Say you took the reins at DC...

[brobdingnag]

In a completely hypothetical and probably impossible scenario, imagine for a moment that Warner Bros. makes you the head of DC. All the titles, all the characters, all the writers...it's all in your hands. And every writer in the world is dying to work for you on whatever title you please. What would you do? Which titles would you cancel? Which would you start (back) up? Which writers would you assign to which characters? Would you reboot any - or all - the franchises? Would you eliminate all the annoying little "pocket" and "alternate" universes?

Have a go.

I stopped collecting sometime in the mid 90's so I am sure I am totally unfamiliar with a lot of the current talent but I would try to get the best talent I could and give them plenty of room to work. If a series is selling like hotcakes I would have to leave it alone, but as far as new series I would probably follow the early Dark Horse model. I would give talented newcomers a limited series and try to build on it, but (unless it was just amazing) it would have to be all new characters. I would try to keep the concepts stylized and universes to one. Where regular mainstay titles are concerned I would pay more for quality and less for quantity. Artists and writers would need to bring more than a name to a run or project. In terms of just who that would be in this day and age I couldn't say for sure but I have liked the art of Bill Sienkiewicz, Mike Mignola on one hand but with the right inker a style like John Byrne's has its appeal. I would also work hard to match writers and artists that may not be aware of each other in an effort to build talent. Do they still have anything like New Talent Showcase?

 

[Varient]

thank god youre not in charge, no offense

Ouch.
None taken.

Understand:
1. DC has been "kill crazy" the past decade or so and it wasn't needed.

2. Superman with limits was a great series of stories because HE HAD TO THINK. Having a "big event" where all Aliens on Earth get Nerfed and a storyline of their adjusting before regaining strength would be a GREAT story.

3. Barbara Gordon is "done" with Batgirl,... I just want her on her feet so she can have a "happily ever after" with Dick.

Sorry you think my ideas stink,..... Is this how Bendis feels?

 

[sethcohen]

no, bendis also smells crap all the time because his head is up his ass... i wouldnt mind bringing back conner or bart, but other than that... sorry... i tried really hard not to be a dick about it

 

[ImrtlLimpWrist]

In the Hawkman annual a few years back, they did a short piece on a small amount of Nth metal helping a bunch of disabled kids in a hospital wing. That could get Barbara back on her feet altho I like her being "differently-abled".

My Special Run would be the JLA deciding to get involved in international affairs. I'm sure it's been done. With a focus on the resulting problems. Policing the Middle East, getting Osama bin Laden (not really sure how you would handle that I admit), GL blasting North Korea's test missiles. Start out with JLA "solving" some world problems, then issuing edicts about what they will "allow", people's response, turmoil between league members as to how to proceed, etc.

I would also...

power down GL by having to recharge his ring for 24 hours after every 48 hours of actiivity. Strategy would have to come into play for both him, the JLA and the villains,

have Wonder Woman focus on man's cultural oppression of women. (Genitialia mutiliation in Africa, women "owned" by thier husbands, etc.)

at some point, if he's human, Bruce Wayne has got to retire. Have one of the books explore the transition of Nightwing to the Batman mantle. ANd keep to it!

kill off a mainstay on a regular basis, starting with Wildcat

give Power Girl breast reduction surgery

 

[GoldenAgeHero]

Let the artist for comics decide which ones they want to work on. That way they will but an effort into the books.

I would push one Superman, Batman, WW, Flash, The Legionaries (NO TITANS!!) GL, Lobo, Orion. Firestorm.

Second Level would be Crimson Avenger, The Question, Booster Gold, Steel, Aquaman, Cyborg, Mr. Terrific, Green Arrow, Impulse

And I would try to find someone who would want to try to work on the other Side of Comics. Giving Darkside, Sinestro, Tiger Shark comics

I would give Vertigo a big push!!

But me I would REALLY focus on the movies. I would light a fire to get movies out and Stop beating the Dead Horse know as Superman and Batman.

