Rumblings of DC Properties Being Sold Off By AT&T

[Prettyricky]

Dont believe this at all, unless whoever in house wants to sell it off has zero clue of DC or the movies in general.

 

[Jonwo]

After Joker's OW, WB ain't selling DC anytime soon. There are parts of WarnerMedia that would get sold off before it.

 

[Holy Slapper]

Sounds like your typical MCU fanboy (or DC fanboy who hopes to see their movies turn into MCU clones) making sh*t up for his own excitement.

Or Feige appointing someone like him, who knows the source material really well, to run the DC division? I think Feige might actually know just as much about DC as Marvel but he's probably busy enough with Marvel.

 

[-JKR-]

Couldn't care less about Feige.

 

[DlAMONDZ]

DC not being mentioned in Warnermedia plans did seem sketchy

I could see Apple and Amazon jumping at the chance to buy DC. It would make their streaming services a lot more enticing

 

[Boom]

Frankly, I don't have studio allegiances when it comes to these properties. I'm more concerned with these IPs being in the hands of a studio that will do something worthwhile with them.

If, say, Amazon Studios opened up their checkbook and bought DC outright, I wouldn't complain. It'd be weird to see a DC movie without the Warner Bros logo before it, but that's more out of familiarity than anything else.

 

[Micromind]

DC has been with WB since 1972 right ? It would be odd to see this sold off without sound reason to do so.

 

[GreenKToo]

You just know that "IF" ( big if ) they sold DC, Disney would most definitely try to buy it.

 

[Yowza]

Well, the AT&T analyst meeting came and went on Oct. 29th but that's not to say this has totally gone away. The Publishing arm being shutdown has been talked about even before late last year (before Rob Liefeld's tweet) but the AT&T buyout of WB had people at the publishing arm speculating as mentioned above about things being taken further as far as what AT&T might do.

Here are some more recent writeups I've quoted in full:

AT&T Closing DC Comics If '5G' Fails Says Ethan Van Sciver
Following the news of the exit of Dan DiDio, it's being said that AT&T will close down DC Comics if its upcoming "5G" event fails.

Former Green Lantern and DC Comics artist Ethan Van Sciver has reacted to the news by going live on YouTube.

Ethan Van Sciver said that sources within the industry filled him in that if the "5G" event fails that AT&T will close the company.

"Understand. It doesn't mean the characters are going to go anywhere. Batman, of course, is a prized possession of AT&T now. AT&T is Batman, and they are going to keep putting out movies and product and toys and all that stuff," Van Sciver said. "Comic books are dead and they are going to close up the publishing house soon. I'll tell you that a professional who I spoke to recently said, 'Yeah, I was talking to one of the higher-ups at DC Comics who said that if 5G doesn't work out, that's it, AT&T is closing the publishing arm.' So this is ball game."

Comic books are dead says Ethan Van Sciver
Van Sciver also tweeted: "We’re watching the end of DC Comics happen real time. 80 years of history. I can’t believe it. If DiDio is gone, replace him with Geoff Johns or go out of business. F---ing hate seeing this. I loved DC Comics."

The news that AT&T might be shutting down DC Comics isn't something new as last year in September, Forbes put it forth that AT&T might be considering selling off DC Comics as well.

Regarding the exit of Dan DiDio, it's unknown what exactly happened, if he left or was fired, as details are still developing. Update: It's reported DiDio was fired.

While not yet officially announced, following the New 52 and Rebirth, 5G is DC's next publishing initiative that is said to see its classic characters replaced with new ones, such as a new black Batman, with comics priced as high as $7.99.

"[5G] is the basis for all of DC Comics in the future,” DiDio said at the New York Comic-Con in October. "While we won’t go into what the future is, we want to show you that what’s happening now is a high level of planning.”
Update: A big rumor claims Marvel may take over DC Comics.

Marvel Rumored To Take Over DC Comics
A big rumor has hit the net that in the wake of AT&T firing Dan DiDio, that Marvel and Kevin Feige may take over DC Comics.

