Comic Book Talk (6 Viewers)

[Sun Wukong]

AT&T can't be that crazy to give up those IPs can they? No one is willing to just buy the publishing side and still pay AT&T for licensure.

I'm really just basing that on 1) Warners always having treated DC like a redheaded stepchild ever since they purchased them and 2), as Torgo said above, AT&T having a history of shortsighted and often illogical moves as a corporation.

Like if you just compare the place DC occupies with Warner Bros. and how they are treated there vs the place Marvel occupies with Disney and how they have been treated there it's a total Goofus and Gallant thing. Warner Bros. purchased DC in 1989, and in that time the only IP in their portfolio they've consistently been able to leverage is Batman despite having the most well known and oldest characters in the superhero genre. Even when they stumble backwards into a breakout character (Harley Quinn, for example) they end up sticking in her in a garbage movie that bombs completely in Birds of Prey.

Meanwhile Marvel/Disney turned Groot, a C-lister alien tree, into a household name. They've turned characters no one outside of hardcore comics fans knew into billion dollar film franchises.

Even before the AT&T purchase, Warner Bros. was really bad about understanding the value of what they have. Now that they've got an even more mercurial parent company to answer to, I legitimately have no idea what might happen.

 

[Torgo]

I'm really just basing that on 1) Warners always having treated DC like a redheaded stepchild ever since they purchased them and 2), as Torgo said above, AT&T having a history of shortsighted and often illogical moves as a corporation.

Like if you just compare the place DC occupies with Warner Bros. and how they are treated there vs the place Marvel occupies with Disney and how they have been treated there it's a total Goofus and Gallant thing. Warner Bros. purchased DC in 1989, and in that time the only IP in their portfolio they've consistently been able to leverage is Batman despite having the most well known and oldest characters in the superhero genre. Even when they stumble backwards into a breakout character (Harley Quinn, for example) they end up sticking in her in a garbage movie that bombs completely in Birds of Prey.

Meanwhile Marvel/Disney turned Groot, a C-lister alien tree, into a household name. They've turned characters no one outside of hardcore comics fans knew into billion dollar film franchises.

Even before the AT&T purchase, Warner Bros. was really bad about understanding the value of what they have. Now that they've got an even more mercurial parent company to answer to, I legitimately have no idea what might happen.

So, honest question. Would it really be so bad if they sold off the IPs of DC? I mean, yeah, it would depend on the buyer, but it doesn't seem it's been in the best hands lately anyway.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

So, honest question. Would it really be so bad if they sold off the IPs of DC? I mean, yeah, it would depend on the buyer, but it doesn't seem it's been in the best hands lately anyway.

Who would buy DC for the price they might look for?

Apple?
Netflix?
Comcast?

 

[Eeyore]

Who would buy DC for the price they might look for?

Apple?
Netflix?
Comcast?

Disney

 

[Sun Wukong]

Disney

Before the pandemic I might have said yes, but they're not going to be making any big purchases for a while. It took a global pandemic that shut down theaters and theme parks to do it, but for the first time in decades they took some heavy losses that have made them look vulnerable. And who knows how long it will take for their core areas to recover.

Apple is interesting in that they're sitting on a stockpile of billions in cash reserves and have been looking to branch out for a while. Apple+ hasn't exactly been a world beater in the streaming wars and the DC portfolio could be a massive upgrade there. And there already in place infrastructure across all their platforms could make for some interesting digital publishing possibilities.

From a traditional standpoint, Comcast would make the most sense. They tried and failed to buy Disney at a weak point in the early 00s, then got Universal about 7 years ago. Buying DC would give them access to properties that would almost instantly enhance Universal Pictures plus they've already got numerous international theme parks they could put those IPs to work in, as well.

The question I keep coming back to, though, is traditional publishing. If they are eventually sold, is thr company that buys them willing to invest in regular monthly comics in a meaningful way? Even their current owner seems to be taking a slash and burn approach to the publishing line if rumors are to be believed.

 

[bonnjer]

No thanks, I already had a world without Superman back in 1993. I'd rather not have that again.

 

[Sun Wukong]

So as the fallout form the DCpocalypse starts to settle down and the very earliest signs of restructuring begin to occur, it looks like they're probably not in too much danger of being sold off or mothballed, but big changes are happening. As of right now:

-Jim Lee is staying on as Pubisher. He claimed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that corporate has a two year plan for DC and despite the cuts and shakeup it's more about refocusing and modernizing. We'll see.

-Marie Javins and Michele Wells have been named (interim, for now) co-Editors-in-Chief. This has led to a bunch of whining about forced diversity/women/etc. from the usual losers, but it should be noted that Javins has been in the industry for decades and has had editorial and management stints and both Marvel and DC and Wells is highly regarded for her work with DC's children and young adult initiatives. They are both qualified for the job. Some have questioned the "two managers" approach, but it does seem they will be filling different roles, with Javins doing more nuts and bolts traditional stuff and Wells focusing on other initiatives and as a liaison with the corporate overlords.