Wonder Woman would be out in the Summer the following year. A Hal Jordan two movie deal would be next on the list, moving from him to John Steward and then to Kyle would come out in the spring, along with a Crimson Avenger for the next year.

The Dead of Superman would be the summer of 2010, And JLA would come out in the Winter. And a Flash movie would come out next. And break out a Metal Man comedy after that.


I just came with this stuff off my head. I could come up with more

DC does not control the film rights!!!!!

 

[Anubis]

Yeah, you would need to be in charge of Warner Bros. Or rich enough to buy DC comics from them. Which is neigh impossible.

 

[The Question]

Off the top of my head:

1) Make sure Superman and Batman have only one title each, and make Action and Detective anthology books again.

2) Lift the unofficial Vertigo Embargo. I want to see a John Constantine/Jimmy Olsen team up in The Brave and The Bold, damn it.

3) Give The Question and Blue Beetle a Vertigo series that's in continuity-ish. As in, alot of things that are in continuity are reflected in the book, but if you want to ignore something (like Ted and Vic being dead, for example), then that's cool. The series wouldn't so much be about them as a team, but storylines would alternate between being about them, and sometimes overlap. I'd probably call it "Hub City" or something like that.

 

[Anubis]

Considering Destiny and his book from the Endless are prominent in Brave and the Bold, the embargo seems to already have been lifted.

I wonder if Montoya and the New Beetle would be any good together. They're both hispanic. they both dig chicks. Seems like a good fit.

 

[The Question]

Considering Destiny and his book from the Endless are prominent in Brave and the Bold, the embargo seems to already have been lifted.

I still doubt they'll do a John Constantine/Jimmy Olsen team up any time soon.

I wonder if Montoya and the New Beetle would be any good together.

Maybe.



You know, it's funny. Right up until the end of Infinite Crisis, I was placing all bets on Ted Kord, resurrected and empowered by the Scarab, being the one to save the day. How naive I was.

 

[moraldeficiency]

I'll keep mine simple.

1. Scale back the big three and spotlight other characters. Send Supes into space along with some lanterns and other cosmic level beings for some anniliation like event (darkseid or brainiac would be perfect for this). Send WW world wide to places like the middle east, africa and china and make the women's movement points actually mean something. Just give bats a backseat for a while, constant spotlight numbs a character.

2. Create a DC film company, first project the Question. The budget would be low, he's a very cool character and if kept dark I think it would do great. Follow up on this with either the Flash or Lobo, more expensive but potentially very cool. Get the general pop. to know more than Supes and Bats.

Scale down Supes power levels. Everyone says "with the right writer..." but eventually it just gets boring. The more danger to the character, the more they have to overcome, the more heroic the tale.

 

[Superman_]

1. Bring back Conner Kent

2. Create an Ultimate DCU line. Where Superman is the sole surviver of Krypton and his powers are toned down to the point he can help a plane land but be killed by a nuke.

 

[Aristotle]

If I took charge of DC, I'd make some simple editorial mandates:
1) Stop artificially inflating stories. Reading six-issue story arcs that could have condensed into three is getting boring. An example is Kid Amazo from JLA Classified. I like the concept and a lot of the writing, but the story should have been done by now. This idea can also be extrapolated somewhat: instead of going grand and massive with huge story arcs and crossovers and events, just focus on quality writing and solid art.
2) Write for new readers, not for fanboys. I like the obscure little references as much as the next guy, but there's too many. If something outside of the book being written is referenced, it should be explained. It wouldn't hurt to have those little asterisks, "*See Legends of the Dark Knight #57!" make a comeback either. I personally believe that this, combined with expanded marketing to capitalize on the current popularity of comic books, could double sales across the board.
3) Quit publishing things and then ignoring them. JLA Classified had two consecutive arcs dealing with the JLA's handling of national sovereignty issues. Never mind that the whole question was SETTLED, once and for all, in JLA: Superpower.

