The skinny according to LITG (please don't just read what I summarize here, but visit the column, as there are a lot of cool stuff this week including "the fake Art Adams"):
1. (yellow rumor light)
DiDio doesn't like the ending to Final Crisis, has Grant Morrison do last-minute rewrites. Morrison not happy. Writers working on spinoff Final Crisis books have to stop work while rewrites take place, because their books will be impacted. Gee, will Grant be up for another event in the future, considering this all went so well?
2. (yellow rumor light)
James Robinson has a fight with DiDio, quits Superman & DCU books.
3. (green rumor light)
DiDio more aggressively courts Hollywood writers to work on DCU books. I would infer that part of the reason for this is that all the regular comic book writers have been alienated.
4. (green rumor light)
In the new Kevin Smith Batman book: "The Joker offers his bottom to be sexually violated by his rescuer, jokes about the colour of his pubic hair, a scene depicting genital torture and no sign of a Mature Readers tag." (emphasis mine).
5. (yellow rumor light)
"Battle of the Cowl" will not be written by Grant Morrison or Judd Winnick as previously thought. Instead -- taking a page from late-80s Marvel/early-90s Image -- it will be both written and drawn by Tony Daniel. See my inference in point #3. Perhaps they can get more artists to just write their books as well. Comic book writers, as you know, are a generally troublesome lot.
As far as I understand, the LITG green rumor light means "sure thing," and the yellow one means "unconfirmed but sort of likely."
If the James Robinson & Final Crisis stuff is true...wow. Just...wow.
I think one commenter on Twitter said it best:
"i cannot put my reaction to the latest LITG into words."
you can also read the Twit after that for more insight.
Marvin the Wonder Dog just made me *sigh*. This, if true, makes me cry.
ReplyDeleteIf this is true, one hopes that the unaltered script makes it on Morisson's web site, at least.
Anyone have a hankerchief?
I would say...
ReplyDelete1) I really don't think Morrison should be writing event stuff anyway. He's better on stuff with his own characters than the main iconic ones, even though I am coming round to his Batman. As for his ending, doesn't it really depend on how either take plays out? He could have used a heavier-handed editors on earlier issues really.
2) Honestly, no loss. Loved Starman, liked his Krypto. Never thought he 'got' Superman.
3) Is this any different from what Joe Quesada's been doing for years? And honestly, your inferring is just because of (1) and (2) - neither of whom are exactly prolific in their ouput.
4) I don't think any of the scenes Rich mentioned warrant a Mature Readers tag, to be honest. It's not like it was Young Liars...
5) Yeah, this is odd. I seem to recall not hating The Tenth, so I can wait and see how this plays out.
I've been really excited following Final Crisis and mentally pretending Countdown didn't exist.
ReplyDeleteIf this rumor is true... Damn, just damn. When is DiDio leaving again?
You think this could be it for good ol' DiDio?
ReplyDeleteIf that's true, it makes me wonder if DC wants to fail. Though it's been sort of fun to watch DC implode since OYL made me drop all the DCU titles
ReplyDeleteDan, you dumb son of a bitch.
ReplyDeleteIt's stuff like this that has made the transition to trades all the more easier.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, how far in advance did he get the script? It seems a bit a far along(issue 4 right) to say, "Hey, this doesn't work change it."
Movie and tv writers? I don't care if the man or woman wrote the snappy comments in a catalog, can they provide a good story?
Oh man, LITG was choice today. So much good stuff.
ReplyDeleteDC has had me fit to be tied for the last few years now. I find it confounding that a title as good as Blue Beetle gets axed, while Titans just keeps trucking along. My Christmas present was the inept GOP getting turned out of power. I can only hope that my birthday present will be Dan DiDio joining George W. Bush on the way out.
ReplyDeleteWow. DC is really becoming one big mess, isn't it? I was thinking that with all the back-tracking, editorial screw-ups, wasted characters, and bull-headed cancellations that Marvel was in even better shape since they're doing everything right and have been for the last four years. But then I realized that Marvel isn't doing anything special really, just publishing good titles, nurturing creators and characters (newcomers and veterans, both), and operating with a solid game plan, which is what any good comic company should be doing anyway.
ReplyDeleteI still read DC, but out of the dozen or so titles I eagerly follow every month, they've slashed half of them -- Birds of Prey, Blue Beetle, The Flash, Manhunter, Nightwing, Robin -- for no real reason. Birds of Prey, Manhunter, and Blue Beetle deserve more support than they're being given, The Flash is taking a step back twenty years and will probably do to Wally West what happened to John Stewart and Kyle Rayner when Saint Hal Jordan came back, and they're messing around with Nightwing and Robin when there's no discernible reason to.
DC's so far gone the only thing that if this news is true on top of everything else, the only thing that could save the company is a complete editorial overhaul. They need people who aren't simply looking to the past and a small section of a prospective market and can push things forward to better appeal to new readers.
Have a good day.
G Morrow
Is it me or does DiDio seem to get more and more controlling every year? It kind of reminds me of a combination of Jim Shooter and Bill Jemas: needing to have a finger in every pie but bringing in outside names. I thought sales have been down at DC, so why does there seem to be more micromanaging?
