Comments on: DC Entertainment: What we know so far

By: Glenn Hauman

Glenn Hauman — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:47:30 +0000

Syracuse University’s Newcastle School of Communications

It’s the Newhouse School of Communications.

By: alex

alex — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:44:21 +0000

kombayn, doesn’t DC outsell Marvel in the TPB market?

By: kombayn

kombayn — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:24:33 +0000

To me this is a great thing for DC in general. They need to look into digital comics and fix the trade-paperback system. The writing looks to be on the wall for Dan DiDio. Once the new publisher comes in, I’m sure the first thing is getting his own Editor-in-Chief into the office and really look over the failings of the business. While DiDio makes sure his singles sell, he needs to realize TPB’s is where the real money is made and that’s why Marvel was doing so well while turning it into a billion dollar company through their movies.

By: nikki

nikki — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:18:40 +0000

Did Diane Nelson just tell us an infinite multiverse still exists

By: Geoff J

Geoff J — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:00:01 +0000

Kurt, well said. What I find funny about some of the internet talk this move has generated is the belief DC are behind Marvel in terms of output in film/TV. Which simply is not the case, as DC have produced better cartoons, (JLU), better DTV movies (with Wonder Woman being the best) and TDK became the 2nd biggest movie ever last year. Maybe Marvel make more money on their films/TV per project but the quality balance s in DC’s favour…this coming from someone who makes his Marvel in comics these days….

I imagine this movie is somewhat motivated by the fact th Potter well is dried up in terms of new material and Warners need new box office tentpolls for beyond 2010, beside the 3rd Nolan Batman flick…

By: Kurt Busiek

Kurt Busiek — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:48:01 +0000

>> I don’t think ‘Mazing Man is high on the list of DC’s possible adaptations… and the inexplicably dog-faced guy who was a supporting character in that comic, even less.>>

You might be surprised. ‘MAZING MAN isn’t blockbuster movie material, but not everything needs to be to have value. As a TV cartoon, or a live-action sitcom on one of the family-oriented cable stations, it might turn out to be just what someone’s been looking for.

Lots of variety gives you lots of options, in a world where tastes change over time and there are lots of different outlets for different kinds of material. That’s why libraries like this are valuable — there’s breadth and depth to what’s in them. And stuff that might not have seemed valuable one year may turn out to have possibilities the next. One of DC’s teen-humor series (BINK’S BUDDIES, I think) has a character in it who’s an affable teenage vampire named Malibu, who loves surfing and the beach. That could be a sitcom, in this Twilight-riddled age.

The stuff that sells the best in comics stores is not necessarily going to be the stuff that sells the easiest to TV, movies and other places.

kdb

By: Sijo

Sijo — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 02:11:08 +0000

Well, it’s true that Marvel and DC have thousands of characters, invented over decades of publishing. However, not all of those have the same importance or marketing potential. I don’t think ‘Mazing Man is high on the list of DC’s possible adaptations… and the inexplicably dog-faced guy who was a supporting character in that comic, even less.

By: Alan Coil

Alan Coil — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:26:44 +0000

I think DiDio will be promoted to Publisher.

By: Alan Coil

Alan Coil — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:26:02 +0000

Matthew E said:

“I’m surprised nobody has the numbers at their fingertips. But it makes intuitive sense that DC has more characters.” {{more than Marvel}}

Nuh-uhh. Why, Marvel has 6 wolverines, 4 Hulks, 3 Punishers, etc. It all adds up.

By: Josh

Josh — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:43:31 +0000

“how different would Red Arrow be from Green Arrow in the eyes of the general public?”

About as different as the various Hulks/Goblins/Captain Marvels are from one another.

By: Josh

Josh — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:42:26 +0000

“We have reason to believe it’s even bigger than Marvel.”

Pfft. Leave it to a woman to start comparing comic book peens. I kid, I kid. Hee hee…

By: Brian from Canada

Brian from Canada — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:46:48 +0000

But counting DC’s library of characters is a bit skewed by how many repetitive characters there are out there: how different would Red Arrow be from Green Arrow in the eyes of the general public? And how many of them would resonate with audiences today?

By: Corey

Corey — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:07:42 +0000

Who wants to start counting entries in the DC Encyclopedia and Marvel Encyclopedia from DK Publishing from a few years back?

By: Jennifer dG

Jennifer dG — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:37:02 +0000

The simple explanation for what publishers do is that they have a broad vision for the publication direction and they hire and manage editors who are supposed to carry out that direction by doing the nitty-gritty — choosing artists and writers, project managing, etc. I’m not sure if that’s how it works at DC, but it’s the general model.

By: Matthew E

Matthew E — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:09:40 +0000

When pressed, Nelson admits DC’s character library is larger: “We have reason to believe it’s even bigger than Marvel.”

I’m surprised nobody has the numbers at their fingertips. But it makes intuitive sense that DC has more characters.

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:00:40 +0000

JB – you know it, brother!!

I’m nominating Karen Berger for Publisher.

Cheers,

By: Sam S

Sam S — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:03:47 +0000

What does the comics publisher at DC and Marvel actually do? I know DiDio and Quesada are in charge of things on more of the creative side. But I’ve never really been that clear about what the publisher’s job description really is.

By: JB

JB — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:59:22 +0000

I’m just going to say what everybody has been thinking but no one has had the balls to say:

Diane Nelson is really hot.

By: Ricardo

Ricardo — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:50:50 +0000

Wesley: there must be a Publisher position filled, because DCE still has a publishing arm (DC Comics). If such position had extinguished, I would say it would be the end of DC Comics as a publisher and more like a library of characters kind-of thing (like Disney).

By: hypestyle

hypestyle — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:49:36 +0000

I want to see:

live action films including characters like Vixen, Black Lightning, John Irons, John Stewart, and the new Firestorm.. Cartoon series based on the new Firestorm.. also a big promotional push for the Milestone characters in video games, cartoons, and film..