These aren't problems unique to DC. Marvel does the same things, just as bad. I'll resist the temptation to say Marvel does them worse, because Marvel doesn't do them worse. Both companies have fallen into these patterns.

 

[Aristotle]

I still doubt they'll do a John Constantine/Jimmy Olsen team up any time soon.

Contemplating the story of that could drive a person insane.

 

[fifthfiend]

Just for starters, I'd reboot - I mean, actually reboot - the DCU.

None of this half-reboot in-medias-res horse****, and no intelligence-insulting "EVENT COMICS!!!!!" crap, just send out a press release "As of [date] we will be completely restarting the DCU." Let the writers wrap up whatever plot lines they like, do a bunch of marriages / resurrections / whatever other sentimental claptrap will make people happy, then slap THE END on all the books and restart the whole thing over from Superman / Wonder Woman / Batman Number One.

 

[Omega Red]

Oh!!! And I would remake Steel in The Return of Superman

 

[Anubis]

Just for starters, I'd reboot - I mean, actually reboot - the DCU.

None of this half-reboot in-medias-res horse****, and no intelligence-insulting "EVENT COMICS!!!!!" crap, just send out a press release "As of [date] we will be completely restarting the DCU." Let the writers wrap up whatever plot lines they like, do a bunch of marriages / resurrections / whatever other sentimental claptrap will make people happy, then slap THE END on all the books and restart the whole thing over from Superman / Wonder Woman / Batman Number One.

The Fan boys would eat you alive.

 

[Darthphere]

I'd start by just giving both Superman titles to Busiek. ****, if Bendis can do it, Busiek can.

 

[Spike_x1]

2) Write for new readers, not for fanboys. I like the obscure little references as much as the next guy, but there's too many. If something outside of the book being written is referenced, it should be explained. It wouldn't hurt to have those little asterisks, "*See Legends of the Dark Knight #57!" make a comeback either. I personally believe that this, combined with expanded marketing to capitalize on the current popularity of comic books, could double sales across the board.

Completely agree about wanting the return of the little asterisks. I also wouldn't mind seeing thought balloon making a comeback.

Just for starters, I'd reboot - I mean, actually reboot - the DCU.

None of this half-reboot in-medias-res horse****, and no intelligence-insulting "EVENT COMICS!!!!!" crap, just send out a press release "As of [date] we will be completely restarting the DCU." Let the writers wrap up whatever plot lines they like, do a bunch of marriages / resurrections / whatever other sentimental claptrap will make people happy, then slap THE END on all the books and restart the whole thing over from Superman / Wonder Woman / Batman Number One.

This would definitely be the lesser of two evils when you look at the mish-mash continuity we've got now.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I'd start by just giving both Superman titles to Busiek. ****, if Bendis can do it, Busiek can.

Busiek practically has both Superman titles.

 

[javi1024]

First off i would decide on a continuity and a history for each character in DC and then WRITE IT IN STONE!! NO MORE RETCONS! bruce knows his parents killer-no he doesnt- now he does- now he doesnt-now he does.... if a writer makes a crappy change to the character (though i would make sure such crappy changes do not occur) people will have to suck it up, and move on.

Second, One Character...One Book. i dont want to buy 4 batman issues a month to know what hes doing. the only exception is if a character is also a part of a team (JLA, JSA, etc). if writers want to write about the early years of green arrow, its not in continuity. If flash and wonder woman are going to team up for a long story, theyre told either in both their books simultaneously or in its own book (and that im still iffy about).

Third, use major title cross-overs sparingly. having one every year makes them that much less special.

 

[trustyside-kick]

First off i would decide on a continuity and a history for each character in DC and then WRITE IT IN STONE!! NO MORE RETCONS! bruce knows his parents killer-no he doesnt- now he does- now he doesnt-now he does.... if a writer makes a crappy change to the character (though i would make sure such crappy changes do not occur) people will have to suck it up, and move on.

