DC Comics Fans discussion

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Maybe no one is talking because DC comics is currently being held hostage by the manical Dan Didio who is destroying all of DC's great titles. Before this martinet was in charge, DC put out great comics. In the last few years, they have become less and less comprehensible. Final Crisis and RIP were literally foriegn films with the Subtitles turned off(not my line I stole it from the Buy Pile on CBR.com) and I just gave up. Can DC ever come back from this? How much longer can it continue?

I do agree with you, Paul, on DiDio. He isn't producing the best stuff. Unfortunately, I never could get into Marvel - I just love DC too much. However, the titles you mentioned also have another common element - Grant Morrison. Don't get me wrong, I love Morrison's work - just not his superhero work. When it comes down to it, I personally want exciting, action-packed, superhero comics. That's what they are meant for. Morrison has to make every single panel into an exploration of every character's psyche. This is fine in small doses, but Morrison goes overboard. I feel his work would be better read in novel form and not comic form. He tends to cram way too much information in a single issue (especially Final Crisis) that the reader becomes confused.

Fortunately, I do see some hope for DC. Geoff Johns writes great superhero comics. It's fast-paced, exciting, and, best of all, COMPREHENSIBLE. I think if Blackest Night turns out well, DC will be fine. Last year wasn't good for DC because its two big events, Final Crisis and RIP were both mediocre. This year, the big events New Krypton (which has already proved to be exciting and good) and Blackest Night (which I have high hopes for) should help DC get out of its rut.

But, I do agree with you that DiDio needs to go. DC needs to shake things up and get some new blood on the editing line.

Some good points, I too am a fan of Grant Morrison since he did Arkahm Asylum. I don't pin the blame on him because Infinite Crisis suffered as did 52 and Countdown from a real lack of focus. Event comics aren't hard to do and DC used to do them better. Just look at Crisis on Infinite Earths, Legends, Final Night or recently Bruce Wayne Fugitive or War Games. Since Didio has taken over, the new events don't even make sense. Nothing is worse than reading a series like Countdown or 52 which builds up to nothing. Now really for me RIP was the final straw. It was billed as having tie ins with Dectective Nightwing and Robyn comics. Yet when I bought these issues, the stories really had nothing whatever to do with RIP which you are being kind by calling mediocre. What was amazing was that Robin and Nightwing were in RIP and yet their RIP stories had nothing to do with the overall plot. This isn't Grant Morrison's fault, this is an editorial fault.
I love DC comics. I came on board right at the time of Dark Knight Returns and Bryne's Superman run. I love the characters. I really hate what is happening it seems from the top. Didio has talked over and over of taking Superman, Batman, and Wonderwoman out of DC comics. This was the basis of 52 and for some reason he is doing it again. There are great writers working for DC, but when the dictates from on high are insane, what are you supposed to do? I voted with my wallet. I really hope someday things change, but I don't forsee it.

Not sure how much the problem is Dido and how much is DC getting sucked into the whole 'prepetual event', 'grim and gritty' and writing for the trade mentality that is killing so much of comics.

I blame him more for letting Geoff Johns wear out his welcome and setting the tone for the whole line.
He has become the Bendis and Miller of DC.

I think my apathy for the comics industry, and not just DC, is from its shifting the focus from good stories.

Not to say there isn't good work happening, even at the big 2, but they seem more centered on:

1) The annual event as tent-pole/blockbuster. It used to be these "events" were events. Now they come around like clockwork and seem designed to be the equivalent of the big-budget films Hollywood studios use to prop up the bottom line on their overall output.
2) Trying to force me to buy more comics, not entice me to buy more comics. This is heavily related to the events & crossover syndrome. the straw for me was Blackest Night. Loved it, but it was a budget buster. For some it might have been Civil War or a similar Marvel event. Used to be they got you to read more books the old fashioned way: by telling good stories.
3) Struggles adjusting to multi-platform strategy. Used to be comics were comics. Sure an occasional spin-off or tie-in, but they were mostly their own thing. Now they're "properties" to be "managed"--in monthly comics, collections, movies, TV, direct-to-video, video games, action figures, LEGOS, etc. I think the pressure to monetize all these streams and make any one an entry point for any other is creating much of the flailing we're seeing.

The fixes:
1) Pull it back. Events should be special.
2) Fewer crossovers. And when you do them, make them essential to the story and worth the time & money.
3) This is a tough one. a) Realize not all fans are so deep into it that you need to meet them at all turns. The Iron Man movie fan may never want to pick up a collection. The Arkham City fan may never want to pick up a comic book. b) Respect the source material. If you do that, many of the worries of will X audience find the comic accessible go away. It's when movies, games, etc deviate too much that people can't find what they enjoyed there.

Yeah, Marvel and Dc are just staggering from event to event and each one means you need to buy 64 titles, and 99% of them only have six issues worth of story.

Too many writers/editors are writing comics as their job interview for hollywood.
When was the last time you saw a good done in one issue?
Writing for the trade is fine if you have six issues worth of story. Most comics don't so everything drags and the payoff is rarely worth it.