So I'm back to reality from working on a movie and need to catch up on my reading as well as my blogging. I thought I'd be able to keep up with things after I got off work or on my days off but boy was I wrong. Apparently after working 12 - 14 hour days there isn't much extra time or energy to read comics or write about them, and I'm not even going to discuss podcasting.
The biggest news while I was away was the reboot of the D.C. universe. Now that I've actually started reading some D.C. titles and have caught up on the who's who of the D.C. universe (or at least the books I or Schuyler read) everything is changing. Crap. Now mind you, I get that they are trying to bring new readers to comics, which is good for everyone, but what about the current readers? are they so confident that we are hooked on these titles enough that we will keep buying no matter what they do? I know that the base character concept will stay the same but what happens to all the stories we have invested money and time in? I feel there are ways to bring new readers to the books without rebooting.
I hated when marvel did it with Spider-man, the Heroes Reborn crap back in the 90's and every other time they did it in comics, but I always buy in out of pure curiosity and I'm sure I will again so I guess that part of there goal is successful. I do always wonder how the non comic readers are supposed to know this is a good time to jump on when comics usually only advertise in other comics and comic related magazines. The best way to get new readers is to make affordable, good quality books. When I first started reading comics it was in the middle of a storyline and I managed to figure out what was going on and I was 12, and new very little about comics apart from the super-friends cartoon. Modern readers have many options to get into comics, and most likely have had more exposure to the genre from other mediums, without all the gimmicks. With most book stores carrying graphic novels and lots of comics having a synopsis of what came before in the story on the front page, it's not hard to get new readers caught up. Instead of rebooting and not letting your characters truly evolve over time, give your audience some credit and if you want new readers maybe try advertising in other outlets instead of just your own media, lets get some ad space for batman comics in Time magazine, and not for movies or video games but the original source - The Comics.
Geoffrey K Boyd
