When is DC going to actually USE the multiverse?

[GlennSimpson]

That wasn't me, but to be fair, the Earth 2 was for a renamed pre-Flashpoint world, not what DC has ever called Earth 2 (nu52 or pre-COIE). In any case, we're talking about what we'd like to see in superhero comics. You may think the relative realism and possibility of existence for those series is a factor for appropriateness of conversation, but we're talking about funny books starring men in capes, tights (and formerly underwear on the outside). If someone wants to see a maxi-series starring the Lieutenant Marvels, or to ;ist the 12 books they'd put on a DC Earth 2 (historic or nu 52 varieties). I still have conversations about which of Charlie's Angels I'd date (note: these are all except for Farrah, 'cuz everyone would pick Farrah) despite the absurdity and unrealism of the actuality (see: Mary Ann vs Ginger).

If anyone cares, Kate Jackson and Mary Ann.

That's cool. I tend to only talk about things that have some possibility of happening, and that would fit with what would appear to be best for DC. Anything else seems useless and self-destructive to me, but whatevers.

[Lairston]

Why does dividing comics/stories into sub-groups "divide" the audience? I loathe the Earth-0 Superman, but I've enjoyed other titles set on Earth-0. If what I'm suggesting happened, I'd be likely to not only by the books set on the Earths I want to see, but also, those set on whatever the "main Earth" would be. Is DC "dividing the audience" by setting titles on Earth-2? By publishing Multiversity? Justice League 3000? Convergence?

I think many people would be buying both earths. When they created Vertigo people still bought the DCU properties that were sent to Vertigo like Swamp Thing without caring they weren't in the main universe anymore..

And people bought the Elseworlds books which some I wish they'd have made on-goings or minis to expand some of them. I have a Masters in HIstory with some ancient history. I'd like to see them put Superman in an Ancient Greek historical period that I think would be interesting based on something that happened back then

And people are buying the Earth One graphic novels. I wish they'd make an Earth One Superman on-going.

[Doctor Bifrost]

I think DC is under the impression, right or wrong, that their biggest audience wants things to all take place on the same Earth, with clear connections.

I wonder how they would know that. All I can add personally is: not me.

[Doctor Bifrost]

That's cool. I tend to only talk about things that have some possibility of happening, and that would fit with what would appear to be best for DC. Anything else seems useless and self-destructive to me, but whatevers.

Oh. You're being THAT guy. Is this ironic?

Some fans have fun imagining, and talking about, the stories and series they would most like to see.

Some fans have fun figuring out, and explaining to all, which moves on the part of DC would maximize the bottom line.

I'm not sure why either of those things should be considered useless and self-destructive. I can see why some of them might be considered fun.

(Some fans, of course, do other things. It's a big community.)

[t hedge coke]

Of course, with so many of the 52 universes being proxy universes or based in older comics, I wonder how many of us are reading those old comics or those other publishers? Are we reading Savage Dragon and Avengers and Howard Chaykin's space tragedies and Mid-Century Batgirl? Because those worlds are all out there.

There are, really, so many Captain Marvel comics that, if you really really really needed them, you could probably find a good chunk that wouldn't cost an actual whole fortune, and Superman or Batman won't show up in them. Some of those are even public domain and digitized, aren't they?

[GlennSimpson]

Oh. You're being THAT guy. Is this ironic?

Some fans have fun imagining, and talking about, the stories and series they would most like to see.

Some fans have fun figuring out, and explaining to all, which moves on the part of DC would maximize the bottom line.

I'm not sure why either of those things should be considered useless and self-destructive. I can see why some of them might be considered fun.

(Some fans, of course, do other things. It's a big community.)

I wouldn't want to even suggest things that would cause DC to lose money and therefore stop being able to produce the comics I do enjoy.

[Trey Strain]

It's not about quantity of good stories, Trey. It's about variety. There's no way you could tell a story like Batman: Red Rain or Superman: Red Son on Prime Earth. Anything concerning the Crime Syndicate is likewise impossible without some sort of multi-world structure (although the late-90s “JLA: Earth 2” managed quite nicely with just a matter/antimatter pair of worlds). They tried fitting Milestone onto Prime Earth; that didn't go well. They're still trying to get Wildstorm to work. The Captain Marvel of Earth-5 has something that Prime Earth's Shazam lacks, and the Freedom Fighters never really worked out as well post-Crisis as they did when they were fighting for freedom on Earth-X. There isn't room on Prime Earth for both Classic Wally and New Wally, unless you pull a CSA or Lois and Clark and make Classic Wally another refugee from another world. And so on.

It's all well and good to go to lots of trouble to set things up so that you can tell stories. But at a certain point you need to stop setting things up and tell some good stories. That's the job of a comics company. And based on the sales, I question just how much variety people crave. There aren't that many things that sell.

[Xon-Ur]

I think many people would be buying both earths. When they created Vertigo people still bought the DCU properties that were sent to Vertigo like Swamp Thing without caring they weren't in the main universe anymore..

And people bought the Elseworlds books which some I wish they'd have made on-goings or minis to expand some of them. I have a Masters in HIstory with some ancient history. I'd like to see them put Superman in an Ancient Greek historical period that I think would be interesting based on something that happened back then

And people are buying the Earth One graphic novels. I wish they'd make an Earth One Superman on-going.

