The past few weeks the first books I have picked up to read on Wednesdays have had the big M on the cover. This new trend in my pastime goes further than comics, and extends to toys and movies. I have always been a DC guy. Robin and later Nightwing was the one hero I have always identified with, and I have come to love the whole Green Lantern mythos, but I find myself week after week picking up Marvel books first. The current DC crossover is the Blackest Night, and while it is a full universe event, the books are not reflecting it. I admit that I don’t read as much Marvel as I do DC, but the list is growing. When I read Ironman, Thor or Captain America it ties into Siege, the major Marvel crossover. When I read all the Avengers books or Secret Warriors they connect with the Siege. In contrast, when I pick up a Batman book it has nothing to do with the Blackest Night, or in the Superman books everyone is too busy off planet or dealing with their own issues to deal with the Green Lantern section of the DCU. The idea of making the characters more important than the company is a mistake. Barry Allen’s story of his return to the DCU was not was not even close to complete, yet he has been a major part of the Blackest Night for the last 3 months. Where are the connections? One shots and mini series are not enough to connect these characters to the universe-shaking events that are taking place. While I think that DC is trying to keep things separate to let in new and returning readers, I think it is a big mistake. This disconnect only adds to confusion and alienates the monthly readers. I went from reading every team book in the DCU to reading none of them, partly because of the disconnect and partly due to the writing. This issue goes far beyond the books themselves. Let’s take a look at the Marvel movies. Good or bad the Hulk connected to Iron Man, and Iron Man to the Avengers. Those types of connections draw in readers, making them want to know more, by making them curious about how the next project will connect. While I agree the X-men are a whole different thing, the Marvel U as a whole is connected. I am reading the Siege and all that lead up to it, making me want to know why Tony is sick, when and how Thor returned, and why there are two Captain Americas. I have picked up all the most recent Thor and Iron man Trades, as well as keeping up with Captain America monthly just to get ready for Siege. It all comes down to the connections. On the flip side, I am not buying any DC trades, because they have not had any impact on each other. Whatever your opinion on the Marvel Universe line of the toys from Hasbro, these toys are even keeping up with current story lines. That is because the line managers are fans of the books and fan boys just like us. When will we see figures based on the Blackest Night? At least a year after the story is over and the company and fans have moved on. “We learn about new characters and costumes at the same time as readers. As it takes 12-14 months to go from concept to shelf, this is why it takes this long to see of a toy of a new character or costume you are just seeing in comics!” -ScottThis quote came from the manager of the DC line at Mattel, and is disturbing. Hints that the Thor line for next year is planned based on movie designs, little tidbits in the secret files of the Marvel Universe line that connect with the comics that are being released right now, and the inability to get collectors a mix of favorites and new characters puts DC and Mattel at a severe disadvantage. I’m not sure if it is DC Direct who is trying to keep the modern characters for their own lines, or Mattel not having as good of a working relationship with DC Comics as Hasbro and Marvel, but it is starting to show. Right now you can walk into a toy department and pick up figures based on Extremis Armor Iron Man and modern Thor, characters that are a major part of one of the largest Marvel stories to date and their file cards add to the comic story. What do we get with DCUC or Infinite Heroes? A clear blue stand and characters from story lines that occurred in 2007. One last fact for everyone to take into account, Hasbro has acknowledged that prices were too high for their line, and has lowered the cost of their line across the board in the past month. On the other hand, prices from the DCU line from Mattel have only risen during the release of wave eleven, and the JLU pricing has become obscene. I will say this: it is hard to be a DC guy right now, when Marvel is putting out better products in film, print, and plastic.
The past few weeks the first books I have picked up to read on Wednesdays have had the big M on the cover. This new trend in my pastime goes further than comics, and extends to toys and movies.
I have always been a DC guy. Robin and later Nightwing was the one hero I have always identified with, and I have come to love the whole Green Lantern mythos, but I find myself week after week picking up Marvel books first.
The current DC crossover is the Blackest Night, and while it is a full universe event, the books are not reflecting it. I admit that I don’t read as much Marvel as I do DC, but the list is growing. When I read Ironman, Thor or Captain America it ties into Siege, the major Marvel crossover. When I read all the Avengers books or Secret Warriors they connect with the Siege. In contrast, when I pick up a Batman book it has nothing to do with the Blackest Night, or in the Superman books everyone is too busy off planet or dealing with their own issues to deal with the Green Lantern section of the DCU. The idea of making the characters more important than the company is a mistake. Barry Allen’s story of his return to the DCU was not was not even close to complete, yet he has been a major part of the Blackest Night for the last 3 months. Where are the connections? One shots and mini series are not enough to connect these characters to the universe-shaking events that are taking place. While I think that DC is trying to keep things separate to let in new and returning readers, I think it is a big mistake. This disconnect only adds to confusion and alienates the monthly readers. I went from reading every team book in the DCU to reading none of them, partly because of the disconnect and partly due to the writing.
This issue goes far beyond the books themselves. Let’s take a look at the Marvel movies. Good or bad the Hulk connected to Iron Man, and Iron Man to the Avengers. Those types of connections draw in readers, making them want to know more, by making them curious about how the next project will connect. While I agree the X-men are a whole different thing, the Marvel U as a whole is connected. I am reading the Siege and all that lead up to it, making me want to know why Tony is sick, when and how Thor returned, and why there are two Captain Americas. I have picked up all the most recent Thor and Iron man Trades, as well as keeping up with Captain America monthly just to get ready for Siege. It all comes down to the connections. On the flip side, I am not buying any DC trades, because they have not had any impact on each other.
Whatever your opinion on the Marvel Universe line of the toys from Hasbro, these toys are even keeping up with current story lines. That is because the line managers are fans of the books and fan boys just like us. When will we see figures based on the Blackest Night? At least a year after the story is over and the company and fans have moved on.
“We learn about new characters and costumes at the same time as readers. As it takes 12-14 months to go from concept to shelf, this is why it takes this long to see of a toy of a new character or costume you are just seeing in comics!” -Scott
This quote came from the manager of the DC line at Mattel, and is disturbing. Hints that the Thor line for next year is planned based on movie designs, little tidbits in the secret files of the Marvel Universe line that connect with the comics that are being released right now, and the inability to get collectors a mix of favorites and new characters puts DC and Mattel at a severe disadvantage. I’m not sure if it is DC Direct who is trying to keep the modern characters for their own lines, or Mattel not having as good of a working relationship with DC Comics as Hasbro and Marvel, but it is starting to show. Right now you can walk into a toy department and pick up figures based on Extremis Armor Iron Man and modern Thor, characters that are a major part of one of the largest Marvel stories to date and their file cards add to the comic story. What do we get with DCUC or Infinite Heroes? A clear blue stand and characters from story lines that occurred in 2007.
One last fact for everyone to take into account, Hasbro has acknowledged that prices were too high for their line, and has lowered the cost of their line across the board in the past month. On the other hand, prices from the DCU line from Mattel have only risen during the release of wave eleven, and the JLU pricing has become obscene.
I will say this: it is hard to be a DC guy right now, when Marvel is putting out better products in film, print, and plastic.
