[FlakBait]

Less than a year ago, DC Comics made a big deal over the fact that J. Michael Straczynski would be taking over two of its top titles. Today, in an unexpected development (we’re tempted to say shocking, but is anything shocking anymore?), the Babylon 5 creator announced he’d be leaving both the Superman and Wonder Woman monthly comics.

But why? What went wrong?

It turns out the problem wasn’t with either DC Comics or Straczynski, but with the evolving nature of comics themselves. The “pamphlet” comic, which has been the form’s primary comics delivery system since the beginning, has become less and less significant over the years, with some even predicting its eventual death.

Straczynski’s Superman Earth One graphic novel was an instant sellout, went immediately into a second printing and got lots of media attention—which obviously got Straczynski’s attention, too. So he’s decided that from now on, that’s where he’ll be focusing his scripting efforts.

http://blastr.com/2010/11/straczynski-quits-superma.php

[Robert McNay]

The possible death of the comic, as we know it, was probably inevitable. It more than likely tipped over the line when they went about $1.50 an issue. They just aren’t worth it.

You $3 or $4 dollars for, what?, 25 or 30 pages, a quarter of which is advertisements. On the other hand, you can get the graphic novel, about 150 to 200 pages, no ads, for roughly $20.

Individual issue comics stopped being worth about the same time I quit working occasionally at a comic shop. They were still around a $1.

[BlackKusanagi]

Well…maybe Diana can be saved.

[CDR]

Diana can and WILL be saved.
She’s part of a culture that has spanned the world.
If you doubt it just go on dA and typer her name in the search engine.
The variety and quality of the results are a clear evidence that the character has become a cultural value on its own accord.
Forget the fact that the characters creator’s has offered the rights to dc for free as long as they keep publishing it, forget the fact that she’s allways on the main line of DC and the strongest female character on their universe (I mean storywise not phisical strenght), all of that doesnt really matter. The thing that really matter is that there’s millions of persons around the world that love her and will ask her back.
Plus… dont be nervous about the comics in general. Its the usual denial of the conservatives in power to adjust their bussiness models to the modern age. They’ll come around and find another way to do bussiness again, probably stealing some poor guy’s idea, as usual. (look at what happened to Stan, to name one).
Sorry for the lenght of the rant people!

[Author]

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