Exactly. Glenn Simpson would have you believe that his opinion is the "way things are" and what DC believes. People have been buying titles set on different universes for decades now. All I'm suggesting is labeling the books and setting more than 1 or 2 titles on Earths other than the "main DC Earth." I'm also with you on the Earth One Superman ongoing. JMS' stuff has been the best Superman content put out by DC since 2011.

I wonder how they would know that. All I can add personally is: not me.

They don't know that, any more than Glenn here knows it. He's passing his opinion off as fact. Just like the Comic Book Guy in his avatar, who he warns us all to avoid behaving like while behaving that way himself.

Oh. You're being THAT guy. Is this ironic?

Some fans have fun imagining, and talking about, the stories and series they would most like to see.

Some fans have fun figuring out, and explaining to all, which moves on the part of DC would maximize the bottom line.

I'm not sure why either of those things should be considered useless and self-destructive. I can see why some of them might be considered fun.

(Some fans, of course, do other things. It's a big community.)

It's a community, but specifically, an online community devoted to just what you're talking about here: imagining, discussing, sharing ideas. That's why this forum is here, not for one person to tell everyone else they're wrong for having opinions that aren't his to stop having those opinions.

I wouldn't want to even suggest things that would cause DC to lose money and therefore stop being able to produce the comics I do enjoy.

You have too high an opinion of your own power. This is a forum for discussion and suggestion. If you're just going to tell us not to do that, please leave and go to another community.

[superduperman]

I think people are sort of misunderstanding my intention. I'm not saying that you need to set up an ongoing for each universe or something (though you could sell me on the Sliders style premise of a team going to various Earths pretty easily) but why not do minis for some of these worlds? Like pulp Earth or Shazam Earth. I think some of them have potential for an ongoing like the Shazam Earth or the Charlton Earth. But test the waters first. I just wondered why they were so eager to fill up their multiverse unless they already had some ideas for it in the works. Why does Earth 16 exist, for example? Or the amalgamated world? That one looks like a lot of fun assuming they do it right. I had hoped that Multiversity was an opening for some future ideas.

[mr_crisp]

I think the reason the multiverse isn't being used that much is that writers only have so many stories planned out for their run and it takes nowadays six issues to tell one story.

[upgrayedd]

I wouldn't want to even suggest things that would cause DC to lose money and therefore stop being able to produce the comics I do enjoy.

so... Meat and potatoes for everyone!

[Captain Britain of Earth 20]

It would be nice to see them start using other worlds again like they were pre-COIE

Agreed especially Earth 20 and somewhere the pre 52 Justice Society of America is active would be nice along with the Multiversity team that protects the multiverse like Marvel's Exiles & Heralds

[Doctor Bifrost]

I wouldn't want to even suggest things that would cause DC to lose money and therefore stop being able to produce the comics I do enjoy.

Huh.

You know, people telling DC what they actually would like to see in comics is input that they can use - along with other information - to try to figure out what might be profitable.

I'm not sure you're doing DC (or anybody) any favors by censoring yourself and not telling them what you really want, because you've figured out (somehow) it wouldn't be cost-effective and therefore might bankrupt them.

Many fans think that it is interesting to talk about what they like, and to hear what other fans like, and why. They don't spend much time worrying that DC will witlessly cater to their interests and thus go out of business.

But if that's the way you want to play it, then whatevers.

[Dataweaver]

It's all well and good to go to lots of trouble to set things up so that you can tell stories. But at a certain point you need to stop setting things up and tell some good stories. That's the job of a comics company.

Yep; and that's what this thread is about: now that DC has set things up for the Multiverse, it's time for them to start telling some good stories set in the Multiverse. In addition to Earth-2 (rebooted, because they've made a royal mess of it), I could go for a Thunderworld comic (Captain Marvel FTW), a Batman Beyond comic (set on Earth-12 and featuring Terry), a Freedom Fighters mini-series set on Earth-10, and maybe even a retooled Earth-16 title.

And based on the sales, I question just how much variety people crave. There aren't that many things that sell.

There aren't that many things that are well-written.

[GlennSimpson]

Huh.

You know, people telling DC what they actually would like to see in comics is input that they can use - along with other information - to try to figure out what might be profitable.

I'm not sure you're doing DC (or anybody) any favors by censoring yourself and not telling them what you really want, because you've figured out (somehow) it wouldn't be cost-effective and therefore might bankrupt them.

Many fans think that it is interesting to talk about what they like, and to hear what other fans like, and why. They don't spend much time worrying that DC will witlessly cater to their interests and thus go out of business.

But if that's the way you want to play it, then whatevers.

Well, of course you're not telling DC anything here. DC doesn't review these boards. Mainly because this is a hardcore group that doesn't actually represent the larger, more casual readership.

But also, if what you (the rhetorical you) wants is utterly counter to what DC seems to have been pushing towards over the last few years, then yeah, it's probably a bad idea. Because the people who actually know more about what they are doing, with better information about what is going on in the industry, are doing something different from what you are asking for.