Confessions of a Comic Book Guy is a weekly column by Steve Bennett of Super-Fly Comics and Games in Yellow Springs, Ohio. This week, Bennett looks at more news on the DC Relaunch and a couple of upcoming Marvel issues.I actually thought I was done writing about the DC Relaunch but information about it continues to dribble out and I keep finding things to comment on.
Like DC declaring decompressed storytelling effectively dead (see "No More 'Writing To Trade"). For years DC could justify the low circulation numbers of its comic books as long as they reached the break even point because they felt certain they'd more than make up for it when the material got collected in trade paperback. Clearly the near implosion of a major book store chain was the hint DC needed that they could no longer count on that revenue stream the way they used to.
Me, I’ll be happy to see it go. On the one hand, at its best 'Writing To Trade' provided writers and artists the opportunity to include moments not absolutely essential to the plot, but on the other the leisurely pace cut the tension out of a lot of comics. But the big question, for me anyway, is how, after roughly a decade where 'Writing To Trade' was the status quo, creators will suddenly adjust to doing two part, three part and (dare I dream) even stand-alone stories. Especially since there are writers now working in comics who have never written comics any other way.
If anyone needs further evidence there's an audience out there for comics online I place into evidence a Reuters story by Jethro Nededog dated June 24--"'Burn Notice' Graphic Novel Gets Over 100,000 Views." I'm sure it helped that it was a a tie-in to the season premiere of a popular cable TV series and was available for free on the network’s website, but it's still pretty impressive. According to a report on the The DC Retailer Roadshows stop in Chicago by Rich Johnson on the Bleeding Cool website right now "the percentage of print over digital sales NOW are 630 to 1." And while I agree with him that won’t change dramatically overnight it definitely shows the potential for growth is there.
Also announced in Chicago was that July 20 was going to be Free DC Comics Sampler Day (see "DC Sampler Kicks Off Nationwide Campaign"). If you weren’t around back then between September 1983 and January 1984 DC Comics released three issues of a promotional comic that highlighted upcoming titles. Maybe I'm just feeling nostalgic but I fondly remember them if for no other reason than they're evidence of just how diverse DC Comics used to be. Among the no longer published comics (some of whom I wouldn’t mind seeing revived) were Arion, Lord of Atlantis; Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld; Arak; Atari Force; Spanner’s Galaxy; and Thriller. Those Samplers were also, as I recall, a good sales tool for retailers.
In a past column (see "Confessions of a Comic Book Guy--And Now For A Public Service Announcement") I praised the Marvel comic Captain America: A Little Help but chided them on their stony silence concerning issues like bullying and anti-gay attacks. Well I'd be remiss if I didn’t mention Generation Hope #9 will deal with teenager gay suicides. It's by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie, creators of the Phonogram series, and will be released on July 20.
The Mighty Thor #3 is worthy of mention for a couple of reasons. For one, it contains an example of good decompressed storytelling. Page one is just three beautifully drawn panels showing Volstagg the Voluminous walking to town and talking to himself about making breakfast. Second, there's a double page spread of a clearly naked Sif, which is the kind of thing I usually deplore as the cheapest sort of gratuitous fan service, but I'm going to give it a pass. First because it demonstrates just how tough this version of the character is but also because it's just so beautifully drawn.
And, finally, though I doubt it has anything to do with the DC Relaunch issues of Superman are shown being read by Agnes and her friend Trout in the 6/27/2011 Agnes comic strip. Agnes says, "Just think of the novels he could have written with all of his powers," upon which Trout replies "Hard to read stuff by guys who wear their underwear on the outside."
Consider it further proof of why the Superman costume change is necessary; only two kinds of people wear their underwear on the outside--superheroes and lunatics.
The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff of ICv2.com.