Kita on DC’s New #1s
You wanted Bruce Wayne as Batman, so stop complaining.
So, unless you live on a rock (insert that Gieco commercial here) you have heard about the 52 titles DC plans to start at number 1 in August/September. Comic shops and the Internet have been lit up with raging fans, prospective new readers and opinions on the extreme either way.
Now, from a comic shop’s perspective, I’m both shaking in my boots and not really caring all at the same time. If all of my long term DC fans suddenly drop every single book they are reading, well, that would be not good. But in all likelihood, they won’t. On one hand, they might be upset that the characters they have grown attached to are starting their current plot lines over again (not entirely the case), but on the other hand, these are the same readers that have complained for over 2 years now about the antics going on in DC books. I haven’t heard a single reader say anything positive about a Batman title starring, or not really starring Bruce Wayne in two years. Well guess what, they are giving you Bruce Wayne back in the cape and cowl without having to know what happened in the RIP, Return, Inc or otherwise. DC is putting the characters that got you into this back on the pages – so look at it with open eyes and open mind. Remember, no one ever likes change but sometimes they are for the best.
I will finally be able to hand someone a comic book when they walk in and say I want to read ____. I won’t have to spend an hour explaining the order in which you have to read Blackest Night and why its going to cost you $75 to just get the main plot points. I won’t have to explain that even though the cover says Batman, and looks like Batman, it’s not. I won’t have to show the 5 other trade paperbacks that are better written and more bang for your buck then than that Green Arrow title you want to read but aren’t sure what Swamp Thing or Aquaman really have to do with it. I will be able to sell you a comic. Which is what retailers have been asking for for years now too.
See, we’re both getting what we want. We just don’t want to embrace it because it’s new and scary and starts everything over with that record ending #1 all over again.
From a readers perspective – I’m pumped. I can’t wait to sit down and read Catwoman again. I can’t wait to try all of the DC titles that I’ve never bothered reading because I didn’t want to listen to a 4 hour lecture from a DC history major about how the current continuity is wrong and hat the yellow lapels weren’t part of the original character concept so its a waste of time. I will be able to sit down, read some titles and form my own opinions of the characters. Maybe I’ll be come a fan of something new, maybe they will let me down like Dini on Zatanna. Who knows, but I’m open and ready for the change.
Marvel realizes things get off track and that they need to hit the refresh button from time to time and look how many of you are reading Avengers titles because of it. I’ve been waiting for DC to dust off the manuscripts and take a hint from Marvel for a few years now and I can’t wait to see what they have up their sleeves.
No one there has liked the past two years of Batman? That really surprises me, I think Dick Grayson as Batman has been awesome, and Scott Snyder’s run on Detective is great.
I actually liked seeing Grayson trying o make the suit myself. I do have one question though (assuming that one of the Bat-Family Vehicles is not getting a monthly series)…WTH is BATWING #1?
I liked the progression of batman.. Batman was assumed dead and Dick took over.. And took the Damian under his wing.. With Damian being dark and brooding and Dick being a lighter side of the Dark Knight. the chemistry was great.
And Stephanie becoming batgirl after cassandra quit, is an awesome story, it was fun and i rooted for her to succeed. And Tim Drake/Wayne being the only one believing Bruce is alive took the mantle of Red Robin and became his own superhero in his own right. But with the change coming, i am seriously debating continueing comics. Everything i know and loved is changing. Red Robin has “falcons” wings now? What about Stephanie and Cassandra? A dark and brooding batman with an even darker and brooding Robin? Did “Killing Joke” never happen to Babs? And Jason never Died? And are they going to change Damians personallity? Like what they did to jason that made fans write him off?
There are tons of titles out that there that aren’t brightest day or blackest night. if someone walks in and asks for a green lantern book, there is a great starting point in gl;rebirth. most people that walk into a comic shop WANT to read comics and will not be turned off by previous story lines…as a new reader they will know that they are behind. in this article you failed to mention that dc is also doing same day digital that could have an impact on your sales. also, you don’t need a 4 hour lecture to read dc, that is what wiki is for, pick character and just look them up. 52 titles in the same month is a horrible idea and it will only be a matter of time before they start becoming delayed. also this makes the books that i am currently reading meaningless. how is that that a good thing for shop and readers?
How would us pointing out any downside help retailers? We don’t make the comics, we just sell ‘em. We would hope that DC wants to sell more comics like we do. There’s no stopping these decisions. Readers who don’t like the announcements can contact DC and see what happens. All WE can do is wait and see. We hope for the best! : )
I, myself, am looking forward to the changes for the most part. Having just started collecting and reading comics for the first time since the 80′s, I have found some storylines confusing, but where applicable, have researched whatever it was I couldn’t find easily in a book in my possession. Although I subscribe to several of the Bat titles, and enjoy them, I look forward to reading about characters that are closer to what I remember (the days when there was no Oracle). And while it’s true I may lose some titles that I currently buy, most likely I will start picking up some new ones that I may not have interest in now. For example, I loved Aquaman as a character when I was a kid, but don’t know much of his past history. So, I may grab that one. Time will tell.
I for one am excited about the #1′s. I will pick up at least 5 of them and likely more than that from what I saw. Sounds like a new and exciting time for DC.
I really like Grayson as Batman. Batman and Robin is my favorite book.
I am open to the reset. It should be interesting. I hope they still work the Grayson/Damien dynamic somehow, that has been very good.
respect
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Is it just me or does anyone else hear “Yummmm!” in their head anytime someone mentions Red Robin?