ReplyDeleteSomeone should post this on http://failblog.org
ReplyDeleteA couple years ago, when 52 was running, I thought Didio was doing a pretty good job. Rucka on Wonder Woman. Simone on Birds of Prey. The Batman books were interesting. All-star Superman was getting started. When I talked to him at a con, his enthusiasm was contageous.
ReplyDeleteThe past year or two have been disappointing though. Dixon leaving Robin. Shooter leaving LSH. All-star Batman and Robin. And now all these cancellations.
Getting TV and movie writers will not help anything. Those guys tend to be ashamed of superheroes and put them in trenchcoats (blech!). I'm a superhero fan. If you take the capes and tights away, then what you have are science-fiction comics (which isn't a bad thing, but I'd hate to see the superhero genre die again). You can take the worst Superman books and they will still tell better stories and provide more entertainment than Smallville or Superman Returns.
Also, while I'm in favor of revamping older characters to appeal to a new audience (that's what started the Silver Age after all), some of the industry's traditions need to remain -- especially the traditional dream of every twelve-year old comic book fan who wants to someday write for Marvel or DC. That dream is a lot of what keeps readers coming back, even after we get so old we know it's not going to happen for us. (I still connect to twelve-year old me through my favorite comic books.) If Dan has turned away from that, then all his talk about respecting the "DC heritage" is just hot air. Sure you want the best writers you can get, but you also want people who *like* comic books and aren't just doing it to collect a check.
Seriously -- look at the crap that Hollywood is putting out right now and tell me that that level of creativity will improve my comic reading pleasure.
This makes me sad. I was actually just introducing myself to James Robinson's work. I bought the Starman Omnibus and loved it and then by serendipity (or clever marketing) he was working on Superman. I also was enjoying Superman.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Final Crisis goes, it was kind of meh for me. I'm a little tired of line wide events and ready for just some regular good, "simpler" stories. To be fair though, I think Countdown made me predisposed to dislike Final Crisis. So frankly, I don't hold Grant Morrison that accountable...now I guess I can hold him even less so.
My understanding was that what is now "Final Crisis" was originally pitched as just a series that followed up on some threads left from Seven Soldiers. After it was pitched, TPTB wanted to make it a "Crisis" book.
ReplyDeleteNow, Didio is telling him how to finish it?
N-No...no J-Justice L-L-League? No M-Mikaal...but, but I was... I wanted to... But...
ReplyDelete(Clears throat followed by closing eyes while taking deeeeep-breathes. Gains composure...squints at screen as if the computer flipped him the bird. And, in an even more deeper voice with a little rasp:)
Where's Dan Didio LIVE!?
I want to be surprised, buuuuuuttt.....
ReplyDeleteThere really is some great things about being in a 'comic book coma' for the past 11 years. New like this just makes me shrug my shoulders...
ReplyDeleteI used to not read DC and I guess that will continue.
1. Dan Didio, the man who gave us such "wonders" as Countdown and Decisions vs Grant Morrison, the man who redefined what Superman IS, and should be, in All-Star Superman. And never mind all his groundbreaking work on Animal Man, Doom Patrol and bringing back the JLA. Yeah. I know which side I am taking.
ReplyDelete3. So this means that DC will publish books tri-annually now? *cough* Kevin Smith's Daredevil and Spider-Man mini-series, Damon Lindelof's Ultimate Hulk vs Wolverine, Allan Heinberg's Wonder Woman, Richard Donner's 'Last Son' Superman arc, etc.
Yeah. This will work out just fine.
I was waiting for someone to comment on the adult content in Kevin Smith’s Batman book. I haven’t been reading DCU books lately and picked this one up just because it was written by Kevin Smith. I now wish I hadn’t. Not only was it not very good as far as the story is concerned, the material was definitely adult content. I kept flipping back to the front cover to look for the adult content warning.
ReplyDeleteThe Joker eager to engage in sodomy for money and the jokes about gay sexual terminology seemed over the top.
Actually, as stated on the LITG page, A yellow light "indicates I think there is a heavy bias involved here, or it just seems a little dodgy."
ReplyDeleteWhich makes it possible but something is giving him a reson to not accept it at face value.
I, myself, cannot understnad how Dan Didio contues to get away with such things (if this is true that is). It seems he is a serious threat to the ongoing success to DC Comics. How is it that no one over there sees this?
This may be the spin we're all putting on it, based on some fan nitpicking, but it seems like DiDio's thrashing. I mean, think about it.
ReplyDeleteMarvel's numbers are up over DC. Marvel has consistently been able to put out more successful big screen franchises. Marvel was the first to move into digital subscription. Now, Marvel even seems ready to challenge DC/WB's long-held monopoly on animated television.
In almost every market, Marvel is innovating the floor out from DC. Not only are they adding markets and increasing their visibility (with stunts like Joe Quesada partering with Stephen Colbert, as well as innovating the comic book movie with cross-promotions on their stable of characters), but their core business is up. As far as why their sales are up over Marvel, we can guess. I can't speak to Marvel's distribution strategy, print runs, or publication calendars, but I can say that (from all reports) they've employed solid writers and allowed them to perform with minimal interference.