Second, One Character...One Book. i dont want to buy 4 batman issues a month to know what hes doing. the only exception is if a character is also a part of a team (JLA, JSA, etc). if writers want to write about the early years of green arrow, its not in continuity. If flash and wonder woman are going to team up for a long story, theyre told either in both their books simultaneously or in its own book (and that im still iffy about).

Third, use major title cross-overs sparingly. having one every year makes them that much less special.

I'd like to add that to what I previously said in my first post here.

 

[fifthfiend]

.This would definitely be the lesser of two evils when you look at the mish-mash continuity we've got now.

See this is what I'm saying. None of this "Earth 1 Plus Earth 2," "New Earth" slapdash horse****. Just start the whole thing over, and get some good writers and tell 'em okay guys you've got a city called Metropolis, a guy who turns up calling himself Superman, bullets bounce off of him and he beats up bad guys, now tell me where we go from there.

If I was gonna get into actually setting editorial direction I would probably say go all the way back to like, the actual year one of Superman - no stupid ****ing mad scientists and space gods, just Superman slapping around do-nothing governors and crooked robber barons. Just take any given actual, real-world problem, then have Superman go in and beat seven kinds of hell out of whoever's to blame, and bam, there's your comic. Then Batman can have the thieves-killers-rapists style of crime, and have Wonder Woman fight for I don't know, abortion rights, and she beats up abusive husbands and ****.

But I don't even know if I'd get too concerned with putting my actual personal imprint on story directions, so much as I'd just say okay I want tales of heroism starring people with incredible powers and abilities, readable by people between the ages of ten and thirty. This guy flies and bullets bounce off him, this guy dresses like a bat and beats up crooks at night, this lady comes from a magic island of ladies, now go and turn that into any kind of actual story. Like Stan Lee Imagines the DC Universe except if anyone hands me any **** like Stan Lee Imagines the DC Universe, I kick him the **** out of my office and tell someone else okay now you take a shot at it.

And generally we just let things go from there, and fill in the rest of the cast of characters as we get around to 'em. Maybe there's a Green Lantern, maybe there isn't, maybe his name is Kyle Rayner, maybe it's Hal Jordan, maybe it's Guy Gardner. Maybe there's a guy named Alan Scott who calls himself Green Lantern too and has strangely similar powers from an entirely different source from those other guys. But maybe not!

The Fan boys would eat you alive.

I'd hire burly men with guns.

There's no problem you cant solve by hiring enough burly men with guns.

 

[donk70]

Excellent topic. These are just a few from the top of my head

1. Kill off Harley Quinn, The Karate Kid, Bat-Myte, Mykstlplikt, Jason Todd (again), Tim Drake, the Teen Titans, and a few other what I would deem a B grade comic book character.

2. I would totally redo the Batman franchise so anything that was Paul Dini inspired or written did not happen at all. Dick Grayson is still Nightwing, but he's bitter at Bruce for turning him into a vigilante and stealing his childhood instead of helping him cope with the loss of his parents. All Star Batman and Robin would be no more. Miller's normally a good writer, but he's sucking with this title.

3. Retcon Superman so John Byrnes Man Of Steel is the definative origin and make it so Lois and Clark never got married and she still doesn't know his secret idenity.

4. Kill off Red Arrow and wipe his exsistance from the DC annals. The character is just as bad as Harley Quinn, IMO

5. I like the direction that the latest Wonder Woman title is movie, so I would leave it as is

6. Batman/Superman is canceled and retcon to have never existed. How dare Jeff Loeb bring back the ****ty Sci Fi type stories of the 50's and the 60's.

 

[Anubis]

You got quite a few bad ideas there. You would make an excellent EIC or whatever.

 

[donk70]

You got quite a few bad ideas there. You would make an excellent EIC or whatever.

What you call bad ideas I call good. It's a different of opinions is all

No opinion is right or wrong