DC Comics
DC Comics Nielsen Survey
0News hit the internet this morning that DC Comics has contracted Nielsen NRG to conduct a survey among readers and retailers on The New 52.
Click here to take the survey. This is your chance to tell DC Comics what you think. It’s also a chance to show DC just how many female comics fans are reading their product.
Help get the word out. The survey closes Friday, October 7.
(Via Bleeding Cool)
Marketing Fail, DC
0I’ve already had a mini-rant on this issue on Twitter today, but I’m still fired up.
Brigid Alverson at Robot 6 wrote that Justice League #1 was available online illegally almost an hour before the print edition went on sale on the east coast. However, you cannot purchase a digital copy of the same comic until 2pm EST today.
Imagine my surprise when I received the following email at 3:01 AM CST this morning from DC Comics:
A little Marketing 101, DC. You do NOT send an email with a clear call to action such as “Buy Now” if your customers cannot buy it immediately!
The digital version of Justice League #1 should have been available at midnight. If you wanted to give the midnight launch to the brick-and-mortar retailers, then I’m ok with that, but the digital copy should have been available this morning. DC has spent considerable time and money to build awareness of the The New 52 outside the comics community. They are squandering those efforts by delaying the digital release. Is a non-comics person more likely to walk into a comic shop to pick up Justice League #1 or purchase it through their iPad this morning before they head to work?
As Brigid said so succintly,
If you’re going to do digital, dammit, do it right.
DC tired of turning the other cheek?
0August 29, 2011
DC’s official blog posted a letter this morning from John Rood, VP of Marketing, as a precursor to the New 52 launch this week. In it, he takes a rare shot at Marvel:
Many in the industry are under the wrong impression that we want to “win the month” at all costs with sales of DC Comics – The New 52. Sure, we’d love to get our books into more hands than ever before, profitably. But it’s most important that any industry growth comes in an additive manner, so that all publishers may succeed. To be clear – DC is not a market-share-chaser. If we were, we would not be creating a quality lasting direction across a controlled number of titles. We would instead be flooding the market with over 200 titles a month, changing your prices with abandon, killing off a character every quarter or so, and/or randomly announcing decimal-pointed event-ish thingies. We haven’t.
Ouch.
Our first look at the Man of Steel
0Via Entertainment Weekly.
“Meh” was my initial reaction. I’m not fond of these crazy textures they are using on the superheroes.
It could be worse. At least it is not this:
My Pull List Post-Flashpoint
0The dust seemed to have mostly settled after the DCU relaunch madness of the past few weeks. I began thinking about my pull list last night, and here’s how it seems to be shaping up for the post-Relaunch.
Definites
Wonder Woman - I’m not convinced that Brian Azzarello is the right choice for Diana, but I’ll give anything a chance after JMS’ horrific run. I wish DC would have given Phil Hester a shot at the book without being handcuffed by JMS’ story.
Batgirl – I’m still torn over seeing Babs as Batgirl again, but there’s no way I’m not buying this.
Batwoman – Slam-dunk no-brainer.
Probables
Nightwing - I’m really enjoying Gates of Gotham, which is co-written by new Nightwing scribe Kyle Higgins.
Batman - I really wish DC had left Scott Snyder on Detective Comics, which he is knocking out of the park. My only hesitation on adding this to the “Definite” category is Greg Capullo’s art.
Birds of Prey – This is a book that should be a no-brainer for me, but I’m not sold on any book that calls itself Birds of Prey that doesn’t star Barbara Gordon. I also don’t like the absence of Huntress and Lady Blackhawk. I’ve never read anything by Duane Swierczynski, so I don’t have full confidence in the creative team.
On a Short Leash
These titles have 1-2 issues to convince me.
Suicide Squad – This title would have been an automatic buy for me if it was being written by John Ostrander or Gail Simone, but I know nothing about the creative team. In addition, I loathe the new costumes that they have thrust upon poor Harley and Deadshot. I want to love this book, DC, but crap like this doesn’t help.
The Fury of Firestorm – I don’t give a squat about Firestorm, but I’ll give anything written by Gail Simone a chance.
Action Comics – I’m not a big Grant Morrison fan, but I did enjoy All-Star Superman. That’s enough for me to give this a shot.
Catwoman – I don’t generally like Judd Winick as a writer, but I’m hoping for the best.
Justice League Dark – Giving this a try for Zatanna.
Justice League – I’m not a big Geoff Johns fan, but it has Wonder Woman.
I’m going from about 10 definite purchases a month to 3. Not good, DC.
