The DC Comics Reboot - Part 2

[hildebabble]

If you read Part 1 you know where I'm coming from and why I'm not thrilled with the decision to hit the reset button on the DC Universe. And DC seems to be turning a deaf ear towards most objections in their fanbase, preferring instead to congratulate themselves on a job well done that most people never asked them to do in the first place

Comments

[forgetthatkiss]

Read your part 1 as well, and very well said! I absolutly agree with you on many points. But you probably already knew that! I don't feel like this reboot was nessisary. Being in marketing, I strongly believe that they could have achieved the same sales without the reboot with the right marketing. Slapping a #1 on a comic doesn't nessisarly make it a "jumping on point" for new readers. I don't think any of the new 52 were any better jumping on points than usual. In fact, you brought up one point that constantly bothers me:

"most of them feel like first chapters instead of self-contained storylines.

I feel like most writers write for the trade instead of the issue these days. I have a problem with that because I have always believed that EVERY issue should be a jumping on point. I don't see why a good writer can't do a quick one page summary on what's going on. Read any old Spider-Man comic and you'll probably find a line on the first page mentioning him getting bit by a radio active spider. Yeah, we all know that, but a new reader might not mind the refresher. It only took one whole line to get that across. When I start reading a new comic, I just grab one and jump in. I expect the writer to do his job and string me along. If he doesn't, I don't continue reading, simple as that!

I actually have this new idea for comics... call me crazy but, just stop putting issue numbers on the covers. If that is what the comic industry really thinks is the barrier to entry, then just take them off the covers! Have "Part 1 of 6 in Such-and-Such story!" instead. Put the series number in fine print on the inside for the die hards. I don't see why it has to be on the cover. Simple!

[hildebabble]

Excellent point! If they're going to write for the trade anyway, then they should just take it all the way and structure each storyline to 6- or 7-issues. Or two 3-issue minis.

That way people (like me!) would have much more faith in just waiting for a trade, because I'd know it would have a contained story and not just a string of one-shots I could have bought separately, from multiple titles. Then they could get the trades onto the shelves much faster.

I'd rather buy a trade with no ads for a cheaper price than six singles pretty much any day of the week.