-The publishing line looks to be cut by 20-25%. Many books have already been cancelled (Aquaman, Hawkman, Hellblazerx Teen Titans, among several others). The focus for now will be on investing in the stronger core titles that generate revenue.

-As part of the two year plan, there is apparently going to be a focus on expanding internationally and a massive expansion with digital publishing, with a big push for digital only and digital first books. With digital the idea is they can expand better internationally without physical copies, then go back and publish the most successful of these titles as physical books.

 

[bonnjer]

Good. Can they now focus on writing some good Superman stuff that makes me actually want to read it instead of having it sit in a pile waiting to be read whenever I have nothing else to do?

 

[GrandAdmiral]

So as the fallout form the DCpocalypse starts to settle down and the very earliest signs of restructuring begin to occur, it looks like they're probably not in too much danger of being sold off or mothballed, but big changes are happening. As of right now:

-Jim Lee is staying on as Pubisher. He claimed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that corporate has a two year plan for DC and despite the cuts and shakeup it's more about refocusing and modernizing. We'll see.

-Marie Javins and Michele Wells have been named (interim, for now) co-Editors-in-Chief. This has led to a bunch of whining about forced diversity/women/etc. from the usual losers, but it should be noted that Javins has been in the industry for decades and has had editorial and management stints and both Marvel and DC and Wells is highly regarded for her work with DC's children and young adult initiatives. They are both qualified for the job. Some have questioned the "two managers" approach, but it does seem they will be filling different roles, with Javins doing more nuts and bolts traditional stuff and Wells focusing on other initiatives and as a liaison with the corporate overlords.

-The publishing line looks to be cut by 20-25%. Many books have already been cancelled (Aquaman, Hawkman, Hellblazerx Teen Titans, among several others). The focus for now will be on investing in the stronger core titles that generate revenue.

-As part of the two year plan, there is apparently going to be a focus on expanding internationally and a massive expansion with digital publishing, with a big push for digital only and digital first books. With digital the idea is they can expand better internationally without physical copies, then go back and publish the most successful of these titles as physical books.

Good to know my co-host and I were on target when we did our special podcast episode on the fallout. DC isn't going anywhere and I have zero problem with a slimmer line of books. Marvel has already been canceling stuff on their end as well and I suspect that to continue with layoffs coming pretty soon from across the Mouse brand of companies, including Marvel. Disney might be hurting as much as, if not more than, AT&T.

 

[bonnjer]

Good to know my co-host and I were on target when we did our special podcast episode on the fallout. DC isn't going anywhere and I have zero problem with a slimmer line of books. Marvel has already been canceling stuff on their end as well and I suspect that to continue with layoffs coming pretty soon from across the Mouse brand of companies, including Marvel. Disney might be hurting as much as, if not more than, AT&T.

As usual, I'm behind on my comic reading, but as far as Marvel books, I still only get X-Men, X-Force, and Wolverine in digital form. All these Empyre titles and tie-ins was just too much, so I didn't jump in on them. Are we looking them moving away from all these frequent major events where you have to buy 37 different titles in order to keep up?

 

[GrandAdmiral]

As usual, I'm behind on my comic reading, but as far as Marvel books, I still only get X-Men, X-Force, and Wolverine in digital form. All these Empyre titles and tie-ins was just too much, so I didn't jump in on them. Are we looking them moving away from all these frequent major events where you have to buy 37 different titles in order to keep up?

We're talking about Marvel, right?

Outside of the X-books in my current pull, the only Empyre-related book I'm getting is Immortal She-Hulk.

 

[bonnjer]

We're talking about Marvel, right?

Outside of the X-books in my current pull, the only Empyre-related book I'm getting is Immortal She-Hulk.

Yep, Marvel. I'm guessing that if you wanted to be completely caught up on Empyre, you'd have to buy a ridiculous number of books for it. I've never been much for all that, which I believe I've mentioned in here before. Maybe it's time for Marvel to stop with all that and condense things down a bit.

 

[Eeyore]

My local comic shop owner was trying to push Empyre on me. I told him that these events pushed me out 25 years ago and I don't have a problem backing out again. Marvel canceled 40% of Empyre but it's still too costly to follow in my opinion.

I'm guessing that Empyre will change everything again and I'll start collecting volume 8 of Captain America.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

My local comic shop owner was trying to push Empyre on me. I told him that these events pushed me out 25 years ago and I don't have a problem backing out again. Marvel canceled 40% of Empyre but it's still too costly to follow in my opinion.

I'm guessing that Empyre will change everything again and I'll start collecting volume 8 of Captain America.

Yeah, I can't see myself doing something lie Empyre anymore. Last real event I invested in was No Man's Land, but that was because I was already collecting Batman and Detective Comics. DC's events these days are much more contained. No crisises anymore unless you count all the Metal crap Scott Snyder does.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Looks like Marvel, like DC, are starting to slash titles. Doctor Strange has been cancelled.