring back Legion, JSA and the missing members of the Flash family in some capacity.

[Joe Kalicki]

Didio, I've got 2 DC books on my pull list right now and for the foreseeable future. I had 25 Convergence tie-ins on my pull list the last few months. Do the math.

Looking forward? To what? More retreads that are hollow imitations of past DC characters? More throwing anything you can think of against the wall, hoping something sticks? No thanks.

They did the math, and there are more people buying the new books than the old ones.