Reading the latest on DC’s sales results at the Beat blog, I came across another reader comment well worth considering…

As for the term ‘Babymen,’ it’s a term that artist Mike Manley came up with to describe the adult nerds who still live at home in the basement and rush into the comic shops each week to get their ‘Gem Mint 10′ copies of Infinite Civil Crisis War of the 52 issues of dogshit, while they stroke themselves to Jim Lee, and like to art direct a commission in artist alley of Wolverine and make sure that every hair on Wolverine’s nut sack is in place, while they argue over who’s stronger: Superman or the Hulk?

Pretty much says it all to me. These guys are at every show and usually need a bath. Why is it that some comics fans don’t bath? Is that to keep the Skrulls away? I know it keeps the women away…Haha

And to Brett Tolino, your last entry was well written. Good job. I agree with it.

Scott

‘It doesn’t’.

So you’re just typing because you like the ’sound’ of your own voice, eh?

It doesn’t.

Civil War got a TERRIBLE response from the “Online Community” yet it was still an unquestionable blockbuster. Annihilation and Planet Hulk were viewed as Marvel’s saving graces at the time, but neither sold a fraction of some of the Civil War *tie-ins.*

The “Online Community” is a niche within a niche within a niche, to believe we are something more is an especially pathetic breed of arrogance.

White male bias?

Babymen? What the hell does that mean?

Sadly, even the long time fans can’t make heads or tales of the storyline going on in Countdown… and believe me, I tried. Between that and the 52 new earths, you need a road map just to read the solicitations, much less the comics themselves. I don’t know how a new reader would feel…

So not only is DC spreading ill will like an std, they’re being dopes about it too. Their top named creators don’t deliver. They ship stories out of order. Some of their books have so many chunks of art teams (some so amateurish, it actually compliments the fan fict they print) on one issue, reading the book is like staring at a pile of upchuck… each chunk contributes to the greater stink of the whole. The killing, maiming and outright charater raping and replacing. Should I go on? I could…

DC is no stranger to public distaste.

Before 1980, DC had created such a stench for themselves, everyone used to say ‘DC Comics Stink.’ That perception alone helped raise Marvel sales and perception, aside from the fact that Marvel was publishing some great books at the time. So, DC had three things against them: the public thought DC stunk, they actually published books that stunk (not held in the highest regards) ‘and’ feeding that perception helped their own competition’s sales.

Ironically, it took Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s New Teen Titans to begin washing away the stench. Even then, DC had a difficult time with reader’s perception. They even began marketing new titles ‘Because YOU Demanded it.

For DC to act today with such contempt for their customers they actually went out in public and stated ‘What the Online Community thinks does not matter’, it shows the level of intelligence their leader is operating on.

You don’t have to be in business to know, you don’t gain customers by insulting them.

The customers themselves knew what a disregard DC had to them when they consistently ignored their comments, requests and instead, went on killing spree of all their favorite characters. And don’t tell Dan Didio or any of his fans he’s done wrong. No, this guy who is so smart, he spilled the ending of 52 in a DC Nation column before the comic was anywhere near the ending.

We know why he did it though, he had to show everyone how smart he is and that no one knows better, especially not the reader. Of course, this couldn’t be the same readers from the online community whose opinions one of his editors asked ‘How can we get our monthly books back on schedule’ in a DC Nation Column. That wasn’t the EIC because we know, the EIC thinks the online ‘readers’ don’t matter. So only people who don’t use a computer should respond to that question.

You know, this is the same DC Nation that pictured his mug grinning like a cheshire cat with a mustache so badly in need of trim… he looked like he was eating it. Some people may say that’s not nice but you know what, if you don’t want people commenting on your picture, don’t put it in the back of every single comic you publish. If anyone’s going to be pictured, it should be the creative team working on the book. Rare did Stan Lee ever picture his face in the Bullpen Bulletins. Neither did many other EICs whose body of work was far more deserving than Didios (ego). I believe Dick Giordano did it once, when quite a few books were winning eagle awards for the groundbreaking comics they were publishing like New Teen Titans, Watchmen and Dark Knight.

Yes, he was pictured because he was the EIC to get rid of the prior perception of ‘DC Stinks’. Some considered that an impossible task so if you ask me, Giordano’s influence was winning sales and awards so yeah, put his picture in there for the month.

I guess that perception was so long ago, DC must have forgot so they’ve rebuilt that machine and many people are once again saying, ‘DC Stinks’.

How long will this last?

Is there a Marv Wolfman and George Perez New Teen Titans in the house?

Wait, you mean there’s almost 80 pages of an unpublished graphic novel sitting in house? No one wants that, who needs something half complete? It wouldn’t be late so it doesn’t fit their current criteria. Besides, Dan Didio has something better in the pipe, it’s called Titans East. The east coast branch, you know, the one between New York and… New Jersey. I know some people think the all that ‘industry’ in New Jersey stinks but…

Well, you know.

I was typing fast on it when I wrote it and I think most people meant what I said but here it is as I meant it.

“Bone is great example of how poor sales are for it in actual comic shops. The ONLY reason Bone is selling past the two-million mark is because it’s put out globally by Scholastic (A real publisher) and not under Image or Jeff Smith’s imprint. Plus, it’s in real book stores where people actually go and not comic shops.”

As an add on, I was in Captain Blue Hen Comics this Saturday and they have a huge display that they got from Scholastic to help sell Bone. But then again CBH has a great kids section to it.

While I was there, a mother and her 7 year old son came walking in and browsed around the shop. After 20 minutes they came up to the register with about 5 comics. Joe Murray, the owner, asked if these were for her son or someone else and when the lady said they were for her son, he talked her out of getting those specific comics. Her son picked them out for the dynamic covers since they were in bags. The problem with the comics is that they were either part 2 or 3 of a story arc or they were Spider-man comics from the Marvel Knights line which was more adult and graphic. He turned her towards a few Marvel Adventures Spidey books and she picked out a few more from the back issue bin from the late 80s or so. Some Sal Buscema fill ins on Spectuacualr Spidey I could see. Back when pretty much everything was all ages friendly.

As much as I like the Daredevil stuff that Bendis and especially Brubaker did. You can’t let a young kid read it.

There are 2 possible ways to introduce more non-white minority characters into the DCU.

1. Introduce an all new original hero into the cast or supporting cast of an existing team book or solo book.

2. Introduce a brand new character who has taken up the identity of a long dead and/or retired golden age character into the cast or supporting cast of an existing team or solo book. Mister Terrific and JJ Thunder are perfect examples of this.

As for sales of the increasing sales of the Big 2’s, ask yourself these two questions.

1. Do these sales represent actual readers or are readers buying multiple copies of comics?

2. Are the rise in sales due to more books being put out?

Well, look at the Aquaman sales for #20. They were 24k. Current sales are 14k. The Sub-Diego ‘direction’ wasn’t exactly broken — but that didn’t stop Didio from doing yet another ‘old mask, new face’ trick.

WE have nothing to compare Ted Kord and Ray Palmer titles to. I’m sure the numbers from the 80s would have meant “blockbuster” sales in today’s market — but that’s all relative. But you can also point to the success of Hal Jordan’s current title and (it looks like) Booster Gold’s new title.

I think the point Bret Tolino makes is a good one. Didio has been discarding some of the old characters in a bloody-carnage kinda way. What if, instead, he returned those bevolved characters to prominenece? Or, imagine if the New Firestorm book featured a powerless Ronnie in a supporting role? Things like that alone could attract old fans. Let’s face it, the current DC “event” comics are aimed squarely at long-time fans.