Kita and Joe’s Awesome DC Roadshow RoundUp
Because I wasn’t old enough for the George Michael version; to quote Fred Durst, “You just gotta have faith.”
Fresh from a 3 hour meeting with the staff of DC (Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, and Dan Didio included) that’s just what I’m doing - a eating bowl of noodles and having a little faith.
The staff of DC for some reason unknown to be (knowing the onslaught of questions, level of negative feedback, and skepticism brought forth by change) marched their butts across the US holding several meetings where store owners and staff were invited to hear them out on this crazy ‘reboot’ and invited to express their opinions and ask questions in return.
And this is one of the things I love about my job, we aren’t afraid to speak our minds. These aren’t politically correct polite meetings where issues are danced around and were all given a pat on the back and a hand shake and sent on our way. Ok, not every issue is danced around and the pat is a toy but don’t judge. We still speak our minds, something the staff of Captain Blue Hen have developed a bit of a reputation for doing very well and DC takes and dishes out where deserved.
Didio stood in front of us and went over every one of the 52 titles slated for #1′s, the creative team, the excitement and anticipation for each. But we all knew those already…
What sold me though is the new businesslike approach they are taking to the comic industry. It takes a big man (or company) to admit when things aren’t going well and this is what DC is doing. Reality is, comic sales are down. No comic has broken the 100k mark in months, a scary fact from where I’m sitting, and even scarier when you look at it from the publishers perspective. If the books aren’t selling there has to be a reason why. This is a “company initiative to improve the business – not a stunt.” The first reason I’m on board for this ‘reboot’. Lets sell some comics.
Didio also expressed an understanding about our frustration – and of a fans frustration of the books never coming out on time and made another promise to us, which is that they will get those books in your hands when they are supposed to be. If a creative team falls behind, others will be brought in for filler issues – and if it becomes a perpetual problem, then the teams will be removed from a title. Novel idea, eh? We would rather have good monthly books and not the big shot name. Bout time. Reason number two that I’m cool with this (…with skepticism to whether or not they can pull it off).
Here’s an important one: The stories you know and loved are still part of the DC history. Just different… But not… The stories being presented take place in timelines that correspond with the DC history. They are building off of events in the DC history for these new titles (like the new GL story coming directly from the results of the War of the Lanterns). More variety is being brought to the table. “Humor, heroics and heart” and the words Geoff Johns used to describe his Aquaman and JLA. They are changing how they are telling the stories. Scripts are being made to be rewritten and the boldness of the same characters presented in other media (movies and games) want to be reclaimed in the pages that brought them to life.
For more details tune in to next weeks From the Booth podcast or head on down to the shop next Wednesday night where Joe and I will be having our own ‘roadshow’ roundup and trying to answer as many of your questions as we can. (New DC checklists also available.)
So, as the retailer, I’m jumping in feet first on this one and hoping DC doesn’t let me down. I hope you all are willing to do the same.
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