It's claimed that AT&T wasn't happy at all with Dan DiDio's latest attempt at rebooting DC Comics with the upcoming "5G" event, aka the "fifth generation" reboot of DC, which would have seen classic characters replaced with a "contemporary" take on the characters.

It's said that Dan DiDio butted heads with Batman writer Scott Snyder over the 5G reboot, as Snyder didn't want his comics involved with the event, which caused problems at DC.

So Friday saw DiDio called into the AT&T/Warner Bros. offices where he was fired and let go from DC Comics, which saw DiDio exit the grounds immediately.

It's claimed that AT&T doesn't want to do the 5G reboot as they have too much as stake with the classic characters involved with the movies and television shows and the various merchandise products (divisions which do make money, as DC Comics sales have been rather poor).

It's said AT&T is considering using Hollywood movie and TV writers on the DC comics - writers who already have a proven track record - instead of comic book writers. An example would be James Gunn writing a comic (directing The Suicide Squad), Greg Berlanti returning to write for comics (Arrowverse writer, producer) or now since J.J. Abrams is with WarnerMedia, Abrams could write comics, such as how Abrams recently wrote Spider-Man with his son for Marvel that was a big success.

So having the new 5G comic book characters (such as a black Batman) wouldn't fit with a Robert Pattinson Batman on the big screen and all the marketing and promotion involved, toys, etc. (I'll also add that Marvel Comics tried a similar approach with their "Marvel Now" event that saw classic characters replaced which failed miserably.)


AT&T considering licensing DC Comics to Marvel
It is claimed that what AT&T is also contemplating, is getting out of the publishing side of things altogether and farming DC Comics out, possibly to Marvel (note: Ethan Van Sciver said AT&T will close down DC Comics if 5G fails). It's said AT&T doesn't want to sell DC Comics because they see the value in the various intellectual properties (i.e. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman).

The Lords of the Long Box YouTube channel does note that the rumor of Marvel taking over DC Comics might be just something thrown out there by AT&T and Warners in order to see the fan reaction, but at the same time notes that instead of having no DC comics published, wouldn't it be better to have Marvel take over and publish the DC comics and characters?

The YouTubers even go so far and state that as part of the deal, it could mean that Kevin Feige (who recently became in charge of Marvel publishing) may develop some of the DC characters into movies, or even bring some of the characters into the MCU, such as through the Multiverse.

While this all might sound like a stretch, Disney and Sony have come to a deal over using Spider-Man in the MCU, so why not AT&T licensing out their DC characters, especially if AT&T has no interest in publishing?

Interestingly enough, just this December saw Geoff Johns tease a DC and Marvel crossover in the last issue of Doomsday Clock. Perhaps Johns' "Doomsday Clock" was also counting down to the doom of DC?

You just know that "IF" ( big if ) they sold DC, Disney would most definitely try to buy it.

The reports more recently seem to be honing in back to the publishing arm of DC yet again... I thought to myself after reading this that of course maybe Marvel's will cease eventually as well seeing as how comics aren't the forefront of these IP's anymore...

Time will tell what happens next.

 

[Calvin Ellis]

Well, the AT&T analyst meeting came and went on Oct. 29th but that's not to say this has totally gone away. The Publishing arm being shutdown has been talked about even before late last year (before Rob Liefeld's tweet) but the AT&T buyout of WB had people at the publishing arm speculating as mentioned above about things being taken further as far as what AT&T might do.

Here are some more recent writeups I've quoted in full:






The reports more recently seem to be honing in back to the publishing arm of DC yet again... I thought to myself after reading this that of course maybe Marvel's will cease eventually as well seeing as how comics aren't the forefront of these IP's anymore...

Time will tell what happens next.

This is very upsetting to me if true but whatever happens is what happens.

 

[Calvin Ellis]

The funny thing is if not for Disney and the Iron Man movie Marvel would be no more right now.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

This is very upsetting to me if true but whatever happens is what happens.