In any case, and whatever the reason, I don't know how much longer DC can continue on its present course. Eventually, the corporate overlords at Time Warner will decide that a massive change is in order.
When is that going to happen, though? Seems overdue.
If the bit with Robinson is true and, as a result, Congorilla does NOT become a big breakout star for DC, this is war, DiDio. You hear me?
ReplyDeleteWAR!!!
I suppose I can toss my Morrison/Lee Wildcats #1 into the donation box
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you can say that Marvel is quite ready to jump over Warner in the movie and Animation department. Marvel hasn't really put out a really good cartoon in... well... basically ever. I LOVEd the old Marvel cartoons and the Spider-Man of the early 70s... but really ... since then? It's been mostly garbage.
ReplyDeleteAs for the movies, The X-Men and Spiderman franchises have thrived like the Batman and Superman ones have for Warner... but Hulk has kind of stumbled and Iron Man, as well as it did still has to garner a repeat performance to be called a Franchise. Watchmen will keep Warner in pace with Marvel on the movie front, but they will have to get more moving forward (Green Lanetern? Flash? Wonder Woman? JLA?) once stuff like Capt America and the Avengers start to come out.
As for the publishing end... well.. Marvel has typically been ahead of DC for a loooong time. Even in the mindless 90s where just about every Marvel books was utter crap, the overall market share was still in Marvel's favor.
There is certainly a difference in ideology between the two companies in hwere Marvel DOES seem toallow their writers/creators to run with the ball more often than DC does. There HAS been editorial mandates though... I mean.. the ENTIRE Spider-Man One More Day/un-do the marriage fiasco was 100% Quesada and editorially mandated. Even when they got the writer on board with the direction (JMS) they changed his story to the point he didn't want his name on the final issue.
It sounds like DC was going to allow Morrison to plot the course for the DCU much in the way that Marvel has allowed Bendis (and Millar to a lesser extent) to plot the way for the Marvel Universe but in the end got cold feet. The inability to allow something to progress without making major changes while already in progress (as the LITG item says might be happening) or making sure the entire company is on the same page (Countdown complete contridicting Final Crisis) seems to be falling 100% at Didio's feet and it reeks of (to us at least) his inability to allow things to not have his finger prints on everything.
I've heard the doomsayers calling that DC is going to go under to the overwhelming pressure of Marvel's market share before.. many times... however, in the end we'll most likely see things return to normal as time goes by... because this industry seems unable to substain a long overhall on a permanent basis. Like in the storylines, most of the time we see an eventually return to the status quo (or something close to it).
Having said all that... I'm NOT a Didio fan and I feel his way of doing things and he aparent need to dip his hands into every corner of the DCU is not only limiting things.. but is a serious threat to the overall future of the DC books. I do feel that a chance need to come... and soon.
Superman comic book editor Matt Idelson contacted the Superman Homepage today to debunk this story. It's not true. James Robinson has NOT quit the Superman comic books.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php?readmore=5725
rocketeerz:
ReplyDeleteSome good points. Addressing them below.
1. As I linked, the difference between now and Marvel's previous attempts is that it now has its own animation studio. This is relatively new and may do for their animation what it's already done for their films.
2. The Incredible Hulk didn't meet its production expenditures with its domestic box office (coming about 11% short of its production budget), but it made up for it in global take, and will also make plenty of cash in after-market (rentals, TV, etc.). While this isn't ideal, it still beats Superman Returns, with a domestic take that missed its budget by 26%. Also, Marvel had box office wins in the last few years with Ghost Rider, Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man 2, The Punisher, Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. By contrast, DC has had minimal successful franchises in the past 5 years: with the only successes being the Batman movies (with Dark Knight's success being pretty significant), V for Vendetta and Superman Returns. Constantine missed its budget by 25% and Catwoman missed it by a whopping 60%
3. I don't at all think that DC will "go under." Warner can see the value in DC just for intellectual property's sake alone. Hell, Dark Knight brought in more than double its production budget in domestic take alone. That, in and of itself, justifies Warners pouring money into the company just to hold the copyright. However, DC is losing in many areas that are measurable to its parent company: areas that are outside of fanboy ravings with regard to continuity and immeasurable changes like characterization and story. The losses can be obviously and directly compared with ways in which Marvel is winning in the marketplace. Once Warners sits up and takes notice, that's when we'll see a shake-up in DC's editorial staff that's more than just a few assistants being shown the door. I think they're just not really paying attention right now.
"James Robinson has NOT quit the Superman comic books."
ReplyDeleteMy questions would be as follows:
* Was Robinson, instead, fired off the Superman books?
* Will Robinson finish his run on the Superman books?
* Is Robinson still writing JLA as scheduled?
* ???
I think this topic has reached the saturation point on the Internet and elsewhere that if I do one more post on it, I'm going to get blamed for starting another schadenfreude.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to sit this schadenfreude out and let someone else be the schadenfreuder.
I'm going to go wait it out and scan some 1980s toy ads from my old comic books.
...and I prob'ly should close this post down too. Sorry.
ReplyDelete