DC Reboots Entire Comics Line

[The Game Doctor]

Late this summer, DC Comics (AKA National Periodicals) is, literally, starting over, according to news that broke earlier this week. Beginning with Justice League, DC is resetting 50+ titles to issue No. 1. (I can't believe that DC is still publishing 50+ titles, frankly.)

In what seems like an incredibly stupid idea, the long-time comic publisher will be renumbering all issues back to number one (after comic book fans got burned by the collector-mania of the 80s, I don't expect anyone to start buying a dozen copies of each faux first issue in hopes that they will ever increase in value during their lifetime). Of course it should enhance the collector value on the original series, but it's a rough market and DC doesn't make any money off collectors buying old comics anyway.

Comic companies traditionally relaunch titles but this renumbering gimmick just seems like a desperate attempt to create excitement. Given that most superhero comics make their money as film licenses, I could actually see this idea blowing back (Superman is getting ready for its second cinematic reboot in a little over a year, much as Marvel's Incredible Hulk did after the first film flopped). No idea whether the long underwear characters will be getting new origins but that seems unlikely, so what's the point?

The comics will also be digitally released on a same day basis with the hard copies.

Don't expect comic fans to become giddy as schoolgirls over this announcement.

[Jay]

I thought I caught something about the characters being "re-imagined" as well.  Although I'm not a huge comic fan, I caught this topic on my FB page.  Seems the family of the creator of Superman are seeking royalties on the design of Superman.  So, if Superman is changed (along with other characters) the claim of ownership becomes diminished.

Again, I don't know much on this topic aside from what I'm reading my comic book buddies talk about.  I'd be curious if someone could find out more and post on it! (hint hint Bill, as you have the greatest comic background of ANYONE EVER!)  

[The Game Doctor]

  This is so confusing that I don't know how clear my explanation will be. Back in the 70s when I was writing for DC, Marvel and Harvey, the comic companies began to specify on every check writers and other creators endorsed from them that they were producing what is called "work for hire" -- which means you have no rights to anything. A lot of employees simply crossed out the work for hire clause on the back of their checks, signed and deposited them.

  To give the simplest explanation possible, courts have ruled that after a fixed period of time, the rights to IC revert back to the creator or their estate. This is supposed to kick in next year and it affects movies and music (and videogames??) as well. So yes, this is very possibly some sort of attempted loophole by which DC can continue to cheat the estates of Siegel and Schuster, Superman's creators. Apparently they've even pushed up the release date on the next Superman despite having another Dark Knight film ready to go.

  This looks sleazy and/or stupid but if rights start reverting to the creators, the entertainment business is in for a seismic shockwave to their profits.

[Crash Override]

This is why Marvel comics are far superior than DC Comics. I quit reading DC Comics in the early 80's. They quit being "fun".

[The Game Doctor]

  DC basically rebooted many of its major characters in the 70s. After the "Batman" TV show had all but destroyed that venerable franchise, writer Denny O'Neil and artist Neal Adams totally brought back the "Dark Night Detective" image and led the way to Frank Miller's work.

  Denny reinvented Wonder Woman as a Diana Rigg/Emma Peel clone from "The Avengers" (the TV show) as well as Green Arrow and Green Lantern. Even obscure characters like The Vigilante were brought back (and I got to write him). But almost all the major characters were given relaunches or, at the least, face-lifts

  Now and then a character's book would be restarted to give it a new #1, but I can't imagine that an entire line has ever turned over.

  Once Marvel brought in continuity during its revival (it had been "Atlas", I believe, up until that point) under Stan Lee in the 60s, DC's reign at the top was over. Marvel Comics were the first books where storylines continued over the course of multiple issues (the introduction of the story arc), whereas once an issue of a DC Comic ended, nothing that happened in that issue would ever be referenced again. Thus, DC became the comics that kids read and when they became adolescents, they moved on to Marvel, where the art wasn't as slick but the characters were so much more multi-dimensional.