Man, cut me and I bleed DC. It breaks my heart just to hear these things.

 

[Calvin Ellis]

Man, cut me and I bleed DC. It breaks my heart just to hear these things.

Agreed but on a positive note DC could finally be free some what to do their on thing but one the bad side it will be forever watered down and written like they have one hand behind their back and all the edge they use to have will be forever gone.

 

[NotNickFury]

We're not actually entertaining something from Cosmic Book News and Ethan van Sciver, right?

 

[Kuwolski]

The idea that they would sell DC is laughable to me from a business sense. Unless someone offers them an insane amount, or an amount far greater then AT&T believe the IP is worth, not happening.

 

[Snow Queen]

Gotta love that click bait. I'm sure they're itching to sell off the rights to Batman.

 

[SupermanFan]

No way do I believe this, filing this unde bulls***

 

[TMP98]

Only 2 WB movies made a billion since 2012, and they were both DC films. HBO Max is banking on the DC license and that streaming service is the most important project in development for WarnerMedia right now. Even beyond those facts, Ethan Van Sciver has never once been right about anything and Cosmic Book News is an alt-right troll site that tried to start a smear campaign against female led superhero films like Captain Marvel and uses buzzwords like "woke"

 

[Mani-Man]

The way people lose their head over this makes me really angry for one specific reason: "Ethan Van Sciver said that sources within the industry filled him in that if the "5G" event fails that AT&T will close the company."

Im sorry, are people drunk as fork or what? Ethan van Sciver claims people in the industry talk to him...who in 2020 believes that people in the industry talk to him?

He even managed to piss his fellow incel clowns off to the extent where they rather read the "damn sjw politic focused comics" than his garbage.
And people sit around all worried and angry while this clown laughs in his basement for making up that he has friends in the industry and that they talk to him.

DC comics stays where it is for many years to come, even if 5G fails.

 

[Rorschach2012]

Ignoring Ethan Van Sciver’s political opinions, he is honestly the best artist to ever work on Green Lantern. Johns/Van Sciver was a formidable duo.

 

[Loden Greatstorm]

I don't believe this at all.

 

[Yowza]

This is very upsetting to me if true but whatever happens is what happens.

It's upsetting to me too. I hope Marvel Studio's/Marvel Publishing stays totally separate. WB tried to copy what Marvel Studio's was doing before and there certainly is a limited margin of success theatrically speaking but I think there is still maybe room for the more drama infused action oriented tentpole sorts of films that don't need to follow the MCU format.

It is every fanboys dream of course to mash whatever's most popular together but too many fictional realities meshing just creates less room in my opinion. Therefore, while Marvel Comics may be buying up properties like Marvelman, licensing out younger reader content, and teaming up on projects like the Ultraman comic coming out I feel DC can go beyond that in terms of innovation from a publishing standpoint...

This is because I wonder if it's possible for AT&T to utilize their connections in the technology industry with some electronic manufacturers to maybe involve some sort of Tablet device that can be meshed with Smart TV's in the near future to really expand the DCuniverse app. This would offer an additional avenue to get more readers like those that may sign up for an SVOD service or merely purchase a Blu-Ray, Digital Copy, or rent from somewhere.

A tablet device that can sync with a television I think is the next step in technological evolution that AT&T has an angle to drive as many leading manufacturers rely on AT&T to provide the connective technology to use said products; a whistful thought for now unless something like that becomes reality though.

 

[Lantern Venom]

Ignoring Ethan Van Sciver’s political opinions, he is honestly the best artist to ever work on Green Lantern. Johns/Van Sciver was a formidable duo.

I rank both Banks and Mahnke ahead of EVS, but there's no doubt that he's in an elite class. However, he's formed a well-known grudge against the industry, so it's difficult to take him seriously on an issue like this.

 

[HRPUFFSTUFF]

i could see them keeping the DC rights and licensing the comics out to others to make. so in a way DC would be no more but the characters would live on in comics.

 

[-JKR-]

Such bullshirt and wishful thinking from MCU suckups.